Creamy Dreamy Oatmeal

If you're used to rolled oats, steel cut oats can be an acquired taste. The texture tends to be more chewy and it can take longer to cook. This recipe is my way of addressing both of those issues and creating a rich and creamy bowl of oatmeal.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

● 1/4 cup steel cut oats

● 1 tsp ground cinnamon

● 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

● 1 tsp brown sugar/maple/honey

● 1/2 medium apple or pear diced

● 1 cup almond milk

In a measuring cup whisk almond milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar together. Add fruit and oatmeal. Place in an airtight container overnight or for up to three days. This process of soaking the oats in the milk and spices is what creates a well textured and richly flavored oatmeal. Once you are ready to use, place in a small saucepan on low heat for 5-10 minutes or until oatmeal has assumed a creamy texture. Enjoy!!!

10 Minute Tomato and Kale Soup

If you're like me, you have those days where you are short on time, but don't want to sabotage your eating by going out. This recipe is perfect for those times. Not only is it quick and healthy, but it is light on calories while being extremely filling.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

• 2 cups kale
• 1 cup frozen or fresh okra
• 2/3 cup frozen or fresh sweet corn
• 1 cup all natural canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• pepper to taste

Simply combine all the ingredients into a small non-stick saucepan and let simmer on low heat for 6-10 minutes until all ingredients are cooked.

BBQ Tempeh Salad

Made from soy, Tempeh with its nutty flavor is a great source of protein. You will typically find it in the cold produce section at your grocer. Here we pan fried three ounces in a tablespoon of olive oil, added some BBQ sauce and paired it with some veggies. With 16 grams of protein and 10 grams of carbs, it is perfect for a light lunch or dinner in under 15 minutes.

Carnival Salad with Tropical Skewers

It is freezing here in Texas, so getting me to eat a traditional salad is not a likely event. However, if you dress it up and make it reminiscent of drive around my native Eastern Caribbean, there is certainly room for negotiation. Hehe... While it does not include all these things, this salad reminds me of mangoes, bananas, pineapples and all the healthy yet yummy things that grew on my grandma's farm and in her garden. You probably realize that there is a reoccurring theme of me talking about my grandma, but it's because it was at her feet that I learned how cook. So, she is a huge part of the way I view food. Now let's talk about how I made this...

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

• 1 package tofu/tempeh or 1 large chicken breast(stripped)
• 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
• 1/2 yellow zucchini squash( about 200 grams)
• 1/2 pear (about 200 grams)
• 1 vine ripened tomato
• 3 mushrooms
• 1 cup sliced red and/or yellow peppers
• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• a small bunch of ciliantro
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp. vinaigrette dressing
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 bamboo skewers

 Directions

Cut the zucchini and pear into spears as seen above. Slice tomatoes, mushrooms and peppers. Chop cilantro.

Combine all ingredients into a salad bowl with salad dressing and place in refrigerator to marinate while preparing skewers.

Skewer tofu, tempeh or chicken onto bamboo skewers with pineapple as seen below. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the skewers, add salt and pepper to taste and grill in a non-stick stove top pan until cooked.

Add skewers to salad and serve it up.

Choco Morning Energy Bowl

Have you ever met someone who just seems to be their happiest in the morning? Meanwhile, you on the other hand have to execute an internal argument to pry yourself out of bed. Some people do coffee or even green tea in the morning to get their days going. However, I'm not a big coffee or tea drinker, but I like the idea of something to stimulate the brain and the body in the morning. Enter my chocolate smoothie bowls...

The cacoa is the main ingredient that makes this bowl a great energy boosting treat because as you may know it is a stimulant. Made from bananas, this bowl is my newly found favorite way to combine my post workout carbohydrates, protein, while getting two daily servings of fruit and energy to kick start my day.

