Raw Oatmeal Parfait

I am so addicted to this breakfast, I prepare 5 jars on Sunday night for the whole work week.  And I miss it on Saturday.

1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (I've been using strawberry, and I don't foresee a change there)
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon almond butter
1/2 cup frozen berries
2 tablespoons lowfat cottage cheese
2 tablespoons granola

In a large mason jar, combine oats, yogurt, milk, chia seeds and almond butter and mix well. 
Layer berries and cottage cheese.  Refrigerate overnight.  Top with granola.

Tortilla Espa~nola

The first weekend of October found me in a lovely and misty Portland, Oregon. I went up there to visit with some close friends from my Motorola days. On Sunday morning, I contributed to brunch for the gang by preparing one of my favorite childhood brunch dishes.

This dish does double duty as center stage entree for brunch, and simple sandwich filling for leftover re-purposing, kind of like meatloaf.

Update: Christina's comment (below) reminded me about the Manchego cheese... When I made this for them, I sprinkled about 1 cup shredded Manchego cheese on top and put it on the broiler for a few minutes (until the cheese browned a bit) before resting and serving. This was a very welcome detour from the dish I knew as a child. Manchego would be the obvious choice, but Gruyere would work nicely here too.

4 large waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), peeled and thinly sliced (Hello, food processor!)
1 large onion, thinly sliced (Hello again!)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
8 large eggs, at room temperature
a splash of milk or heavy cream
a splash of Worcestershire sauce

1- Preheat oven to 400. Grease a cookie sheet and a 10" nonstick pan or skillet with about 1/4 cup of the oil. Set aside.

2- Toss the potatoes, onion, garlic, remaining 1/4 cup of the oil, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread as a thin layer over a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, tossing in pan halfway, until the potatoes start to get golden and are soft. Remove from oven and lower oven temperature to 350.

3- Beat the eggs, milk, and Worcestershire sauce with a whisk in a large bowl until lightly combined.

4- Add the hot cooked potatoes to the egg mixture and toss well. Do not be shy about mixing hot potatoes into egg! It is a must in this recipe! Pour onto oiled skillet or cake pan (I put parchment paper on mine before oiling some more) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture is set. Turn onto a cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top starts to brown. Remove from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Best served at room temperature.

Vegetarian "Chorizo" Hash

Convenient pantry and freezer ingredients make this a good weeknight meal, or a hearty entree for any meal of the day. Double the "chorizo" hash recipe, and enjoy the leftovers as taco fillings or scrambled egg add-ins. Quinoa has a natural pest repellent that can be bitter when cooked, so be sure to rinse it well in a colander under running water for a couple of minutes.

For the "chorizo":
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup medium salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1/2 cup choppped fresh cilantro

For the hash:
2 cups frozen hash-brown potato cubes, thawed
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

5 large Eggland's Best eggs
1 tablespoon water

1- In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook covered on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. The resulting cooked grains should be loose, like couscous.

2- Add the remaining "chorizo" ingredients to the cooked quinoa. Toss well to combine and cook until heated through. Remove from heat.

3- With a potato masher or fork, roughly mash the "chorizo". Add the potatoes and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4- In a large skillet, brush the canola oil and heat on medium heat. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and pour into the pan. Pour water over the eggs, cover, and cook for 1 minute, or until the eggs are cooked through.

5- In each plate, shape the hash into a 1-cup mound (a ramekin serves as a mold for a pretty presentation), and top each mound with 1 egg.

Makes five 1-cup servings.

Vegan Waffles

I used to make these for Gabi to take on waffle days at daycare (at least once a week), back when he couldn't eat any egg at all. His teachers always commented how good they looked and smelled. I guess he wasn't scarred from not eating the class waffles with the rest of his buddies.

Vegan Waffles

1/3 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup vegan milk (I prefer coconut)
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Mix all the dry ingredients and all the wet ingredients in separate bowls, and then combine and whisk until just moistened. Pour onto waffle iron. Mine takes 6 oz of batter at a time and makes 2 7" squares. I got about 5 squares out of this batch, so I am guessing this makes about 2 cups of batter.  This batter can be made ahead of time, and it benefits from refrigerating overnight.

Variations:

Lemon-Blueberry waffles: Add to the dry ingredients the zest of 1 large lemon; use lemon juice, not the vinegar; add 1/4 cup dried blueberries; let the batter stand for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight) to give the blueberries time to reconstitute.

Fruit Pie waffles:  Cut the amount of milk to 1/4 cup, and add a large can of pie filling to the batter.  After pouring the batter onto the waffle iron, top batter with crushed graham crackers before closing.

Steel Cut Oatmeal

I can't stop eating oatmeal.

Can someone help me?

I am desperate.

Steel Cut Oatmeal
Makes 5 servings

1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups water
pinch of salt
1/4 cup dry milk powder
1 cup chopped dried apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup groud flaxseed
1/2 cup slivered almonds

1- Put oats and water in pressure cooker. Lock the lid and bring to pressure.

2- Cook on high-pressure for 5 minutes.

3- Turn the heat off and let the cooker depressurize on its own. This will take 10-15 minutes.

