oatgurt with tahini, orange, and roasted almonds

Is there anything better than a slow start to a day?

For hours, I savored this morning in Belgium, witnessing the residents ambling out of their homes, into the light drizzle, off to the market or maybe a friend’s house.

I was a traveler, but not in a rush to get to any destination, just content to be unhurried as well, starting my day in one’s own time like the people of Antwerp.

I had a cozy window seat with a view to all the comings and goings both inside and out while I nibbled at my blackberry porridge.

Unhurried and ambling has a tendency to reveal the best moments when traveling. In this case, taking time to notice the unfamiliar ingredients in my porridge, and bringing that newfound knowledge home with me to add fresh ideas to my own cooking.

I eat oatmeal almost every morning topped with fairly traditional things like cinnamon, hemp, flax, banana, and coconut milk. This porridge, however, had tahini, oatgurt, orange, and roasted almonds. Tahini so far, for me, had been constrained to making hummus. I had also never heard of oatgurt. Apparently, it’s a plant based yogurt made from fermented oats. While I sat, I did some research, and at home you can make it by adding a probiotic just like you would if you were making dairy yogurt.

Every meal in another place, near or far, can be an opportunity to improve and expand your cooking, and the way you pair foods together. That’s got to be high up there as one of the most amazing things about travel, wouldn’t you agree? What ingredients or techniques have you brought home from traveling and have now experimented with in your own cooking?

recipe: cottage cheese grasshopper chocolate pudding

This is the third recipe I made from the cookbook Cheesy by Farideh Sadeghin and I'm not sure how I feel about it. It might be a "healthier" dessert option to have in my back pocket, but there were a few drawbacks to it.

The pudding once done being blended is quite thick. The cookbook author did top her pudding with homemade whipped cream, which I omitted due to time and wanting to truly taste the pudding on its own. However, I do think the whipped cream is necessary to provide some lightness in contrast to the pudding. Sadeghin then topped the whipped cream with chocolate shavings. I substituted cocoa nibs, which would still work.

While it's a natural sugar at least, there is still quite a bit of maple syrup in each serving. And, despite this amount of sweetener, I still felt the end result needed more. 

It may be due to the cheap mint extract I used, my note regarding wanting more sweetness, or residual vinegar from the cottage cheese making process (the how-to for that is coming tomorrow), but there was an odd chemical taste to the pudding, with neither a delicious mint or chocolate flavor shining through.

I did use my Vitamix versus a food processor and it was a pain to get all the pudding out from underneath the blade. I have this same issue with my food processor so using that as directed would not have helped the issue. I may have felt better about the time involved had I made a full batch of pudding. For this small a serving I'm not sure the effort matched the success of the end result.

If I haven't talked you out of making this pudding ;) please see below for the measurements. The original as shown in the cookbook is on the left and what I made with the recipe cut in half is on the right in parentheses (who knows maybe my math was wrong and that's why the taste is off haha). I may try this again by adding a bit of milk to make it less thick or try it with yogurt (just stirring this with a spoon for easy cleanup!) Regardless, it was something fun to try.

 

Chocolate Grasshopper Pudding

Ingredients:

1 lb cottage cheese (1 cup cottage cheese)

1/4 cup maple syrup (1/8 cup)

3 tbsp cocoa powder (1 1/2 tbsp)

1/4 tsp mint extract (1/8 tsp)

1/8 tsp salt (a very small pinch)

Instructions:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the ingredients and process until very smooth. Divide among four 6 ounce ramekins, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days.

savory rhubarb curry

In the US the most common, and seemingly only way, to use rhubarb is in a crisp where the ample sugar can balance the tartness.  Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, though!

In many other countries, rhubarb is used in savory dishes such as meat stews and curry. This allows a person to get the vitamin K, fiber, manganese, and antioxidants, while not taking in the added sugar from something like a crisp. (Rhubarb on its own is extremely low in sugar - It contains less than 1.1 grams of sugar per 100 grams!)

I tried my first savory recipe by dicing two cups of rhubarb into a curry. I added it to the pan just after the onions and garlic had cooked along with the stock and lentils. The rhubarb softens up and it's indistinguishable in both taste and texture in the final curry. So, it seems it could be a nice addition to a whole range of recipes.

nutty maple cinnamon granola

Even when other granola recipes cross my path, they rarely entice me to stray from my go-to granola. This is because it has the ideal balance of crunch (provided by the larger chopped walnuts compared to the softer and smaller crunch from chia seeds and hemp hearts), sweetness (just a hint of maple syrup), and a dash of spice (cinnamon). Mixing it up in five minutes before my shower, by the time I am out it is right on time to give the granola its first mix, and by the time my coffee is done, the granola is finished baking and ready to top my yogurt. 

