Redmond Trading Gift Basket Giveaway! 2 Winners

Today Redmond Trading would like to offer a gift basket to 2 of my readers with the following products.  These products total just over $25 when purchasing from the Redmond Trading site.

1 10 oz jar of Clay
1 tube of Earthpaste
1 9 oz Salt Shaker
1 Pocket Shaker

Have you read my review of the Redmond Trading products? If not, make sure to go read that post either before or after entering this giveaway!

I can't say enough about how much I love the Redmond Clay and the Earthpaste from this company.  I use the Earthpaste daily and keep the clay on hand for any emergency.  I think clay should be added to everyone's natural first aid kit.  So far I have been pleased every time I have used clay on myself or my family.  We use the salt all the time in our regular cooking needs.  It's so great to know that the salt we are using is good for us!

To enter this giveaway use the Rafflecopter form below.  The winner will be announced September 11th here on this post (Rafflecopter form).  If you have questions let me know!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclamer - I received a sample of this product for the purpose of the review linked to above. This giveaway is sponsored by Redmond Trading. Giveaway for US only.

Redmond Clay Review + Facial Mask Recipe

Before receiving a sample from Redmond Trading I had never tried using clay before.  I had been hearing more and more about it all over and had been really wanting to try it.

My clay sample arrived really fast and I was impressed with the large 10oz container.  You don't use much so it lasted a long time. I actually just bought another one.

About Clay from Redmond Trading:

Redmond Clay is an old “Home Remedy” that generations of people have used for a variety of ailments. Redmond Clay’s origins are as old as the practice of putting a mud poultice on a bee sting. Geologically, Redmond Clay is volcanic ash that was deposited in sea water years ago. Technically, Redmond Clay is a swelling-type sodium bentonite. Redmond Minerals brings this “clay of a thousand uses” to market in its natural state with no additives, chemicals or preservatives. The only processing it undergoes is crushing and screening.

Since there are no proven studies to indicate that Redmond Clay is effective in curing any ailment, this document serves only as an educational example of how Redmond Clay has been used historically.

I have been using the clay ever since to help with acne and wish I would have found this years ago!  I am totally amazed at the results since applying a clay mask to problem areas.  After about 1 month of applying a mask twice a day the acne was all cleared, that had never happened using any other ointments or medications on it.  After that month I went to a once a day application and now I only use it about once a week or when I feel like I'm needing it.  I mixed the clay with honey, oat flour and baking soda but I'm pretty sure it would have worked by itself just maybe taking a bit longer to fully clear.

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Honey-Oat Clay Facial Mask
1 tbsp clay
2 tsp honey (link to my favorite honey)
2 tsp oat flour (just blend up some oats in a blender or food processor until they become fine)
2 tsp baking soda

* I would recommend using organic or as natural as possible products when making a mask.  This mask is supposed to help pull impurities and toxins out of the skin, using ingredients full of pesticides and chemicals will make it work against itself.

Mix all ingredients together and add enough water to make it spreadable (1 tbsp or so).  Rinse your face with warm water and pat dry.  Apply a thin layer of the mask all over your face or just on the problem areas.  You want to mask thick enough that you can't see your skin through it. Avoid getting the mask in your eyes/mouth/nose when applying.

Honey is antibacterial and exceptionally helpful in healing acne, both the inflammation and the scars. Oats are extremely helpful in reducing inflammation and promote healthy skin.  Baking soda helps balance the PH of the skin.

If you want you can do a honey wash on your face before doing a mask, this will help a lot with problem areas and inflammation.  To do a honey wash: Rinse your face with warm water apply a thin layer of honey all over.  Cover your face with a warm washcloth for a little while, probably about 30 seconds to a minute.  Rinse with warm water again and pat dry before applying your mask.

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I also have put a clay pack/mask on mosquito bites, it helped with the itching but the ones I had still got really big (which they normally do for me so that's not something new).

My son had a sore on his leg that got infected, after just 2 times of placing a clay pack on him the infection and swollen areas were so much less.  I had tried several other creams and the clay definitely worked the fastest and best at drawing out whatever got into it. Within two days of putting a clay pack on him the sore was almost completely gone and healing very nicely.  I'm sure if we didn't put the clay pack on his sore we would have ended up at the doctors and our son on antibiotics.

