Category Archives: Recipes

onion and southern greens socca

As you may know, I love to bake.  And, while doing the Eat to Live cleanse during the first six weeks of this year,  I learned a lot about oil-free, grain-free baking. For one, it’s hard. There are not a lot of oil-free, sugar-free, grain-free recipes that taste good. So, I started playing with more of the savory baking and I learned that I absolutely love the idea of cooking with garbanzo bean flour. It is nutritious, filling and quite tasty.

Here is a recipe for a type of dish called socca. Traditionally, socca contains oil and is cooked in a socca pan. This recipe is adapted for those looking for a healthier alternative and still want something substantial to snack on. It’s similar to a flat bread but thicker, like a dense pancake. If you bake it first, let it cool and then re-toast it in the toaster oven, it is absolutely heavenly.  Enjoy!


Ingredients:

1 C garbanzo flour

1 C water

1/2 C greens (I used Southern Greens from Trader Joe’s)

1/3 C onion

1/4 C nutritional yeast plus more for sprinkling

1/2 T Bragg aminos

1-2 t Herbs d’ Provence

red chili flakes to taste

Directions: Line a pie dish with parchment paper and pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Add all ingredients to  blender except red chili flakes and blend until all ingredients are well mixed. There may be chunks of onion and greens, which makes for a more textured experience.

Pour mixture into the pie dish and sprinkle with nutritional yeast and chili flakes.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and there it is cooked all the way through. The inside of the socca will still be a bit chewy, that’s just the nature of the socca, a little crepe-like.

Mmmm…now how’s that for an oil-free, grain-free vegan treat? Your body will love you…

Om,

Renata

strawberry socca

This socca bread is meant to be a healthy treat. High in protein and naturally sweetened it is a perfect weeknight yummy for you and your hunny.

Ingredients:

1 pint of strawberries (or more!), sliced

1 c garbanzo flour

1 c water

1 t vanilla

salt to taste, can be omitted

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour and water together until no lumps remain. Add in vanilla and salt, if using. Stir in about half of the strawberries in the mixture and pour into a parchment lined (or sprayed with cooking spray) pie dish. Place remaining strawberries on the top of the mixture for adornment.

Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the socca bounces back slightly when pressed.

Let cool, and enjoy this healthy treat.

 

Om,

Renata

hazel-bites

I saw this recipe and knew immediately that I needed to make it.  So here it is, with my adaptations…

Ingredients:

Bites:
120 g dates
240 g hazelnuts
40 g chocolate chips, melted
40 g cocoa
1/2 c maple syrup plus 2 tsp
1 t vanilla
1/4 t salt

Icing:
20g cocoa powder
1/4 c maple syrup
120 g avocado

Toasted Hazelnuts
40 g hazelnuts
1 T maple syrup
pinch of salt



Directions:

Pulse 240g (2c) hazelnuts in food processor until it’s finely ground, like a flour. Add dates, 1/2 c maple syrup (plus 2 tsp extra if dough seems dry), 40g (1/2 c) cocoa powder, melted chocolate chips, vanilla and salt (to taste). Process dough until it become sticky and thick.

Transfer dough into an 8 x 8 pan and spread out into an even layer. Cut into even pieces so it will be easy to layer with the icing.

Mix 40g (1/3 c) chopped hazelnuts with 1T maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Place in 300 degree oven until slightly toasted. Keep an eye on these, they will burn quickly once they are done. Set aside to cool while making icing.

To make the icing blend the avocado (1 medium) with 20g (1/4 c) cocoa powder and 1/4c maple syrup and 1/4 t vanilla. Blend until smooth.

Assemble the bites by spreading icing on bottom layer, adding the second bite, layering more icing and finally topping with the toasted hazelnuts.

Enjoy!


Om,
Renata

mOMent: What’s your favorite nut? What’s your favorite nut-butter?