Nutty Maple Cinnamon Granola

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Equipment: large mixing bowl, large spatula/spoon, measuring cups and spoons, baking sheet (either half sheet or full sheet will work just fine)

Ingredients:

Dry - 

4 cups preferred oats (Old fashioned, also called rolled oats, provide a slightly crunchier texture and will possibly clump better. However, I use quick oats because I like the softer texture in the final granola and no clumps).

1 cup chopped walnuts (subbing pecans is also wonderful)

1 cup pumpkin seeds (with or without salt, either works)

1/2 cup hemp hearts

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup of something else (I switch this up depending on what I have on hand - sunflower seeds, wheat germ, coconut flakes)

1 tsp ground cinnamon (Don't throw out the cinnamon you have in your cupboard, however, when you replenish your cinnamon you want to be using ceylon cinnamon as it has the lowest coumarin content versus cassia and saigon. This article provides a quick summary of how you can quickly exceed the daily limit of cassia/saigon Cinnamon, potentially causing damage to your liver.)

Wet -

1/3 cup oil (If I feel like taking the time, I melt coconut oil. But, typically I just use grapeseed oil that is already in a "state" I can dump into the granola mix. If you do use coconut oil, mix your ingredients and get it in the oven quickly so it doesn't start hardening again.)

1/2 cup maple syrup (You can sub honey, however, anytime you heat honey over approximately 95 degrees, it significantly degrades beneficial enzymes, antioxidants, and antibacterial compounds, reducing its nutritional and potential health benefits. So, I tend to use honey for room temp, or at least not boiling uses, and stick to maple syrup for everything else.)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1) Add all of the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. 

2) Add wet ingredients to the bowl, no need to mix these in a separate bowl first.

3) Dump onto your baking sheet and loosely smooth the granola to cover the entire pan.

4) Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, turning with the same spatula or spoon you used for mixing, about halfway through. You want the granola medium brown and just slightly crispy. 

Notes:

Save some trees and don't use parchment paper. I have never had this stick to the pan even a little. 

If you want to add fruit, add it to the pan right when you take the granola out of the oven so it gently toasts it without burning. Or, just add it right before you eat the granola in cereal or on top of yogurt. This way it is not adding moisture into the granola during storage.

 

Don't forget to pin this post if you remember so you remember to try this granola recipe. It will surely be your "go-to" granola recipe as well!

spiced currant nut muffins

Whipped up these spiced currant nut muffins as a thank you to my neighbors for helping me get my car battery charged after it died. They said these were delicious and had the perfect amount of sweetness. I agree! They are great any time of year. However, with hints of pumpkin and cinnamon, they are particularly perfect for Fall. But, I doubt I'll be able to wait until then to make them again!

Spiced Currant Nut Muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Equipment: two mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, large ice cream scoop, standard muffin tin

Ingredients:

Dry - 

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup brown sugar 

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon 

Wet - 

2 eggs (beaten)

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup applesauce

2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix-Ins (both optional) - 

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup currants (or other dried fruit you have on hand)

Instructions:

1) Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl and wet ingredients in a separate slightly larger bowl.

2) Add dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix well.

3) Add in walnuts and dried fruit.

4) Use large ice cream scoop to drop batter into 12 regular muffin tins lined with baking papers. 

5) Top with a sprinkle of rolled oats.

6) Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 20 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of a muffin and ensuring it comes out clean. They may need another two minutes or so more, depending on your oven.

Note: These muffins rise enough for my preference. However, if you want them loftier, you can try adding the whole wheat flour into the wet ingredients to sit for 10 minutes or so absorbing some of the liquid while you work on getting the rest of the recipe prepped.

Don't forget to pin this post if you want to remember the recipe for the next time you need a quick muffin recipe to offer as a gift of gratitude when someone helps you like my neighbors did for me.

HEALTHY ZUCCHINI BREAD

We always had a garden growing up - with sweet peas, zucchini, carrots, rhubarb...  I would pick fresh vegetables straight from the earth, wash them off under the spigot, and pop them in my mouth.  The zucchini was baked into bread, it seems almost daily.  I loved to bake bread!!  I don't remember who's recipe I used when I was little, but when my neighbor gifted me the hugest zucchini I've ever seen from her friends garden a few weeks ago, I went to my moms blog to search for a zucchini bread recipe.  

