Baked Oatmeal

Puzzled with how to have a healthy breakfast at work, my sister suggested Heidi's baked oatmeal. She served this at a brunch with some girlfriends. Not only is it great for crowds, but it's re-heatable in single-serve portions that will have all your co-workers asking for the recipe.

 

 Baked Oats with Bananas and Blueberries

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain salt
• 2 cups milk (or nut milk) 
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups blueberries or a mix of berries

 
Preheat. 375 degrees w/ a rack in the top third of the over. Butter the inside of your baking dish.


Step one. In a bowl, combine the oats, half of the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

 
Step two. In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, milk, egg, vanilla and half of the butter.






 


 




Step three. Lay bananas across the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries on top. Cover with the dry mix and then drizzle the milk mix over the oats. Scatter the remaining berries and walnuts over the top.












 



Step four. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the oats are set. Let cool for a few minutes. Drizzle with the remaining melted butter and serve.










Serve. With a little maple syrup on top. Divine.  

 enjoy.

Muesli

Ode to Heidi 

Part 1.  

 

When my sister was up in LA visiting me over the holidays, she pulled a cookbook off my shelf and started flipping through it. "I can't believe I don't have this one," she said, "She's got so much good stuff in here!" SHE of course, is Heidi Swanson, and the book is Super Natural Every Day. An instant classic if you ask me. It's one of my most-referenced cookbooks; Dignified with folded corners and hand-written notes pressed between the pages. So, with a renewed sense of exploration, and inspired by my sister, I ventured back into the pages of Super Natural Every Day.  Please enjoy reading and tasting some of my favorites from the great Heidi Swanson.

 

Muesli 

(AKA Overnight Oats) 

Easy, simple, bright, and customizable. Tired of the bagel selection at work, I went straight for my favorite recipe in this book, and consequently, it's on page 1. There's no better grab-and-go breakfast than overnight oats, and heidi's Muesli is perfectly balanced to be sweet, tart, and comforting.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped Marcona almonds
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup raw wheat germ
• 1/4 tsp. fine grain sea salt
• Plain yogurt
• water
• maple syrup

Tip: Prepare each serving in a small mason jar or tupperware container for the on-the-go morning. 
 
step one. In a large bowl, toss together the oats, almonds, raisins, wheat germ and salt. Transfer to a mason jar (or tupperware) until ready to use.

step two. For each serving, spoon 1/2 cup yogurt into a bowl with 1/4 cup water, and sweeten with a splash of maple syrup. Stir in 1/2 cup of the muesli and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or preferably overnight.

Serving suggestion: Top with fresh berries or left-over raisins.

Customize: with chia seeds, bee pollen, or fresh banana.


Links to more of my posts and raves about Heidi Swanson:

Split Pea Soup  
Broccoli Gribiche 
Chanterelle Tacos
Maple Blueberry Coffee Cake 
Granola 
Blueberry Pie
Little Quinoa Cakes 
Chickpea Wraps 

Who's The Boss?

       In January, I started a new job. A dream job. And it's been wonderful. For two months I've just been reveling in the newness of it all; Constantly captivated by the intensity and passion of my colleagues, and continuously in amazement that I was lucky enough to earn a spot among them. But my new schedule has brought with it some new challenges. It's been a test of time-management just to fit in the lifestyle habits I am used to enjoying. Not to mention the much tighter budget I must now adhere to.

     To manage it all I've moved my yoga sessions to 6am, I make sure I spend quality time with my friends on the weekends, and on Sundays, I cook. I work in Beverly Hills, and to stay on track financially, it's essential that I pack my lunches, or else I'll get caught up buying a $13 salad at the closest cafe.

     At first it felt a little overwhelming to have to come up with a week's worth of meals on one grocery run, but I've turned this weekly chore into quite the recipe exploration. I pick two new recipes on Saturday, usually large, one pan-type meals, and then on Sunday, I go to work. Most nights I can also fit in my laundry while something is baking or simmering and it makes me feel something like a wonder-woman.

     So for the next few entries, I'll be posting large, well-rounded, filling meals to influence your weekend meal planning and maybe even help you stay on budget. 