Truffled Tomato Basil Stacks

If this recipe could sing, it would sound like a choir from the most angelic place on earth.  Who doesn’t love fresh wholesome ingredients?  Who doesn’t LOVE heirloom tomato, zucchini & basil?  And most of all who isn’t in love with truffle salt? I know this blog is mostly about oatmeal but I had to share this recipe, it’s that good.

Please try this at home.

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

Directions:

Slice tomato into 1/4 inch slices.

Slice zucchini length wise with a mandolin or with a sharp knife (about 1/8 inch thick)

Cut sprouted tortilla into small triangles for garnish.

Start with a two slices of zucchini, side by side and spread pesto on top.  Layer with the largest slice of tomato and add a little more pesto, then another two slices of zucchini, layer pesto and add a smaller slice of tomato. Continue until your stack is the desired height.  Dollop a little more pesto on top, add sprouted tortilla triangles and a basil leaf.  Sprinkle with truffle salt.

You will fall in love with this and almost immediately wish you had made more…

Hallelujah Summer!

Check this out on Weekend Wellness too!

Om,

Renata

cinnamon raisin almond baked!

While the hubby is off in Canada sometimes I get a wild streak…If you call baking my breakfast wild that is.  So this morning I made my hot cereal the normal way, but then I did something out of the ordinary.  I added almond milk and baked it!  It was soooooo delicious.  You’ll have to try it to know what I mean, it was like an oatmeal cookie for breakfast!

Ingredients

40 g Country Choice Organic Hot Cereal

1 C water

1/2 C almond milk

1 T raisins

1 T slivered almonds

cinnamon and sweetener to taste

Directions: Make hot cereal the way you would normally make it.  I use the rice cooker, taking the cereal and water and dumping it in the pot and pushing ‘start’.  Easy.

After it’s done cooking, put in a ramekin with almond milk, raisins and any sweetener you would like.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until a light crust develops on top.  Let cool and dig in!

mOMent: What wild streak will you allow to come over you today?

Strawberry Anzac!

Anzac cookies are probably one of my favorite cookies! The richness of coconut, the depth of Lyle’s golden syrup all held together with oats, flour and sugar…oh yeah, and your favorite non-dairy butter too! How incredibly delicious this mixture is.

All I can say is THANKS AUSTRALIA for coming up with a perfect cookie.  Australians call these cookies biscuits and they were developed during the first World War for the soldiers.  They were perfect for travel because they do not contain milk or eggs, which means the soldiers had a yummy way to have sustenance while away.

The one secret ingredient is Lyle’s Golden Syrup.  I found mine at a local store that has an international section.  Look where you might find ingredients from the UK, you will likely find this sweet gem.

There’s only one way it could get better…add fruit! So which fruit goes well with coconut and oats? My pick is strawberry. I originally planned on making homemade strawberry jam but then got impatient (big surprise for those who know me) and bought a jar of organic strawberry preserves instead. I suppose that for this recipe you could use homemade jam and it would add another layer of deliciousness.

I made two versions of this mixture:

1. Strawberry Thumbprint Anzac Cookies
2. Strawberry Anzac Crumble

Strawberry Thumbprint Anzac Cookies

These cookies are sweet, rich and the texture is a little chewy, a little soft…and A LOT delectable.

The recipe is fairly straightforward:

1 C rolled oats
3/4 desiccated coconut (I use unsweetened)
1 C white flour
1 C sugar
125g (4oz) Earth Balance (1 stick)
2 T Lyle’s golden syrup
1/2 t baking soda
1-3 T water
1 10 oz. jar of strawberry jam or preserves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300F

1. In a big bowl, mix oats, flour, sugar & coconut together.
2. In a little bowl, melt syrup and butter together.
3. In a baby bowl, mix soda with 1 T boiling water. Add to melted butter and syrup. Then add that to the dry ingredients. Mix together, add a little extra water if it seems really dry.
4. Place 1 T of mixture on parchment paper lined cookie sheets (allow room for spreading). Flatten with fingers just slightly and add a small spoonful of jam to the top of each cookie. Sprinkle with coconut as a garnish if desired
5. Bake for 20 minutes, checking periodically. These cookies have a tendency to brown really fast.
6. Let cool completely and devour.

