Multi-Grain Waffles - That Taste Good

You know how mainstream breakfast foods are actually desserts? Don't get me wrong, breakfast is without a doubt my favorite meal of the day. But pancakes, waffles, french toast, scones, biscuits and gravy - you name it. And face the fact, if you haven't already, that all of these delicious breakfast foods are usually made with white flour (which equals bad carbs) and usually slathered in syrup (which equals starting the day with sugar). I love me some white flour and sugar. But I am trying to cook as much as I can with whole grains and naturally occurring sugars which means a lot of oatmeal, homemade granola, and eggs.

However, I came across this delightful multi-grain waffle recipe about a year ago that is really tasty and satisfies the requirements for my idea of a "healthy" breakfast. So if you want whole-grains but you still want waffles and you want them to taste good, this is the answer, my friend:

Whole Grain Waffles
Makes about 6-8 servings
Adapted from eatingwell.com

Ingredients

2 c buttermilk (or you can use 2 cups regular milk mixed with 1 1/2 Tbl white vinegar)
1/2 old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/3 c white wheat flour (Use white wheat flour! The flavor and texture is lighter than darker wheat flours.)
1/4 c cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

2 large eggs
2 Tbl brown sugar
1 Tbl canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Pre-heat waffle iron.
2. Mix buttermilk and oats in large bowl and let sit for about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the next 6 dry ingredients together.
4. Add eggs, brown sugar, oil and vanilla to the oatmeal and buttermilk mixture and stir together.
5. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir together with a spoon or spatula until combined. Try not to stir too much. As you can see in the picture below, the mixture is going to be a bit lumpy with the oats and that is fine and dandy.

6. Pour about 1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending on how big your waffle iron is) onto the hot waffle iron and cook until ready.

Serve with butter, fresh fruit, cream, maple syrup, or whatever sounds delicious.

Thick, Creamy, Delicious Oatmeal

I can clearly remember the time I first had delicious oatmeal. It was one summer during college when my boss took me out to breakfast. I imagine she peer-pressured me into getting the oatmeal because I never would have ordered it on my own.

Oh. My. Goodness. It was delectable. Sweet, creamy, utterly delicious oatmeal. Oatmeal. I mean, we all know that porridge is what people used to eat for breakfast before they invented real breakfast cereal. You know, the kind that comes in a box with marshmallows? We moved on; civilization progressed to something more delicious. Yet here I was, eating a hearty, healthy bowl of oatmeal, and I loved it.

Yet years went by without a repeat of that experience. Oh sure, I ate the stuff every now and again. Elin would buy the cinnamon roll oatmeal packets from BYU creamery on ninth, and they made a bearable bowl of microwaved mush. I tried Trader Joe's something-sugary-pecan oatmeal, and it wasn't bad. But none of the instant oatmeal packets quite did it for me.

So I went beyond the convenient packets and tried a variety of other methods. Old fashioned on the stove, overnight oatmeal in the fridge, slow-cooker oatmeal, oatmeal with cream, butter, and sugar, oatmeal with yogurt and berries... nothing ever had staying power. I just didn't like it very much. Yet oatmeal is something I wanted to like! It's a warm, whole-grain, minimally processed food full of protein and fiber. I saw mothers who fed their children oatmeal every morning and wanted to be just like them.

So eventually, I went to the source. Meet Natalie, my inexhaustible sister-in-law. Natalie is the kind of mom that inspires us all. She gets up at the crack of dawn, exercises, dresses her daughters in cute matching outfits, braids their hair, and, of course, feeds them oatmeal. I sampled some of her oatmeal once at the in-laws, and it brought back memories of that first time I liked the stuff. So I asked the expert for her secrets.

The answer maybe should have been obvious: steel-cut oats, my friends. It improves the texture and taste three times over. With steel-cut oats, you don't have to dump in a ton of cream, butter, and sugar to make it palatable (and ruin your "healthy breakfast"). Instead, all you need is steal-cut oats cooked in a little milk with fruit and a touch of brown sugar.

