Tag Archives: cranberry

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/

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.

apricot ginger cranberry

The best flavors of the season…mmmmm…

Ingredients:

1 C cooked oatmeal
1/4 C orange juice
1/8 C apricot, dried, chopped
1/8 C candied ginger, chopped
1/8 C cranberry, dried chopped

Directions: Simmer all ingredients together until orange juice has soaked into all of the dried fruit. Mix in with oatmeal and enjoy!

Om,

Renata

mOMent: If you had to express your three most important beliefs or values, what would they be?


blueberry craisins

I was delightfully surprised this morning when I saw these samples at the gym. I wouldn’t normally purchase craisins but I thought, what the heck?! And hey…it was pretty yummy too!

Ingredients:

1 C cooked oatmeal
1 100 calorie bag of blueberry craisins
1 t agave syrup (or more to taste)

Directions: Mix it all together and have a wonderful breakfast.

Om,

Renata

mOMent:

orange apricot ginger macadamia

These flavors work really well together and if you have time to let this slowly simmer it will prove to be one of your favorite recipes too. Enjoy…

Ingredients:

1 C cooked oatmeal
1/2 C orange juice
1/8 C apricots, dried, chopped
1/8 C candied ginger, chopped
1/8 C macadamia nuts, chopped
1 T sugar

Directions: Simmer all ingredients together until most of the orange juice has soaked into the fruit. Mix with oatmeal and enjoy!

Om,

Renata

mOMent: Let your inner light shine today! Let it pour from your smile, eyes, heart and soul!

Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies!

These cookies are one of the standards of our Christmas baking celebrations. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The crunchy pecans and tart-sweetness of the cranberries really make a complex and well-rounded flavor and texture. They are really, really delicious!

Makes about 48 cookies
2 C all purpose flour
1 t baking soda
½ t baking powder
½ t salt
1 C (2 sticks) Earth Balance, room temp
1 C granulated white sugar
1 C packed brown sugar
2 flax eggs (2 ½ T flax meal 6 T water)
1-3 t vanilla
1-2 pinch cinnamon (or ½ t? ish)
1 pinch nutmeg
2 C oats
1 C dried cranberries
1 C chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix flax and water in a separate dish and let gel up.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
4. Beat Earth Balance in a bowl until softened (but not liquidy). Beat in flax eggs until well combined.
5. Beat in vanilla.
6. Beat in sugar.
7. Mix in flour with rubber spatula.
8. Mix on low for 5 seconds. Batter will be thick.
9. Stir in oats, cranberries and pecans.


10. Drop by the rounded tablespoon onto parchment cookie sheet, roll into balls and place 2-inches apart. (Try to keep the dough cool in between baking sessions, I keep mine in the fridge)
11. Cook 11 minutes, until golden brown.
12. Cool cookies on sheets for 1-2 minutes then transfer to cookie racks and cool completely (or eat while hot!)

Om,

Renata

Rate these cookies here

mOMent:  Sometimes all you need in life is a good, hot cookie…

orange cranberries and liqueur

Who says you can’t have a little liqueur for breakfast?  Not me!  Especially after my new found love for this orange flavored treat.  It’s sweet enough so that you probably won’t need any additional sweetener…mmmm…

Ingredients:

1 C cooked oatmeal
2 T orange liqueur or  orange juice
2-4 T orange flavored cranberries

Directions: Mix ingredients together and enjoy!

Om,

Renata

mOMent: Who makes up your rules for living as an adult?  Do you make the rules up as you go?  Or does mom’s advice still follow you from day-to-day?

coconut orange cranberry

Sometimes I’m in a rush and I grab the first things that are available. This morning it was the shredded coconut and orange flavored cranberries…and I have to say, it was pretty good!

1 cup cooked oatmeal
2 T shredded sweetened coconut
1-2 T orange flavored cranberries
dash of sugar if desired

Directions:  Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

mOMent: Sometimes the smallest issues we have are actually the largest, and vice versa. What BIG issue in your life would you like to clear up? What are the first steps you can take to achieve this? Perhaps a call to a friend is the first part of the solution. Sometimes just having an ear is all you need…

cranberry pecan whole wheat oat bread

This recipe was adapted from a recipe I found which uses honey and regular milk.  I substituted with vegan options the first and found that it was moist, delicious and earthy.  This time I added cranberries and pecans, yum!  I used almond milk and coconut oil instead of soy and canola, it gave an extra umph that I truly enjoyed.

