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Oatmeal

How to Make the Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares

By Denise Pare-Watson

Urb’n’Spice Ultimate Recipes Series

In my family, Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares have a long history.   My father-in-law loved these squares and every time we visited, a batch of these squares was always a must-have.  

Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares | urbnspice.com
Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares

My research indicates that this old-fashioned dessert has been popular for a very long time in Canada, particularly in Western Canada, Quebec and Newfoundland.  Date squares are made using layers of oat crumb crust and a date purée filling.  These delicious squares are also known as matrimonial cake. I thought that this was an unusual name until I understood the significance of the two layers of oat crumble holding the dates together.  Apparently, these layers symbolize the couple courting and then completing that bond in marriage (I suppose it made sense back then).

Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares | urbnspice.com
Ultimate Date Oatmeal Bars are also known as Matrimonial Cake

I have made this recipe for The Ultimate Date Oatmeal Squares for many years.  I have always used traditional ingredients such as all-purpose flour, brown sugar and unsalted butter, which always provided a delicious result! In this post, I made modifications to this old fashioned recipe and have adapted it to make a gluten-free and dairy-free version with no loss of flavour, texture or overall appearance. I have provided both recipe versions with the gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients listed first and the traditional ingredients following.  Both deliver a great result.

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Filed Under: Brownies & Squares, Dairy Free Recipes, Desserts and Sweets, Gluten Free Recipes, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, School Lunch or After School Snacks, Urbnspice Ultimate Recipe Series Tagged With: Dairy-free Desserts, Dates, Desserts & Sweets, Gluten Free Desserts, Matrimonial Cake, Oatmeal, Squares

Cherry Inspiration

By Denise Pare-Watson

Cherry Season – everyone looks forward to it.  Eating out of hand is likely the most popular past time as the plump cherries appear at the roadside stands.  If you are lucky like me, you might have a daughter or an acquaintance with a cherry tree in their yard. Cherry Inspiration – let’s explore it.

Cherry Inspiration | urbnspice.com

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Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
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License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Breakfast Items, Condiments & Accompaniments, Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, My Recipes Tagged With: Breakfast, Cherries, Cherry, Compotes, Oatmeal

T-Bear Three Bear Porridge

By Denise Pare-Watson

Everyone knows the story about Goldilocks and the Three Bears. When my daughters were growing up, it was one of their favourite stories. One of their most requested breakfast choices was what I aptly named, “The Three Bear’s Porridge”. Whenever I made it for my little ones, I could be assured that it would be eaten eagerly and happily.

Three Bears Porridge updated | urbnspice.com

Fast forward to today, and we now have another little golden locks in our family who is not so easily persuaded to eat her breakfast. I decided to dig up my old recipe for “Three Bear’s Porridge” and modernize it a bit to include quinoa for that extra little hit of protein. I am happy to say our little “T-Bear” was quite enamoured with this special breakfast surprise and exclaimed that it was “just right!”  Try making this recipe for your little bear cubs.

Three Bears Porridge updated | urbnspice.com

T-BEAR’S THREE BEAR’S PORRIDGE – Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Refined Sugar-Free

CHEF TALK: This updated version of oatmeal porridge is sure to be a hit with all the bears in your family.  I prefer to add the cooked quinoa after the porridge has cooked since quinoa cooks at a different speed than quick oats. For dairy-free, substitute the whole milk for coconut milk or almond milk or any other dairy-free version.  For a gluten-free version, it is important to ensure that the oats are certified gluten-free on the package.  I buy Bob’s Red Mill Rolled oats.   This recipe is free of refined sugar.

Yield: This will feed three hungry bears (or 4 or 5 little people servings)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 and one-half cups milk (whole milk, almond milk or coconut milk or water)
  • 2/3 cup quick cooking oats
  • 2 – 4 Tbsp. honey (the bear’s choice for sweetening)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
  • ¼ – ½ cup Thompson raisins
  • 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced into ¼” dice
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup cooked quinoa

METHOD:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the whole milk (or milk of choice) to a simmer (bubbles starting to form). Watch carefully as milk easily burns. Alternatively, you can substitute water for the milk.

2. Microwave the diced apples for 1 minute to soften, if desired.

Three Bears Porridge updated for T-Bear | urbnspice.com

Microwaving the diced apple for Three Bears Porridge

3. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cooked quinoa.

