Tag Archives: baked oatmeal

A Very Happy Belly Helps Make a Very Happy Heart

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Greetings everyone! Today is the start of another week, but it’s not just any old Monday. Oh no! Today is the day that voting for Project Food Blog opens. You can check out my profile here, so don’t forget to vote hehe. Also check out all of the other entries as well! I’ve been awaiting this day with much anticipation.

Can't you tell?

A watermelon caught my eye at store, and I had to make sure that I got to have some of this refreshing fruit at least once while the weather is still warm! I’ve also been eating things that are a… “happy medium” between summer and fall. For example…

Baked oatmeal with figs and banana, then topped with almond butter and Coconut Bliss ice cream.

Warm soups like this quick Cuban black bean soup recipe from my "Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners" book.

I threw in some rice, diced avocado, tomato, and cilantro to make it complete. I love simple recipes that satisfy my taste buds!

A delicious smoothie made without ice, since I'm kind of sensitive about harshly cold things.

Whenever I go out to eat I always ask for water with no ice, please. Anyway, the Chocolate Almond Smoothie recipe from Brendan Brazier’s book, “Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life” (that’s a mouthful) immediately caught my eye the first time I skimmed through the recipes. When making this, I noticed that there was no added sugar. It called for medjool dates though so I was interested in how it would end up tasting. Verdict? I’m definitely going to be making this again!

The other day I met up with some classy ladies at a great local restaurant.

I don’t go out to eat often, but when I do I like to eat very well! And by well I mean incredibly delicious. The last time I went to Cafe Gutenberg was with another friend from New York, and we got to enjoy our breakfasts seated in a comfy nook with pillows overlooking the market. I remember the food being so tasty, and I figured it was time I pay this place another visit. I remember in high school coming here and ordering steamed milk with a shot of mint syrup (TRY IT!). Anyway, the menu makes it hard to choose, boasting things like pumpkin spiced waffles with whipped cream, scramble on a corncake (which I had ordered before, veganized with tofu), sandwiches using artisan rolls, and plenty of delicious cheeses. They also have vegan options for much of the menu as well, such as vegan biscuits and gravy. Can you tell that this place puts thought into their menu?

My dates decided to split some appetizers so they could try different things.

The hand cut frites with fresh herbs, parmesan, and truffle honey.

Sounds good, but I think these fries were actually just herbed and had salt and pepper.

Nonetheless, these were so good!

We all can attest to that!

Beets served with goat cheese, house baguette, and greens.

How beautiful! Two of my favorite things on one plate: beets and goat cheese!

Fondue! Steamed vegetables, house baguette, and Vermont cheddar gravy.

The green onions and wild mushrooms were my favorite things to dip!

I felt like ordering an entree so I got the vegan caesar salad with a house baguette on the side!

I usually don’t order salads when I go out to eat unless I’ve heard great things through the grape vine, or it just sounds too delicious to pass up. Hearing only great things about this salad, I had to try it. Oh my goodness! It’s not the kind of salad that sounds undeniably incredible, but it definitely tasted like one! I never had tofu that was actually so rich in flavor, nor had I ever tried hearts of palms! Maybe the tastiness of the tofu had to do with the fact that it came from the local food commune, Twin Oaks. The lemon-caper dressing was perfect for this as well, especially mixed with the juices that burst out of those little grape tomatoes. The house baguette definitely helped in soaking up every last bit of this wonderful meal. All of us were so glad that we went there to eat, and moseyed on out feeling wonderfully spoiled.

Voting for Project Food Blog goes from 6 AM Pacific Time September 20th through 6 PM Pacific Time September 23rd. So make sure to get your votes in during that time! Once again, click here to check out my profile, and here’s a reminder going back to my last post aka the first challenge. Everyone’s posts for the first challenge are so inspiring, and I wish the best of luck to everyone participating!!!

Catching a Breath

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I have been a busy busy girl lately! So let’s jump right in!

Smoky Chipotle and Roasted Red-Pepper Hummus

An interesting mix: Kale, Potato, Tofurky Kielbasa, tomato, and cilantro

When I was frying the potatoes I thought my mom had given me the Bratkartofeln seasoning, but then I realized it seemed different. She had actually given me a salad seasoning! So I decided to throw in some other spices like curry and mustard.

Then my friend picked me up and we headed to the new two-story XXI!

We spent hours in that store and here are some things I tried on…

A pretty one-shoulder top

Super cute skirt alert!

Then we finally got home and got ready for a night of dancing!

Crazy girls on the loose!

We met up at our friend’s place for some honey wine and then headed out. The place had a ridiculous line that actually went around the block so we decided to go somewhere else. Just going with flow! Who knows what the night could behold.

I stayed over my friend's place and he dropped me off in the morning and as a thank you I made breakfast: baked oatmeal!!!