4- Open lid and stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Tofu Chorizo Hash

Every Christmas season, as I watch (many times) how the Grinch steals the last can of Who-Hash, I am reminded of how much I loved that most flavorful of comfort dishes from my childhood, corned beef hash. And how much I have missed it since giving up meat 20 years ago.

I had a duty to myself and other vegetarians to fill that void with an appropriate replacement. Here it is, my friends. I present to you sunny-side up egg's best friend:

Tofu Chorizo Hash
1/2 lb firm, water-packed tofu, drained well
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste

1- Freeze the tofu, then thaw it. Place the slices in a strainer on top of the sink and press with the back of a spatula until liquid is squeezed out.

2- On a large skillet over medium-high, heat oil. Add onions and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender.

3- Add tofu, soy sauce, tomato paste, and paprika. Cook for about 5 minutes, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan frequently.

4- Add potatoes and 1 tablespoon water, and cook on low covered for about 8 minutes, scraping bottom of pan every couple of minutes, until potatoes are heated through. You might need to add more water, if it becomes too dry to scrape the bottom of the pan.

5- Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Eggless Breakfast Scramble

I was chatting on FaceBook with my cousin Christina last night, and we were discussing my blog. It was then that it dawned on me that I have not posted a single tofu recipe! That must change for sure. :-)

I make this scramble for my son Gabi, who is allergic to eggs. He likes to eat it as breakfast taco filling on flour tortillas.

The big elephant in the room here is the nutritional yeast. Do not be intimidated by it. It is merely a flaky, yeasty-smelling concoction. Very boring by itself, but it really adds a lot of great substantial backdrop flavors to this dish. I find it in the bulk section at Whole Foods. Don't beat yourself up if you can't find it, though. Just add something more mainstream instead... like garlic powder, chopped up olives, salsa, or parm cheese... whatever... this recipe is really forgiving.

Eggless Breakfast Scramble

12 oz tofu (silken is best here, but whatever tofu is fine)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon Goya seasoning (turmeric or curry powder would work also)
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes (or onion powder)
1 tablespoon dried nutritional yeast flakes
1-3 tablespoons water
1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
3/4 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar for this)
salt and pepper to taste

1- Crumble the tofu with a fork.
2- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook while occassionally tossing with a metal spoon until the tofu starts to get golden brown.
3- Add seasoning, onion and nutritional yeast and toss until well combined. If the tofu starts to stick to the pan, add a bit of the water and scrape the bottom of the pan.
4- Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are heated through.
5- Add cheese and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve.

Crystallized Ginger and Brown Sugar Oatmeal

A recent posting on the Vegan Lunch Box was of tremendous inspiration to me. I found her fruit/nut/flavoring combinations mouthwatering, and the website she referenced as her inspiration had all sorts of good ideas as well! I've always been an oatmeal lover, and there is no oatmeal like the one my mom made me when I was a kid. She's tried to teach me how to make it several times, and her secret is to cook it in the stove top. I unfortunately have no time for that in the morning... but I do have time for this exciting little number:

Crystallized Ginger and Brown Sugar Oatmeal

1/2 cup(s) uncooked old fashioned oats
1 Tbsp wheat germ
1 Tbsp ground flax seed meal
2 Tbsp non-fat instant dry powdered milk
1 piece(s) crystallized ginger, minced
1 Tbsp sliced almonds
1/8 tsp table salt
1 tsp olive oil
2 cup(s) water
1/2 Tbsp unpacked brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a large microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

UPDATE: Tonight I mixed power oatmeal for a week. This makes about 10 servings:

2 3/4 cup(s) uncooked old fashioned oats
7 Tbsp wheat germ
7 Tbsp ground flax seed meal
10 Tbsp unpacked brown sugar
10 Tbsp non-fat instant dry powdered milk
7 piece(s) crystallized ginger
1/4 cup(s) almonds, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Keep in refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use.

To prepare a single serving: Mix 1/2 cup of mix with 1 teaspoon oil and 1 1/2 cups water. Microwave for 2.5 minutes on high.

Breakfast Smoothie

Assembling the ingredients the night before and blending in the morning allows the frozen fruit to thaw a bit. This makes the smoothie creamier and easier to blend without having to add more milk. Alton Brown does this, and I love that trick.

Feel free to play with different combinations of frozen fruit. You can also add a tablespoon of peanut butter and a splash of chocolate syrup for an extra special boost of nutrition.

Breakfast Smoothie

2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup fat-free yogurt
1 ripe banana
4 oz frozen strawberries
4 oz frozen mango chunks
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 pinch cinnamon

Put all ingredients in blender jar and refrigerate overnight. Blend in the morning.

Nutrition Facts
Yields 3 servings
Serving Size 371 g
Calories 236
Calories from Fat 45
Total Fat 5.0g 8%
Saturated Fat 0.8g 4%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 133mg 6%
Total Carbohydrates 39.1g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2.5g 10%
Sugars 33.2g
Protein 10.8g
Vitamin A 13% • Vitamin C 49%
Calcium 38% • Iron 3%
Nutrition Grade A
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet