What I Ate Wednesday (18)

It’s that time of week again—the most fun, most fabulous day of the week for us food bloggers, thanks to Jenn. So, without further ado, here are yesterday’s eats!

Breakfast

I really need to get some pretty clear glasses rather than the much-too-big jars I've been using for parfaits. I also need some better lighting--thanks a lot, grey winter mornings.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Superfood Parfait

Much, much better for you than a spoonful of sugar

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ cup non-dairy plain or vanilla yoghurt

½ tsp. coconut extract

½ cup granola of choice (I used my Groovy Ancient Grain Granola)

1 cup puffed cereal of choice (I used Puffed Kamut from Arrowhead Mills)

1 Sambazon Pure Açai Smoothie Pack

½ cup berries of choice (I used chopped strawberries)

2 Tbs. ground flaxseed

2 tsp. goji berries

2 tsp. roasted sunflower seeds

2 tsp. roasted pumpkin seeds

2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir coconut extract into yoghurt. Set aside.
2. To assemble, layer ¼ cup granola, ½ cup puffed cereal, 1 Tbs. flax, ¼ cup yoghurt mixture, ½ of the smoothie packet, ¼ cup strawberries, and 1 tsp. each goji berries and all seeds. Repeat layers, and serve!

Lunch

A salad beast with spinach, 1 carrot, celery, 1/2 cup cubed butternut squash, 1 chopped dill pickle, 6 oz. plain tofu, almonds, mustard, olive oil, Bragg's liquid aminos + seasoning, and gomashio; accompanied by a slice of homemade seedy bread with avocado + Celtic sea salt on top; all followed by an apple & Chocolove's Cherry & Chilies Dark Chocolate.

Dinner

Minestrone pasta (recipe follows!), plus a side of steamed broccoli with gomashio, raisins, and sunflower seeds.

For dessert: a clementine and two ginger chews from Ginger People.

Minestrone Pasta

When most people think of minestrone, they think of soup–such as my Mom’s Magical Never-Ending Minestrone. This recipe is all the goodness of traditional minestrone, sans the broth.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 cup dry chickpeas or green lentils, soaked overnight and cooked

2 tsp. olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

3 carrots, coined

3 celery stalks, chopped

6 oz. Portobello mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 Tbs. Italian seasoning

1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 vegan vegetable bouillon cube

1/3 cup cooking wine (I recommend red or Marsala)

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2 packed cups shredded green cabbage

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt & pepper to taste

12 oz. whole grain long pasta of choice

Extra parsley, to garnish

Directions

1. In a large pot, sauté garlic and onion in oil for 1-2 minutes, or until translucent. Add carrot, celery, and mushrooms, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes, or until carrots are tender and mushrooms are a rich brown. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning, and stir well to coat everything well.
2. Add tomatoes and bouillon cube, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Add wine, nutritional yeast, cabbage, parsley, and cracked black pepper. Allow to simmer until cabbage is slightly tender.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
4. Finally, divide pasta evenly amongst the plates. Add a pinch of salt to the sauce, stir, then spoon over the pasta, garnishing with chopped parsley as desired.

Also delicious topped with roasted, salted sunflower seeds for a boost of healthy fats.

The Christmas Spirit Continues . . .

Who says Christmas should only be enjoyed on December 26^th, especially when it comes to the delicious food? Last month, I featured a savoury parfait using my Thanksgiving leftovers, and today, I’m here to share a sweeter version.

Holiday Parfait

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ cup granola OR 1 cup puffed cereal of choice (I used Arrowhead Mills Puffed Kamut)

½ cup non-dairy yoghurt of choice

½ cup cranberry sauce*

½ cup roasted sweet potatoes or sweet potato purée

Roasted pecans

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

*Try the Best Cranberry Sauce in the Universe.

Directions

In a tall glass, layer ¼ cup granola or ½ cup cereal, ¼ cup yoghurt, ¼ cup cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, pecans and chia or flaxseeds as desired. Repeat, and serve!