I don’t think he’d ever had anything like it before.

I pretty much spent my Saturday cleaning and baking.

I made April’s famous bread. Whenever I see it on her blog I always think about how good it looks! I didn’t have flaxseed however, but she said protein powder would work as a substitution. So I made a protein powder blend of: chocolate, vanila, and hemp. So moist and yummy!

Enjoyed with coconut oil, granola, almonds, and soymilk.

And with coconut oil and Almond and Date Creme (look at the whole almond on the left!)

Dinnah time!

Take notes when I tell you what I did with the veggies. I boiled the kale, roasted the butternut squash with cinnamon and cracked black pepper. Then I sauteed some red onion and mixed the veggies together. For the finishing touch I drizzled on some Apple & Maple syrup and sprinkled on some sunflower seeds. I also got to try another flavor of Popchips. That time around I tried the salt and pepper potato chips–yum! I really liked the little kick the pepper gave it. Definitely not lacking in flavor. I’d also like to report that the sour cream & onion Popchips are my favorite and the runner up is the cheddar! I was disappointed with the barbeque flavor though. I also tried the parmesan & garlic which was interesting but I think it could’ve been kicked up a knotch.

Then I got dressed up to go to a "dress up as your favorite decade" ska show.

Actually, Saturday night involved lots of good music. First I went to some friends’ house show and I was left in a trance because of how dreamy all the music was. Then I went to the themed ska show and got funky! Not only did I get funky but they also held a “Best Costume” contest. Whoa! Unexpected but I just went up stage and brought out my inner old Hollywood glam-girl. Guess who got the crowd roaring and ended up winning? It felt so awesome being on stage and listening to everyone really loving it! So much fun.

Diamonds are a girls best friend.

I wore some vintage clip-on earrings given to me by the boutique's storeowner back when I was in 10th grade.

I was going for the glamorous days of the 1940's.

And a little sneak-peak of the future--black polish.

Continuing on... honeydew melon and pomegranate arils are so refreshing.

Winning sandwich combo + roasted butternut squash tossed in coconut oil, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar

Sandwich: Smoky Chipotle and Roasted Red-pepper hummus + avocado-yogurt & cumin + tomato + red onion + cilantro

Breakfast for dinner

I made a bowl of “carrot cake” cream of wheat + dates + crushed cookie + pecans + coconut oil

Thank goodness for these on busy school days!

I tried a new Probar I picked up while I was in Florida–knew these would come in handy. I hadn’t tried Art’s Original Blend before, but I will definitely be trying it again and again. I love biting into Probars because they are so chewy and dense with chunky ingredients. I mean… check out that jumbo carob chip! A blend of some seriously yummy things, how could one go wrong?

Funky town sandwich: pumpkin seed butter + honey and the other slice smeared with preserves.

Many sandwiches have been had over these past couple of days, but I'm not complaining.

This particular one stands out though because I used roasted butternut squash (tossed in coconut oil and spices) + Sunland’s caramel peanut butter + a bit of cottage cheese. I highly advise you try this ASAP. I think any nut butter will work, so no worries if you don’t have a specific one on hand. In fact, I plan on trying this out with cashew butter next!

Phew! Okay so that was a lot. Today was my sculpture class’s first critique and I plan on posting the video I made on the internet soon. I’ll let you guys know when I do that! Moreover, tonight I went to a model call for a runway show that will showcase local talents and what not at a local art gallery. Oh! I also had my first Seminar in Hinduism class. I’ve always been really interested in Indian culture and I know religion is a very big part of it. Last semester I took a Taoism class and loved it; now I’ll be learning about Hinduism. I think it’s important to introduce oneself to new ideas because you never know what you could be missing out on. Life–for me–is a journey that also involves spirituality and it’s something that I really enjoy expanding upon. It helps me feel more alive.

Lending a Helping Hand

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As all of you know, Haiti is going through a devastating time right now. All of us have times in our lives where sometimes it’s just too hard to face something on our own. I thought it would helpful to list a couple of ways that you guys can help out because right now there are some friends that need a helping hand.

Stand with Haiti

Red Cross

The following organizations are accepting SMS donations in the US only:

SMS text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts

SMS text “YELE” to 501501 to Donate $5 to Yele Haiti’s Earthquake Relief efforts

SMS text “GIVE10″ to 20222 to donate $10 to Direct Relief

World Food Programme

If you all could spread the word about ways that we can help, that would be incredible!

Peppercorn-Encrusted Portobello Fillets with Yellow Tomato Béarnaise and Mashed Potatoes

“A classic béarnaise sauce begins with a hollandaise.” Yellow tomatoes were used (for their bright, yolky color) to make the béarnaise.”

