What I Ate Wednesday (28)

I’m in somewhat of a rut at the moment—not only because I’m super busy, as per usual, but also because inspiration’s lacking. I need recipe ideas like crazy . . . nothing tastes “exciting” anymore, especially since I eat more or less the same breakfast and lunch every. single. day. Plus, there’s also the fact that, while I consider myself a foodie, food and cooking aren’t HUGE, all-consuming passions for me. Don’t get me wrong, I adore my culinary creativity, but I’d rather spend my time in the painting studio rather than the kitchen.

So, today’s WIAW (obligatory thanks to Jenn!) is pretty basic. Since learning about my (temporary) metabolism issues, I’ve been snacking a lot, but I was both busy and lazy yesterday, so I didn’t bother photographing all my noshes, just so ya know.

Breakfast

Oats cooked in coconut milk + water, cinnamon, nutmeg, organic brown rice protein powder from Nutribiotic, ground flaxseed, 1/4 an apple, 1 dried fig, and some pecans. I'm also loving the warmer, lighter mornings!

With Spring’s arrival, warm oatmeal has gone out of fashion, and a new season of overnight oats has made its debut. Thanks to Katie, I now enjoy never-ending bowls, too—huge helpings of dreamy-creamy oats prepared using this little trick.

Lunch

Steamed broccoli & spinach with pumpkin seeds; soup, recipe follows, with 1/2 cup chickpeas added; a generous slice of homemade bread; 1/4 an apple & dark chocolate from Chocolove.

I only have one more kabocha squash in the fridge, so Mission: Use Up All the Winter Produce is nearly complete. With the other squashes, the husband and I made a delicious soup for our weekly meal.

Curried Coconut Cream of Kabocha Soup

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 kabocha squashes, peeled, de-seeded, & cubed

1 Tbs. coconut oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 large Vidalia onion, diced

2 carrots, coined

1 Tbs. curry powder

1 apple, chopped

1 14-oz. can coconut milk (lite or full fat)

1 vegan bouillon cube

1 tsp. quality sea salt

Black pepper, to taste

Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F. Toss cubed kabocha squash with olive oil with salt & pepper to taste. Spread cube onto a baking sheet and roast 30-45 minutes, or until tender. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat coconut oil and sauté garlic, ginger, onion, and carrots for 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder, stirring well to coat veggies. Add apple and squash cubes, coconut milk, and 1-2 cups of water (depending on the desired consistency, thinner or thicker).
3. Using a hand blender, purée the soup until creamy and smooth (or if using a food processor or blender, purée in batches, then transfer back to the big pot). Add bouillon cube, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5-10 minutes to develop flavor. Add salt and pepper, and serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.

For a protein boost, add cooked chickpeas or lentils.

Dinner

Last night, we dined with good friends—it was originally supposed to be our monthly vegetarian potluck, but our usual group of 6 or 7 was reduced to just 4, so I don’t think it can necessarily qualify as a potluck, then.

Delicious Indian/Middle Eastern pilaf; raw veggies; and hummus.

I provided dessert--and a raw one, at that. I won't give any details yet . . . you'll just have to wait for the recipe, coming soon!

Question: How do YOU get out of a food/recipe rut? How do you make mundane meals more fun?

What I Ate Wednesday (20): A Day in the Life

My life is über crazy right now, so my eats are simple, sweet, and to the point, nutritionally speaking. Part of me misses cooking regularly, but another part is also pleased how productive I’m being—this is my last semester as an undergrad, and I want to make the most of it! And of course, in order to sustain myself throughout these 16-hour days, I strive to fuel myself as effectively (and deliciously!) as possible.

So, here are yesterday’s eats. As always, thanks to Jenn for hosting the ever fun and fabulous WIAW trend!

Breakfast

Rolled oats with homemade almond milk, 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed, 1/3 cup frozen/thawed organic blueberries, salted pistachios, 2 dried figs, and some shredded coconut.

If you’re ridiculously busy, there’s no excuse to skip breakfast. On days when my schedule is packed, I rely on overnight oats so I can essentially jump out of bed, eat, get dressed, and dash out the door.

