Overnight Apple Pie Oatmeal

Anyone else nearly sick of pumpkin by now?  I blame Pinterest.  I haven't actually eaten much pumpkin this Fall, but with the overload of pumpkin eighty-two different ways in my Pinterest feed, I'm ready to move on. At least until Thanksgiving actually arrives.  Then it's all about the pumpkin piiiiiiie.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

So, basically, when I found this recipe, I nearly jumped for joy.  While I love drinking my green smoothies for breakfast (they seriously make me more alert than any cup of coffee), the thought of swapping them out for pumpkin that looks like a milkshake wasn't even worth pausing to consider.  Done.  Let's drink them every day through the end of the year, shall we?

Coconut Forbidden Rice Pudding

'Mornin! ('Afternoon!, 'Evenin!)

So, I'm back with another recipe using our handy dandy and yummy Forbidden rice.  When I was growing up, one of my favorite breakfasts was my mom's rice pudding, made with leftover rice from dinner.  Custardy, sweet, with cinnamon, and so delicious when straight from the refrigerator.

Coconut Pecan Granola

Good Morning!  Today, I semi-cheated and had a small bowl of this granola with almond milk before blending up my regular green smoothie (today's has frozen cherries - yum!).  And, I'm still as much in love with this granola as I was yesterday when finalized my recipe changes.

Broiled Grapefruit

God bless Pinterest.  


I was feeling extraordinarily guilty for not having any recipes to post this week, and then the latest viral recipe on Pinterest popped into my head.

And whyyyy didn't I get any recipes blogged up this weekend?  Why?  It wasn't for lack of cooking.  I tried out four brand new recipes this last weekend, and came up with some yummy things to share!  But.  But, it was 85 degrees outside.  Normally, I'm incapable of sitting and doing nothing, but that's exactly what I did out in our back yard both Saturday and Sunday.  So I wasn't in the kitchen during prime daylight photo-taking hours.  And I don't even have a tan to show for it :)

Food Rule 21 and Green Smoothies

(Lest you think I've gone off the deep end with my treats consumption, ha!)

I'm going to throw down some honesty here today.  That up there?  That's my breakfast every day.  Yep.  A huge green smoothie that I suck down while I'm sitting in traffic, on my way to work.  Why?  Obviously I'm capable of making other, more traditional items to eat.  But why am I eating 3 overflowing cups of kale and spinach for breakfast?

Because I'm waging a war on my acne.  There you have it.  My skin has the ability to go from allllmost clear to a disaster within a matter of a couple of days.  It's 90% of the reason I avoid dairy.  Dairy hormones and sugars make my acne (and body hormones) fly out of control, resulting in painful red bumps and cysts on my face.  Which then turn into dark scars.  It's not exactly a great way for a girl to go out in the world, especially considering that wearing a bag over my head isn't something I've been able to pull off.  (Yet.)

Now, I'm a firm believer in healing my body from the inside.  I've done just about everything for eliminating external irritating detergents and fabric softeners and body washes.  So, when my skin flares up, I know that something isn't happy on the inside.  After reading a bit about alkalinity and watching this video, I really felt compelled to get more greens in my diet.  Which is perfect for another Food Rule:

I've raved about greens in the past, but short of throwing them into every single dinner, I couldn't figure out a way to get more into my diet.  Until I started seeing Green Smoothies pop up everywhere.  They sound iffy at best - Spinach for breakfast?  Raw?  And you drink it??  Yes, indeedy, my friends.  And they taste really, really good.  Throw in a banana and some other fruit, close your eyes, and you don't even know it's loaded with leafy green vegetables.  I swear.

I follow this basic recipe for my breakfasts each morning:

Some Chia Seeds for omegas, fiber, protein, and energy
3 huge handfuls of greens - usually kale or spinach
1 fruit to make things sweet - a ripe banana or an apple
1-2 other fruits for flavors - raspberries and mango together are really good!

Note: If you add red or blue berries, your smoothie color won't be as vibrant green.  Because red + green = kinda brown in color.  Which equals disgusting photos, lol.  I didn't want to scare you away any more than I already might be, so I left the fruit for this recipe pale in color so that all you see is that gorgeous green!

What do you all think??

Are you already a Green Smoothie aficionado?

Tempted to come over to the vibrant green side of the fence?