I tried a different brand of bentonite clay and it seemed to work well but seemed much heavier and harder to mix with water.  I'm sure any pure clay will work but Redmond Clay it my favorite!  The ready-made First Aid clay is nice to have handy in your diaper bag or first aid kit.

Some of my other favorite products from Redmond Trading

Redmond Trading has many other products.  One of my other favorites is their toothpaste.  I am allergic to mint and it is so hard to find an Okay non-mint toothpaste.  Earthpaste is by far the best non-mint toothpaste I've ever used.  Their Lemon Twist is mint free and leaves your teeth feeling so amazingly clean without a nasty flavor.  Lemon Twist is intended for children but it is definitely great as an adult toothpaste as well!

UPDATE - Click over here to enter to win 1-10oz jar of Redmond Clay, 1-9oz Salt Shaker, 1 tube of Earthpaste & 1 pocket Salt Shaker! 2 Winners!

*Disclaimer - I was sent a sample of the mentioned product to review.  All opinions expressed here are my own.  I am not a doctor or medical professional, be sure to consult your health care provider before treating at home.
This post contains affiliate links, read my disclosure here.

How To Make Herbal Infused Oils

Today I am sharing how to make Herbal Infused Oil.  In the pictures below I am making Calendula Infused Coconut Oil. Calendula can be used for just about any skin irritation.  We commonly use it for diaper rashes, scrapes, burns, rashes, and cuts but it is useful for many other things. Calendula helps heal the skin quickly so it shouldn't be used on large open cuts. Here are two articles on some of the benefits of calendula: Mountain Rose Herbs Blog & Herb Wisdom.

Start with clean pint size mason jars or any small jar that will fit in your crock-pot that has a metal lid.

Dried or fresh herbs

Fill jars 1/2 to 3/4's full with herbs.

You can use olive oil or coconut oil to make infused oils.  Olive oil will not last as long as coconut oil will.  Melt your oil or just pour directly into your jars.

Fill jars with melted oil until about 1 inch of the top of the jar.

Close tightly with a clean lid

Place a small towel at the bottom of your crock-pot.  This will keep the jars from breaking while staying warm.

Place your jars ontop of the towel, making sure to not allow them to touch

Fill crock-pot with water, covering the jars but not touching the lids. The lids can rust if the water touches them.

Place the lid on and set your crock-pot to it's lowest setting.  Let oil and herbs infuse for 3 days adding water when necessary. My crock-pot has a warm setting and it works perfectly for this.  If your's only has a low setting you may have to watch it and turn it off and on during the three days and keep the lid off. 

Allow the oil to cool after 3 days and strain through a clean old t-shirt or cheesecloth.  I tried using a cheese cloth once and couldn't get it clean. : (  I have had much success with a cut up t-shirt though.

Three pint jars made about 2 1/4 cups of infused oil.

Place in a clean glass jar and label.

I don't know technically how long the oil will keep but I've had mine for about 8 months now and it's still just fine.

This oil can be used as is or made into creams or salves. I personally prefer salves over creams as I feel the herb is more concentrated and works better on wounds or rashes.

You can always mix different herbs together to get a blended infused oil to use in skin care and cooking.

For more recipes and herbal blends I'd highly recommend the book Making Babies.  The book has so much more then just pregnancy and baby stuff!

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The recipe without the pictures to make it easier to follow:

3 cups or so of melted coconut oil

2 1/4 cups or so of dried herbs (in these pictures I'm using Calendula)