Why isn't everyone doing this??? Well, these lovely oats take much longer to cook, up to a half-hour, in fact. There are some shortcuts around this. Sister Natalie orders Coach's Oats, which apparently maintain the marvelous texture of steel cut but cook in 5 minutes. There are also 3-minute Steel Cut Oats one can buy at the store. I actually bought them on accident (and was mad.) Yet after trying them out, I find they are, for me, a cut above rolled or instant oats.

But my favorite remains regular steel cut. To be fair, my oatmeal guru also likes the old fashioned oats, but she always cooks them on the stove rather than microwave. Let me tell you what, though: pressure cooking is the way to go! Love my new pressure cooker.

With me so far? Mathematically speaking...

Steel cut>Old Fashioned>Instant

Pressure cooker>stove top>microwave

How to Make Delicious Oatmeal

Step one: Buy steel cut oats. Many stores stock it in canisters with the old fashioned or instant oats. Others keep them with the bulk bins and let you scoop out your own.

Step two: Buy a pressure cooker. Just kidding! But seriously. You can just throw in 1 cup oats, 2 cups water, and 1 cup milk, cook on manual for 3 minutes, and then go get ready for 20 minutes. (It takes about that long when you include the pressure buildup and natural release.) The result is perfect every time.

However, assuming most don't have a pressure cooker. bring 2 cups milk and 2 cups water to boil in a medium saucepan on the stove (you can adjust the milk-water ratio). Stir in 1 cup oats and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will make about 4 servings.

Step three: Mixins! Again, from Natalie: frozen blueberries are an awesome mix-in. They're easy to have on hand and can quickly cool your piping hot porridge to an eatable temperature (such a perk when feeding them to kids, amiright?) As long as you don't mind purple oatmeal, that is! I like to add blueberries, canned peaches, and a spoon of brown sugar.

I'm sure there are lots of great combinations out there, and I intend to try some more. Yet this is a great staple: simple, sweet, healthy, and so delicious. It also keeps pretty well in the fridge to re-heat the next day in the microwave. Happy eating!

Lemon Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

I've been in a bit of a new recipe dearth. Does that happen to anyone else? Sometimes, I'm all about trying new recipes, and I love the fun and variety that brings! Yet lately, I've pretty much stuck to the usual fifteen or so recipes we have most frequently.

Luckily, that has some advantages, too. There's something comforting about making an old favorite, and it is usually prepped in half the time. So without further ado, here is one of our staples:

I'm kind of obsessed with lemon: lemon bars, lemonade, lemon cookies, lemon cake, lemon pie, and even lemon pasta. I feel like this is a light, summery recipe: the sauce isn't overwhelming but has a little kick, and the chicken is delicious.

Lemon Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

Recipe adapted from the Crayon Recipe Box

Ingredients:
"Perfect chicken" (2-3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked with this seasoning and cut into bite-sized pieces)
1/2 lbs angel hair pasta (Note: this is only half a box. Sneaky, right? But feel free to double everything, because this recipe is delicious.)
3 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
6 tbs lemon juice (or the juice of 2 medium lemons)
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
2-4 cups of baby spinach

Ahead of time, bake 2-3 chicken breasts in Perfect Chicken Seasoning. Cut into bite-size pieces and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions (typically 3 minutes in boiling water).

While the water is heating up, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook until the oil sizzles and the garlic is fragrant, stirring frequently. Stir in the lemon juice and half-and-half, heating the sauce until it just begins to bubble.

By now, the pasta should be finished! Go ahead and drain it. Next, add the chicken, spinach, pasta, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese to the cream sauce.

Toss and cover for a few minutes, allowing the spinach to wilt. Toss again and top with remaining cheese right before serving.

The Fluffiest, Tastiest Pumpkin Pancakes Ever!

Yesterday morning I woke up craving some delicious Chunky Monkey Pancakes (they have mashed up bananas and chocolate chips in them and you serve them with peanut butter syrup!). I usually make them with whole wheat flour and they are still amazing. As I finished mixing the batter and was about to mash up a banana and chop up some chocolate chips, I realized 2 things: We didn't have any bananas (my husband had eaten the last one for breakfast), and I had used white flour instead of wheat.

I was SOOOOO devastated. Not only were my dreams of Chunky Monkey pancakes dashed, now I had some pancake batter whipped up that was made with white flour. Don't get me wrong, I love me some good white flour pancakes. But I try not to indulge myself too often. If I can make it with whole wheat and it tastes good, then that's how I do it.