With Bo in thinking that my breakfast is too whack to even consider? :)

My Hippy Roots are Showing,

         

Green Smoothie

2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 c. water
3 c. kale, chopped with stems removed
1 c. frozen peach slices (unsweetened)
1 banana, sliced and frozen

Soak Chia seeds in water for at least 5 minutes, as you gather the remaining ingredients. Add ingredients to blender in this order: Water with soaked Chia seeds, kale, banana, and peach slices. Blend until smooth.  Makes one 24oz. smoothie.

       

Seriously, check this out.  These are the numbers for my recipe above:

It's a pretty great way to start the morning, am I right?!

Food Rule 68 and Banana Pudding

Attention, please!  Raise your hand if you're incapable of eating just one cookie off the still piping hot baking sheet.

Anyone??

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who has zero willpower when it comes to a tray full of warm cookies!  I can be utterly diligent with my meals and snacks all day, but put a tray of homemade cookies in front of me, and I'll inhale 7 of them before I've realized that my hand was even moving to grab them.  It's awful.  So, you can imagine how much I struggle with this food rule:

And I'm pretty sure that it doesn't mean I should grab all 7 cookies at once, haha.  One easy way to keep desserts portion controlled is to divide them into dishes as you make the recipe.  And what better portioned out - and pretty - dessert than a layered pudding?  Dividing this recipe into individual glasses keeps me from sneaking spoonfuls and not paying attention to how much I'm actually eating.  Perfect!

The other thing to note is that by using unsweetened almond milk instead of dairy milk, we shave nearly 200 calories off the recipe.  I use almond milk for a lot of things (ranch dressing, even), so I was excited to make a treat that was not only nondairy (aka "Sara-safe"), but one that saved me a few calories to boot.  You can go ahead and make this recipe using dairy milk or a mix of dairy and almond milk; it's up to you.

Yummmmmmm,

         

Banana Pudding
adapted from Food Network magazine Jan/Feb 2012

2 c. plain unsweetened almond milk
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
pinch of kosher salt
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large bananas
6 graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces (or Nilla wafer cookies)
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder or cinnamon

Heat the almond milk in a saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering, whisking often.  Meanwhile, whisk the cornstarch, salt, sugar, and egg in a medium heatproof bowl. Temper the egg mixture:  Pour about half of the hot milk into the bowl and whisk vigorously until smooth. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking vigorously, until thick and starting to bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool, stirring occasionally.  The pudding will continue to thicken as it cools.

While the pudding is cooling, cut the bananas into thin slices. Layer a few banana slices, a few pieces of graham cracker and 2 tablespoons of the prepared pudding in each of 4 glasses; sprinkle with cocoa or cinnamon, then repeat to make 2 more layers. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for an hour. Makes 4 servings.

       

Ingredient Lineup:

Tempering the eggs isn't as tricky as it may seem!

Just think of when your hands are frozen on a cold day, and the last thing you should do

is put them straight into hot water.  Ditto for eggs!

You'll put a little of the hot mixture into the cooler eggs, whisking to mix in evenly.  

Then you'll whisk the warmed up egg mixture into the pot on the burner
to bring the entire milk-egg liquid up to boiling. Tempering accomplished!

Food Rule 25 and Green Eggs, No Ham

Drum roll, please!  Introducing, our next Food Rule:

One of the things I love about this food rule is that it instantly makes you start mentally scrolling through all the fruits and vegetables you can think of that might have leaves worth eating.  Here's an easy and delicious idea - Greens!*  As you remember, I've already raved about kale and two of my favorite soup recipes call for collards or other greens.  And I'm forever tossing collards and kale into stir fries and anywhere else that could use some extra vitamins.  I'm learning that they're way more versatile than the typical way people serve them here in the South (stewed all day with bacon fat and served as a faded green soppy pile with hot sauce - delicious, but not terribly nutritious).

This recipe is yet another way you can toss greens into something basic and give yourself an extra punch of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber.  And what better time than at breakfast?  This recipe has absolutely made its way into my morning routine, and I'm so excited to have found another way to cook with such a healthy vegetable.

Your turn - Have you tried out any new ways to get more green into your diet?  We'd all love to hear!

