Brown Rice Breakfast

Brown Rice Breakfast  Rating: 8

No picture because every time I make this it is morning, the kids want to be fed, and I am looking at this bowl of yumminess thinking, "that looks so comforting" and the picture idea flies out the window.  Having said that, this recipe is easy, delicious, a great way to use up leftover brown rice, and a terrific whole grain option for breakfast besides our usual oatmeal.  If you don't like oatmeal because it's too gloppy for you, then this is a good place to start.

I use less than half of the sweetener called for and am happy.  I use almond milk rather than soy. I have used both almonds and walnuts with great results but prefer the harder crunch of the almonds.  Very filling, so stick with the portions suggested for the most part.

Our Go-To Granola

Do you want your home to smell like heaven on earth?!  Make your own granola.  No sweat.  Really. 

We love ganola as a quick breakfast, lunch, snack, or dessert.  A bit with some dried cranberries and raisins, or all that atop plain greek yogurt is divine.  Our Go-To Granola is just slightly adjusted Jamie Oliver's Granola.  The recipe below is actually a pretty close online version.

Go-To Granola Rating 10

The changes we have made to this recipe are using 2 tsp. of cinnamon, 2 Tbsp. honey and 1 Tbsp. agave syrup instead of the 5 Tbsp. of pure maple syrup (although it's great that way too), and we don't add the dried fruit.  We add it later when we fix ourselves the bowl.  We use sunflower seeds and pepitas for the seeds.  Mix it up a little!

Just look at that yumminess!  I feel like I've won the lottery when one of those giant roasted brazil nuts lands in my bowl!

Carrot Cake Oatmeal

In celebration of National Oatmeal Month, here is another oatmeal dish that may improve your opinion of this unherelded breakfast grain.  The meal was easy to put together in the morning, as long as I prepped the night before (grated carrots, measured and dumped spices into a small container).  It was delicious and Sophie said, "This is my most favorite, Mommy!" 

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Rating 8

I don't know if I poured in too much milk (I was a little groggy this morning) but I had to stir it for an additional 3 minutes for my preferred consistency. 

It was super creamy for all the coconut cream in it (fattening but a healthy fat source) which I gleaned from the Blackberry Coconut Oatmeal Bake I spotlighted earlier this month.  It felt quite decadent, even as reheated leftovers.  Great way to get another veggie in your day before you even leave the house.  I'll be making it again.  I might even add a touch of crushed pineapple to it, for that was an indispensable ingredient in my mom's carrot cake.

Here's to oatmeal!

Update (21 Jan 2012): The Carrot Cake Oatmeal = 375 calories per 1/4 recipe serving.  This with about 1/4 cup crushed pineapple added, 3 Tbsp. coconut cream (versus 2), and 1/4 cup more oats added, and 1/4 cup walnuts (versus 2 Tbsp.).  I would give this a solid 9 because I want to eat it over and over again.

Bircher Muesli with Prunes

Did you know that January is also National Prune Breakfast Month?!  There's been quite a stir at all the senior living facilities! No, really, if you can get past the association of old people and regularity, prunes, or dried plums (as they would prefer us to call them now) are yummy.

I picked a muesli because I've never had it before and since I have embraced oatmeal, I thought this might have a chance too.

Bircher Muesli with Prunes  Rating 8

In all honesty, Neal gave this a 7 because he thought it was a touch too sweet.  I am overruling that and giving it an 8 because I lean toward sweet things and would definitely make it again.  And besides, I primarily maintain this blog, so there.  You decide what you want to do.

I put this together at night planning to have it the next morning, but Neal decided he wanted to reclaim the kitchen and made tasty mushroom, spinach, and feta omelets instead.  Good thing it stays for up to three days in the fridge. 

So we had it the second day and it was good. The prunes did not overpower it and gave a nice sweet-light tang along with the apple juice.  It had more texture than oatmeal because of the seeds and steel cut oats but it wasn't crunchy either.  A quick and healthy make-ahead breakfast for those hectic mornings.