Of course, if you’re not feeling traditional, or if you’re needing a break from the wintery gloom, transport yourself to the Middle East with . . . cake for breakfast? Yes, indeed!

Coconut-Curry Couscous Cake

Serves 1

NOTE: You will need a 1-cup ramekin for this recipe.

I finally invested in the most adorable, vintage ramekins! Can't wait to try some buckwheat bakes in the new year!

Ingredients

¼ cup dry whole wheat couscous

¼ cup + 1 Tbs. water

¼ cup pineapple chunks

1 Tbs. raisins

½ tsp. sweet curry powder*

¼ tsp. coconut extract

Sliced banana

Flaked or shredded coconut

Cashews, pistachios, or a mix

*I recommend Penzeys for this spice and pretty much all spices, just sayin’.

Directions

1. The night before you want to enjoy this breakfast cake, cook the couscous in the water, and then, stir in pineapple chunks, raisins, curry powder, and extract. Transfer to the ramekin and press contents down very firmly. Store in the fridge overnight.
2. In the morning, cut around the cake using a knife, then overturn the ramekin onto a plate, tap it gently with your palm, and the couscous cake should cleanly pop out. Serve with sliced banana, coconut, nuts, and any other toppings as desired.

Operation: Leftovers

Thanksgiving is such a fun feast, not only because of the holiday dinner itself, but also because of the leftovers enjoyed for a day, two, three, whatever, following the event. In the past, I’ve made your typical salads and sandwiches using remaining dishes, but this year, my brainstorming yielded a new idea, one that I have declared the beginning of a new tradition: parfaits. Yes, it works. I mean, all the flavours complement each other, right? So you can enjoy each layer individually, or mix it all up and let your tastebuds rejoice.

Savoury Thanksgiving Parfait

You can use my recipes found here, or you can use your own leftovers.

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ cup stuffing

½ cup green bean casserole or steamed green beans

½ cup cranberry sauce

½ cup mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes or winter squash

¼ cup gravy

Any other dishes you enjoyed at your feast!

Pecans and/or walnuts (optional)

Directions

Simply layer half of all your separate components in whatever order you desire, then repeat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Now, is that gourmet, or is that gourmet? Not to mention quirky!

What I Ate Wednesday (12)

If only Thanksgiving were today! What an exciting day of eats all of us would enjoy and, in turn, blog about! But Jenn’s What I Ate Wednesdays are always such fun, holiday or no!

Breakfast

This, my friends, is the definition of a gourmet parfait. Every bite is, in my tastebuds’ opinion, pure heaven.

Autumn Parfait with Coconut Yoghurt & Chai-Spiced Carrots

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 carrot, shredded (about ½ cup)

Pinch of cinnamon

Pinch of cardamom

Pinch of ginger

Pinch of coriander

Pinch of cloves

Couple cracks of pepper*

¼ cup granola of choice (I used my Groovy Ancient Grain Granola)

½ cup puffed whole grain cereal (I used puffed kamut from Arrowhead Mills)

Chia seeds or ground flaxseed

½ cup coconut-flavoured non-dairy yoghurt (or add some coconut extract to vanilla yoghurt)

½ pear, chopped

Raisins or dried cranberries

Pecans or walnuts

Flaked coconut

*If you have a store-bought chai blend, use about ½ tsp.

Directions

1. In a small bowl, toss together shredded carrot with spices.

2. Then, to assemble, layer half the granola, half the cereal, half the chia or flax seeds, half the carrot mixture, half the yoghurt, half of the chopped pear and other goodies, then repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Morning Snack

An apple, followed by I treat I convinced myself I deserved—a kombucha to celebrate the holiday, you could say! Cheers!

Lunch

Lunch was a special date with two girlfriends at the local Indian restaurant, which I’ve visited several times before. I order the today’s special, my favourite Indian dish: Baingan Bharta.