Brussel Sprouts & Organic Sprouted Tofu

(Adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi)

 

Yotam Ottolenghi never disappoints. This recipe comes from his book, Plenty, a collection of meat-less recipes from a chef who takes his vegetables just as serious as his meats. Ottolenghi calls this dish "utterly addictive." I myself was so impressed by the explosion of flavors, I was practically howling in my kitchen. I guarantee you will love this or something is seriously wrong with your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp sweet chile sauce (or paste)
• 1 1/2  tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 3tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1tsp rice vinegar
• 1tbsp maple syrup
• 5oz firm organic tofu (optional for sprouted)
• 1lb brussel sprouts
• about 3/4 cup sunflower or grapeseed oil
• salt
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 small fresh red chile, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, halve, quartered, or diced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)  

Tips: 

Most of these ingredients I had in my pantry because I love Asian flavors. I didn't have a fresh chile so I used a canned chipotle pepper that I had bought for another recipe. And I used a Thai chili paste that I had in my fridge instead of chile sauce. To spread your dollar even further, serve over steamed rice or make into lettuce cups. 

Instructions:

step one.Whisk together in a bowl the chile and soy sauces, 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, the vinegar and maple syrup. Cut the tofu block into 3/8-inch slices and then into squarish pieces. Gently stir into the marinade and set aside. 

step two. Trim the bases off the sprouts and cut each from top to bottom into three thick slices. Take a large nonstick pan, add 4 tablespoons of oil and heat up well. Throw in half the sprouts with a little salt and cook on high heat for about 2 minutes or more. Don't stir too much. You want the sprouts to almost burn in a few places and cook through but remain crunchy. Remove to a bowl. Repeat with more oil, salt, and the rest of the sprouts. Remove all the sprouts from the pan. 

step three. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan, heat up and saute the green onions, chile and mushrooms for a few minutes until the mushrooms are golden (I like mine really crispy). Transfer to the sprouts bowl. 

step four. Leave the pan on high heat. Use tongs to lift half of the tofu pieces from the marinade and gently lay them in the pan (be cautious of spitting oil). Space them apart in one layer. Reduce the flame to medium and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until they get a nice caramelized color. Transfer to the sprout bowl and repeat with the rest of the tofu. 

step five. Once all the tofu is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and return all the cooked ingredients to it. Add the remaining marinade and half the cilantro leaves. Toss everything together and allow to cool down slightly in the pan. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and garnish with sesame seeds and the rest of the cilantro. 

** sorry for so few pictures, I was just having so much fun tasting every step along the way that I forgot. 

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

 Jerusalem: A Cookbook, Part II

 

Pomegranates are beautiful, but I've never really liked them much. So when my sister proposed this salad as the second recipe to put to test from Jerusalem: A Cookbook, I was skeptical. But when all was said and done, this salad showcases some great holiday flavors, and next to the crunch of the hazelnuts, I've finally found a way to enjoy pomegranate seeds.

 

 

Roasted Cauliflower, Hazelnut and Pomegranate Seed Salad 

(Recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, copyright © 2012)

 

"Cauliflower and pomegranate are popular foods in both Arab and Jewish communities, and the sweet and sour combinations in this dish capture the flavors of the region."

 Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets (1 1/2 pounds total)

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large celery stalk, cut on an angle into 1/4-inch slices (2/3 cup total)

• 5 tablespoons hazelnuts, with skins

• 1/3 cup small flat-leaf parsley leaves, picked

• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 medium pomegranate)

• Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

 

step 1.
 Mix the cauliflower with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Spread out in a roasting pan and roast on the top oven rack for 25 to 35 minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp and parts of it have turned golden brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.


step 2. 
 Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 17 minutes.

step 3. 
 Allow the nuts to cool a little, then coarsely chop them and add to the cauliflower, along with the remaining oil and the rest of the ingredients. Stir, taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly.

Serve at room temperature.

