Each week I enjoy making something special for my family. A sweet bite they can enjoy during the week when things get busy. This is typically some sort of banana bread, energy bite, muffin or any other fun recipe I find on Pinterest. I always keep it simple because I'm NOT a baker. Now you know, any baked good I post will be on the easier side. :)

Lately, I've been adding baked oatmeal into the mix. Baked oatmeal is an easy thing to prep & serve for breakfast throughout the week. I like to bake it the night before & store in the fridge. In the morning, slices can be reheated quickly or taken on-the-go. Toppings like honey, apple butter, nut butter or maple syrup make it extra tasty! The base of the baked oatmeal makes it easy to switch out the flavors based on the ingredients you have on hand. This version adds a few (shelf-stable) apple ingredients that give it a cozy fall vibe.

A few tips for making this recipe:
- Purchase "baked apple chips" that have no sugar added: the dried chips soften in the oven & prevent the oatmeal from becoming soggy.
- Use unsweetened applesauce: the sweetness from the maple syrup & apple chips really do the trick!
- The vanilla protein powder adds a nice subtle flavor (& obviously added protein!). If you prefer to leave out the protein powder add two extra tablespoons of gluten free oats.
- Store in the fridge. Eat within 4-5 days!
- Serve with some nut butter & maple syrup for an extra tasty morning treat!

Your house is going to smell like you baked a lovely apple pie. Yet you only spent 15 minutes mixing up this yummy baked oatmeal. I'd call that a win!

Click the link below to download the recipe!

Instagram Reel showing this recipe: Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
​Enjoy :)

Have you seen the viral TikTok trend for salmon rice? It’s amazing. . .I could eat it every day honestly! It’s a delicious combination of leftover salmon & rice. Combined with mayo, sriracha, coconut aminos (or soy sauce) & lots of toppings (think avocado, sesame snacks, green onions..). After making salmon rice a handful of times I started using the “sesame snacks” more frequently to top fried rice or eat with proteins. My kids will devour them on their own!! They’re the perfect amount of salty & crunchy. Very addicting!! One day for lunch, I pulled out some canned tuna & leftover rice, & came up with these delicious little sesame wraps. Going for sushi doesn’t happen often since going gluten free. I like to make my favorites at home, this way I can control the ingredients. 

The wraps themselves are a bit more involved in the process, but they can still be made quickly! Perfect for leftover rice that’s ready to use. You can find sesame snacks in the international food aisle near soy sauce (in most grocery stores) or look for larger sesame sheets typically used for sushi. Costco & Thrive Market (online) have them as well!

When serving this to picky eaters or kids:
- separate ingredients on the plate to let them build or consume as they wish
- leave out sriracha if they don’t like spice
- make with canned salmon if preferred 

With warmer spring weather in Missouri, patio season is certainly upon us! 
We love to take advantage of our covered patio & fire pit area during nicer weather. Typically, there is some sort of snack, drink or meal heading outdoors with us! I have a collection of specific serving items that are easy to clean & hold up outdoors (aka they won't break). These are my go-to items when we head outside.

Discount home stores like HomeGoods or Target are great places to find fun patterned, sturdy items. I look for melamine, stainless steel, acrylic or wood materials. I always stock up on seasonal paper napkins & plates to make cleanup a breeze. My absolute must-have for outdoor dining is a tray. I learned this from my mom! You can pile a bunch of items onto the tray for less trips in and out of the house. Trust me.

I've linked a few of my recent favorites below for your next patio outing & some easy patio-worthy recipes.
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Acrylic Wine Glasses (stemless/stem)

Fluted Acrylic Glassware (various colors/sizes) 

Modern Melamine Tray (blue, gray available) 

Modern Melamine Salad Plates (four colors/various sizes) 

Marble Melamine Serving Platter

​Olivewood Charcuterie Board 

Fun Paper Napkins (lemon/orange/palm leaf)

Grab some plastic food baskets (pictured found at Hobby Lobby, similar below), line each basket with parchment paper & let your guests build their tacos! I remember having baskets like this as a kid. It always felt fun to eat in a different way. Perfect for outdoors!
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My Classic Burger Bowl will be featured in my upcoming cookbook "Simple. Delish. Healthy." It's so simple & perfect for anyone wanting to eat a bit healthier....so I had to share! Customize using your favorite burger patties, toppings & sauce.

I'm playing around with a few versions of the burger bowl to include in the cookbook as well. Be sure to click the button below to watch how you can make it at home!

*affiliate link: use code JENKINS10 for 10% off your order

I've been loving the freedom to share my health journey with you all through vlogs. I hope they bring you some value, make you question things around you or offer ideas to live a healthier life! In my most recent vlog, I test out some heavy metal filters, share recent food creations/podcast listens & touch on what it's like being parent during COVID times.

*This post contains affiliate links. I will earn a small commission if you shop using one of my links. Thank you for supporting HOTH!

When the weather starts getting cooler we tend to spend more time at home. Less running around in general. For me that means....more time to cook & experiment with food! On the weekends, I like to try out new recipes that I wouldn't have time to make during the week. A dish I recently ate at a restaurant & this blog post had me thinking about a new savory appetizer.

Crostini with ricotta, tomato jam & crispy prosciutto. 

It's seemingly "fancy" but the process is very simple. I used store-bought crostini to save time ( Scharr GF Italian Crostini) but you could easily make your own by crisping up some bread. The tomato jam for the crostini bites takes time to cook down. But the ingredients come together very quickly & it requires little intervention. The prosciutto can be crisped up in just a few minutes in the oven. After that, it's time to layer!

​​Make this for some friends or your partner & watch for that "impressive" look!

How perfect are these appetizer plates for this savory bite?? I'm picturing many desserts, snacks & appetizers served on these classic white plates. These affordable plates have a timeless look that won't go out of style. Plus they're low maintenance: chip & scratch resistant, dishwasher - microwave - oven - freezer safe.

Shop my appetizer plates by clicking the image below!
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Do you ever dream about your to-do list? Creating recipes & cooking always has me dreaming about food. This recipe came to me one early, early morning. I knew if I didn't write it down immediately I would forget. So what did I do?? I wearily squinted my eyes at my ultra bright phone & typed nonsense in my "notes" app. 

It looked something like this....
"Dark choc with pistachios" 

Luckily I remembered what that actually meant!!

This Christmas will be a little different since we have chosen to go gluten free. The usual desserts are mostly out. This recipe is something sweet that we can have without any substitutions!! It's not Mom's Christmas cookies BUT it helps with my sweet tooth. The recipe itself can be switched up to fit your taste buds. Choose any nut or dried fruit combination you want.