Accompanied by some unpictured roti (a whole wheat version of naan). I never eat the rice--I wish they served brown basmati.

After I finally learned how to properly re-create Indian cuisine, I immediately put Baingan Bharta near the top of the list of dishes to make—and I have, in fact, done just that and succeeded! But the recipe will have to wait for now . . .

Afternoon Snack

I had a horrible case of the afternoon sleepies after I drove home, so I sought an energy boost from none other than a hunk of gooey, golden, roasted-until-the-edges-char squash (today’s variety = buttercup)! Seriously, people, I’ve embraced my passion for this amazing quasi-fruit/quasi-veggie thingie, despite friends’ weird looks, teasing jokes, and worries that I’ll turn orange. If squash were a person, it would be my soulmate. It energizes me, makes me happy, helps me stay nourished and healthy—what more could I ask for from a food?

Dinner

Simple, but gooooooooood.

Broccoli, kale, and tempeh stir-fried in some garlic, lemon juice, and Bragg's Liquid Aminos, accompanied by bulghur with walnuts and pomegranate arils.

And tomorrow is the big day! I’ll be preparing a feast tomorrow morning, and naturally, I’ll post photos of delicious food porn. In the meantime, here’s another blessing:

“May suffering ones be suffering free

And the fear struck fearless be.

May the grieving shed all grief—

And the sick find health relief.”

~Zen chant

What I Ate Wednesday (11)

Yay, it’s Wednesday! And you know what that means? What I Ate Wednesday! Thanks as per usual, Jenn.

Breakfast

A parfait with Bartlett pear, dried figs, pecans, homemade vanilla soy yoghurt, and a new granola/cereal combination!

A most delicious concoction! Definitely one of the tastiest breakfasts I’ve had lately, thanks to a new granola recipe!

Groovy Multi-Grain Granola

Inspired by this recipe

Makes approximately 5 cups

Ingredients

2 cups raw buckwheat groats (kasha)

½ cup uncooked quinoa

¼ cup uncooked millet

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

2 cups puffed kamut cereal (I like Arrowhead Mills)

Nuts & seeds of choice*

Dried fruit of choice

*I prefer to roast my nuts/seeds separately and then add them to the granola mixture after it’s finished baking, too. But, if you prefer, you can add the nuts with the grains and roast everything together—just be sure to watch the oven carefully!

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Combine buckwheat, quinoa, millet, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup and extract, then pour over the grains, mixing very well to coat everything.
2. Spread granola on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring once half-way through. Allow to cool completely before transferring to the container and adding puffed kamut. Nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and other add-ins are all up to you!

Midmorning Snack

Well, my squash addiction has by no means disappeared. Yesterday, I wholeheartedly attempted to avoid eating any (it was just one day, after all!), but it didn’t work—by the evening, I was rather desperately craving an gooey slice of caramelized, roasted butternut squash . . . and this morning was no different.

I started with just half of a half--so, a fourth of an average-sized squash. Just a little, really . . .

. . . 30 minutes later, though, I went back for the other remaining piece. Sigh. Squash and I are having such a love affair right now, especially the carnival and buttercup varieties. NOM NOM NOM

In between these two helpings, I sipped some Yogi tea. Today’s flavour: Green Tea Kombucha. It’s not really like the bottled kombucha beverages we health-nut-foodie bloggers all know and love, but it’s decent. One of these days, I’ll get around to brewing my kombucha at home . . .

Lunch

Oh, Asian food—how I adore thee!

Homemade avocado maki with shortgrain brown rice. Served with wasabi and pickled ginger, of course!

I also had some tempeh and green beans quickly stir-fried in hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger, and a serving of braised daikon radish.

Afternoon Snack

An apple, celery and peanut butter, and a serving of Wheatines from Barbara's Bakery to sustain my energy throughout a long afternoon of classes.

Dinner

This may look like nothing but a brown, boring, mushy mélange of food, but it's actually delicious--savoury buckwheat waffles with roasted harvest veggies! Recipe to come soon (probably Friday).