crock-pot

3 pint sized mason jars

• Start with clean pint size mason jars or any small jar that will fit in your crock-pot that has a metal lid.
• Fill jars 1/2 to 3/4's full with herbs.
• You can use olive oil or coconut oil to make infused oils.  Olive oil will not last as long as coconut oil will.  Melt your oil or just pour directly into your jars.
• Fill jars with melted oil until about 1 inch of the top of the jar.
• Close tightly with a clean lid
• Place a small towel at the bottom of your crock-pot.  This will keep the jars from breaking while staying warm.
• Place your jars ontop of the towel, making sure to not allow them to touch
• Fill crock-pot with water, covering the jars but not touching the lids. The lids can rust if the water touches them.
• Place the lid on and set your crock-pot to it's lowest setting.  Let oil and herbs infuse for 3 days adding water when necessary. My crock-pot has a warm setting and it works perfectly for this.  If your's only has a low setting you may have to watch it and turn it off and on during the three days and keep the lid off.
• Allow the oil to cool after 3 days and strain through a clean old t-shirt or cheesecloth.  I tried using a cheese cloth once and couldn't get it clean. : (  I have had much success with a cut up t-shirt though.
• Three pint jars made about 2 1/4 cups of infused oil.
• Place in a clean glass jar and label.

To make into a Salve

If you want to make this oil into a salve you need:
1 cup infused oil (above)
1/4 cup of beeswax pastilles
10 drops of grapefruit seed extract

Melt beeswax into oil on low heat until all is melted and blended in.  Remove from heat. Add grapefruit seed extract (this helps preserve it).  Pour into tins, jars or cans.  I have found that I love the size and shape of old baby food jars.

Have you made infused oils before?  What are some of your favorite herbs to use day to day?  Leave a comment and let us know!

*Disclaimers:

This post contains affiliate links.  Read my full disclosure here.

I am not a doctor or medical professional, before doing any treatment always consult a health care professional.

Wash your hair without shampoo?

It's possible!  I've been doing it for about 3.5 months now and I'm still very happy with the results.

Mainly, in an effort to save some money and get away from pre-made products that I am unsure about what some of the ingredients are, I started washing my hair without shampoo.

I've been using the Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo for 5+ years now, I was always pretty happy with it, but looking over the ingredients I was a bit alarmed, I couldn't understand or hardly read half of them.  I want to be able to know what I'm putting in my hair and using for my family.  This is a natural/organic product and still contains many ingredients that really shouldn't be put in shampoo.  Take a look at the shampoo ingredients here:

Aqua (water), aloe barbadensis leaf juice, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium laurylglucosides hydroxypropylsulfonate, glycerin, sodium cocoyl isethionate, stearic acid, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, citrus aurantifolia (lime) oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, calendula officinalis flower extract, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower/leaf/stem extract, allantoin, arginine, beta-glucan, bisabolol, hydrolyzed wheat protein, sodium citrate, sodium PCA, panthenol, tocopheryl acetate, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium ghloride, alcohol, benzyl alcohol, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, coumarin, limonene, linalool. 1) Certified Organic Ingredient

Once I read all those ingredients (and looked up a few!) I was ready to try something more natural and with fewer ingredients.  I had read many testimonials on other options and I decided to try the baking soda and apple cider vinegar method.

I tried it and now I'm totally impressed and probably won't go back to regular "shampoo & conditioner" again anytime soon!

My hair feels so clean and is much easier to manage.  I always have frizzy hair and I have noticed much less when switching over.

How to:

1 TBSP of baking soda mixed with 1 cup of water (shampoo)
1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 cup water (conditioner)

TO USE:
Wet hair like you would normally in the shower.  Squirt/pour the baking soda mixture onto your head.  I have noticed it works best to remove oils, etc. from your hair when you mainly just focus on your scalp and roots.  Rinse thoroughly and then repeat with the apple cider vinegar mix.

You might have to change the amounts of baking soda/vinegar to water depending on your water type.  We have well water that isn't totally soft or hard and the above mixture works perfectly.  If your water is softer I believe you'll need to add more of the baking soda/vinegar to water mixture.

Note - your hair can go through a transition period when switching to this method of washing.  You may experience oily hair or other things that you normally don't deal with as your body is trying to regulate after being used to "regular" shampoos that strip all natural oils and moisture away.  This period normally lasts between 1-3 weeks.  I didn't ever deal with this and I think it probably is because I was switching from a natural shampoo already. : )

Are you afraid of smelling like apple cider vinegar?  Don't worry, as soon as your hair dries the smell totally goes away.  I read some places that you can add essential oils to the vinegar mix if you want to mask the smell some. I'm hoping to try that sometime soon!

I wash my hair daily with this method and am very happy with it.  I would recommend to continue to wash your hair as you normally do when/if you switch to going "no poo". : )

Leave a comment if you have any questions about going "no poo" or if you tried it before. : )  I look forward to hearing from you!