Green Machine,


p.s.  Everyone talks about how bitter greens are, and I was afraid to try them for that very reason.  But I was totally surprised to find that they really aren't bitter at all.  In fact, I think that both kale and collards are way less bitter than spinach!  Greens just need a little broth for cooking and some salt to finish.  Mmmmm... tasty.


* AKA: Collards, Kale, Spinach, Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Dandelion Greens, or any of the family of green, leafy vegetables used for salad!

          

Green Eggs, No Ham
adapted from Cookus Interruptus

3 handfuls rinsed and chopped collards or kale
approx. 1/3 c. low-sodium broth or water
3 eggs
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. oil or butter
your favorite seasoning salt, to taste
3 tsp. grated cheese, like Romano or Parmesan

Heat skillet over medium-high heat.  Add enough broth or water to cover the bottom of the skillet and add the greens.  Let greens cook down until wilted and moisture is absorbed, stirring occasionally.  Continue cooking until greens start to toast, then remove greens from skillet and set aside.

Lower heat to medium.  Add oil or butter to skillet.  Whisk eggs and milk in a bowl until combined, then pour into skillet over hot butter.  Gently stir eggs as they cook, lifting egg layer up from the bottom of the pan.  When eggs are nearly cooked, add the greens to the pan and season with your favorite seasoning salt (I used Old Bay).  Remove the pan from heat when eggs appear light and fluffy, but still shiny and wet.  Serve immediately, sprinkling grated cheese over the top.  Serves 2.

         

Add enough broth or water to a skillet over medium-high heat to cover the bottom of the pan.

Toss in greens and let cook down until wilted, stirring occasionally.

Continue cooking greens until moisture is absorbed and greens are soft and just starting to toast.

Serve with a sprinkling of grated Romano or Parmesan and a thick slice of toasted wheat bread.

Pumpkin Rice Pudding

I'm head over heels in love with this recipe.  It's true.  This rice pudding is cozy and creamy and pumpkiny and (shhhh.. don't tell!) it's pretty darn healthy.  Instead of the standard white rice, it's made with brown rice, but you wouldn't know it.  The only hint of it is the slight chewiness, which I think makes for a fantastic texture.  It's got very little sugar, and lots of antioxidants from the pumpkin and spices.  

But, really, all you need to know is that it's just so cozy and delicious.

Cuddle Up With a Bowl,

Pumpkin Rice Pudding
adapted from Not Without Salt

1 c. brown rice, cooked according to pkg directions (or 3 1/2 c. cooked brown rice)
3 c. milk (dairy or unsweetened almond or soy)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla (omit if using vanilla-flavored milk)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the cooked brown rice, milk, brown sugar, salt and spices. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Cook on low for 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is creamy, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let sit 15 for minutes. Serve warm in a cute bowl. Can also be served cold, but is the coziest when warmed.  Makes 4 cups.

Ingredient Lineup:

Cozy and delicious.

And beautifully steamy.

Ricotta Toasts with Asparagus & Poached Eggs

Ricotta Toasts with Asparagus and Poach Eggs
Rachael Ray Magazine May 2011

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
6 slices toasted thick-cut country bread
Salt and pepper
1 pound steamed asparagus
6 slices coked bacon, crumbled

Spread ricotta on toast, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer with asparagus; top with poached egg. Sprinkle with bacon, salt and pepper.

I am in love with a ton of reality food shows:

Master Chef
Iron Chef
Hell's Kitchen
Top Chef
America's Next Great Restaurant

I think I love these shows because they cook food that I don't. I always think, "I would love to try that. How fun would it be to judge these shows".

One of the easiest things that I have seen on these shows, but never tried myself was a poached egg. It certainly looked like it would taste good but it was something that just seemed like I wouldn't be able to do.

How I poached an egg:

Break an egg into small bowl. Heat water with a little bit of vinegar added to right before the boiling point. There should be lots of bubbles on the sides of the pan but none actually breaking away from the pan and bursting at the top of the water. Use a whisk to start a whirlpool. Gently pour egg into swirling water and allow to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fish out the poached egg and enjoy.

I did break at least a half a dozen eggs before finally getting the hang of this technique. It seemed that the more that I handled the eggs the more they broke. If I just set a timer and left them alone, they swirled gently in the water and poached up beautifully. I did have a couple that stuck to the bottom of the pan, I took a spatula and gently loosened it.