Broccoli Tangerine Salad with Spicy Sesame Chicken on Asian Quinoa

All items on this menu received a 9 rating.  The Spicy Sesame Chicken (Rating 9) I take from a recipe for Chinese Chicken Salad just minus the salad and dressing.  We just use chicken tenders.  One tender was a single serving for us, when atop the quinoa. Wear an apron when preparing the chicken as the oil really likes to spit and pop. 

The Asian Quinoa (Rating 9) is a cinch and can be made even easier by tossing it all into a rice cooker.  It had really good flavor.  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wha, I just love words that are fun to say) is a grain high in protein. It can be bought in bulk at Sprouts.  Rinse it in a sieve to remove its bitter coating prior to cooking.

Neal and I regularly check out books at our local library and often bring home cookbooks.  Tonight's salad was adapted from At Home Healthy Cooking's Chinese Long Bean Salad with Tangerine and Sherry-Mustard Vinaigrette.

Broccoli Tangerine Salad (Rating 9)
Serves 6 as a side

Ingredients
3 crowns of broccoli, florets cut into bite-size pieces, stalks removed
3 tangerines, peeled, 2 1/2 tangerines separated into sections, remaining 1/2 squeezed for juice
1/2 cup sweet onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
Pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper

For Vinaigrette:
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
1/3 cup vegetable broth (used homemade)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
juice from 1/2 tangerine (mentioned above)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. demerara sugar
1 clove garlic
healthy pinch of salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

Method
1. Bring pot of water to a boil. Add in the broccoli and boil for a couple minutes.  Drain and cool.
2. Place broccoli, tangerine sections, onion, and seeds in bowl.  Season with the salt and pepper.
3. For the vinaigrette, combine cornstarch with 2 tbsp. of the veggie broth and mix.  Bring the rest of the broth to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Remove from heat.
4. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan and bring it all back to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Combine the remaining vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk in the thickened broth.
6. Pour over broccoli mixture, toss, and serve.

Blackberries and Coconut Oatmeal Bake

 Heaven on a spoon! This is a big 10!

January is National Oatmeal Month so I will be spotlighting a few different oatmeal dishes.  I used to think oatmeal was like warm goop that tasted like nothing.  As a kid, all we ever did to dress up oatmeal dump imitation maple syrup and raisins on it.  My quality of life has greatly improved since I explored a little.

Blackberries and Coconut Oatmeal Bake  Rating: 10

I've never been a big morning person but since I started exercising it's not so hard anymore.  I prepare the dried ingredients the night before and set out what I can for the rest of the recipe, i.e., baking pan, measuring utensils, and other non-perishable ingredients.  I got up this morning, turned on the oven, finished preparing the dish, and slipped it in to bake while I did my workout.  On my treadmill I could smell the sweet aroma of the cinnamon and coconut and increased the incline because I knew anything that enticing would be detrimental to my daily calorie allowance.

The substitutions I made were using full fat coconut milk (but I put it in the fridge overnight and skimmed off most the cream for a recipe I'll use later in the week, before pouring the remainder in this bake) and demerara sugar.  I greased the pan with coconut oil, used a combo of coconut oil and butter for the amount of butter that was called for, and I did sprinkle it with coconut and a bit more sugar as suggested. 

Although the family ate it up, we still have a few portions left to warm up for another breakfast or dessert.  Heaven!

Fresh Corn Pancakes

Awesome pancakes can adorn your plate for breakfast or dinner.  I make these pretty regularly now.  Kevin over at Closet Cooking, one of my favorite food blogs, has it spot on when he says these are great savory or sweet.  I've had them with sour cream and avocado and think I'm in heaven.  They are equally great with pure maple syrup or honey drizzled over them. He even does a fun variation of Seven Layer Dip Cornmeal Pancakes that would be fun for dinner. 

They are a 10 when you go with the fresh corn off the cob.  If you use frozen, they become a 9. So when corn's in season, don't skip going fresh.

Fresh Corn Pancakes  Rating:10

We use demerara sugar, whole wheat flour, and only use the cheddar cheese if going savory.