Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

Hello Ladies and Gents! Happy Wednesday!

Oh, and happy back to the future day! The Internets tell me that today (Oct. 21, 2015) is the day that Marty McFly and Doc Brown traveled to in Back to the Future Part 2. I may or may not have googled Back to the Future to figure out the names of those two guys. Should I feel ashamed that I’ve never seen Back to the Future (Part 1 or 2)? For some reason I feel like I should.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

Anyways, just a quick little post here today. I feel like I’m neglecting this space again, but sometimes it’s just unavoidable! In the past few weeks I celebrated a birthday (hello 3-1…this number seems so much more daunting to me than 30 did) and Canadian Thanksgiving, went to the mountains for a quick but much needed getaway, and have been planning and preparing for a Halloween cooking class that I will be teaching this weekend. And exactly two weeks from today, I will be hopping on a plane to a beach destination for 10 days of rest and relaxation. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that the whole amazing bikini body that I planned to have for this trip when I booked it a couple of months ago just will not be a reality, but I’m kind of over it. There is just too much good food in this world and I believe too strongly in moderation (heavy on the “indulge” end of the spectrum). Plus my 31-year old metabolism doesn’t cooperate quite as well as my 25-year old metabolism did.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

However, that does not mean that for the next two weeks I don’t plan on exercising a little more restraint when it comes to stuffing my face with all things delicious. These muffins are the perfect way to enjoy a “treat” without the guilt. They are made with whole wheat flour and oats, pumpkin, and are sweetened only with maple syrup. I’ve made these numerous times over the past several weeks and I’m still not tired of them. They are perfect for stashing in the freezer and grabbing for a quick breakfast or snack. Plus, if you’re like me and still all about the pumpkin, you will love these!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins (slightly adapted from Cookie & Kate)

Makes 12 muffins. Feel free to use coconut oil in place of the olive oil, or honey in place of the maple syrup. These muffins freeze beautifully when packed into an airtight container.

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup milk (any kind will do)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup oats, plus more for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Add the eggs and mix well. Add the pumpkin puree, milk, baking soda, vanilla, salt, and spices, and mix well. Add the whole wheat flour and oats, and stir until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle with additional oats. Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool completely. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Oat Muffins | Once Upon a Recipe

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp (in a Skillet!)

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp | Once Upon a Recipe

Well, hello September!

There is a definite hint of Fall in the air these days. The temperatures have been cooler, at least in the mornings and evenings, and on more than one occasion I have found myself turning on the heat in my car during my drive to work. I’m feeling an eagerness to pull out my boots and scarves and warm sweaters, and to start baking with pumpkin. Coffee shops are welcoming back the ever-popular pumpkin spice latte, and even though I don’t drink the things (fake pumpkin flavour ain’t my thing), the fact that they’re available again excites me. I’m weird, and I know it. Fall is my favourite time of year, and the thought of its imminent arrival gives me a little thrill each time I think about it. I don’t know what it is about this season that makes me feel all the feels – I mean, the beautiful colours of the changing leaves speak for themselves – but there’s something more that I can’t quite put into words.

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp | Once Upon a Recipe

Despite my eagerness to bake everything pumpkin, right now I’m trying to use up the last of my summer favourites. I am lucky to know several people who were able to provide me with a steady supply of rhubarb all season long. At one point, I couldn’t keep up with the supply, and froze a big bag of the stuff for rainy day baking. As I was taking inventory of my freezer’s contents this past weekend, I came across that bag and decided that I’d better put it to good use before it reached the typical freezerburnt fate of many things that find their way into my little icebox of doom.

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp | Once Upon a Recipe

In search of inspiration, I flipped through a few of my cookbooks. With the steady availability of recipes and food inspiration on the Internet these days, I find myself spending less and less time with my cookbook collection – something I hope to change. With a little bit of help from Megan Gordon’s Whole-Grain Mornings, this crisp was born. I managed to use up my entire supply of rhubarb, and threw in a few apples from my neighbour’s tree that had fallen into my backyard for some added sweetness. Full disclosure: I maybe might have possibly jumped up and picked a few apples off of the tree, but only from the branches hanging directly above my backyard.

Consider this crisp as a delightful little merging of two seasons: the rhubarb of summer and the apples of late summer and fall. I find rhubarb a little bit too tart to be used by itself in crisps and crumbles, and I didn’t want to have to add a boatload of sugar, so the apples were the perfect compromise. And while not entirely guilt-free, I do feel that this crisp boasts enough healthful ingredients to justify eating for breakfast, as I have for the past couple of days.

Oh, and I baked this in a cast iron skillet because I just love using my cast iron skillet. I’m a rustic gal, what can I say? You can certainly use a large baking dish (11 by 7-inch), if you prefer. Enjoy!

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp | Once Upon a Recipe

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp (in a skillet!)

Adapted from Whole-Grain Mornings. This recipe can easily be made gluten-free, as long as you make sure to use certified gluten-free oats. The almond meal adds a lovely extra bite to the crisp topping. I think if I make this again, I will add a little bit more cinnamon, so if you’re a fan like me, feel free to add an extra 1/4 teaspoon. Serve warm with ice cream for dessert, or with a splash of milk for breakfast. Serves 6 to 8. 

For the topping:

1 cup sliced raw almonds

2/3 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 TBSP. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of salt

4 TBSP. cold unsalted butter

3 TBSP. buttermilk

For the filling:

4 cups chopped rhubarb

2 cups apples, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup coconut (or white) sugar

Juice from half a lemon

2 TBSP. cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375°F. If using a baking dish, butter or spray with non-stick spray. If using a cast iron skillet, skip that step.

For the topping: Put the almonds in a food processor or high-speed blender, and pulse or blend for about 30 seconds, or until you have a medium-fine almond meal. Add the oats, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and pulse or blend for a few more seconds, until combined. Add the butter and pulse/blend until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, about 30 seconds. Slowly add the buttermilk, and pulse/blend until the dough has come together.

For the filling: Mix together the rhubarb, apples, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Scoop the mixture into the baking dish/cast iron skillet.

Pile/spread the topping over the fruit in an even layer. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. Remove from oven and allow to cool a little before serving. Not too much though – I think this crisp tastes best when it’s still a little bit warm.

Rhubarb Apple Oat Breakfast Crisp | Once Upon a Recipe

Overnight Oats!

Overnight Oats! | Once Upon a Recipe

Hiiiiiiiiiiiii.

It feels strange to be sitting here writing this post. Strange in a good way. Familiar yet new. I’m hoping that blogging is like riding a bike because daaaammmmnnnnn, I’ve been gone a long time. So umm, a belated Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Valentine’s Day to you! I’ll jump in here with an early Happy St. Patrick’s Day, just in case.

I could insert approximately 47 reasons here to explain my two+ month blogging hiatus, but let’s not waste our time with that boring stuff. The important thing is that I’m back here sharing a recipe and my ramblings with you. My hope is that this post will kick-start a much more reliable and frequent schedule of recipe-sharing, so…fingers crossed! Let’s just jump right in.

Overnight Oats! | Once Upon a Recipe

Overnight oats.

I realize that I’m a little late to the overnight oats party. They’ve kind of been a thing now for a while. And being the oatmeal lover that I am, when recipes for overnight oats started popping up a couple of years ago, I was eager to give them a try. I mean, throw a few ingredients in a jar, put the jar in the fridge overnight, and wake up to a delicious breakfast? Sign me the heck up!

Sadly, my first experience with overnight oats was not a good one, and it turned me off of the whole idea for a long time. The texture was really off – kind of watery, yet chunky – and I couldn’t get over it.

Overnight Oats! | Once Upon a Recipe

Fast forward to a couple of months ago when I decided to give them another try. The game changer for me was the addition of Greek yogurt and chia seeds – the original recipe that I had tried just called for almond milk, oats, and fruit. But the Greek yogurt and chia seeds give the mixture a much creamier texture, similar to that of traditional hot oats. And with the right toppings, you can turn overnight oats into a downright satisfying, decadent, yet still super healthy breakfast. Seriously, I feel a little nip of sadness after I take the last bite. But the best part is that these overnight oats hold me over all morning until lunch time.

The recipe below lists the base ingredients – I always use oats, Greek yogurt, almond milk, and chia seeds. You can certainly substitute another milk for the almond milk, if you prefer. And then I add whatever fruit I have on hand. The toppings are up to you, but I’ve included some of my favourite additions. Best combo to date: fresh strawberries, crunchy natural peanut butter, hemp hearts, and cacao nibs. It was like breakfast dessert!

Side note: I can’t stop putting cacao nibs on everything. Help.

Overnight Oats! | Once Upon a Recipe

Overnight Oats!

This recipe makes one serving; however, you can multiply to create as many servings as you’d like. These oats keep well in the fridge for a few days, so feel free to make a bunch of servings at the beginning of the week and store in the fridge for quick and satisfying breakfasts all week long. If you’re using plain Greek yogurt, you may wish to add your favourite sweetener, or other flavours like vanilla extract. I tend to use flavoured Greek yogurt (usually vanilla or strawberry). 

1/3 cup oats

1/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (flavour of your choice)

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 TBSP. chia seeds

1/3-1/2 cup fruit (ie. fresh or frozen berries, banana, chopped apple)

Optional mix ins: 1 TBSP. natural peanut butter, 1 tsp. hemp hearts, 1 tsp. cacao nibs, 1 tsp. shredded coconut, nuts, etc.

Combine the oats, Greek yogurt, almond milk, and chia seeds and stir together in a mason jar or sealable container. I usually add my fruit here too, as well as peanut butter if I’m using it. The mixture shouldn’t be too thick at this point – if it is, add a bit more almond milk. Refrigerate overnight. Add your favourite toppings and enjoy!

Nutritional info for base recipe (before fruit and mix-ins): 216 calories, 7.0 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 30.2 g carbohydrates, 11.4 g protein, 7.7 g fibre, 8.7 g sugars.

Overnight Oats! | Once Upon a Recipe

It’s good to be back, friends!

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles | Once Upon a Recipe

Haaaaaapppppppppyyyy Friday!

In celebration of being on the verge of one of these glorious things called the weekend, I bring you waffles. Whole wheat and oat cinnamon rhubarb waffles to be exact. I can’t lie. I’ve become a bit waffle-obsessed. I can’t stop thinking about all of the waffle possibilities. Of course we have sweet waffles. We also have savoury waffles. But then we have waffle sandwiches. Waffle donuts. And I bet waffle nachos could totally be a thing.

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles | Once Upon a Recipe

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles | Once Upon a Recipe

Today we’re keeping it pretty simple. We’ve got whole wheat flour and oats for some hearty oomph. The rhubarb adds a little tartness (PS. You could totally sub in apples for the rhubarb). And there’s cinnamon and brown sugar for flavour. Think: rhubarb crisp in waffle form. And if you want to go all out, you can top the waffles with butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. Boom. If that doesn’t start your day off right, I don’t know what will.

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles | Once Upon a Recipe

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles | Once Upon a Recipe

It’s the weekend, friends! Enjoy, relax, live it up, treat yo’ self, and eat some waffles. In that order.

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles (adapted from Taste of Home)

These hearty waffles taste delicious with butter and cinnamon sugar (simply combine 1/4 cup sugar with 2 tsp. cinnamon), or fruit and syrup. If you can’t get your hands on any rhubarb or if it’s not your thing, feel free to use apples instead. Makes 6 waffles. 

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

3 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups milk

4 TBSP. butter, melted

2 TBSP. brown sugar

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, melted butter, and brown sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the chopped rhubarb. Mix until just combined. Cook according to the instructions of your waffle maker. Refrigerate or freeze leftover waffles, and reheat either in the toaster or the oven.

Whole Wheat & Oat Cinnamon Rhubarb Waffles | Once Upon a Recipe

Easter Feaster Detox | Coconut Oil Granola

Coconut Oil Granola | Once Upon a Recipe

So…I may have overdone it this weekend. You know, with the whole eating thing. One word: bruleedlemontartbananacreampiehotcrossbunscarrotcakechocolatejellybeans. Please tell me that your weekend was like this too.

It was?! Excellent! I have the perfect recipe to help you get back on track.