Also, the first recipe asks to grind the oatmeal, and this time I didn’t.  I think it added more structure to the bread and was a nice change.

Ingredients:

1 C rolled oats
1 C whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 T plus 1 t agave syrup
1 T coconut oil
1 C almond milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

2. Grind oatmeal in a food processor or blender. In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, dissolve agave in vegetable oil then stir in the soy milk. Combine both mixtures and stir until a soft dough is formed. Form the dough into a ball and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until bottom of loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Om,
Renata

mOMent: Pondering is one of my favorite past-times, what will you ponder today?

pumpkin apple cranberry

Ingredients:

1 C cooked old-fashioned oatmeal

2 t cranberry apple butter

1 t pumpkin butter

2 t dried cranberries

Directions: Mix pumpkin butter, cranberry apple butter and oatmeal well.  Garnish with dried cranberries.  Enjoy!

mOMent:  If you could not speak for a day, but needed to get a message across to those around you, how would you do it?  What creative way would you enjoy expressing yourself?

dried cocktail! cranberry, blueberry, mango & coconut

Dried fruit is so yummy, and sometimes picking up a pre-made mix at the store is exactly the right thing to do.  It gives me a chance to experience flavors I might never have put together.  The original mix did not have the coconut, I added that…

Ingredients:

1 C cooked old-fashioned oats
1 T shredded coconut
1 T brown rice syrup
1/4 mixed dried mango, cranberry and blueberry

Directions: Mix oatmeal with rice syrup, add dried fruit and coconut until well combined.  Enjoy!

Om,
Renata

mOMent: Sometimes shaking things up is a good thing.  Moving stuck energy is a great way to get the flow of life back on track.  What can you shake up today to get moving in the direction you desire?

Ren-oaty Granoly Cookies

I decided to re-create a cookie I once had in Sonoma from a cute little coffee shop.  It was this fantastic oat-based cookie with honey and nuts and seeds.  It was filling and tasty, but not vegan.  So I thought I would try it at home with my modifications.  I’m very, very pleased with how they came out.  Please try this at home.

Servings: 24

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C old fashioned oats
1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C brown rice syrup
1 t vanilla
1 T sesame seeds
1 T pumpkin seeds
1 T sunflower seeds
1 T shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 T ground chia (or flax) plus 3 T water
1/4 C cranberries

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together, add brown rice syrup and vanilla until mixed well.

Add oats and salt.  Fold in pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cranberries and coconut. Mix well.

Finally add the “chia egg” by mixing 1 T ground chia (or flax) with 3 T water.  Add to the mixture and stir completely.

Spoon mixture into well greased or non-stick mini-cupcake tins.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool completely or they may tear apart easily.

Ahhhh…delicious…

Om,
Renata

mOMent: Sometimes creating something out of a dream can be a simple as asking your intuition.  “Hello, intuition?  Yes…nice to meet you, what is the next step in this process?”  You might be surprised by the answer!

Servings: 24

Ingredients:

2 1/2 C old fashioned oats
1/2 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C brown rice syrup
1 t vanilla
1 T sesame seeds
1 T pumpkin seeds
1 T sunflower seeds
1 T shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 T ground chia (or flax) plus 3 T water
1/4 C cranberries

Directions:

Preaheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together, add brown rice syrup and

vanilla until mixed well.

Add oats and salt.  Fold in pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds,

cranberries and coconut. Mix well

Finally add the “chia egg” by mixing 1 T ground chia (or flax) with 3 T

water.  Add to the mixture and stir completely.

Spoon mixture into well greased or non-stick mini-cupcake tins.  Bake for

25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool

completely or they may tear apart easily.