Lunch

A salad beast, an orange, and some 77% cocoa dark chocolate.

Brown lentils, wheatberries & speltberries, spinach, celery, carrot coins, cauliflower, parsley, scallions, dried cranberries, walnuts, liquid aminos, mustard, lemon juice, and gomashio.

Dinner

My husband and I went to the big city last night to see a musical, and since I’d received some e-coupons from Shahi Palace, our favourite Indian restaurant there, of course we decided to take advantage of not only a free order of samosa, but also a 25% discount on one of our meals.

All meals come with complimentary pappadum, cilantro chutney, and sweet-and-sour chutney. I didn't eat mine, since I knew I'd be indulging in a samosa, but I must say, the chutneys are smashing!

Finally sated the samosa craving that has been gnawing at me for months . . . now, I want to create my own samosa recipe!

For our main dishes, we split an order of baigan bharta and channa palak--and what's so wonderful is that, if you ask, the chef will eliminate dairy from the sauces. Yay for vegan-friendly restaurants!

And of course, we also split an order of roti! There was some white basmati rice, too, but I never eat it. Thankfully, roti fulfills my need for whole grains!

Today’s dinner, in stark contrast, was by no means complicated, nor was it as exciting as Indian cuisine (few things are), but in its own way, it was very satisfying.

Banana-Nut Butter Makeshift Manicotti

Serves 1 as a large snack or light meal, but you can make a bunch for cute appetizers!

Ingredients

2 oz. wholegrain lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions & cooled

2 Tbs. nut butter of choice (I used classic PB, for nostalgic purposes)

1 small banana*

Alfalfa sprouts (optional)

*Apple or pear slices would also be delicious.

Directions

This is so simple: spread 1 Tbs. of the nut butter on one end of a cooked lasagna noodle. Add sprouts (if using), then cut the banana so it matches the height of the noodle’s short side. Roll up the noodle firmly, dabbing the end with a little water to help it stick. And there you have it!

What I Didn’t Eat Wednesday (19)

Sometimes, life gets hectic—that has been quite the case for me lately, not only explaining my absence since (gasp!) last Wednesday, but also justifying this different sort of WIAW, in which I’ll feature three meals I’ve eaten recently . . . but certainly not today. I just didn’t have the time to prepare pretty dishes and snap photos; nevertheless, I just looooove participating in Jenn’s weekly extravaganza, so I just had to write up a post at the last minute.

Breakfast

Lately, I’ve been intrigued by the deep nutrition in foods—such as antioxidants, micronutrients, and the like. I’ve also been needing a break from the winter, which inspired this tropical treat.

Brazilian Banana-Açai Oats

I prefer this bowl served cold, but you can also cook it if you prefer.

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 Sambazon Pure Açai Smoothie Pack

½ cup milk alternative of choice

½ tsp. coconut extract

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

Pinch of salt (optional)

½ banana, chopped

Dried apricots, chopped

Cashews, brazil nuts, or pistachios

Flaked or shredded coconut

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

A drizzle of agave nectar (optional)

Directions

Blend together açai smoothie pack, milk alternative, and extract. In a bowl, combine mix with oats and let sit in the fridge overnight. Add listed toppings as desired in the morning.

Lunch

I’m sooooooo happy I’ve fallen in love with salads again . . . but in order to prevent another burnout, I’m really striving to mix things up with neat and unusual combinations.

Ballpark Salad

This salad was inspired by all the foods one can usually find at a sports stadium

Serves 1 as a full meal

Ingredients

¼ cup dry lentils, cooked and drained

¼ small Vidalia onion, diced

1/3 cup diced tomatoes

1 Tbs. barbecue sauce of choice (I used Annie’s Original BBQ Sauce)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups greens of choice (I used spinach, as always)

1 carrot, coined

1 celery stalk, chopped

½ cup sweet corn kernels

1 dill pickle, chopped

1 serving pretzels of choice (I used Newman’s Own High Protein Pretzels)

Roasted, salted peanuts

Sauerkraut

Catsup, to taste

Mustard, to taste

Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, to taste

Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together lentils, onion, tomatoes, barbecue sauce, and garlic. Set aside.
2. To assemble salad, just throw together remaining veggies, top with lentil mixture, pretzels, peanuts, and sauerkraut. Drizzle with mustard, catsup, and aminos as desired, as well as salt & pepper, and serve!