Blend the following ingredients

• 1 frozen banana
• 1-2 tbsp. raw cacao powder
• 1 scoop protein powder- I use a powder that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates
• 2 tbsp. Greek yogurt
• 1 oz almond milk
• 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 handful cacao chips or cacao nibs 

Warm Quinoa Porridge

I love Cream of Wheat (also known as Farina). It was a staple of my childhood as my grandmother made it for breakfast several times a week when I was growing up. The way she balanced the cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar was mere perfection and for a child it was a warm and delicious way to start the day. I went home to the Caribbean about a month ago and this grandma's girl was sure to special request my Cream of Wheat. It was bomb!!!

Anyway, now that I am trying to shed some pounds, I am staying away from wheat products for a while but was craving that warm, creamy cinnamon taste. So, I decided to try it with Quinoa and while I will admit it is not quite the same, it is a worthy alternative. Here's how I did it...

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 tbsp. greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. brown sugar

Direction

Like I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I batch cook my Quinoa (enough for 5 days) to avoid having to prep it for every dish. If you would like to see how I achieve that beautiful fluffy texture, please see a few posts back for my Blackbean and Quinoa Garden Burger. Once your Quinoa is cooked, everything else is a breeze.

In a bowl or measuring cup, combine and mix all ingredients together. Cover and rest in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or even the evening before you intend to make the porridge. This will allow the cinnamon, nutmeg and almond flavor to set into the Quinoa. The next and last step will be to pour the mixture into a small saucepan on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the porridge has thickened. Serve in a bowl by itself or with fruit and nut toppings.

Blackbean and Quinoa Garden Burger

Yay! It's Friday which means I get to sleep in tomorrow. Being the former food junkie, Friday nights usually meant eating out or ordering take out. Tonight, I wanted to recreate the experience of eating out (in a healthier way) right here in my own kitchen. The result is this delicious veggie burger whose taste reminds me of being a little bookwork reading and walking thru my grandma's garden. The fresh smell of veggies took me back to that place of innocence and I got to create it in the place I love most… The kitchen.

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked black beans, drained
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup mushrooms chopped
• 1/2 cup bell peppers
• 1/2 cup carrots finely chopped
• 1/3 cup onions chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups water

Spices

• 2 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

1. Wash quinoa by covering completely with water in a cup or bowl and drain in a strainer as seen above for 10-20 minutes. 

2. After the quinoa has drained, place in a pan at medium heat to remove any additional water. This step may seem unnecessary but will help to achieve that light and fluffy texture. Once the grains are toasted add water and cook until all dry. Let stand while working on next steps.

3. Combine onions, peppers and carrots in olive oil and sauté until cooked. Let stand for five minutes or until cool.

 4. Combine all ingredients into a food processor or mixing bowl as seen above. Mixture should have a firm consistency making eat easy to mold.

5. Shape into 3-4 patties and cook in non-stick pan on low heat for approximately 5 minutes on each side. This helps to remove any excess liquid and bind the patties.

Spicy Eggplant Bowl

Last week I bought an eggplant with the intent of making some veggie burgers. However, the unusually cold weather we have been suffering here in Texas had me craving something warm and spicy for dinner tonight. So, instead of veggie burgers I made some spicy eggplant. It is absolutely delicious and can be eaten hot or cold.

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 vine ripened tomato
• 1 cup white onion
• 1/2 cup chives chopped
• 1/3 cup garlic chopped
• 1 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 tbsp dried red pepper
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 4 cups vegetable/chicken stock
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp hot sauce

Prep: Dice eggplant into small pieces and finely chop tomatoes; onions; garlic; chives and cilantro. I personally use my handy Black and Decker electric chopper pictured above to save on time.

Directions: In a medium saucepan saute eggplant, garlic, onions and chives for 3-4 minutes in olive oil. The eggplant should start looking brown and saturated. Add a teaspoon of brown sugar and stir until the sugar is evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Direction cont'd below...

Next add vegetable or chicken stock to the mixture. Add cilantro, hot sauce, rice wine vinegar, and dried red peppers and let simmer as seen in the picture above. Let thicken on medium heat for 11-15 minutes. Serve hot with a handful of cilantro to offset some of the spiciness.