Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal with Walnuts and Pomegranates

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal with Walnuts and Pomegranates  Rating: 9

I make this for breakfast about every other week.  When it comes out of the oven, I let it cool, slap some plastic wrap on top and stick it in the fridge.  During busy weekday mornings, I cut the rubbery bake, crumble it into bowls, pour a dash of almond milk on top and a drizzle of maple syrup and nuke it in the microwave for just over a minute.  Then I take a huge handful of pomegranate arils (okay, maybe two huge handfuls) and mix them in.  Divine.

Neal and I got a great bargain on pomegranates through our produce co-op and got a box.  We were glutton for punishment because removing the arils from the pomegranates is no simple task.  Very time consuming.  But we have loads of quart size freezer bags brimming with them and readily available for dishes like this and yes, the antioxidant-happy arils make the dish.

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

Black Bean Pumpkin Soup  9

I've made this for a few years and really enjoy it around this time of year.  It is a hearty, healthy, and perfectly seasonal. 

I omit the shallot and just add a 1/2 cup more of chopped onion.  I used vegetable stock and wasn't disappointed.  You can omit the sherry if you choose not to cook with wines. I used white wine vinegar to taste in place of the Sherry vinegar.  It's pretty forgiving. Garnished with freshly roasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds).

This does make a lot so we eat it for a few days.

Coconut Corn Salad

Coconut Corn Salad  Rating: 9

This was a slightly warmed, sweet concoction that made our taste buds sing!  Go ahead and give that lime a good squeeze as it adds a bright, wonderful, and welcomed contrast to the sweet ingredients.

Please do NOT substitute canned or frozen corn.  You deserve better. We used shredded coconut instead of flaked or shaved because that is what we had.  And though it is not mentioned, the coconut is UNsweetened and sometimes difficult to find in regular grocery stores.  They only seem to carry the sweetened version in the baking aisle.  We buy ours at an Indian market in large bags (use it in our Go-To Granola all the time).

It came together rather quickly and was best when served immediately.  Certainly enjoyed it as leftovers too but it was not the same.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon Gazpacho  Rating: 9

After several days of watermelon it is hard not to bemoan the 21 lb. purchase.  I was glad, though, to try a savory twist on this sweet fruit when I saw this recipe.  It used 8 cups!

It was refreshing and the flavors worked.  I used cilantro instead of basil because that's what I had on hand.

Tuna Salad with Raisins

Tuna Salad with Raisins  Rating: 9

Thought this would be perfect on some dried out sprouted bread we had sitting in the fridge.  Just toasted the slices and loaded them with this yummy recipe. 

The salad had a good mix of flavors and textures--creamy, crunchy, slightly sweet, fresh.  The dill was amazing in this.  Besides the crunch of the celery, the walnuts added a different layer of crunch and offered a slight, well, nuttiness.  This is way better than your average tuna salad.  Would be good on just a bed of lettuce as well. 

I did use 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt and healthy tablespoons full of fresh dill.  It was great!

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Peppers, Avocado, and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Peppers, Avocado, and Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette  Rating: 9

This was something that was easy to put together in the a.m. for a healthy, fresh lunch.  I only used 3 Tbsp. of oil and I'm glad I did.  I may cut down slightly on the salt and sugar next time.  Served it up with slices of watermelon.

Multi-Grain Waffles

This week is Watermelon Seed Spitting Week so we had fun with the theme.  When I was planning on celebrating this week, I found this cute idea at Random Thoughts of a Supermom and knew I'd be making them--for dinner, no less!

Multi-Grain Waffles  Rating: 9

For a waffle that is made with whole wheat flour, amoung other grains, and not loaded in butter, this is top notch.  I use corn meal instead of wheat germ.  On this occasion I used food coloring a chocolate chips to mimic seeds.  You don't have to.  But with the latter, why wouldn't you?! 

Anyway, I've doubled this recipe before and freezed them as they suggested for a quick breakfast option and they did great, an 8 maybe.

Apple Cranberry Oatmeal Bake

Apple Cranberry Oatmeal Bake Rating: 9

We buy a load of fresh cranberries when they are in season and freeze them to enjoy throughout the year. This smells like Christmas while it's baking with all that apple and warm cinnamon. If you don't care for traditioanlly prepared oatmeal, baked oatmeal is a different take that may bet you eating this healthy grain. The texture is different and there is a bunch of other yumminess mixed in. Give it a go.

We also enjoy Blackberries and Coconut Oatmeal Bake and blackberries season is nearly over so get them while you can.  So now you have an Oatmeal bake for summer and winter to enjoy.