The mashed potatoes also used Chef Tal’s cashew cream recipe.
Watercress and Cabbage Stir-Fry

I can’t remember the last time I ate green cabbage, but I had a head of it in my fridge begging me to make something delicious with it. The recipe can be found here.

Sweet and sour green cabbage with California "chicken" salad and some leftover béarnaise

It’s easy to make things sweet and sour. Just use vinegar and sugar when cooking.

My friend gave me a couple of these Sabra-to-go cups–genius!
Watercress and Cabbage Stir-fry + Sandwich
Hummus + Avocado + Sun-dried tomatoes + Horseradish sauce

This sandwich had quite the kick!

After dinner I got ready to go out with some friends. Aye aye captain!
I decided to wear my “samurai” jacket. It had been hiding in my closet for a couple years.
We went to a place where there are a bunch of bars and took the bus my school provides to lessen the chances of drinking and driving–what a great idea.

It was such a fun night. We all danced our hearts out till “Last Call” and got hit on by a few guys. It was really funny. At one point I was looking for my friends and some random guy told me they were “over there.” Well, he was right! The ride back was hilarious and loud. I’m pretty sure I could dance all night given the chance. Saturday rolled around and it was also my roommate’s birthday! It was her day to be treated like a princess, so we did whatever her little heart desired–necessary stop at Target and a few thriftstores!

Decided to go for a comfortable yet chic look.

Heritage fashion? I think I want to replace the buttons with wooden ones.

Another “The Conscious Cook” recipe: California “Chicken” Salad

I used seitan instead of Gardein chick’n, but it still turned out a-okay! Since I didn’t have grapes on hand I just soaked some raisins in water till they were plump. The toasted walnuts gave it an extra crunch and richness. And the lime and agave gave it a freshness that reminded me of summer.

A birthday dinner was in order!

We walked over to a southern food restaurant called Comfort. How’s that for a name? I also imagine it would be the perfect name for a breakfast joint with breakfasts we all dream of being served.

She was hungry!
More lovely company.
First came the water served in mason jars and the breads–cornbread!

I ordered a vegetarian friendly vegetable plate: fried okra, roasted beets, squash casserole, and sweet potato puree.

After I made my order the waiter said that he would’ve ordered the same exact thing! I just remembered these the last time I went to this place and I loved everything except for the beets. That’s weird! I love beets! So naturally I gave them another chance, and I’m glad I did. I also tried a pear cider beer that was so good! No funny face was made afterwards. After dinner we walked home and my roommate tried calling her boyfriend so he could pick up some birthday cake for her. Well his phone was off, but then he magically pulled up in front of us and exclaimed, “I have ice cream cake and lava cake!” What a wonderful coincidence.

A forest of baby’s breath for the birthday girl.
People came over and cake was served–two cakes!

On Sunday I woke up to the sound of rain and birds chirping. So I took it as a cue to make it a low-key day and pamper myself.

Matilda loved the sound of that.
Star-shaped Baked Oatmeal

I know many of you love baked oatmeal and I had never tried it before. That morning I had time and I had patience. I had seen a recipe for baked oatmeal on Eliza and Maya‘s blogs. I didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand so I improvised.

Baked Oatmeal Recipe: Serves 1

1/2 cup quick cooking/old fashion oats

1 tbsp liquid egg whites (I used melted banana since I don’t have eggs)

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup vanilla hemp milk (I used soy)

1/4 tsp cinnamon + more on top (I used pumpkin pie spice)

*dash of clove and nutmeg and ginger

2 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp apple sauce (I used delicious mashed sweet potato)

Banana

1 tbsp. chopped walnuts (toasted)

Sweetener of choice

*I also added coconut oil when baking.

Preheat oven to 375. In two separate bowls combine the dry ingredients (oats, sweetener, baking powder, spices) and the wet ingredients(egg white, milk, apple sauce) combine the ingredients and stir. Add in the raisins, or any dried fruit of preference.

Pour in a baking dish lined with parchment paper or just spray a pan with cooking spray. Stick in hot oven and bake for 30 minutes, at about 20-25 minutes into the baking process, top with banana slices so they get all warm and sweet!

Plate and top with walnuts or desired nuts or toppings.

I topped mine with banana slices, Sunland's caramel peanut butter, a dash of pumpkin pie spice, and a last minute decision: maple syrup

This was such a wonderful breakfast! Actually, it was the best breakfast I’ve had in awhile. There was just something so comforting about it. I will definitely be making this more often.

Lounging around in one of my favorite robes.

I decided to treat myself to a candle-lit detox bath, a deep-cleansing face mask, some waxing, and nail polishing. It all ended with a restorative and soothing lunar flow yoga practice. I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend and some of you get an extra day off too!

p.s. And don’t forget to check out Katie’s amazing Vita-mix Giveaway!