I made up a batch of raspberry oat bars but with a twist.

Last week I made some up from a different recipe but I substituted organic strawberry fruit spread in place of the raspberry. I found it to be a bit too sweet for me so I started thinking about modifying it. I came up with an idea.

What I did for today’s recipe (a different recipe altogether) is I took some frozen mixed berries and thawed them out. I added just a sprinkle of raw sugar and some cornstarch to thicken, then I went after them with the stick blender which turned it smooth and creamy like a smoothie. I also chopped up some cashews to add to the topping for a little crunch and texture.

It didn’t thicken up in the fridge like I thought it would but I figured the oven would take care of that. The extra moisture from using fruit (instead of basically fruit preserves or jam) really made the bars soft and chewy. The filling thickened as I anticipated it would, and I am very happy with the results.

The bars are not only delicious but they’re actually fairly healthy. My fruit filling is much less added sugar than a fruit spread. It is still sweet but not syrupy, but it’s plenty of sweetness for me.

So this experiment was a success and the recipe is easy (7 ingredients) and less than an hour total. Try your own variations.

Before that I cooked up some egg patties to freeze for breakfast. I have an abundance of eggs so I needed to make something out of some. I made up three croissants with egg, a slice of prosciutto, and a half-slice of cheese.

I cut back a little in various recipes I make to get the salt and sugars down. For example, my breakfast sandwich has only one single paper-thin slice of prosciutto and only half the cheese. I find it lightens it but adds just enough flavor to not overpower the sandwich and it also cuts down on the sodium. And the dogs get the other half of the slice.

I made up some protein pancakes a few days ago and have enough for two more breakfasts in the freezer. Those are pretty filling and lots of protein if you follow the different recipes on the box.

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I’ve been just getting a few things done but enjoying just relaxing a bit. It snowed and ended up with about 4-5 inches of snow here.

I’m hoping it melts off tomorrow so I can nap and track water/snow/mud into the trailer. I need to replace a few things I took out and get the floors mopped.

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I’m really trying to take good care of my trailer. I saw how important it is with my previous trailer so I’m definitely staying ahead of problems as much as I can, especially with a new trailer. There’s a ton of maintenance you have to stay up on.

I’m glad everything is fixed so I don’t have to deal with that anymore. One or two of the cabinet doors that had to be adjusted I use a lot so it’s much better now they’re aligned properly.

Gas is down to $2.53/gallon here so propane may have dropped too. I should go get all my tanks filled and be way ahead of the game. I use some at home but mostly it’s for the trailer. I can stretch it out pretty good by not having the water heater on unless I’m gonna use it or I’m on shore power.

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That’s all for now

Shawn