Beans 'n Greens Burritos

Beans 'n Greens Burritos  Rating: 9

So it's not a burrito but that is because I didn't want to run to the store to get tortillas and Neal was going to be home a touch late so he was not going to make them.  That said, I piled the burrito filling on leftover brown rice and topped it with crumbled feta (not pictured). I think Mark Bittman would have approved.  It is his recipe from The Food Matters Cookbook.

I did add one scant tsp. of ground cumin to the seasoning.  And I used both chard and kale from our garden.  We loved this.  Although our kids had their own opinions, we ignored them.  I would so slam this into a burrito with some fresh avocado or salsa. 

Heidi's "Quesadillas" with Spiced Coconut Spinach

We actually had this for Father's Day dinner after a morning of bacon and lemon bars on the way for dessert. 

Heidi's "Quesadillas"  Rating: 5

We liked the yogurt and capers but the rest of these were nothing special.  I would be equally happy with a fried egg.  Although, Neal did pitch in to make Rick Bayless' Corn Tortillas for this and they are great on their own.

Spiced Coconut Spinach  Rating: 9

This side thoroughly rocked!  It sounded quite weird but we like trying new flavors and ideas to stretch our culinary boundaries so we gave it a go.  It was so wonderfully flavorful.  Warm spices with a bit of warm heat, a zing of lemon, and the delicate sweetness of the coconut made us want to go out and buy a huge bag again.  The linked post for this recipe provides other ideas on how to use this versatile side.

Juevos Rancheros

Juevos Rancheros  Rating: 9

Juevos Rancheros is Mexican comfort food at its best.  This is just a layering of Not Refried Beans (below), Rick Bayless' Corn Tortillas, grated cheese, a fried egg, and salsa (store bought).  Using two corn tortillas is too much food but his recipe is so good we can't help ourselves.  We were able to use yet more of our home canned pinto beans in this simple recipe.

Not Refried Beans  Rating: 9

You can use store bought or home canned beans for this.  Reserve 1/3 of the beans and place the other 2/3 in a food processor with blade attachment.  Toss in any combination of salt, onion powder, ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, or taco seasoning until it is seasoned as you like and puree it until smooth.  Add a bit of water or vegetable stock as you go until you get the consistency you prefer.  Remove to a bowl and stir in the whole beans for a chunkier texture.

Tofu Breakfast Sandwich

Tofu Breakfast Sandwich  Rating: 9

After making the Lemony Chickpea Stir Fry we had leftover Savory Baked Tofu and threw this together in the a.m. before going in our different directions.

Toasted pumpernickel, smashed avocado with a sprinkle of salt and a dash of lemon juice, savory baked tofu, and fresh spinach.

What really makes this sandwich is, of course, the avocado.  It took the savory baked tofu on its own from a 7 to a solid 9.  It makes this tofu sandwich seem decadent.  Hooray for healthy fats!  And look a protein to start your day and 3 veggies!--if you count tofu (soy bean) and avocado (a fruit) as veggies.  And today I do.

I can also imagine the tofu being a nice replacement for the egg in the Mediterranean Breakfast Sandwich.

Asian Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

I wish I took a picture but it was one of those evenings that the kids are driving you nuts and you just want to get food on the table so they will stuff their mouths so you can enjoy near quiet for a moment.

Asian Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing  Rating: 9

Having said that, PLEASE go to the recipe link and just look at the picture!  This is a gorgeous salad that just looks as good as it tastes.  In reality, my plate of rainbow would have been missing some purple because I didn't use prepackaged slaw. 

This recipe it so quick to put together!--especially if you have a food processor to slice and grate for you.  Even if you don't, it's a snap!

The salad was way yummy!  I thought the dressing was just perfect.  I didn't add any additional salt but did use salted peanuts. I did add a bit of broccoli slaw because I had some broccoli stems to use up.  I even forgot the scallions (told you it was a crazy night) and it was still a 9!

Make this tonight!

Power Me Up Pumpkin Sesame Cookies

Power Me Up Pumpkin Sesame Cookies  Rating: 9

I really like these cookies and have made them before.  It's pretty much a pumpkin spice cookie.  They are packed with nutrition and one holds me up for a good while.  I can't say that about any other cookie.  They are not low calorie.  The recipe uses unrefined sweeteners and are just sweet enough.  And they come out pretty.  Black sesame seeds would also be pretty but a little more pricey.  My kids love them and we call them Sesame Sprinkle Cookies to keep it fun and simple. Keep these refridgerated. 

Coconut Rice with Black Beans, Plantains, and Mango Salsa

Coconut Rice with Black Beans, Plantains, and Mango Salsa  Rating: 9

Three words. Caribbean. Comfort. Food.  This was great and super easy!  This was our first time using a plantain thanks to our co-op produce.  If you are unfamiliar with plantains, they are sold next to the bananas and tropical fruits.  They are larger than a banana, less sweet, and starchier. 