Dinner

If I’d had my choice for tonight’s dinner, I think I’d have cooked up some Lebanese fare. Here’s one of my favourite recipes of all time!

Eggplant Monazalat

Inspired by Sanaa’s 8^th Street Gourmet in Sioux Falls

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large eggplants

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs. ground coriander

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

½ cup lemon juice

½ cup tahini

Salt & pepper, to taste

Pine nuts, to serve

Directions

1. Halve eggplants lengthwise, sprinkle flesh with salt, and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes. Wash away excess salt and then coarsely chop eggplants.
2. Preheat oven to 350˚. In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in oil for 1-2 minutes. Stir in coriander, coating everything well, before adding tomatoes. Bring to boil and allow to cook for several minutes so some of the juice boils away.
3. Transfer veggie mixture to a greased 9×14-inch baking pan. Cook in oven for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together lemon juice, tahini, salt & pepper until a very liquid-y consistency is achieved—you may need to add a little water. Remove baking pan from the oven, evenly pour sauce over the dish, then bake for another 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with pine nuts.

Delicious served alongside/on couscous.

What I Ate Wednesday (2)

I had so much fun with my first WIAW last week that I’m planning to permanently join the Peas & Crayons bandwagon! So, here we go!

Breakfast

When I first discovered the joys of oats three years ago, this was the very first combination I tried. Yes! I remember thinking, “Grapes? On oatmeal?” Weirdly enough, it works–and obviously, I was hooked.

Hodge-Podge Oats

Also affectionately known as Bric-a-Brac Oats.

Nighttime Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

Pinch of salt (optional)

½ cup milk alternative

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Morning Toppings

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Chopped apple

Halved red grapes

Dried apricots, chopped

Pecans, coarsely chopped

Sweetener of choice, to taste (optional)

Splash of extra milk alternative as needed

Breakfast was accompanied by a mug of hot tea, featuring my newest favourite flavour from Yogi: Mayan Cocoa Spice. Seriously, it’s like drinking dessert!

[Source]

Lunch

Today’s meal was one of my classic bean-and-grain salads. Last weekend, I made a HUGE batch of pesto from my 4 overgrown basil plants, knowing that, soon, they’ll wilt and wither, and so, I was also inspired by the end of summer–soon, autumn will officially be here and I plan to take advantage of summertime flavours while they still last (which won’t be much longer!).

End-of-Summer Salad with Homemade Pesto

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup dry white beans, soaked overnight, cooked, drained, and cooled

1 cup dry barley, soaked overnight, cooked, drained, and cooled

2 large tomatoes or 20 rehydrated sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 large cucumber, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

¼ cup homemade pesto (recipe below)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbs. lemon juice

2-3 tsp. Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper to taste

For the pesto:

[This makes a big batch, so you’ll have plenty leftover.]

4 cups packed basil leaves

2/3 cup olive oil

1 cup roasted walnuts

6 garlic cloves

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. To make pesto, combine basil leaves, olive oil, walnut, garlic, and salt & pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. Simple as that!
2. In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients as listed. Equally easy! Serve chilled.

End-of-Summer Salad with Homemade Pesto on a bed of spinach, accompanied by a side of red grapes.

Afternoon Snack

Last weekend, I remade my Gluten-Free Blueberry-Cornmeal Coffeecake, only this time in the form of muffins. When I first shared the recipe here, there was no pretty photo—just a picture of the remaining crumbs! Obviously worth repeating.

The sweetness of the blueberry, combined with the earthiness and crunch of the cornmeal, is ADDICTIVE!

So, today's snack consisted of a muffin, 2 dried figs, and 3 dried dates--my favourite sort of sweet treats!

