So this wonderful idea came from my sister Beth. I love the custardy goodness of creme brulee, but it is not the healthiest menu item until it morphed into a breakfast dish and I made a few changes (listed in parenthesis).
Here is the original recipe with my changes, and I cut it in half for just the two of us.
2 1/4 cups old fashioned oats (soaked in water for 15 minutes and then drained).
1/3 cup sugar (or sweetener to taste. I like Truvia or Splenda and tried the recipe with both).
Pinch of salt (which helps to bring out the flavor of everything)
3 1/3 cup milk (almond milk)
2 eggs (I guess you could use 4 egg whites, but I have grown to embrace the whole egg)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar (I added more to
get that browned sugar crust on top)
Preheat oven to 350 and spray baking dish with nonstick spray.
Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in large bowl. Add oats, sweetener, cinnamon, and
salt; mix well. (I added some ground flax seed which I try to put into
everything). Pour into baking dish and spread out mixture. Bake 25 minutes or until center is jiggly but not runny. Edges should be
lightly browned and may pull away from dish slightly. Remove from oven.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the top. Return to oven and bake till sugar is
melted. Turn oven to broil and heat until sugar bubbles and browns slightly
(about 1-2 minutes). Allow to cool slightly, cut into 8 servings.
Russ liked it topped with plain Greek yogurt, but I loved it with just a few chopped pecans thrown in.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Friday, October 4, 2013
Last of the season tomato tart
It's not that we've stopped eating or I've quit cooking, rather its just food became more functional for a while instead of being relaxing or a creative outlet. Part of this was that we moved across the state, as we started new ventures and settled in a new town. Just recently have I started reconnecting with food after rediscovering my worn and torn cookbook stashed away from one of our overseas boxes. I also love the bounty of fall gardens.
With a handful of the last tomatoes (which seems like an extraordinary long season) during the middle of Indian Summer this week, I made my last tomato tart of the year. It is one of my favorite things to make and I have turned the recipe into something quite simple.
Sue introduced me to it many Novembers ago when tomatoes were not at their height but because they were a heirloom variety were still delicious. She used phyllo dough. I use refrigerated croissant dough. Both are flaky and delectable. My dough is less time consuming. Hers is pleasantly complex.
After spreading the dough, I spread a generous schmear of whole grain mustard and arrange the tomato slices. To top, I sprinkle grated gruyere or swiss cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
It is especially good leftover for breakfast with a poached egg.
With a handful of the last tomatoes (which seems like an extraordinary long season) during the middle of Indian Summer this week, I made my last tomato tart of the year. It is one of my favorite things to make and I have turned the recipe into something quite simple.
Sue introduced me to it many Novembers ago when tomatoes were not at their height but because they were a heirloom variety were still delicious. She used phyllo dough. I use refrigerated croissant dough. Both are flaky and delectable. My dough is less time consuming. Hers is pleasantly complex.
After spreading the dough, I spread a generous schmear of whole grain mustard and arrange the tomato slices. To top, I sprinkle grated gruyere or swiss cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
It is especially good leftover for breakfast with a poached egg.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Salad Nicoise
This is one of my favorite meals anytime of year, but especially in the summer when fresh greens are so plentiful. It requires some prep, but is easy to put together once that is done.
Earlier in the day, I prepared four of the ingredients. I hardboiled and shelled two eggs. I boiled a handful of baby potatoes and cooled in the fridge. I shocked two handfuls of green beans. This involved cooking the beans in boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then draining and shocking them in an ice water bath, which stopped the cooking, and the beans are left al dente. I cooked the tuna steaks medium and set aside to cool before slicing them.
When I ready to assemble the salad, here is what I put together - salad greens, beans, halved baby potatoes, and kalamata olives dressed in a simple vinaigrette. I plated the salad and then on top of each laid the sliced hardboiled egg, anchovy fillets, and the sliced tuna steak. It was a beautiful sight to behold and so delicious.
A few notes - I ordered this a restaurant recently and the waiter seemed apologetic about the anchovies. In fact, they only added them when requested. I thought that was very sad. Most people think anchovies are fishy when really their defining characteristic is a wonderful saltiness. Also when I am in a hurry, I use canned tuna, drained and flaked. Sliced cherry tomatoes are also a traditional part of the meal but neither one of us likes them. I thought that I could have added some fresh salsa instead for something a little different but we were out.
Earlier in the day, I prepared four of the ingredients. I hardboiled and shelled two eggs. I boiled a handful of baby potatoes and cooled in the fridge. I shocked two handfuls of green beans. This involved cooking the beans in boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then draining and shocking them in an ice water bath, which stopped the cooking, and the beans are left al dente. I cooked the tuna steaks medium and set aside to cool before slicing them.
When I ready to assemble the salad, here is what I put together - salad greens, beans, halved baby potatoes, and kalamata olives dressed in a simple vinaigrette. I plated the salad and then on top of each laid the sliced hardboiled egg, anchovy fillets, and the sliced tuna steak. It was a beautiful sight to behold and so delicious.
A few notes - I ordered this a restaurant recently and the waiter seemed apologetic about the anchovies. In fact, they only added them when requested. I thought that was very sad. Most people think anchovies are fishy when really their defining characteristic is a wonderful saltiness. Also when I am in a hurry, I use canned tuna, drained and flaked. Sliced cherry tomatoes are also a traditional part of the meal but neither one of us likes them. I thought that I could have added some fresh salsa instead for something a little different but we were out.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Shrimp and avocado salad + cool ways to use limeade
Salads in the summer are wonderful because they involve no cooking and can be constructed using really fresh ingredients. This was easy to throw together with red leaf lettuce (from our garden), medium sized shrimp (drefrosted), chunks of avocado, a sliced hardboiled egg, some shredded carrot, and a handful of roasted pepitas. I like to toss the salad with Trader Joe's Cilantro dressing and chill right before serving. Good serving of protein too!