“I salute the breath of life in thee, the same life that is breathed by me, warm flesh to warm flesh, oily press of nose to nose, the hardness of foreheads meeting. I salute that which gives us life.” ~ Keri Hulme

Not for the Faint of Heart

I have pretty weird tastes—I crave odd combinations most people would find quite strange.

Take my newest granola recipe, for example: sesame-seaweed granola.

Yes, you read that right.

Seaweed.

When I saw this recipe, I just had to try it, and the bars were delicious! Who knew that maple syrup would complement nori so well?! The only problem I encountered was that, for me, Anja’s bars stuck to the parchment paper and were too crumbly to remove cleanly. Nevertheless, I was inspired to make granola.

Sesame-Seaweed Granola

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats

¼ cup white sesame seeds, toasted

¼ cup black sesame seeds, toasted

¼ cup sunflower seeds or pine nuts

1.5 nori sheets

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ – ½ cup goji berries

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
2. In a large bowl, sift together oats and seeds. Cut nori into approximately almond-sized squares and add to other dry ingredients, combining well. Stir in maple syrup until everything is coated.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread granola evenly on the sheet, and then bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through to prevent any overcooking or burning. Remove from oven when the oats are a nice golden colour and allow to cool completely before adding goji berries. Store in an airtight container.

Yin & Yang. Honestly, this shot was nearly coincidental. Except for the dots, this was literally how the sesame seeds combined in the skillet. How appropriate!

Now, when you’ve got granola, parfaits are an absolute MUST. I knew that, considering the seaweed here, I needed to concoct an extra special combination of flavours—and the result blew me away!

Sesame-Seaweed Parfait with Green Tea Yoghurt & Cherries

Serves 1

Ingredients

½ cup non-dairy yoghurt

1 tsp. green tea powder

½ cup Sesame-Seaweed Granola

2 Tbs. ground flaxseed or 1 Tbs. chia seeds

1 cup bing cherries, halved & pitted

Directions

1. In a small bowl, blend yoghurt and green tea powder.
2. Pour ¼ cup granola into the bottom of a tall glass. Add half of the flaxseed or chia seeds, followed by ¼ cup yoghurt, and half of the cherries. Repeat layering and serve.

This breakfast was AMAZING, to say the least. I was delighted.

Parfaits = Perfection

As you may have figured out, I’m a breakfast girl. It’s my favourite meal of the day—and, as studies have demonstrated, the most important, too. Despite my overnight oatmeal fetish, other standard breakfast fare includes waffles, granola, and parfaits, which, in my opinion, are SO pretty and SO fun to eat, whether you prefer enjoying one layer at a time or mixing everything together.

So, considering that aesthetic appeal, I decided parfaits are a fun culinary concept that can be served any time of day, morning, noon, or night—while your breakfast parfait may be traditionally sweet, a lunch or dinner parfait can include more savoury flavours. After a little brainstorming and recipe browsing, I concocted 2 savoury parfaits to share today.

Black Bean, Millet, & Summer Herb Parfait

Adapted from this recipe

Serves 1

Ingredients

¼ cup dry millet, cooked

1/2 cup cooked black beans

¼ cup sweet corn kernels

1 small plum tomato, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

½ small bellpepper (green, red, or yellow), chopped

1-2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley

1-2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro

1 Tbs. minced fresh dill, or ¼ tsp. dried dill

½ avocado, mashed

Squeeze of lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. First, pack cooked millet into the bottom of your chosen glass, followed by the black beans and sweet corn.
2. In a small bowl, combine tomato, celery, bellpepper, and fresh herbs. Add salt and pepper as desired and a squeeze of lemon juice. Mix well to combine, then add mixture to parfait as the fourth layer.
3. Finally, dollop the top of the parfait with the avocado. Serve.

Just be sure your glass is large enough--mine was ever-so-slightly too short, but I was bound and determined to make everything fit. I succeeded, yes, but my meal was a bit messy, too.