Dinner

Even though I’m reveling in the end of summer, I’m also craving autumnal flavours, which prompted me to make chili. But not just any old chili–Aztec Chocolate Chili! I’ll share the recipe in an upcoming post.

A bowl of Aztec Chocolate Chili, accompanied by a slice of whole wheat-cornmeal bread I made last weekend. Best. Bread. Ever. I had a second slice after dinner . . . for dessert, hehehe.

I’m Gonna Chow Down My Vegetables

The other day, I discussed my passion for fruit. Well, I’m equally passionate about veggies, so much so that I really aim to get a serving with every meal and snack, including breakfast! I very, very rarely eat savoury breakfasts, and some people would definitely find it odd, if not altogether gross, to eat fruits and veggies together in a bowl of oatmeal, but with the help of complementary spices, it is not only possible; it is also delicious. Take my Carrot Cake Oats, for example—it’s seriously almost like dessert for breakfast. Lately, I’ve been adding chopped apple to the original recipe, and I’ve really come to prefer the addition, hence the new name, Carrot-Apple Spice Oats.

But carrots aren’t the only veggie that works well with oats. Zucchini is wonderfully versatile, too, especially now that it’s in season. Last week, I decided to make Zucchini Bread Oats (which I’ve yet to feature on this blog), but a sudden desire for autumnal flavours encouraged me to also add an element of pumpkin.

Zucchini-Pumpkin Bread Oats

Serves 1

Nighttime Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

½ cup milk alternative

¼ – ½ pumpkin purée

¼ – ½ cup grated zucchini

Directions

In a bowl, sift together oats and spice. Add milk alternative, then stir in pumpkin and zucchini until everything is thoroughly combined. Store in refrigerator overnight.

Morning Toppings Ideas

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Raisins

Walnuts and/or pecans

Sweetener of choice, to taste (optional)

Splash of extra milk alternative as needed

Two Classic Sandwiches

I must admit, I’ve never kneaded bread dough by hand, something I intend to change one day, for experience’s sake—fortunately, though, when I’m at home, I give my beloved bread machine a workout and make a fresh loaf of bread once or twice a week. I’m not a huge sandwich fan, but I frequently make one particular sandwich that is OUT OF THE THIS WORLD, and early last week, when I noticed I had just enough rye flour in the pantry to make rye bread, dreams of vegetarian reubens danced in my head.

Fresh out of the bread machine! <3

Ironically, even before becoming ovo-lacto-vegetarian, I’d never eaten a traditional reuben with corned beef and the like. I didn’t even like sauerkraut. Then, one day, I suddenly craved it, sauerkraut that is, and hence, I made vegetarian reubens, replacing the meat with roasted mushrooms and steamed spinach. At that time, I did include a slice of provolone or Swiss cheese, though, and it was delicious.

Then, after I became vegan a few months ago, I revamped the recipe in order to eliminate the cheese but retain the protein. I’d eaten tempeh reubens twice before in restaurants, but both left me wanting—they were just okay, not stellar. So, I embarked on a quest to find the proper combination of flavours in order to satisfy my desire for the perfect tempeh reuben. After browsing several culinary resources and combining different ideas, I finally concocted the following recipe:

Tempeh Reubens

Adapted from this recipe and this recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices pumpernickel, rye, or Russian black bread

8 oz. tempeh (half a standard) 16-oz. package)

1 Tbs. Bragg’s liquid aminos

2 cups kale leaves, steamed

1 cup sliced portabella mushrooms, steamed

1 cup sauerkraut, drained well

4 slices vegan Swiss or provolone cheese (optional)

For the Russian Dressing:

2 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise

1 Tbs. ketchup

1.5 Tbs. sweet relish

Directions

1. Put tempeh in a skillet over high heat. Drizzle with liquid aminos and 2 Tbs. of water. Reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer, turning once, for about 8-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. In the meantime, assemble the dressing in a small bowl. Toast bread, and spread dressing evenly on each piece.
3. To assemble sandwiches, divide steamed kale leaves and mushrooms on two slices of bread and sauerkraut on the other two slices. Cut tempeh widthwise into 8 slices, adding 4 slices to each sandwich. If using vegan cheese, add to one half of the sandwich and melt under the broiler before finishing assembly. Cut sandwiches in half, and serve.