The avocado was a nice touch but I think it would have been good without it, too.  I say this because my dear sister-in-law is deathly allergic to them.  Isn't that weird!  She has to carry an epipen just in case she has exposure.  She's a special person.  What can I say?

Back to the food.  I did not use the jalapeno in the salsa only because I did not have a fully ready one waiting to be picked from our garden. 

I could eat this often.  It was fresh, but a bit sweet, and totally satisfying.  Great first experience with plantains.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

This is our Go-To Pizza Crust.  We don't have to wait long to use it, it's easy to double so the second one can be thrown in the freezer for a future meal, and we like the taste and texture we get when we use our whole wheat flour.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust  Rating: 9

We use demerara sugar in place of white and whole wheat flour in place of bread flour.

Also, if you are making your own pizza dough, this is a great time to shake things up a little.  Try mixing in herbs and spices that will complement the pizza you are creating.  Ideas may include Italian herbs, garlic, onion powder, cilantro. curry powder, cumin, or chili powder.  For a dessert pizza, consider adding cinnamon or nutmeg.  Have fun with it!

Asian Turkey Burgers with Slaw Topping and Mango Cucumber Salad

Asian Turkey Burgers with Slaw Topping  Rating: 9

I used this meatball recipe for meatballs before but on this night I made them into patties and cooked them up on griddle.  They were topped with fresh mung bean sprouts and grated carrot that had been dressed with the dipping sauce.

Mango Cucumber Salad  Rating: 8

This was also well received.  It went great with the burgers.  The sweetness of the mango was nice.

Pineapple, Mango, and Meyer Lemon Salad

This recipe came from March 2012 issue of  Whole Living magazine in an article titled Naturally Brilliant.  The article promoted "eat-your-colors" diet which spotlighted a given color per dish.  Here, we enjoyed the bright yellows.

Pineapple, Mango, and Meyer Lemon Salad  Rating: 9

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pineapple, skin removed, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 mango, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/2 pieces
1 Meyer lemon, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced, seeds removed, plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (rind stays on the lemon and is part of the salad)
1/2 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes

Method
Combine fruit and lemon juice in a bowl.  Top with coconut flakes.

177 cal per serving, 30g carbs, 2 g protien.

Beautiful and so good!  Not filling so maybe a good light breakfast or lunch.  Felt like a real treat to eat.

Cashew Orange Spread and Apple Wrap

Neal and I are trying to slip a few more raw meals into our diet when we find something that's inviting and not to much prep work.  This one fit the bill.  It looks iffy but it tastes great.

Cashew Orange Spread and Apple Wrap  Rating: 9

So the original recipe uses Swiss chard and I thought I have kale growing in the back, I'll just use that.  The taste was right but the size of my leaves was wrong.  I had to do a "taco" if you will instead of a wrap.  Still yummy though.

The Cashew Orange Spread is to die for and it made this a real treat.  I would slice the apples into thinner slices next time just for easier handling when eating.  For the kids, I knew this was not going to be difficult to handle so I just threw theirs into a food processor and hit the chop switch a few times.  It was a chapped salad for them and I just served it in a bow with a spoon.  They ate it up.

This is pretty light so I'd keep it as a lunch.  We added more bulk to our meal by offering raw carrot and celery sticks and cauliflower florets.  I put the bowl of veggies in the middle of the table and threatened that they could not have any of them until they ate what was in the bowl first.  Inject evil laugh here.  They liked the salad version of the recipe and were downing the cru de te as their special treat in no time.  I love freaky child raising moments like this.  I feel like such a genius!

Carrot Cake Pancakes

Carrot Cake Pancakes  Rating: 9

Ingredients
2 cups Go-To Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger powder
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. oil (I've used coconut or grapeseed)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. orange zest
2 cups carrots, grated, finer is better

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Combine wet ingredients in medium bowl and pour into dry ingredient.  Stir until just combined.  This will make a thick batter.  Get your griddle ready on medium heat and grease it with yummy coconut oil.  Use 1/4 cup scoop to pour on pan and sort of spread it out thin so they will cook evenly in the middle.  The batter will need your help to spread out.  I just use the bottom of the 1/4 cup measure.  They take a bit longer to cook than most pancakes I've made so flip when you see the right signs--bubbling, dry edge, proper browning on the bottom, and adjust your heat as needed.  They make dense, fat pancakes and are completely gratifying with just pure maple syrup.  Makes 10-12 pancakes.

Two is a perfect serving to me and you can pop the leftovers in the toaster when you are ready for them.  They're dessert for breakfast and a great way to sneak some veggies in before you even start the day.