Maple Blueberry Coffee Cake

     When I was living in Paris, I was two doors down from a produce stand. And practically every day after school, I'd stop in and pick something up for dinner. I became friendly with the man who ran the small, outdoor shop, and he'd help me with my French by pronouncing the names of the fruits and vegetables, and then he'd proceed to tell me the reason that that particular produce was good for me. For example, and I very keenly remember this day above the others for some reason, he pointed to a heaping pile of blueberries and said, "myrtilles," the word for blueberries, and then he said, "les yeux," and pointed to his eyes. It's one of those sweet little memories I've kept from Paris. And when I hear either of those words in French, I'm taken back to my favorite produce stand, and my educating, produce-selling friend.

     Blueberries are good for the eyes because they contain Vitamin A. 

     Here's some good things my nutrition books(1)(2) had to say about Vitamin A:

"...Is traditionally known for it's role in the maintenance of night vision."
"prevents some skin disorders, such as acne."
"A well known wrinkle eliminator."
"A powerful antioxidant, helping to protect the cells against cancer and other diseases."

Let's learn some Yoga vocabulary:  Drishti

Drishti (दृष्टि): means focused gaze. You may hear your yoga teacher instruct you to, "Find your drishti." What they mean by that is to find a place to focus the eyes. Sometimes it's focusing on a place on the wall, or in your own reflection. Sometimes, you're not really looking at anything but space, but as long as you hold your focus on that space, you're maintaining your drishti. Sustaining this deep level of focus allows the yogi to withdrawl from his/her surroundings, concentrate, and turn inward. And it's this practice of great concentration, which develops a yogi's ability to meditate. 

A great pose to practice drishti is: Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) 

Image from: The Key Muscles of Yoga, by Ray Long, MD, FRCSC

     In this pose, I usually bring my gaze to the floor, about one foot ahead of my toes. An advanced practitioner may bring their focus to the ceiling. Done right, this pose is not easy. Press back through your top heal, engage your core, and squeeze quadriceps in toward your pelvis, as you butterfly your hips open. Arms are open wide, reach equally through both fingertips. If you're not balancing on your lower fingertips, try bringing your lower palm to heart-center. 

Now, let's bake!

 

Maple Blueberry Coffee Cake

(Adapted from Heidi Swanson's Maple Hukleberry Coffee Cake)

 

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or spelt flour)
• 3 tablespoons rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup maple syrup, room temperature
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• zest of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/3 cups fresh blueberries

Topping:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup maple sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Equipment: 

• 1-pound loaf pan

"but you could likely get away with a 8 or 9-inch cake or pie pan." - Heidi Swanson

 Step 1.
     Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, rack in the middle. Butter your pan.

Step 2.
      In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, thyme, and rosemary. Set aside.

Step 3.
      In a separate large bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer or by hand - until light and fluffy. Drizzle in the maple syrup and beat until well incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple times along the way.

Step 4. 
     Beat in the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, scraping the sides again. Add half of the flour, stir just a bit, now add a splash of the buttermilk, stir again, but not too much. Add the rest of the flour and stir a bit, and now the rest of the buttermilk. Stir until everything barely comes together and then very gently fold in one cup of the huckleberries. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pan and set aside.

Step 5.
     To make the streusel topping, place the flour, butter, maple sugar, thyme and pecans in a food processor and pulse 20-30 times or until the topping is a bit beyond sandy/crumbly. It should be moist-looking - on its way to being slightly doughy. Crumble 2/3 of it over the cake batter, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup huckleberries on top of that, and then add the last of the crumble. Barely pat in place with your fingertips.

Step 6.
     Place the coffee cake in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool for five minutes. Brew yourself a pot of coffee, and enjoy!

Books mentioned in this entry:


(1). Prescription for Nutritional Healing: The A-to-Z guide to Supplements, by Phyllis A Balch, CNC
(2).   Natural Health, Natural Medicine: The Complete Guide to Wellness and Self-Care for Optimum Health, by Andrew Weil, M.D.