My boyfriend ADORES this recipe. His sandwich there in the background was already almost half eaten by the time I'd finished arranging mine and snapping this photo.

EDIT: A better photo for reference.

Another classic sandwich I veganized last summer was the BLT. When I was little, my dad would make BLT’s almost everyday when tomato season was at its peak, but while the tomatoes were always flavourful, I never was a fan of white bread, iceberg lettuce (one of the grossest foods in existence), and Kraft mayonnaise. My “grownup” version now replaces the bacon with tofu, the lettuce with steamed kale, collard greens, or chard, and the white bread with any variety of whole grain bread. Sometimes, when I’m out of fresh tomatoes, I’ll rehydrate some sundried ones for a tasty twist. So, for me, perhaps now the acronym now should be TKSDT . . . or at the very least, a TLT. There’s no need to write out an entire recipe for this sandwich, so I’ll just provide my method for preparing the tofu.

Tofu “Bacon” for Vegan TLT’s

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 16-oz block of tofu, pressed and drained

For the marinade:

2 Tbs. miso

2 Tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu

½ Tbs. siracha or hot sauce

½ Tbs. honey or agave nectar

¼ tsp. liquid smoke

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredient, adding 1-2 Tbs. of water until a slightly thick, not-too-watery consistency is achieved.
2. Cut tofu into very thin, approximately ¼-inch slices, and place them in a large pan. Pour marinade over slices, and allow to sit and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Transfer tofu slices onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil, reserving any extra marinade. Bake tofu for 15-20 minutes, remove from oven, and turn, brushing reserved marinade onto the slices. Bake for approximately 10-15 more minutes, or until tofu is crispy around the edges.

The flavours of summer. <3

One other classic sandwich I enjoy from time to time is none other than a simple PB&J—well, in my case, a PBBAS (Peanut Butter, Banana, & Alfalfa Sprouts). But who says you need bread to enjoy this universal favourite? Why not try it with oats instead? (Yes, I just could not resist!)

PB&J Oats

Serves 1

Nighttime Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

½ cup milk alternative

Morning Toppings Ideas

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

1 Tbs. peanut butter

1-2 tsp. jam, jelly, or fruit preserves of your choice

Fresh or dried fruit of choice

Roasted peanuts

Sweetener of choice, to taste (optional)

Splash of extra milk alternative as needed

Of course, while I adore peanut butter, I am equally fond of almond, cashew, and other nut butters, so I regularly mix things up. The same goes with the jelly and fresh fruit. That’s why this recipe is so wonderful—it’s versatile! Today's breakfast included peanut butter and peanuts, homemade strawberry preserves, and fresh strawberries. YUM!

Berry Bonanza

When I was restocking my refrigerator last week, one of the first things I bought was a variety of berries. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries—all found their merry way into my shopping cart and have since been frequenting my breakfasts. Considering I ate Banana Bread Oats for 3 months straight, it has been sooooo refreshing to rediscover some of my other favourite oatmeal flavours, and one in particular . . .

Lemon-Poppy Seed Oats

Nighttime Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

2 tsp. poppy seeds, toasted

Pinch of salt (optional)

½ cup of milk alternative

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1-2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. almond extract

Sift oat bran and toasted poppy seeds together in your breakfast bowl. Combine milk alternative, lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond extract in another small bowl, stirring well, and then add to dry ingredients.

Morning Toppings Ideas

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Fresh blueberries or raspberries

Whole or slivered almonds

Sweetener of choice, to taste (optional)

Splash of extra milk alternative as needed

I swear, this is AS delicious as the dessert version. The flavour is also occasionally (as in, every few bites or so) strangely reminiscent to Trix, which I ate in the good ol' days of my innocent Standard American Diet childhood.

Getting Back in the Groove

One con about leaving home three months ago is returning without remembering exactly what remained in my pantry from before my departure. Yesterday, I thoroughly cleaned and took inventory, and today, I restocked the refrigerator with abundant produce—so expect some new recipes soon! I have so many ideas, which is a little overwhelming, plus I’m trying the find a good, naturally lighted location in my house in order to snap quality photos. My mum and I discussed setting up a somewhat “professional” booth for me, but at the moment, I’m still unpacking and sorting through a seemingly endless pile of old mail, amongst other, more important obligations. I’ve also been rather negligent with taking foodie photos—like at Whole Foods on Monday night, or today, when my grandparents treated me to Japanese (and thus finally quenching the cravings I’ve been enduring for several weeks now). I had my camera . . . I was just so overwhelmed by the seaweed salad.

Whoops.

Sorry!

And please, also forgive the poor quality of the following photo, which features part of today’s delicious breakfast.

Soooo comforting and filling, and of course, it was accompanied by a green smoothie--a perfect breakfast, in my opinion.

I’m rather obsessed passionate about overnight oatmeal, as I’ve mentioned before. I love experimenting with toppings (the weirder, the better), something I very much missed in France, so naturally, I’ve been planning revisiting all my favourite old flavours for quite some time, especially . . .

Carrot Cake Oats

Nighttime Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice blend*

Pinch of salt (optional)

¼ cup grated carrot

½ cup milk alternative

½ tsp. vanilla extract

–Add the grated carrot to the dry ingredients before pouring on the wet ingredients.

*If you don’t have a premade pumpkin pie spice blend, you can make your own. To make 1 teaspoon, you’ll need:

• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp.  ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. ground allspice or cloves
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Morning Toppings Ideas

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Walnuts

Raisins

Fresh or dried pineapple chunks

Dried coconut, flaked or shredded

Sweetener of choice, to taste (optional)

Splash of extra milk alternative as needed

–And if you’re feeling really decadent, try adding a dollop of vanilla non-dairy yoghurt or stirring in some vegan cream cheese mixed with a touch of sweetener.

Best. Breakfast. Ever. + The Importance of Supplements

I have a fetish. A food fetish. And it’s called . . .

OVERNIGHT OATMEAL

Ironically, when I was young, I hated oatmeal. No, I loathed it. It was mushy, bland, colourless, and just downright unappealing to my 7-year-old self. Little did I know that, years later, oats would become my favourite breakfast, hands down. Tastes change, and tongues evolve! I once avoided bananas, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, spinach, nuts, tomatoes, and raisins like the plague; now, I eat all of these on nearly a daily basis and couldn’t imagine my meals and snacks without them! Except for a longtime tradition of waffles on Sundays, I eat oats for breakfast every. single. day. Boring? On the contrary! I never tire of this super nutritious and delicious grain, namely because potential toppings are literally endless! In fact, a couple months ago, I devised a sort of challenge for myself to discover as many different oatmeal flavours as possible—some sweet, some savory, some classic, some downright crazy (but tasty nonetheless)! And I intend to share all of my recipes . . . once I return home, that is. Unfortunately, in France, I haven’t been able to continue experimenting as liberally, but thankfully, I’m still enjoying oats all the same.

Although, I must note, back home, I can buy 1 lb. of bulk organic whole oats for just $0.79, whereas here, 1 kilogram costs somewhere in the range of 3 Euros! Seriously, what gives?

Obvious tip: shop on sale! I squeezed 4.5 servings out of this bag of rolled kamut flakes (kamut is just another variety of whole grain).

Anyway . . . you might be wondering, what exactly distinguishes overnight oatmeal from just old-fashioned oatmeal oatmeal?

Answer: no cooking necessary!

Unlike grains such as rice, quinoa, or millet that require cooking, oats soften naturally when soaked. So, here, the adjective “overnight” specifies that, with 5 to 10 minutes of before-bedtime preparation, you can wake up to a bowl of even more “instant” oatmeal than those microwavable instant oatmeal packets, thus making it an excellent and über convenient breakfast for anyone on the go-go. Just add your toppings of choice, and chow down!