One tip I learned from my sister-in-law Liz: boil a half dozen eggs at once, then peel and store in the fridge. It really makes them so much easier to use.
It has been in the nineties here for over a week. Here are the most refreshing drinks I often turn to, using limeade (lemonade works just as well) as a base.
Limeade with a splash of tequila tastes remarkably like a margarita.
A radler is a German drink involving half lager, half limeade.
In order to make a rock shandy, take a glass with half seltzer water, half limeade, and add a few dashes of bitters.
One tip I learned from my sister-in-law Liz: boil a half dozen eggs at once, then peel and store in the fridge. It really makes them so much easier to use.
It has been in the nineties here for over a week. Here are the most refreshing drinks I often turn to, using limeade (lemonade works just as well) as a base.
Limeade with a splash of tequila tastes remarkably like a margarita.
A radler is a German drink involving half lager, half limeade.
In order to make a rock shandy, take a glass with half seltzer water, half limeade, and add a few dashes of bitters.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Peach and cherry breakfast cobbler
July 1, 2013
I eat more fruit in the summer than any other time of year. I love berries, melons, and stone fruits. This morning, I woke up craving a cobbler. This took about five minutes to make one serving.
I washed and sliced one southern peach and stirred into a pretty blue bowl a handful of pre-pitted cherries that came from Russ' brother Fred's tree. I added some cinnamon and a little honey before microwaving the bowl for two and half minutes. If I had it, I would also have added cardamom which brings out the peach flavor. I sprinkled some muesli which I had made earlier (oats, bran flakes, grapenuts, walnuts, flax seed, and dried cranberries) and topped with two spoonfuls of nonfat plain Greek yogurt.
It was like eating dessert first thing in the morning. The tangyness of the yogurt worked well with the sweetness of the fruit. Eating the fruit warm was a comforting way to start the day.
I eat more fruit in the summer than any other time of year. I love berries, melons, and stone fruits. This morning, I woke up craving a cobbler. This took about five minutes to make one serving.
I washed and sliced one southern peach and stirred into a pretty blue bowl a handful of pre-pitted cherries that came from Russ' brother Fred's tree. I added some cinnamon and a little honey before microwaving the bowl for two and half minutes. If I had it, I would also have added cardamom which brings out the peach flavor. I sprinkled some muesli which I had made earlier (oats, bran flakes, grapenuts, walnuts, flax seed, and dried cranberries) and topped with two spoonfuls of nonfat plain Greek yogurt.
It was like eating dessert first thing in the morning. The tangyness of the yogurt worked well with the sweetness of the fruit. Eating the fruit warm was a comforting way to start the day.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Seared Tuna with Wasabi Coleslaw
June 30, 2013
Since it's Sunday but also ninety degrees out, I thought grilling a meal would be casually perfect for our one big meal of the day. However, we ran out of propane so I put a Vornado fan (these are the best ever) in the kitchen. This meal took very little prep time and the stovetop was only on for five minutes.
I took two tuna steaks out of the freezer earlier today to thaw.* Once they came to room temperature, I patted them dry. This allowed the steaks to sear in the pan. Using a little sesame oil in the pan and bringing it to medium heat, I put the steaks in for 2-3 minutes each side. I like to eat the fish on the mostly raw side, but it can be cooked longer. When ready to plate, I drizzled some Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce over the sliced pieces which were fanned out over the plate.
*While the tuna was thawing, I put together the coleslaw. I like to used bags of shredded cabbage because I don't have to buy a whole cabbage which I won't use. I do end up mincing it and always throw in extra carrots for color. I added two spoonfuls of nonfat Greek yogurt and a small dollap of wasabi mayonnaise to give it a kick. A little lime juice and salt and this bowl went back in the fridge until I was ready to serve. I used a slotted spoon to put on the plate to avoid too much liquid on the plate.
Russ loves fish, so this was a hit even before he tried it. The wasabi and soy flavors complemented each other well, and there was lots of crunch. It was a light and still very filling meal.
Since it's Sunday but also ninety degrees out, I thought grilling a meal would be casually perfect for our one big meal of the day. However, we ran out of propane so I put a Vornado fan (these are the best ever) in the kitchen. This meal took very little prep time and the stovetop was only on for five minutes.
I took two tuna steaks out of the freezer earlier today to thaw.* Once they came to room temperature, I patted them dry. This allowed the steaks to sear in the pan. Using a little sesame oil in the pan and bringing it to medium heat, I put the steaks in for 2-3 minutes each side. I like to eat the fish on the mostly raw side, but it can be cooked longer. When ready to plate, I drizzled some Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce over the sliced pieces which were fanned out over the plate.
*While the tuna was thawing, I put together the coleslaw. I like to used bags of shredded cabbage because I don't have to buy a whole cabbage which I won't use. I do end up mincing it and always throw in extra carrots for color. I added two spoonfuls of nonfat Greek yogurt and a small dollap of wasabi mayonnaise to give it a kick. A little lime juice and salt and this bowl went back in the fridge until I was ready to serve. I used a slotted spoon to put on the plate to avoid too much liquid on the plate.
Russ loves fish, so this was a hit even before he tried it. The wasabi and soy flavors complemented each other well, and there was lots of crunch. It was a light and still very filling meal.
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