AND, IT'S A KEEPER!

I feel like it is so hard to find one that is a bit more healthy that is still sweet and moist.  And, this is it!  Zucchini is in season from June through August in most parts of the country so we're ending peak season.

BUT, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO GET A FEW LOAVES IN!!

Zucchini Bread

Makes: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

3 eggs

1/2 c oil

1/2 c applesauce

1 c sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 c grated zucchini

2 1/2 c flour (I used 1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour + 1 c whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 c oatmeal

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325.

2) Grease and flour 2 small loaf pans (4 1/2 x 8 1/2).

3) Beat eggs. Add oil, applesauce, sugar, vanilla, and zucchini. Mix together. Add dry ingredients.

4) Pour into loaf pans.

5) Bake for 1 hour (or until a flat toothpick inserted comes out clean). Note: I like to underbake my bread slightly so it is more moist.

warm white bean salad with arugula pesto and preserved lemon

My family has grown quite significantly over the years, from five in my immediate family to now brother-in-laws as well as seven nieces and nephews between my two older sisters.  When I was in college and my sisters were newly married and later young mothers, we started doing a secret santa gift exchange to save money and unnecessary purchasing.  My cousin would draw names and email each of us the one (adult) person we were to buy a gift for, and over Thanksgiving when we were typically all able to get together we would go around in a circle and open them.  With just one person to focus on, it opened up a lot of time (and fun) to find the absolute perfect gift.  I still have the custom skull high top Converse sneakers with pink laces my brother-in-law got me.  After quite a few years of doing a secret santa, we all decided we missed a little the joy that comes from gifting to others, and decided to open up the possibilities a bit.  However, we didn't go back to buying gifts for everyone.  Instead, for Christmas as well as for birthdays, mothers day, fathers day, and the like, we would purchase if it was within our means and we happened across something perfect throughout the year, but no obligation.  So, a present might come on your birthday in August or a present might randomly show up in June when you were least expecting it.  Oh what more fun!  This is what happened a few months when a box was unexpectedly leaning up against my door upon arriving home.  I opened it to find a copy of "Dinner: Changing The Game" by Melissa Clark.  Had this been shipped to me by mistake?  No, the address is correct.  Is there a note inside?  Nope.  Hmmm.  One of my sisters had texted a few days prior to double check my address, so I texted her.  Bingo.  A good friend of hers had said the cookbook was amazing and had been getting rave reviews so she bought one for herself and for me.  How thoughtful.  And unexpected.  And something we can now share as sisters.  All Summer long, we've been communicating back and forth with which recipes we have tried, how they turned out, and what the next ones on our list are (she was surprised I listed the Warm Squid Salad, but I'm sticking to my guns!).

Melissa's goal with "Dinner" was to help us figure out what to make for dinner without falling back on what we've eaten before, to give choices and help expand the way we think about dinner so cooking it becomes "one of the most satisfying and loveliest moments of the day."  She provides a list of ingredients to keep on hand and the history and uses behind them in the front of the cookbook.  The list can seem a little daunting as they're not all your average pantry staples (sumac, kimchi, and thai red curry paste to name a few).  But, I poured over this cookbook for hours the first day totally immersed in how attainable Melissa made incorporating these ingredients into anyone's arsenal.

The first recipe I made from "Dinner" was the Warm White Bean Salad with Arugula Pesto and Preserved Lemon.  I was drawn to it because it seemed like a nice light salad for Summer, but also because it would teach me how to make a version of pesto, which I could translate later for many other dishes if it became part of my "arsenal."

Most of the ingredients I had on hand, and the others I quickly scooped up from the local supermarket...except for the preserved lemon, lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices.  I hunted all over the store to no avail.  Check back tomorrow for more info on how to make your own preserved lemon, in no time at all!

Total time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 to 8 cups arugula

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 1/2 tbsp chopped preserved lemon

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste

3 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained

fresh lemon juice to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 to 3 tbsp thinly shaved shallot or red onion (optional)

Directions:

1) In a food processor or blender, combine 2 packed cups of the arugula with the almonds, cheese, preserved lemon, garlic, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Process or blend until everything is finely chopped.  With the motor running, blend in the 1/3 cup olive oil.  