Milk & Cookies

I spent the last two weeks or so experimenting with Gluten-Free recipes. I love wheat, but I thought it'd be fun to give a few other whole grains a try. First I made pizza dough, which I will admit went pretty well, but it's not quite ready for the blog. And then, quite unexpectedly, I found myself making Gluten-Free cookies. Here's how it happened:

I was at the farmer's market, buying my favorite honey-roasted almond butter. I had $5 left and I decided to buy a couple scoops of raw almonds. And then I remembered that I'd been meaning to try making almond milk, so I asked the kid (literally pre-teen) who was manning the tent until his parents returned, "Do you know how to make almond milk?" He quickly replied, "One cup almonds, two cups water, blend until milky and strain." Done. I just had to pick up some cheese cloth at whole foods, and I also grabbed a few dried dates and figs, and then I was on my way home to make milk.

Almond Milk:
4 cups raw almonds (soaked in water overnight)
8 cups water
4-5 pitted dates or  dried black mission figs ( I went half and half)
1-2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment:
Blender/Food processor
Cheese Cloth
Hand Held Strainer
Pitcher 
1 Cheese cloth

Soak almonds in water overnight and then strain. Add 1 cup of almonds, 2 cups of water, 1 date or fig, 1/2 tsp of vanilla, and a few dashes of cinnamon to a blender or food processor. Blend until finely pureed and milky. Place a hand-held strainer over a bowl or pitcher and line with cheese cloth.

Pour almond mixture over the cheese cloth and when most of the liquid has drained, rinse and twist the cloth with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible.*Save the sweet almond paste that is left over and place in the refrigerator. Repeat until all the almonds have been milked and your pitcher is full. Add more cinnamon or vanilla to taste.

This was surprisingly easy and it's extremely rewarding. I felt sooo good about pouring that milk over my cereal in the morning. And for this reason, I have decided to pair this recipe with a poem about bliss, the feeling I got when I poured this bowl of cereal (Poem featured at end of entry).

 And so, suddenly blessed with a large quantity of fresh almond meal, i began looking for a recipes. I found a good one in Gwyneth Paltrow's 'my father's daughter'. It's actually her mother, Blythe Danner's, recipe (and I love Blythe so it was settled). Coincidentally, my best friend Hayley had also just sent me her recipe for gluten-free thumbprint cookies.

The two recipes are quite similar, so based on my tastes, and what I had in the kitchen, I came up with the following recipe, to me it is the best of both worlds.:

4 cups quinoa flour
3 cups fresh almond meal
1 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 cup maple syrup
zest of one lemon
1 tsp salt
tiny pinch of baking soda
1 jar of jam/preserves (I used Quince Jam)

Combine ingredients (except for the jam) until a dough is formed. Form into tablespoonful balls and space evenly on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Using your thumb or index finger, make an indent in each cookie and fill with a small spoonful of jam. (At this point if you put the cookies in the fridge for about 30 min. they will hold their shape better). Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden.

I could not get my hands off these guys; And i didn't feel one shred of guilt. Also, I brought a batch to the yogi potluck to celebrate the completion of teacher training (more bliss). When I shared this recipe with my sister, she commented that I could survive the apocalypse.


Et, voila!  Milk and cookies from one $5 scoop of almonds!

 Song of The Soul - from 'Light on Yoga,' by B.K.S. Iyengar

I am neither ego nor reason, I am neither mind nor thought,
I cannot be hard nor cast into words, nor by smell nor sight ever caught:
In light and wind I am not found, nor yet in earth and sky -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no name, I have no life, I breathe no vital air,
No elements have moulded me, no bodily sheath is my lair:
I have no speech, no hands and feet, nor means of evolution -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss in dissolution.

I cast aside hatred and passion, I conquered delusion and greed;
No touch of pride caressed me, so envy never did breed:
Beyond all faiths, past reach of wealth, past freedom, past desire,
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is my attire.

Virtue and vice, or pleasure and pain are not my heritage,
Nor sacred texts, nor offerings, nor prayer, nor pilgrimage:
I am neither food, nor eating, nor yet the eater am I -
Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I.

I have no misgiving of death, no chasms of race divide me,
No parent ever called me child, no bond of birth ever tied me:
I am neither disciple nor master, I have no kin, no friend -
Consciousness and joy am I, and merging in Bliss is my end.

Neither knowable, knowledge, nor knower am I, formless is my form,
I dwell within the senses but they are not my home:
Ever serenely balanced, I am neither free nor bound -
Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is where I am found.