P.S. Sorry for the lack of posting lately. Life has a way of getting busy. :)

* This posts contains affiliate links...

6 Woolzies Dryer Ball Review & Giveaway

As you know I've used wool dryer balls before (and still do!)  The chemicals in the commercial fabric softener sheets are so bad, I won't go into detail here this time but I'd encourage you to research it. They are filled with many toxic chemicals for your body. Yuck!

Anyway, these new dryer balls - Woolzies, that I'm talking about today are great!  They are 100% natural and have no dyes or fragrances.  My family has sensitivities to chemicals and fragrances so this is always a big plus.  These balls are about the size of your palm, though because they are hand made each ball differs just slightly from the other.

I already had 4 dryer balls in my dryer before adding the 6 woolzies I got.  Adding 6 more to my dryer has made a rather big difference in both the drying time and the amount of static in the dried clothes. :)  I haven't noticed a huge difference in the time but I know that these dryer balls will make a huge difference in the amount of time is takes to dry clothes. It's just that my dryer doesn't work well and I need to replace it sometime.  It roughly would take 110 minutes to dry 1 regular sized load with just my 4 dryer balls but now with the additional 6 it's only taking about 80 minutes to dry a load.  This is great because to get 110 minutes on my dryer I would have to reset the dryer, and if you are a mom you know how much a pain that can be as you just forget about it too easily! :)

Dryer balls are great with cloth diapers (if you dry them in the dryer).  The best part about dryer balls with cloth diapers is the fact that the drying time is cut back so much helping keep the wear and tear of the dryer down on your diapers. : )  You can read about the way I wash my diapers here.

These balls are made very well and will last a very long time with regular use.  They are guaranteed to last 1,000 loads or your money back!  They are firm yet soft and are not loud in the dryer at all as it spins around and around.  My boys love when I do the laundry and to find all the balls and then through them back into the dryer.  Sometimes they try to take them away and play with them but they are starting to understand that these are mommies balls and aren't play balls. : )

WOOLZIES®, The All Natural Dryer Ball Set. This set of six handmade pure wool dryer balls are special in several ways. They deliver the same benefits for laundry as conventional fabric softeners WITHOUT all the nasty chemicals. They save everyone a lot of money by eliminating the need to continuously spend on fabric softener liquid and sheets. They cut down on the time it takes to dry a typical load by at least 25% thereby saving everyone even more money and cutting down on fossil fuel usage. Finally, being as that they are handmade in the democratic republic of Nepal, they provide a steady source of income to the desperately needy women of that developing nation.

Each box of WOOLZIES contains 6 handmade woolen dryer balls. The cost per box is $34.95 with FREE SHIPPING anywhere in the USA including Alaska and Hawaii. 

If you have more questions about the use of dryer balls and about Woolzies they are a very good FAQ page here.

Woolzies can also be purchased here on Amazon.

Would you like a chance to win your own set of 6 Woolzies dryer balls?  Woolzies has offered to give one (1) reader here a set of dryer balls!  Enter below in the Rafflecopter form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* This post contains affiliate links.

How and Why I Started Cloth Diapering

How and Why I Started Cloth Diapering??

I first was introduced to cloth diapering when my mom started doing so with her baby, about 6 ½ years ago now. Mom wanted to get away from the chemicals and how not-earth friendly disposable diapers are and the baby was having allergic reactions to them.

We researched a ton and made up patterns to make our own fitted pocket cloth diapers. Now, today I’m still using those original patterns on my own babies.

That’s how I started using cloth diapers, now to the MANY reasons why I started and still cloth diaper.

Cloth Diapering is Healthier
I can’t even begin to tell you all the chemicals and things that are bad for your baby that are in disposable diapers. "Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. A similar substance was used until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome by increasing absorbency and improving the environment for the growth of toxin-producing bacteria."