2) Warm the beans in the microwave for about 1 minute, or in a small pot on the stovetop for about 2 to 3 minutes.  The beans should be warm to the touch, but not hot.

3) In a medium bowl, toss the arugula pesto with the warm beans, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

4) In a large bowl, toss the remaining arugula with lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  (If you're unsure, add the seasonings a little at a time, tasting as you go, until you like it.  Be generous with the black pepper.)  Arrange the arugula salad on a large platter, and spoon the beans on top.  Sprinkle the shaved shallots over the beans, and serve.

YOGURT AND FRESH BERRY PARFAIT

I've always adhered to the mantra that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day."  My mom made for me (and still makes me when I go home to visit) a giant bowl of oatmeal for breakfast layered with raisins, flax seed, walnuts, and whole milk.  She taught me that a hearty breakfast and a healthy lunch will power you through the day, while a lighter dinner like a salad is all your body needs as it is about to go into rest. Her salads are no mean "light," containing a mix of greens, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, and Braggs nutritional yeast.  But, it makes sense to feed your body fuel when you need it and go lighter when it doesn't.

So, every morning for breakfast I scoop either oatmeal or yogurt into a mason jar for an easy, but hearty, grab and go on the way to work.  Summer weather has me gravitating towards the yogurt for obvious reasons (and the plethora of fresh berries at the grocery store make it a no-brainer as well).

I start with either organic whole milk plain yogurt or whole milk greek yogurt, then sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top.

Add some fresh raspberries, blueberries, or sliced bananas and drizzle with honey.

Repeat a second time and you've got a quick and delicious portable breakfast!

Many people (or most people I would garner to say) are nervous to choose whole over non-fat when staring at the cooler in the grocery store.  However, many studies have found consuming whole milk actually has numerous benefits compared to its lesser fat counterparts.  "At the simplest level, people eating more high fat dairy products will have enough calories so they won't feel hungry enough to need additional calories from sugary foods." (1)  "When people reduce the amount of fat they eat, they tend to increase their intake of refined carbohydrates and sugar, the driving forces behind the bulk of our nation's chronic health problems." (2)

Choosing regular vs greek yogurt is primarily based on taste and texture preference since they are deniably different.  However, greek yogurt does have an edge with protein and sugar.  "In roughly the same amount of calories, it (greek yogurt) can pack up to double the protein, while cutting sugar content in half." (3)

I have yet to try overnight oats despite not being a picky eater, I am wary that I would not like the texture.  Do you have any favorite overnight oats recipes that might overcome my hesitations?  What are some of your favorite things to make for breakfast on-the-go?

(1) Source: Time magazine
(2) Source: US News
(3) Source: US News 

CHILLED CUCUMBER AND CORN SOUP WITH AVOCADO TOASTS

This cold soup from "Dinner" by Melissa Clark has to be the quickest and most refreshing meal for Summer days when I'd rather be relaxing out by the pool or enjoying a long walk - seriously 15 min prep time tops!  And, most of the ingredients were picked up at my local farmers market, which I shared in my last post.  Melissa recommends serving with avocado toasts, which I found to be a great compliment in flavor!  And, something I can now add to my arsenal to make for a quick snack.  Together, the two can be a meal.  Or, serve the soup alone in teacups or other small bowls as a first course.

Chilled Cucumber and Corn Soup
Makes: 2 to 4
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeded
2 cups cold buttermilk (or use 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt plus 1/4 cup milk or water)
1 large garlic clove, smashed and peeled
2 scallions (white and green parts), trimmed
1/2 cup packed mixed soft fresh herbs (any combination of mint, parsley, dill, basil, and cilantro), plus more for serving
1/2 tsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar, plus more to taste
3/4 tsp sea salt, plus more if needed
kernels from 1 ear fresh corn
extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions:
1) In the bowl of a blender or food processor, combine the cucumbers, buttermilk, garlic, scallions, fresh herbs, sherry vinegar, and salt.  Blend until smooth.  Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
2) Distribute the soup among four bowls, and serve it garnished with the raw corn kernels, the extra mixed herbs, and drizzle of olive oil.  Serve the avocado toasts alongside.

Avocado Toasts
Ingredients:
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
4 slices bread, toasted
2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
1/2 lemon
extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Smash the avocado slices on the toasted bread.  Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the avocado.  Squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the top, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and some black pepper.