Ahhhh…delicous…

Rate the recipe here

Om,
Renata

mOMent: Sometimes creating something out of a dream can be a simple as

asking your intuition.  “Hello, intuition?  Yes…nice to meet you, what

is the next step in this process?”  You might be surprised by the answer!

cranberry chocolate chip

Ingredients:

1 C cooked old-fashioned oats
2 T chocolate chips
2 T dried cranberries
1-2 T agave

Directions: Mix 1 T agave with oatmeal well, add chocolate chips and
cranberries.  I like to keep it unmixed so I can have the chocolate chips
intact, but it’s your om of the day…eat it how you love it!

Om,
Renata

mOMent: Take a moment to sit still today and imagine that your heart is a glowing ball of energy.  Imagine that the glowing ball of energy fills up your entire body with love and warmth.  Then I ask; What color is it?  Does it have a sound?  What are the feelings associated with this energy?

veganized King Arthur oat bread

cranberry oat bread

cranberry oat bread

This recipe came from the King Arthur website.  I have put my changes in italics.  Overall the recipe was super easy to follow and fabulous to eat.  Something else that I had not done in the past was use a mixer to knead the dough…Wow!  It was so much easier.  Of course, I knew this before, but really if you plan on making bread often I highly recommend investing in a counter-top mixer.  You’ll be glad you did.

Ingredients:

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine (I used Earth Balance)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey (I used brown sugar)
2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast*
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk (I used almond milk)
3/4 cup raisins or currants (optional) (I used dried cranberries)

*If you use active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk before combining with the remaining ingredients.

Manual Method: In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients, mixing to form a shaggy dough. Knead dough, by hand (10 minutes) or by machine (5 minutes) till it’s smooth. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow it to rest for 1 hour; it’ll become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk. Shape as directed below.

Bread Machine Method: Place all of the ingredients (except the fruit) into the pan of your machine, program machine for manual or dough, and press Start. About 10 minutes before the end of the second kneading cycle, check dough and adjust its consistency as necessary with additional flour or water; finished dough should be soft and supple. Add the raisins or currants about 3 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle. Shape as directed below.

Shaping: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface, and shape it into a log. Place the log in a lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, cover the pan (with an acrylic proof cover, or with lightly greased plastic wrap), and allow the dough to rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, till it’s crested 1 to 2 inches over the rim of the pan.

Baking: Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 190°F. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes of baking. Yield: 1 loaf.

Om,
Renata

mOMent: Another reason to make bread is the delicious pay-off when all is said and done.  There’s nothing more rewarding than enjoying the fruits of your labor.  Think back to a time when you were able to enjoy the result of something that you created, remember how it made you feel.  Ready to do it again?

everything oatmeal cookies

This recipe was originally from a VegNews recipe. The only alteration I made was that I added more salt (because I like my cookies salty).  They were a huge hit!

Makes 8 large or 16 small

What You Need:

* 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup unbleached sugar
* 2/3 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
* 2 tablespoons molasses
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water mixed together
* 1 cup rolled oats
* 2/3 cup dried cranberries
* 2/3 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 cup chocolate chips
* 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

What You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a thin layer of oil.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together sugar and shortening. Add molasses, vanilla, and flax mixture to creamed shortening and mix well. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet and mix together.
3. Fold in oats, fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut. If dough is too stiff to stir, add as much as 1 tablespoon of water.
4. Measure cookies out with a heaping tablespoon and flatten slightly. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly brown at edges. Store in a covered container to keep chewy.

Om,
Renata

mOMent: If all possibilities were available to you today, what would you choose?

cranberry pistachio

cranberry pisachio

cranberry pisachio

Ingredients:

1 C cooked old-fashioned oats
1/4 C dried cranberries
1/4 C pistachios
1 T agave
1 T grapeseed oil
1 T juice (orange or apple)

Directions:

Add agave, grapeseed oil, nuts and berries to a saucepan.  Simmer over medium-low heat until reduced to a thick mixture.  Add juice if more moisture is necessary.

Add cranberry-pistachio mix to oatmeal and eat up!

Om,
Renata

mOMent: The pistachio is a unique nut because it has a semi-split shell leaving part of the nut exposed.  It seems as if the pistachio knows that it can both be protected and exposed simultaneously. We could all learn something from the pistachio and realize that it is possible to be vulnerable and strong at the same time. Where in your life would this information be useful?