Baked Oatmeal

I am having a love affair with baked oatmeal...

Oatmeal is full of all sorts of good for you things...like fiber and antioxidants...and it helps lower cholesterol and it can boost your immune system too!

For the past few weeks I have been making a batch on the weekend to have for breakfast throughout the week. I like to come up with a different flavor each week...

The first week I made apple cinnamon and walnuts oatmeal. It was good...but the apples didn't really cook down as much as I was hoping.
They just sort of dehydrated and really held onto their shape. I used Golden Delicious apples, which I already had in the fridge, but in the future I may use a different variety, and maybe cook them first with a little cinnamon and sugar before adding to the oatmeal.

apple cinnamon walnut baked oatmeal

Last week I made a chocolate, peanut butter and banana baked oatmeal. This one...while still tasty...just not as good. I think the bananas gave it a little bit of a gummy texture, and even though these aren't meant to be very sweet, I think this one could have benefited from a little extra agave.  No picture here...(chocolate baked oatmeal is not photogenic)

Then...yesterday I made the most ridiculously delicious one yet...

cranberry orange baked oatmeal!  

YUM!! 

The inspiration for this baked oatmeal was the most ridiculously delicious cookie ever...which I created this past Christmas. The cookie is pomegranate infused craisins, orange zest, white chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts. 

most ridiculously delicious cookie ever (not vegan)

So...for the baked oatmeal I used the same pomegranate infused craisins, orange zest, and pecans (cheaper than macadamia nuts, and I already had some).

..no white chocolate chips in this version.

cranberry orange and pecan baked oatmeal

This tasted so amazing!  All the flavors went together perfectly...I really like the orange/cranberry combination, and the pecans added the perfect crunch. 

The best part was sprinkle of brown sugar I put on top.  It didn't dissolve all the way when I first baked the oatmeal, but when I reheated it this morning, the sugar crystals melted into a sort of glaze on the top and added little extra delicious sweet spots.

Here is my basic baked oatmeal recipe:

Baked Oatmeal

• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 2t baking powder
• 2t vanilla
• 1 c almond or soy milk
• 3/4 c ground flax
• 1/2 - 3/4 c agave nectar (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it)
• salt
• whatever other yummy things you would like to add

1. Mix the oats, baking powder, salt. 
2. Combine the milk with the ground flax, let sit for about 2 minutes.  The mixture will get thick and gelatinous and can be used in vegan baking in place of eggs.
3. Add the milk/flax, vanilla, and agave.
4. Add any other mix-ins you would like.  (This is where I added the craisins, pecans, and the zest and juice of three oranges.) 
5. Mix everything together and bake for 25 min at 350F.
   
   
   This sort of bakes like a cake...you know it is done when the toothpick comes out clean!

Polenta with Roasted Mushrooms and Kale

So, I wanted to test my vegan culinary skills on some other people...

Last Saturday we were celebrating my niece's birthday, this would be the perfect opportunity!

Eme is 3!

I had been playing around with the idea of polenta, topped with roasted mushrooms, something green, and marinara sauce.  I don't exactly know what to call it, except for darn good.  :)

I started with the mushrooms...  

Do you know how to tell a fresh mushroom from a not so fresh mushroom?

            

fresh

not so fresh

On a fresh mushroom the gills on the bottom are closed up nice and tight, 

on an older mushroom...well, not so much...

 I cleaned and quartered button mushrooms, added sliced shallots, and chopped garlic.

Then mixed it all with salt, pepper, olive oil, and sherry.

and roasted them until they looked like this...

I also added some red wine to the pan about 10 minutes before they were done.  

Altogether I roasted the mushrooms for maybe 45 minutes or so.

Then I took the kale...

washed it and tore it into pieces and put it in a large pot with a little garlic, salt, and pepper.

and cooked it down until it reduced in size...by a lot.  :)  

I drizzled a little olive oil on top with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Then I took ready made polenta, basil and garlic flavor...

 

sliced it...

it is fully cooked but I wanted to crisp it up a little, and sprinkle on some sea salt.

Next, I layered on the kale, roasted mushrooms, and topped it all with
Trader Giotto's Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce...

with kale

and roasted mushrooms

and topped with marinara

and just before baking I sprinkled it with nutritional yeast...
(which really is much more tasty that it's name makes it sound)

I baked it for 20 minutes or so at 350F, really just to warm it through.

It turned out like this...

please excuse the yellowish picture...apparently my brother's house is very yellow...  :)

SO YUMMY!!

It turned out great and everyone loved it!  

Well, almost everyone...my dad did not like it, but I would have been surprised if he had.  :)   

Avocado!

I love avocado. This is one of my favorite snacks.

Avocado, lime juice, and a little sea salt. Thanks to my brother Rob, I used Maldon sea salt.

Mush everything up with a fork and eat with tortilla chips.

YUM!!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Last night I made the most delicious lunch for today...roasted Brussels Sprouts, garlic and basil polenta and Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara, all sprinkled with nutritional yeast. This morning I grabbed a container from the fridge and stuck it in my bag, and all morning thought of the garlicy goodness waiting for me. When I opened my bag at noon and realized I had actually grabbed the container with just leftover Brussels Sprouts...disappointment...I would have to wait to try my dish. I had roasted Brussels Sprouts for dinner last night, and oh how I do love them, but I was really looking forward the marinara. However, they were still delicious.

I would challenge anyone who thinks they don't like Brussels Sprouts to try a roasted Brussels Sprout....it will totally convert you.  :)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and outer leaved removed
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

1. Toss trimmed Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet. Roast at 400F for 40-45 minutes.  Shake the pan every 10-15 minutes so the Brussels sprouts roast evenly.  
2. They will get very dark brown, and may even look burnt.  But, they're not...that is when they are the most delicious!
3. Enjoy!

Getting Healthy

The other night I walked into Barnes and Nobles and laid out on a table near the entrance was a huge display with all sorts of diet and weight loss books. There was a book for every type of diet you could imagine. I was amused that right next to each other would be books touting the exact opposite diets. There was no consistency and too many options.

Every book had a gimmick...

Lose Weight In 7 Days By Standing On Your Head!
Eat Salami And Carrots To Lose A Dress Size!
How To Lose Weight By Eating More And Moving Less!

...and every title ended in an exclamation point.  

So...through a lot of research, consideration, and a little influence from my sister... I have decided to get physically healthy by going vegan. I am going to go thirty days without consuming any meat, dairy, eggs, or any other type of animal product or byproduct. In thirty days, I'll consider reintroducing some of these items to my diet...but, I have a sneaking suspicion I will be feeling so good, I really won't want to.  :)

Here you can follow along on my journey. I'll include recipes and pictures for all the yummy vegan dishes I create...as well as some tales of my way to emotional and spiritual health.

Today is day three and everything is going very well. So far I have made the most ridiculously delicious roasted mushrooms in the world...they should probably be illegal. And, a crazy good black bean vegetable soup that even my carnivore dad liked! I have a dinner party Saturday night and I am thinking up something veganlicious to bring. Stay tuned...