After a little bit of reflection, I decided I was going to put in a cup of pureed pumpkin, hoping it would add some flavor and a little bit of healthiness. And by golly, the end result was pure magic. (Has anyone else started making pumpkin treats yet? At the first sign of cool weather, I broke out my canned pumpkin and made pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. You better believe it.)

But I am telling you, if you are craving pumpkin pancakes, this is the recipe for you. Eat them with some homemade syrup or just slather butter on them. Either way, they are the lightest, fluffiest, most delicious pancakes you will ever eat.

The Best Pumpkin Pancakes

1 1/2 cups white flour
3 Tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk (add 1 Tbl of white vinegar or lemon juice to the milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbl canola oil
1 large egg
1 cup pureed pumpkin

Combine dry ingredients. Then add the wet ingredients (except for the pumpkin) and whisk until combined. Add the pumpkin and stir until combined.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour pancakes on hot griddle. When bubbles form and edges are set, flip pancakes and cook through.

Adapted from Chunky Monkey Pancakes recipe on ourbestbites.com.

Enjoy with this easy, breezy homemade syrup recipe:

Homemade syrup

Combine 1 cup brown sugar with 1/2 cup water in small saucepan. Heat until it boils. Remove from heat and serve with delicious pumpkin pancakes.

I know it sounds crazy, but that is all you have to do to make a good syrup. It is runnier than store-bought syrup or syrup made with corn syrup....but it is just as tasty in my opinion.

Happy Autumn!

The Best Fruit Smoothie

Sometimes you have to eat fruit smoothies. They got me through the pregnancy nausea (berry smoothies crammed with spinach, because it was the only way I could get any vegetables in my diet). They get me through Texas heat and humidity. And this one wakes me up in the morning. I call it my Sunshine Smoothie. It is not the healthiest one out there. No spinach or "super" foods. But it tastes really, really good and is the perfect compliment to these delicious and healthy muffins or the best french toast in the entire universe that you can find here.

Sunshine Smoothie

* 6-8 strawberries, halved and frozen
* 2 medium bananas, peeled and halved and frozen
* 1 small container (6-8 oz) of mixed berry yogurt (I use yoplait for this but feel free to use a greek yogurt. Try to get a berry flavor other than strawberry though- like raspberry or blackberry or a little bit of both)
* 1 - 2 cups orange juice (depending on how thick you like your smoothies)

Throw everything in a blender and blend it!
Makes 2-4 servings

Believe it or not, I don't have a tall, glass cup to beautifully display the smoothie. So this is going to have to suffice.

Quick and Easy Beef and Broccoli

I have to admit that 90% of the food I make involves chicken. Don't get me wrong; chicken is inexpensive and delicious, but it's probably time to expand my cooking repertoire to include more beef, pork, fish, and vegetarian dishes.

One staple meal I already make that does involve red meat is a modified version of this Beef and Broccoli. It's quick, easy, and tasty!

Quick and Easy Beef and Broccoli

1 pound thin steak (I use different kinds depending on what I have. Flank or round work well.)
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
4 TB Cornstarch (divided)
1 cup + 2 TB water (divided)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 TB Vegetable oil
4 cups Broccoli florets
4 servings steamed rice

Slice the steak across the grain into thin strips. This is easiest done when the steak is slightly frozen, or you can use kitchen shears like I did.

Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and 1 cup water in a small bowl; set aside.

Next, steam the broccoli! In a large saute pan (or wok, if you are lucky enough to own one), bring an inch of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for about 3 minutes. The broccoli should still be crisp-tender--whatever that means. (Basically you should be able to pierce it with a fork, but you still want it bright green and non-mushy!)

While the broccoli steams, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water, and the garlic powder in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the beef and toss to coat.

Drain the steamed broccoli and set aside. Discard all the water from the pan and heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef and stir fry until no longer pink or until desired doneness. Depending on how thin you sliced your beef, this will take 1-3 minutes.

Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch into the soy sauce mixture.

Add sauce and broccoli to pan. Stir to combine. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Voila! Serve over hot rice and enjoy! Mmm...

