Berry Baked Oatmeal

I love breakfast, especially on the weekend when you can take a little more time to prepare something for yourself or your loved ones.  I recently made this recipe over the 4th of July for a group of us who were staying at my friend house for the long weekends and it was so good I made it again the following weekend for another different group of friends.  The original recipe is a Martha Stewart recipe, but I modified it based on the way I like to eat and I don't think you miss anything in the final dish.  First, I didn't use dairy milk.  I try to avoid dairy as much as possible (with the exception of the occasional cheese or yogurt).  I used almond milk, but you could also use cashew milk or even coconut milk.  Second, I cut out the sugar.  To Martha's credit there wasn't that much in the recipe to start with, but I don't think you need any added sugar between the sweetness of the bananas and berries.  Lastly, I cut out the butter.  Again, there wasn't too much in the original recipe and I did make the first bake with the butter; however, I just didn't feel it added that much to the recipe and was just a simpler easier recipe without it.  This recipe is really easy and so yummy.  You can certainly make it ahead and reheat it.  I will be definitely making this recipe just for myself and enjoying a square all week long! 

Approximate time: 50 minutes 

Serves 6 

• 8-inch baking square dish
• 2 cups of gluten-free oats
• 1/2 cup of walnuts or almonds (ground in a food processor or chopped rough by hand)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups almond milk or any other non-dairy milk of your choice
• 1 large egg
• 2 bananas sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 2 cups of mixed berries (I used a combo of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries) 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch baking square dish.  I used an olive oil spray.  

2. Combine oats, cinnamon, baking powder and half of the chopped nuts in a bowl and stir together. 

3. Whisk egg into milk and add vanilla extract and mix well.  

4. Line bottom of your 8-inch baking dish with the banana slices.  Sprinkle 2/3 of your berry combo over the banana slices and then cover the fruit layers with the oat mixture.

5. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats.  You can tap the baking dish on your kitchen surface if you need to distribute the milk mixture easy.  

6. Spread the rest of your berry mixture and nuts over the top.

7. Bake the oatmeal for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.  You want to let it cool for at leas a few minutes before serving.  You can serve this in a bowl with a scoop of plain yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup for extra decadence, but the oatmeal bake is delicious on it's own.  

Coconut Rice and Veggies

Approximate time: 30 minutes

Serves 2

• 1 bag of spinach (5 ounces)
• 1 head of broccolini trimmed and cut into thirds
• 9 shiitake mushrooms sliced
• 1 zucchini cut in half and then sliced into half moon shapes
• ½ of a lemon or lime
• 2 shallots diced
• 1 inch piece of ginger minced
• 2 tbsp of coconut oil
• 2 tbsp of white miso
• 1 tbsp of tamari
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 cup of brown rice

1.     Place brown rice or grain of your choice into a small saucepan with half of the can of coconut milk and water.  For example, I like the Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Medley.  Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for approximately 35 minutes.

2.     While rice is cooking prepare the rest of the veggies.  In another saucepan, steam the broccolini for 5-8 minutes and set aside.  Broccolini should not be too soft.

3.     In a sauté pan, heat up coconut oil under a medium flame.  Once hot, add shallots and ginger and cook until fragrant. 

4.     Once the shallots and ginger have become fragrant, add the mushrooms to the pan.  Cook until mushroom soften and then add zucchini. 

5.     Add the miso and tamari to the sauté pan.  Scrape up any sticking shallots or ginger from the bottom of the pan.  Cook until miso dissolves.

6.     Once miso dissolves, poor the remaining half of a can of coconut milk into pan.  Add steamed broccolini and stir to combine all ingredients.  Squeeze half of lemon or lime into pan.

7.     Serve in a shallow bowl with the coconut rice on the side.

Smoky Chipotle Salad Dressing

I love Mexican food and all the flavors.  I often find myself making some version of a Mexican bowl for dinner and when I do this Smokey Chipotle Salad Dressing hits the spot!  I like to mix it up in my Vitamix, which gives it a thicker consistency without adding any yucky thickeners to the dressing itself.  This dressing is great over greens mixed with black beans, fresh corn, tomatoes and some avocado.  You could also use it as a marinade on chicken, salmon or shrimp.  Enjoy!

Approximate time: 10 minutes

• ¾ cup of Olive Oil
• ¼ cup of Vinegar - I prefer to use either White Balsamic or I really like the Orange Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe’s
• 1 whole Chipotle in adobe sauce
• 2 tsps. of Adobe Sauce - You can certainly only use one if you like but I like a little extra heat
• Handful of Cilantro leaves – You can use stems and all since you are going to be using a blender or Vitamix
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt & Pepper to taste

1.  Put all the ingredients into your blender or Vitamix and blend until smooth.  Dressing will stay fresh in a glass jar refrigerated for 7 to 10 days.  If it starts to separate a little just re-shake to mix. 

In the Mood for Pasta?

Try my favorite veggie substitute!

I find myself often craving a warm bowl of pasta during the colder months and spaghetti squash is such a great alternative for a healthier option.  It takes almost no prep to make just some time in the oven.  I often like to make this for dinner for myself on a Sunday night as I have probably spent most of the day doing meal prep and the last thing I want to do is cook another meal! 

Approximate time: 55 minutes

• 1 Spaghetti squash
• 2 tbs. of toasted pignoli (pine) nuts
• ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper – I like things spicy but you can certainly cut back on this
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper

1.     Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2.     Slice spaghetti squash in half; remove seeds with a large spoon.

3.     Place halves cut side up on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4.     Place in the oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes. Depending on the size of the squash you might need to bake it for longer.  You will know it’s done as you can easily pierce the flesh of the squash with a fork.

5.     Remove squash and use a large fork to pull the squash away from its shell creating strands like spaghetti.

6.     Place squash from one of the halves in a bowl and top with pignoli nuts, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to taste and another drizzle of olive oil.