Welcome!

Hi! I’m Molly Mills; welcome to A Pinch of Crazy. I enjoy serving my family healthy meals, but sometimes life gets hectic, so every day and every meal includes “a pinch of crazy”. Since this is my first blog post, I want to share a little bit about myself.

I am a music teacher turned work-at-home mom (I decided I don’t like the phrase “stay at home” because I feel like it implies relaxation…which is definitely not the case!). My daughter, Zemirah, is eighteen months old, and the little darling of our household. My husband, David, is serving as a Sgt in the Marine Corps, but his contract is up in a few months so we will soon be in the “civilian world” again. We currently live just north of San Diego, and are hoping to move permanently to Texas once David gets out of the Corps; both of our families are from the Dallas area, and we miss them so much.

Growing up in a family of five girls, my mother certainly had her hands full with all of the meals she had to prepare. So when we were off from school during the summers, she would have each of us cook one night of the week. I remember being eight or nine-years-old and cooking meatloaf for my family using a recipe from a kids’ cookbook. Everyone loved it; my mom even said it was better than hers (which was so exciting for me to hear), and from then on, I loved cooking. I used to bake brownies and cakes from a box at a young age, and I remember cooking that meatloaf often, along with a few other simple meals. One summer when I was nineteen, I stayed with my cousin for about a month and helped take care of her kids, which included meals. It was then that I discovered how to be creative in the kitchen; coming up with meals based on what we had.

After getting married in 2014, David and I started going out to eat frequently, and consequently, I would get sick; my stomach just could not handle all the fatty, unhealthy foods we were consuming. I gained about twelve pounds in our first year and a half of marriage, and just felt miserable and sick. Then I got pregnant with our sweet Zemirah and continued to gain weight and feel sick. After getting adjusted to having a new baby, I started trying to cook healthier for us, and started really noticing what helped me feel healthy and good. Eventually I discovered Whole30, and now, having done two rounds, I have started truly loving feeding my family healthy, whole foods that are good for us.

Now, having been married for almost four years and having a toddler, I’ve come to be even more creative in the kitchen, utilizing a small budget, and healthy, wholesome ingredients. I am FAR from formally trained, but here I am: just wanting to share ideas and easy, quick, healthy recipes for other people whose lives include a pinch of crazy.

As I mentioned earlier, my husband is a marine. That usually means very early mornings; he is out the door around six every morning, sometimes earlier. What I did NOT mention is that my husband loooves breakfast. I could probably make a big breakfast every day and he wouldn’t get tired of it. He loves it. And I love my husband dearly, but I am not going to wake up at 4 AM to make him eggs, bacon, biscuits, toast, grits, etc.

Enter: the overnight oats. There are all sorts of different ways to fix overnight oats, but this way is our current favorite. Peanut butter and chocolate. Delicious, classic combo. These taste like eating a bowl of Reese’s Puffs…except healthy, and with a boost of energy. Overnight oats are the perfect solution for a breakfast-loving hubby and a sleep deprived wife. I just fix it up the night before, put it in the refrigerator, and he takes a jar with him to work. On busy mornings, Zemirah and I will share a jar, too, and she just gobbles it up! So quick, easy, and darn delicious.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Overnight Oats

This recipe is for a single serving of oats. I typically make about five servings to last throughout the week, so gather up as many jars as you need for the servings you will be making.

Materials Needed:

• Half pint mason jars
• Spoon
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats (quick oats will get mushy)
• 1/2 cup of almond milk
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon of 100% cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter (with no added sugar)
• 1/2 tablespoon of raw honey (or maple syrup if you follow a vegan diet)
• Optional toppings:
• • a dollop of peanut butter
• • a drizzle of honey
• • chopped almonds and/or walnuts
• • sliced bananas

Directions:

• Put oats into mason jar
• Pour milk over oats
• Put the other ingredients (except toppings) into jar
• Stir everything until well combined
• Refrigerate overnight
• Top with desired toppings
• Enjoy cold or microwave and enjoy warm!

I hope you all enjoy these oats as much as my family does; let me know if you try them. Have a blessed week, and enjoy your pinch of crazy!