Coconut Oil Granola | Once Upon a Recipe Coconut Oil Granola | Once Upon a Recipe

After every holiday, I find myself itching to get back on the healthy eating wagon. Let’s face it – every holiday is practically an excuse to stuff your face with All. The. Things. At least, it is for me. And I’ve discovered that when I start my day with a healthy breakfast, I am much more inclined to keep eating healthy throughout the day. Likewise, if I start the day off with something unhealthy, or unfulfilling, then my habits throughout the rest of the day tend to snowball into something less than pretty. Funny how that works. I know I haven’t rubbed the following fact in your face for a while, but I’m going to Hawaii in a mere eight days.  And I intend to live in my bikini by the pool or beach for a large portion of my two week holiday. It’s time to detox from Easter Feaster.

Coconut Oil Granola | Once Upon a Recipe

One of my absolute favorite breakfasts is granola with yogurt and fruit. And dudes, granola is darn easy to make yourself! In fact, you’re likely to save yourself a bunch of fat, calories, and sugar when you make your own granola versus buying the packaged crap filled with ingredients that you can’t pronounce. I have been making this granola for a couple of years now, and it was my go-to granola recipe…until I came across the recipe you see below. I have been using coconut oil more often in my baking and couldn’t wait to try using it in granola.

Coconut Oil Granola | Once Upon a Recipe

Furthermore, the recipe comes highly recommended by two ladies that I trust when it comes to all things food. Why? Because they just know what’s up. If you haven’t already visited Megan or Cindy, get on it, STAT. I have never been disappointed by a recipe shared by either one of these lovelies, and this granola was no exception.

Coconut Oil Granola | Once Upon a Recipe

It is such a simple recipe, yet it packs so much flavor and crunch. Oh, the crunch! I seriously could not stop eating it by the handful the first time I made it. The coconut oil imparts a nice flavor, yet isn’t overpowering. Don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself! Jump aboard the healthy granola train!

Coconut Oil Granola (slightly adapted from Take a Megabite, which was adapted from Hungry Girl Por Vida)

3 cups oats

2/3 cup sliced almonds

2/3 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

A pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup dried fruit (optional)

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, salt, and spices. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil with the honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Pour over the oat mixture and stir to evenly coat.

Spread the mixture out evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir and continue to bake at 10 minute intervals until golden brown. (Mine took 15 extra minutes).

Megan and Cindy suggest adding one cup of dried fruit after baking, if desired. I added dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots the first time I made this recipe, and it was delicious. Serve your granola with milk, over greek yogurt with fruit, or from hand to mouth. It will be pretty much impossible not to do the latter.

Coconut Oil Granola | Once Upon a Recipe

Sometimes I eat as though I was raised in a barn. So sue me. 

Weekend Rules | Banana Bread Oatmeal Pancakes

1.Kick off the weekend with a kitchen dance party. Preferably while you’ve got batch of brownies baking to perfection in the oven and a couple of bottles of wine open. You know, for when the thirst from dancing strikes. While brownies make a fine dinner on their own, I recommend nourishing the other kitchen dancers with good cheese, crackers, olives, antipasto, and figs. Easy snacks to pop while dropping your slick moves. You’re sexy and you know it.

2.Make donuts. Don’t be afraid to fry things! It’s easy and painless (as long as you’re careful!), and kind of fun! And hello, you get to eat donuts at the end of it all! Why am I even explaining this rule?

3.Be active! Get outside, run, walk, bike, play. Breathe in some fresh air. Make a snowman or a sandcastle, depending on where you live. Do yoga. It’s good for you! Plus, it’ll help burn off the calories from all of those donuts and brownies.

4.Laugh with your friends. Laughter reduces stress hormones and lowers blood pressure, among other things. Hello ab workout! We are eating donuts, after all. See, it’s all about balance!

5.Relax. You’ve had a long week! Take some time to rest and get re-energized for the week ahead. Sleep in, if you can and if that’s your thing. Take a few extra minutes to enjoy your coffee in the morning. Take a nap! You’ll need the energy for the next kitchen dance party.

6.Call up an old friend to say hello. Call. No text. No email. Just a straight up voice-to-voice conversation. There is too much impersonal conversation in this world! Save the texts for the boys who ask for your number and take so long to call you that you barely remember what they look like. They don’t deserve a phone call back. You can text them. To say buh-bye.