Cloth Diapering Saves Money
The initial investment to get into cloth diapers is of course more expensive than just 1 package of disposable diapers but, the long run is much less expensive. Cloth diapers are a 1 time investment, not $20+ a package every time you run to the store. It is estimated that a baby will go through 6,000 diapers in the first 2 years and that parents will spend $1,600 for two years of disposable diapers. If you buy cloth diapers that are $20.00 each you can buy 80 diapers (many more than you need) with that amount. Cloth diapers last more than just one child too so you are saving $1600 each child you have after your first child. With the money we save each year cloth diapering we are able to slowly replace old and worn out cloth diapers.

Cloth Diapering is Easy
Most people think of cloth diapers and they think of tons of stinky work and disgusting messes to clean up. With the modern cloth diapers this day it is so much easier than that! I use a dry pail method, so basically I just change diapers (dump if needed) and place them in a pail then; when I’m ready to wash them I just dump them all in the washer. I do a rinse cold wash first with NO detergents and then do a second HOT wash with Tropical Traditions Detergent and Oxygen Bleach. I wash daily to every other day to keep bacterial from growing.  In the summer time I hang the diapers on the line outside and during the cold months I hang them on a rack similar to this one. Now there's no more rush trips to the store because you ran out of diapers. : )

Cloth Diapering is better on the Environment
Do you know that all the diapers that have EVER been made and used are still sitting in a landfill somewhere? It is estimated but NOT known how long to breakdown a disposable diaper, but the estimate is 250-500 years!! “Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp”

Cloth Diapering makes for less Rashes
Did you know that “Diaper rash was almost unheard of before the use of rubber or plastic pants in the 1940s”. I know my babies hardly get rashes and most of them are caused by food allergies. Cloth diapers really do help cut down rashes.

Cloth Diapering makes it easier to Potty Train
Now this is still one point I’m waiting to find out but it is said that babies who have worn cloth diapers potty train much faster. Since disposable diapers have chemicals in them to keep the baby dry they never learn the feeling of getting wet when they go potty. So, when you try to teach them to go potty on the toilet they have a much harder time figuring it out. My son is 2 and I’m going to start potty training really soon. So, now I’ll see. : )

Do you cloth diaper? What are some of your reasons for choosing cloth diapers? 

*This post is linked with My Cloth Diaper Stash, 

*Information Source

*This post just contains my own opinions on this topic. I do not think you are a BAD momma because you don’t/can’t cloth diaper. I love cloth diapering but I know many aren’t very fond of it. : )

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links I will make a small commission.  Thank you for your support.

Healthy Homemade Chocolate Syrup

My boy LOVES chocolate milk!  I had to find a way to make chocolate syrup easy and yet healthy so I wouldn't feel bad about giving it to him. :)

Here's my quick and easy chocolate syrup recipe. This can be used to make chocolate milk, hot chocolate by mixing into warmed milk, drizzled on ice cream, on fruit or whatever you like chocolate syrup on, the possibilities are endless!! :)

1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1 cup organic whole sugar or 1/2 cup honey
1 cup water
1 t. vanilla extract
dash of salt

Mix all but vanilla extract in saucepan.

Heat until it boils, allow to boil 1 minute.

Remove from heat.  Allow to cool some and then add vanilla extract.

Store in tightly sealed container and place in refrigerator.

Makes about 2 cups and will last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

To Enjoy:

Chocolate milk - Mix 2 TBSP (or more depending on your preference) into 1 cup of cold milk.
Hot Chocolate - Mix 2 TBSP (or more) into 1 cup of hot milk.
Drizzle on ice cream
Serve with fruit

Do you have a chocolate milk lover in your home?  How would you use this chocolate syrup?

 * Post contains affiliate links.

Linked with Delicious Dish Tuesday 

Maple Hill Dryer Balls Review (And Coupon Code!)

A few months ago I won a coupon code for Maple Hill Dryer Balls Etsy shop (now they have a website).  I ordered 4 Extra Large Unscented Dryer Balls with my coupon.  My dryer balls came quickly in the mail and Rebecca (the owner) was super easy to work with!

I was really excited to try out wool dryer balls, I had read lots of good things about them and I never use conventional dryer sheets (they are so bad for you).

Wool dryer balls are known to reduce drying time for your clothes, helping them last longer because they are not being dried for so long.  They also are known for making less static in your clothes.  I haven't noticed much time taken off for drying in our dryer since receiving these balls but I do know that the static is gone!  I am very pleased with that.  I don't like static in my clothes. I think if we got a newer dryer and/or some more balls they would reduce the drying time. 

I use my dryer balls with everything I wash - clothes, towels, cloth diapers (and yes! They are cloth diaper friendly and very good for them, dryer sheets can ruin your cloth diapers!)!

Wool dryer balls are the environment-friendly equivalent to conventional dryer sheets which are filled with chemicals and things that are harmful to you.

"According to the health and wellness website Sixwise.com, some of the most harmful ingredients in dryer sheets and liquid fabric softener alike include benzyl acetate (linked to pancreatic cancer), benzyl alcohol (an upper respiratory tract irritant), ethanol (linked to central nervous system disorders), limonene (a known carcinogen) and chloroform (a neurotoxin and carcinogen), among others." (source)

Rebecca hand makes her dryer balls from wool from her fathers sheep in Illinois.  The sheep are not harmed (actually helped) with the making of these.  Maple Hill Dryer Balls is committed to being environmentally friendly leaving the earth the way it was made.

I would highly recommend using these balls and I hope to order more soon!  One warning!  My babies & dog love them.  I have to be careful to make sure one doesn't end up on the ground or else it might go missing.  I finally got Mr. T to understand that they need to stay in the dryer and they aren't toys like his other balls. Now he has fun throwing them into the dryer after I've moved the washed clothes into it. :)

You can find more information on their website here or like them on Facebook!

Maple Hill Dryer Balls is offering a 20% off coupon code for anyone who orders between now and August 1st from this site.  To receive your discount enter in the code: Restful20 at checkout.

**Disclaimer - I purchased these dryer balls for my personal use, this review is only because I love my dryer balls and want to share with others!  Rebecca has kindly offered a coupon code as an extra plus to my review.  Thank you!

My Favorite Pregnancy Reading Resources

With just over a month left before Baby #2 arrives I though I'd share some of my favorite reading resources for pregnancy! :-) Here are some of my favorites:



The Naturally Healthy Pregnancy

I personally don't own this book (one day!) but have read most of my Mom's copy.  It's a wonderful resource for just about anything pregnancy related.  Shonda Parker is gifted with much knowledge about naturally staying healthy, her other books Mommy Diagnostics & Naturally Healthy Woman are great too!

Under the Apple Tree

During my first pregnancy my midwife loaned me this book.  It's wonderful and very helpful, especially for a first-time mommy-to-be!

 

Natural Childbirth the Bradly Way

Wonderful book!  I learned a lot from it.

I also enjoy Baby Center for their weekly emails of baby's developments. :-)

What are your favorite books for pregnancy &/or childbirth?
  
**This post contains affiliate links. 

Soaked Baked Oatmeal {Recipe}

After finding this recipe for Baked Oatmeal a few weeks ago I've been making soaked baked oatmeal for breakfast - we love it!  I searched for several recipes, mixed them up a bunch, removed ingredients and found which combination we like best.

I really like how soaking the oats before preparation makes them easier to digest and helps your body better absorb the oatmeal’s nutrients.

This is a super easy recipe.  I often mix all the dry ingredients together in a little container when I begin soaking the oats and then in the morning just add everything together.  Many times my husband has added the ingredients in the morning and baked it for me.

Normally 1 8x8 pan of this oatmeal will feed the three of us twice.

Soaked Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats, not instant
1 cup full-fat plain yogurt with live, active cultures
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla 
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup whole milk
1 – 2 cups fresh, frozen or dried fruit (we often do raisins or apples)

Instructions:

Mix oats, yogurt and water in an ungreased 8 x 8 baking dish. Cover with a clean towel and let sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Don’t worry, your yogurt won’t spoil. The live cultures keep it from going bad.

When you are ready to prepare your oatmeal, mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add to oatmeal mixture and stir until incorporated.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Scoop servings into bowls and top, if desired with real maple syrup and milk.

Sometimes we don't put any fruit into the oatmeal and just add fresh cut apples or raisins to our bowls before eating.

Leftovers are great re-heated.

Linking with Comfy in the Kitchen, An Original Belle, The Purposed Heart, The Better Mom, Barn Hop,  Your Thriving Family & Mama Chocolate

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