4. Cook over low to medium heat, while stirring, until the oatmeal has thickened. This will happen quite quickly.

5. Add the cooked quinoa and stir through to blend together. Serve with yogurt or milk.  Enjoy with your little bear cub.

T- BEAR’S THREE BEAR’S PORRIDGE

CHEF TIPS:

  • I tend to make enough quinoa at one time to add to salads, soups, pilafs etc. and keep it in the freezer to have on hand for adding to other dishes.
  • If you are using steel cut oats (rolled oats), cooking quinoa together with the oats works out very well. Substitute half of the oats for the quinoa and proceed with your oatmeal recipe.
  • Substitute dried apples for the fresh apples in this recipe: dice 3 or 4 rings of dried apple slices into ¼ inch dice and combine with the ingredients when cooking the oatmeal.

MICROWAVE VARIATION: This recipe can be completely cooked in the microwave. Add all of the ingredients together except quinoa and cook according to microwave directions. (less than 5 minutes). Stir in the cooked quinoa and serve.

Three Bears Porridge updated | urbnspice.com

Three Bears Porridge updated for T-Bear

You might also Like these Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas:

 Sweet Potato Pancakes 

A Breakfast Frittata

Good Morning Cranberry Coconut and Carrot Muffins

‘Porridge again!’

‘Porridge and honey, better than money, everything’s funny, with porridge and honey!”

Author: Joe Abercrombie

Happy Porridge Making, everyone!

If you try my recipe for T-Bears Three Bears Porridge, please leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy! 

Denise Pare-Watson - The Urb'n'Spice Chef | urbnspice.com

 

Denise Paré-Watson

The Urbnspice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Breakfast Items, Food Fun Tagged With: Breakfast, Cooking for Kids, Inspiring Kids to Eat, Oatmeal, Porridge, Quinoa, Refined Sugar Free

My Dee

By Denise Pare-Watson

We have the unique circumstance in our family of five girls where two of the sisters were born on the same day exactly four years apart.  I am one of those two siblings.  As a further coincidence, our first names both start with “D” so we are known as “the two Dee’s”.   My sister and I have a connection that I would equate to a relationship that twins would experience.  This recipe is from ‘My Dee‘.  A number of years ago, my sister typed up her best recipes for my birthday, and to this day, every one of them is still a favourite of mine.

Sisters born on the same day, four years apart, have a special connection: the story of My Dee | urbnspice.com

My Sweet “Dee”

Old Fashioned Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

CHEF TALK:  You will find that this recipe will be your go-to recipe when you need to fill the cookie jar, or make cookies for a coffee party or even for the simple reason that it is raining and making something in the oven just seems like a great thing to do.  You might find that it ends up being your absolute favourite cookie recipe in your family, too.  The combination of oats, wheat germ and coconut are wonderful!  Change up the options if you are making the cookies for school by eliminating the nuts and adding sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Yield:  Makes 3 dozen cookies

My Dee: Old Fashioned Coconut Oatmeal Cookies | urbnspice.com

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1/4 cup wheat germ
  • 3/4 cup coconut (unsweetened)
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or raisins
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired

METHOD:

  1. Cream butter, sugars and egg together thoroughly.
  2. Add flour, oats, wheat germ, coconut, baking powder and soda.  Mix well.
  3. Stir in raisins, chocolate chips or nuts.
  4. Drop by teaspoons onto lightly greased baking sheets.
  5. Flatten slightly with a floured fork.
  6. Bake at 350o F. for 12—15 minutes.

You Might Also Like:

Nut Butter and No-Nut Butter Cookies

Coconut Orange Pudding

LEARNING TIPS:  

Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:

  • Creaming
  • Parchment Paper
  • Basic Tools – Scoops for Portioning; The Simple Spatula
  • Oven Temperature Accuracy
    __________

If you try my recipe for My Dee’s Old Fashioned Coconut Oatmeal Cookies, please leave me a comment below with your feedback.

You can find me on social media (see links below) – just be sure to tag @urbnspice and #urbnspice so I am sure to see it. Enjoy! 

Denise Pare-Watson - The Urb'n'Spice Chef | urbnspice.comDenise Paré-Watson

The Urb’n’Spice Chef

Follow me on Social Media

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

 

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2017 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms:  X 
License Type: Commercial
License Abstract: You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: Cookies, Oatmeal

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Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
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