7.Make these pancakes. Even if it’s the only rule you follow this weekend, please make these pancakes. These delicious, flavorful pancakes will rock your world. Especially when topped with a scoop of peanut butter and maple syrup. Don’t take my word for it, make these! Happy weekending friends!

Banana Bread Oatmeal Pancakes (adapted from canadianliving.com)

This recipe serves 6 (2 pancakes each). I successfully halved the recipe, but I recommend making the full recipe and eating the leftovers for breakfasts throughout the week…these hearty and mouth-watering pancakes will give you a taste of the weekend during the week!

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs, beaten

2 ripe bananas, mashed

3 TBSP. butter, melted

2 tsp. vanilla

Vegetable oil, for cooking

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, bananas, butter and vanilla; combine the two mixtures and stir until smooth. Let stand for 10 minutes. Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle to medium heat; brush lightly with some of the oil. Pour in about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake; cook for about 3 minutes or until the underside is golden and bubbles break on top but do not fill in. Turn and cook until the underside is golden brown, about 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the skillet with more oil as necessary. Enjoy immediately. Leftovers will last for a couple of days in the fridge, wrapped well. They reheat beautifully, either in the microwave or the toaster.

Holy Oats! | Favorite Granola

Granola is an old friend of mine. We’ve been having breakfast together for the past, oh, 10 years or so. We usually invite yogurt to the party, and occasionally milk. Unfortunately, I only discovered making homemade granola within the past few years. Kind of ridiculous, considering how easy it is to make, and definitely a travesty when considering all of the delicious varieties of granola you can make it your own kitchen.

 It was love at first bite with this granola. Sweet, chewy clusters with the crunch of whole nuts and dried fruit. Tastes amazing with plain yogurt or milk, and fantastic over ice cream. Yes, this granola doubles as dessert! You might even catch yourself eating handfuls of it as a snack! This recipe is doubled from the original because even with a double recipe, I can still eat my way through a batch of this in less than a week. Give it a try – granola loves to make new friends. Happy eating!

Favorite Granola (adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking)

4 cups oats

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

Pinch of nutmeg

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup whole almonds (and/or hazelnuts)

2/3 cup raisins (and/or dried cherries)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined. Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them (oh yeah!).

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the almonds (and/or hazelnuts) over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip again. Sprinkle the raisins over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven for another 5 minutes. Let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container.

A Queen’s Breakfast | Cranberry Oat Scones

I’m on a baking binge this week. I have decided to do the no grains diet again for the month of February. I know, I know, I’m CRAZY. This coming from the girl that eats granola every morning, loves a big ‘ol sandwich for lunch, and adores pasta, bread, and everything grain-y in between. Consequently, I’m trying to get my grain fix in these last few days of January by baking some of my favorite treats. Fortunately, I have a few posts lined up, so the rest of you will not have to suffer in grain-free hell with me. I know, I’m too kind. 🙂

Baked goodies are a real breakfast treat for me. Knowing that a tender muffin, a warm cinnamon bun, or a crumbly scone is waiting for my empty stomach in the morning…almost makes getting out a bed a little easier. I haven’t tried a lot of scone recipes since I came across this one a couple of years ago. It is such a good recipe – I’ve never felt the need to search for another. The sweetness from the cranberries and the little bit of sugar requires no additions to these yummy scones, so leave the jam in the fridge and try them out on their own. The fresh lemon zest and buttermilk give such a fresh flavor. These are keeper scones right here.

Cranberry Oat Scones (adapted from joyofbaking.com)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup dried cranberries

zest of one lemon

2/3 to 3/4 cup buttermilk

Egg wash: 1 large egg + 1 TBSP. milk

Preheat the oven to 375°F and place rack in the center of the oven. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder. Add the butter and cut it into the flour mixture with two knives or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the rolled oats, dried cranberries, and zest. Mix until combined. Stir in the buttermilk (start with 2/3 cup and add more if necessary) and mix just until the dough comes together.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and press the dough into a circle that is approximately 7 inches round and about 1.75 inches thick. Cut the circle into 8 triangular section. Place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make an egg wash of one beaten egg mixed with 1 TBSP. of milk and brush the tops of the scones with the egg mixture.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and lightly dust with icing sugar. Enjoy (and try not to eat all 8 scones in one sitting would ya?)! Very happy eating to you all.