A Quick Breakfast on the Run for Your Busy Life

            Store bought, premade breakfast bars are not always the healthiest solution to breakfasts on the run, so I want to share this recipe made with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, and ground flax.

            Make them ahead of time and freeze each of the sixteen bars individually. For those hurried mornings, microwave one frozen bar on high for 30 seconds, and you are out the door with warm oatmeal in your hand. Yes, the recipe does have butter in it for moisture and tenderness, but remember this makes sixteen bars: that’s only just over two teaspoons of butter per bar.

            I hope this recipe will take a bite out of your busy mornings. Until next time... Happy Cooking!

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Recipe created by Chef Dez    www.chefdez.com

“The benefit of oatmeal in a convenient bar. Great for Breakfast on the run too – Microwave each bar from frozen for 30 seconds on high power.”

Makes 16 bars

2 ¼ (two and a quarter) cups whole wheat flour

2 ¼ (two and a quarter) cups quick oats

¾ (three quarters) cup raisins

3 tbsp ground flax seed

1½ (one and one half) tsp baking soda

1½ (one and one half) tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

¾ (three quarters) cup butter, room temperature

½ (one half) cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1½ (one and one half) tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with baking spray. Tip: Line the pan with parchment paper leaving the ends sticking out to make the uncut product easier to remove from the pan once cooled.

2.     Combine the whole wheat flour, quick oats, raisins, ground flax seed, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl.

3.     Beat the butter and Splenda Brown Sugar Blend together in a separate bowl.

4.     Add the apple sauce, vanilla extract and eggs to the butter and Splenda/butter mixture. Continue beating until thoroughly combined.

5.     Combine the mixtures in the two bowls together. It will be a very thick batter.

6.     Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

7.     Bake for 18-20 minutes until firm.

8.     Cool in the pan until room temperature.

9.     Cut into 16 equal bars by removing the product from the pan first.

Makes 16 bars

Pan Seared Sage Scallops

            What is the first food you think of when I mention the herb "sage"? Probably turkey stuffing, or poultry in general. But I'm here to tell you that sage, fresh sage, is an incredible aromatic herb that can be utilized in many other applications.
            One of our all-time favorite things to do with fresh sage is to pan sear scallops with it in

browned butter. I have personally made this recipe for so many people and it always pleases. I have even convinced scallop haters to love this recipe! The aromas that come from the fresh sage being fried in the butter is incredible, and the crispy bits of sage on the scallops is to die for!
           To help you along with this recipe, I will also include a video link of the preparation of this dish. I know, it's an older video of me... I apologize for that, but it's a good rendition of how easy this dish is. I am hoping to make more videos of different dishes in 2018. Click HERE
            Here is the recipe. Let me know how you like it. It is also on page 18 of my cookbook "The Best In Your Kitchen". Happy Cooking!

Pan Seared Sage Scallops

 “The essential oils released from the fresh sage in this sauce make these scallops to die for”

12 large scallops

Salt & Pepper

1 – 2 tsp grape-seed oil or canola oil

1/3 cup cold butter, cubed into tbsp pieces

2 tbsp chopped fresh sage

1.     Preheat a heavy bottomed medium/large pan over medium-high heat until it is very hot.

2.     Pat dry the scallops and season them on both sides with salt & pepper.

3.     Add the oil to the pan and then immediately add the scallops one or two at a time. Cook in the hot pan for about 30 seconds to a minute on the one side until they are seared/browned.

4.     Flip them over, cook for another 30 seconds, then add the butter pieces one or two at a time until it has all been added. The butter will brown very quickly and immediately add the sage, stir and coat the scallops with the infused brown butter sauce and serve immediately.