Homemade Pesto

If you like pesto and haven't ever tried to make it yourself, it is time. Ever since a coworker gave me this pesto recipe years ago, I have not found a store-bought pesto that I like as well as this. Pesto is a simple and marvelous thing. It makes pasta, vegetables, tomato soup, and yes, even some pizzas, taste even better than before. Best of all, it is inexpensive and really easy to make.

So without further ado, here it is:

Homemade Pesto

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts (I prefer walnuts)
1 large clove garlic, quartered (if you don't have any fresh garlic on hand, you can sprinkle a dash of garlic
    salt in there instead)
1/4 cup olive oil

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or a blender until it forms a smoothish paste. This is plenty of pesto for about 6 oz of pasta with chopped veggies. How much pesto you put into your pasta, veggies, soup, etc is really up to you and how strong of a pesto flavor you prefer. I would start by putting in a little pesto to whatever you are using it for, stirring everything up, tasting it, and then repeating until you have the flavor the way you like it. 

So I took several pictures of the finished pesto, but I couldn't bring myself to post any of them on the blog. Pesto by itself just looks gross. It is green and pasty. So instead, here are some pictures of the pasta and veggies that I made to go with the pesto.

I chopped up some baby spinach and tomatoes and grated some carrots. (This is also really good with chopped zucchini and yellow squash.)

Then I sauteed the tomatoes a couple of minutes and added the carrots and spinach until the spinach wilted a bit.

Finally, I added a few ounces of pasta and stirred in the pesto until it tasted heavenly.

Enjoy!

Fried Rice With Veggies and Ham - Dairy-free, Gluten-free, and Soy-free (if you so desire)

Does anyone else out there have a TON of leftover Easter ham? I do. So naturally, I have been looking for creative (and healthy) ways to incorporate into our meals. And then I happened upon this treasure. Fried rice. Yum. I love me some good fried rice. In this recipe, I used brown rice as my base, and then just threw in any vegetables that I happened to have in the fridge. The result was quite delightful--and it only takes 30-45 minutes to make. Here's what I did.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice (preferable Uncle Ben's brown rice)

2 eggs

1 cup chopped ham
1 small onion or 2 green onions

1-2 whole carrots, diced

1 cup baby spinach or cabbage, roughly chopped
1 zucchini or squash, diced

1/2 cup frozen corn and/or peas

soy sauce, to taste (optional)

Directions

1. First of all, cook up some rice (or use leftover rice if you have it). I like brown rice because it is whole grain, but some varieties are very dense and not my favorite to eat. However, this Uncle Ben's brown rice is SOOO good and somehow seems less dense as the other varieties I have tried. I love the texture and taste of this stuff. To cook it, put one cup of brown rice into a medium saucepan with two cups of water. Add a few sprinkles of salt. Cook on medium high for a couple of minutes until it boils, and then cover the saucepan and turn the stove down to low. Set the timer for 20 minutes and simmer on low. Voila. 20 minutes later you will have some delicious, whole grain rice.

2. Fry 2 eggs in a small frying pan and once they are cooked through, chop them up into smallish pieces with your spatula. Set aside.

3. Chop ham into small pieces and set aside.

4. Dice your veggies into small pieces. I used carrots (1 or 2 carrots (full-size) or several baby carrots) and spinach (about a cup of spinach, roughly chopped) because those are the veggies I had on hand. Frozen corn or peas would work well in this, as well as some zucchini and yellow squash. I kept wishing mine had some squash in it. Or chopped cabbage. Chopped cabbage would have been delicious.

5. Heat 1-2 tablespoons canola oil in a large pan. Add chopped vegetables and sautee in oil on medium heat until tender. (If you are using spinach, sautee the other vegetables first and then add the spinach until it begins to wilt. Add chopped ham and mix everything together.

6. Turn the heat down to low and add cooked egg and rice and mix everything together. Turn off heat. If you want this recipe to be soy-free, then it is ready to serve. Otherwise, add some soy sauce and stir, just a teaspoon at a time, until it tastes just right to you. (Be careful! I have over-poured the soy sauce before and there is no going back once it is in there. So really, just pour it in a teaspoon at a time.)