Strawberry Anzac Crumble

Ok – this recipe was stumbled upon by mistake but will certainly be resurfacing in my house as a favorite. First make a batch of the Anzac cookie dough and gather any ramekins (I used 8-10 oz. ramekins). Depending on how large your ramekins are and how much jam you use, the measurements will vary. Have fun

Ingredients:

1 batch of Anzac Cookie Dough
Strawberry Jam
Dessicated coconut for garnish
Fresh strawberries (about one strawberry per ramekin)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

1. Prepare one batch of Anzac Cookie Dough
2. Layer about 1/4 inch of cookie dough in the bottom of ramekin. Press into the bottom of the ramekin.
3. Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam over the dough.

4. Add another layer (about 1/4 inch) of Anzac dough, but don’t press the dough down too much. The mixture will not completely fill the ramekin, but it will rise.

5. Garnish with strawberries and coconut.
6. Bake for 20-40 minutes depending on how gooey and delicious you like your crumbles. About 30 minutes will get you a nice browned edge with a soft berry-licious center.
7. Let cool, it will stay hot for quite some time. Enjoy…

Dig in!

power puffs!

These power puffs are so puff-tastic!  I highly recommend them.  I have never used millet before and I will certainly be using it more often.  It’s fluffy, light and has more protein than puffed rice.  These little power puffs are a perfect snack with a hot cuppa joe. You can easily cut this recipe in half if you aren’t trying to feed an army.

These are so good that my husband brought them to his Tai Chi class this morning and vanished with a request for more next week…I highly suggest you give these a whirl.

Makes 36-40 Power Puffs

Ingredients

4 cups puffed millet cereal
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped (or nut of choice)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1 cup brown rice syrup
1-2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
salt if desired

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, mix cereal, raisins, cranberries, nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

2. In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter and brown rice syrup. Cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until warm and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until thoroughly coated.

3. Wait until cooled slightly, the peanut butter mixture can get very hot, then mold into balls (the size of golf balls). Transfer mixture to a cookie sheet to continue cooling.

Tip – it helps to dampen hands, this mix can get very sticky.

Nutrition Facts for 36 Power Puffs: Calories: 112.8, Total Fat: 5.5 g, Total Carbs: 14.5 g, Protein: 2.8 g

mOMent: Do you believe in the soul? What is your soul yearning for today? Is it millet?

I’m entering this recipe here also:  http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2011/07/21/wellness-weekend-july-21-25-2011/

Zucchini Carrot Muffins with Cinnamon Crumble Top

These Zucchini Carrot Muffins are moist and delicious. They are a popular treat among my vegan and non-vegan friends. They seem to be more delectable with fresh zucchini and carrots from the garden. Enjoy! The recipe was adapted from here.

Muffins:

2/3 cup melted vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
2 servings of egg replacer mixed with water (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups finely shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped nuts (my favorite are pecans)(optional)

Cinnamon Crumb Topping*

1)Grease and flour 12 muffin cups. Heat oven to 375°F (191°C).

2)In a medium mixing bowl, beat the melted vegan margarine with egg replacer and water, sugars and vanilla extract.

3)In another medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl containing the wet ingredients from step 2, stirring until well incorporated. Fold in the shredded zucchini, carrots and nuts.

4)Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full with the batter. Sprinkle with Cinnamon Crumb Topping (see below) or granulated sugar, if desired.

5)Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Makes about 12 muffins.

This recipe can also be found here, if you’d like to rate it!

happy birthday! coconut raisin walnut agave

Happy Birthday om of the day!

Yes, it’s been a year since this little blog started and I can say in all honesty it has been so much fun!  I’ve successfully experimented with a different way to experience oatmeal. Everyday. For one year.

So what now?  Well, I’ll still keep eating oatmeal…but perhaps won’t post quite as much.  We’ll see how it all works out, perhaps a book about oatmeal?  We’ll see…Let me know your thoughts if you have any.

For the last om of the year I chose a few of my favorite ingredients…

Ingredients:

2 T flaked coconut
1-2 T walnuts
agave to taste
1 T raisin

Directions:  Mix all together and eat up!

 

mOMent:  Endings are just really beginnings, aren’t they?

candied ginger and walnut

Sunday warmth!  It’s cold here in Northern California and a little warmth is good for the heart.  A little spicy ginger warms me right up…

Ingredients:
1 C cooked old-fashioned oatmeal
2 T chopped candied ginger
2 T walnuts

Directions: Mix all together and enjoy!

mOMent: How will you keep your heart warm and open today?

morrello cherry and icing

Have you tried Trader Joe’s morrello cherries? If not, you should probably head to your nearest TJ’s and get a jar. They are yummerific! I used the juice from the jar to make icing for a scone recipe using the cherries and this morning I put it in the om of the day. How sweet is that?

Ingredients:

1 C cooked oatmeal
2 T morrello cherry icing
1/4 C morrello cherries

Directions: To make the cherry icing I mixed a little bit of powdered sugar with the juice from the container of cherries. I just put a little in at a time until the consistency and color are to my liking…
Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

mOMent: Life is just a bowl of cherries…what does that even mean?

haroset and soy cream

Haroset is so versatile and fantastic. Mixed with a little soy creamer and warm oats, it is a perfect way to start the day.

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked old-fashioned oatmeal
2 T soy creamer (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
2 T haroset

Directions: Mix together and enjoy…

mOMent: Adaptation and flexibility are key elements in a healthy relationship. Where could you be a little more flexible or adaptive in your relationships?

valentine’s day!

Ingredients:

1 C cooked oatmeal
1 T white chocolate peanut butter
dried cranberries – enough to make a heart, plus a little extra

Directions: Mix oatmeal and peanut butter well. Garnish with a heart full of cranberries!

Om,

Renata

mOMent: Love is perfect everlasting and unchanging yet it can change everything in us and around us if we are willing to let go of our definition of it. If we choose to define what love is then we are also defining what love is not. Thereby limiting not loves’ capacity, for it is infinite but that of our own to recieve it or recognize it. When we choose to embrace our true nature we open ourselves to the powerful reality that we are not only in love, love also is in us. More accurately we are love, all of us. The illusion that we are not love allows us to feel pain. Pain is just another way to remind us to drop the definition of (or the illusion of separation from) love. Open yourself to the possibility that you are more and there will be more possibilities open to you.
<3 Ruben McAllister.

cashew coconut sweetness

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup cashews
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Directions: In a food processor or magic bullet, blend cashews coconut and sugar until it is a shredded consistency. Mix desired amount (I used about 2T) in with oatmeal and enjoy!

mOMent: The subconscious mind is a powerful tool, have you spoken with your today? What does it say?

flax crusted pecans

These pecans were really tasty…and it made it even better that they were somewhat healthy. I thought it would be fun to try and crust pecans with some flax goop. So I did!

Ingredients for pecans:

1/4 C pecans
2 T flax meal
2 T water
1 T agave syrup
1 t cinnamon
a little salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients above in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until pecans are nicely gooped up :) . Place on a sheet pan and bake until toasted and a little crunchy (5-10 minutes). Let cool! Otherwise they might burn the roof of your mouth like they did mine. They will be slightly chewy…but I kind of like that.

Add to your om of the day with anything else that you might desire. A little almond milk? I liked it just plain with the pecans…

mOMent: Today is the 11th. 11 symbolizes many things to many people and cultures. Does it have any significance to you?