In France, I’ve been relying on an old favourite—the first overnight oats recipe I ever tried, in fact—and indeed, is it tried and true:

Banana Bread Oats

Nighttime Ingredients

½ cup rolled oats or oat bran

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Pinch of salt (optional)

½ overripe banana

½ cup milk alternative

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Blend banana and milk/milk alternative in a blender or mini-food processor, then add mixture to bowl, stirring to combine. Put into refrigerator overnight, and voilà! Breakfast is served!

Morning Toppings Ideas

Remember: anything goes with oats! Don’t like raisins? Substitute whatever dried fruit you prefer. Craving something sweet? Add a few vegan chocolate or carob chips. Basically, if you’ve a favorite banana bread recipe, you can duplicate it here. Easy as pie . . . I mean, quickbread.

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

Raisins

Walnuts or pecans

Banana slices

Sweetener of choice, to taste (optional)

Splash of extra milk alternative as needed

Don't have a bowl? Use a jar! Actually, I have a bowl here, but jars make combining ingredients SO easy--just screw on the lid and shake, shake, shake! Have an almost-empty jar of nut butter? Make your oats in that! Not only will you be super economical and consume every. last. smudge. of that delicious nut butter, but your morning oats will be delightfully nutty, too! I mean, seriously, peanut butter + banana (+ alfalfa sprouts, if you're crazy like I am) is HEAVEN!

God, I miss my mini-food processor! As you can see above, I just slice my banana onto my oats in the morning, which works fine, too, though I do miss the doughier texture of my original recipe.

What I miss more, though, is ground flaxseed.

There are two varieties of flaxseed: brown or golden. Flavour-wise, I find I prefer brown, but nutritionally, there's no difference between the two.

Flaxseed is a fabulous source of protein, fiber, and essential fatty acids (more in-depth information can be found here). Nutritionists generally recommend consuming 1-2 Tbs. of ground flaxseed every day—and yes, in order for us to absorb the omega-3’s properly, it MUST be ground and then refrigerated, or else, one morning, you’ll find your usually delicious breakfast ruined by rancid flaxseed meal. Sorry, Mary Poppins, but not even a spoonful of (unrefined) sugar could make that sort of “medicine” go down.

For vegans, flaxseed is a premium alternative to fish oil. Unfortunately, I don’t have my trusty coffee grinder here, and since I don’t drink coffee, there’s really no reason for me to buy one. Yet, never fear! In situations like these, supplements have got your back!

When I was little, as with oatmeal, I avoided taking my vitamins at all costs, often casually “forgetting” or just altogether refusing to swallow those “yucky tasting” pills. I am older now and quite a bit wiser, so I understand and appreciate how supplements truly enhance health (and they really don’t taste that bad, if at all). Of course, it IS certainly possible to obtain all the nutrients you need through diet alone; nevertheless, in my opinion, supplements act as a beneficial boost, especially when you are travelling and may not be eating as optimally as possible. Both here in France and at home, my daily regime includes calcium, vitamin D3, iron, a multivitamin, and a flax oil capsule (which replaces my ground flaxseed for now). I also brought a stash of probiotics, which I take on an as-needed basis whenever I sense my gut needing some extra friendly bacteria.

Choosing supplements is a very personalized endeavour—everyone’s needs are obviously different. For example, different multivitamins can be tailored for women, for men, for children or teenagers, or for senior citizens. So, do your research in advance! Even better, consult a holistic physician or nutritionist, too, ESPECIALLY if you are a newbie to the wonderful world of supplements. When browsing for brands, just be sure to carefully double-check the capsule ingredients—many are still made with animal-derived gelatin (which, I recently discovered, not only consists of livestock bones and hooves, but also their lips. EPIC GROSS!). You can easily find vegan-friendly alternatives, however. An excellent, absolutely no-fail company is Deva, a 100% vegan company from which I buy my multivitamin and flax oil capsules. You can browse their website here.

One final tip: when preparing for long-term voyages, I highly suggest packing enough supplements to last you the entire time you’re abroad. It is almost guaranteed to be easier than seeking foreign equivalents—one less thing to worry about, which means more energy to explore and experience your new surroundings!