Oats, walnuts, blueberries, and apples are baked together in this hearty breakfast dish that's so good it almost tastes like dessert!

I received free samples of California walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering 
a recipe contest sponsored by the California Walnut Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

If you have never experienced the wonders of baked oatmeal, then you must try this dish!  Oats, walnuts, blueberries and apples are baked together in a hearty and comforting breakfast dish that tastes so good it almost feels like dessert.  And the best part is, it tastes even better the next day. 

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Today I’m celebrating the recent release of my latest cookbook, Natural Baby Food.  Published by Hatherleigh Press and distributed by Penguin Random House, this book is the culmination of a year of work and is the follow up to my Natural Pregnancy Cookbook.  After many late nights spent researching, writing and testing recipes, it’s so exciting to finally see the finished product in print.  It’s almost like giving birth to another child! 

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Looking for some fun, nutritious snack ideas for your kids? Try these quick and easy snack hacks!

I’m always looking for fun and easy ways to incorporate healthy foods like fruits and vegetables into my daughter’s diet.  Most parents of young children struggle with this issue at one point or another.  My daughter Sienna is almost three now and at times it can be hard getting her to slow down long enough to eat anything at all, let alone a full meal!  Providing healthy snacks for your little one is a great way to balance out an uneven diet.  Young children need nutritious snacks throughout the day to fuel their bodies, boost their nutrient intake, and give them long-lasting energy.

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeItWithMotts #CollectiveBias

At less than 150 calories and almost no fat, these healthy muffins are the perfect, guilt-free snack.

I have a confession to make- I love to bake.  It’s funny, most chefs fall firmly on one side of the savory or sweet fence- they're either savory chefs or they’re bakers, but usually not both.  It’s probably because with savory dishes, you can be more experimental while baking is much more of an exact science.  With savory dishes, you can add a little bit of this or a little bit of that, mixing ingredients until you achieve the right balance of flavors.  But with baking, you have to be very precise, measuring each ingredient; otherwise your pastries may not rise or have the proper texture.  In culinary school, practically every student in my class except for me dreaded the mandatory 6-week pastry module (of course I mean the cooking part, not the taste testing!).  I love cooking savory dishes but I also love to bake.  I guess it’s my background in science, but I actually enjoy measuring out ingredients.  Plus, it’s amazing to me that you can mix together a few simple ingredients like flour, eggs, sugar and oil and just a short while later, you have a delicious baked confection.

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With only two ingredients, this simple and nutritious fruit compote is equally suited for babies or adults!

I'm in the midst of testing recipes for my upcoming book, Natural Baby Cookbook, which means I'm up to my ears in baby purees!  When Sienna was younger, I made all of her food.  CLICK HERE to see my post on making homemade baby food.  Now that she’s older, she’s moved on from purees but still enjoys dishes like this Strawberry Apple Compote. 

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Your family will swoon over this lovely breakfast dish that puffs up high in the oven.  Light and airy yet satisfying and filling, serve it straight from the oven with a dusting of powdered sugar.      

A Dutch baby, also called a German pancake, is a baked breakfast dish that’s like a cross between a popover and a pancake.  It’s traditionally baked in the oven in a cast iron skillet and has a delightfully light, tender and eggy interior with crispy edges.

The batter is extremely easy to make- simply throw all of the ingredients into a blender and blend away.  My version has sautéed apple slices that are baked into the batter for an extra boost of flavor and nutrients. 

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Welcome the arrival of fall with my Tuscan Kale and Apple Salad.  This dish uses Tuscan kale (also known as lacinato or dinosaur kale) but if you can’t find it, you can use curly kale.  The kale is paired with apples, which are in season this time of year, as well as dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and almonds.  The salad is topped off with shaved Piave, which is an Italian cheese that adds a nice salty bite. 

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This Carrot-Ginger-Banana Smoothie is just one of over 400 recipes included in The Complete Book of Raw Food Volume 2, by Lisa Montgomery.  I had the opportunity to read this new book published by Hatherleigh Press and I must say that I learned a great deal about raw foods.  What exactly is a raw diet?  It’s a diet that consists of raw foods such fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds that are uncooked.  The philosophy behind a raw diet is that because the food is not heated above 118 degrees Fahrenheit, it retains all of its nutrients that would otherwise be lost during the cooking process.  This allows your body to get the most from your food.  Montgomery does a great job of discussing how eating raw is not simply a diet but rather a whole lifestyle change.  She stresses the importance of taking positive steps to improve your health and well being in all aspects of your life, not just your diet.        

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