Parfaits also present themselves as an easy to-go option, something I realized thanks to this genius post. Yesterday, I had to pick up my boyfriend at the airport, and since he arrived late in the evening, I packed parfaits featuring some of his favourite foods for dinner.

Middle Eastern Couscous Parfait

Loosely based on this recipe

Serves 1

Ingredients

¼ dry couscous

¼ cup water

Handful fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch segments

½ cup cauliflower florets

½ small sweet potato, chopped into 1-inch squares

¼ cup cooked chickpeas

1/3 cup fresh (or frozen & thawed) green peas

2-3 dried apricots, coarsely chopped

1 scallion, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Roasted, salted pistachios to serve

Directions

1. First, steam the beans and cauliflower until just tender—not too soggy! Allow to cool. Season with salt and pepper as desired and a squeeze of lemon juice.
2. Put dry couscous in the bottom of your glass or jar and add water, allowing to sit several minutes until water has been absorbed.
3. Add the remaining layers in the following order: cauliflower and green beans, sweet potato, chickpeas and green peas, dried apricots, and chopped scallion. Serve chilled with pistachios as the final addition.

Perfect for the road . . . and for a hungry boyfriend at the end of a long day of travel.

What I Miss Monday 5

Breakfast is my absolute favourite meal of the day. I love waking up to a hearty bowl of oats or, even better, the prospect of making homemade waffles. Unfortunately, breakfast in France has been, well, boring, to say the least. Not that I mind eating my classic banana bread overnight oatmeal every. single. day. I just miss the variety, which includes . . .

Granola

At home, my boyfriend makes the most wonderful batches of granola, based on this recipe (although we only use 1/4 cup maple syrup). It’s wonderfully sweet-and-salty and pairs very well with fresh blueberries and vegan yoghurt for delicious parfaits!

Parfaits truly can be some of the prettiest and elegant breakfasts. I especially like to eat mine served in fancy wine glasses using extra long silver tea spoons. <3

[Source]

Last week, my best girlfriend here in France surprised me with a batch of homemade granola, or müseli, as it is more commonly called here in Europe (plus, she’s Finnish, so of course she knows the ins and outs of traditional Swiss müseli). I sampled a nibble then and there—and immediately asked for the recipe. It is as decadent as a dessert, but packed with whole grains and healthy fats.

Milka’s Sweet Sesame Müseli

Makes a bunch!

Ingredients

2.5 cups rolled oats
1.25 cups wheat flakes
1.25 cups rye flakes
1 cup cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup whole almonds
¾ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup sesame seeds
½ cup flaxseeds
3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup toasted sesame oil
2/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup raw cane or brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
2 Tbs. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cardamom
2.5 cups dried figs, chopped
1.25 cups raisins
¾ cup flaked or shredded coconut

Directions

1)   Preheat the oven to 300˚ F.

2)   In a large bowl, combine oats, wheat flakes, rye flakes, nuts and seeds, and chocolate.

3)   In a saucepan, add oil, agave nectar, sugar, extracts, and spices, and heat carefully until the spices have dissolved. Pour this mixture onto the dry ingredients, stirring well to coat everything equally.

4)   Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for approximately 15-30 minutes, stirring every ten minutes or so to prevent burning. Remove when desired crunchiness factor is reached. Allow to cool completely before adding the dried fruit and coconut. Store in an airtight container.

Perfection. <3

Another thing I really, REALLY miss today is my mother, because today is her birthday! If I were at home, I’d be cooking her a gourmet vegan dinner, followed by a vegan cake—likely this cake, in fact, despite my very, very (as in virtually none) baking skills.  Less than a month now until my much-anticipated return!

However, in an attempt to celebrate from afar, I enjoyed a packet of . . .

[Source]

My wonderful mummy sent me a care package last month, which included a box of Dr. Lucy’s chocolate chip cookies (I haven’t had an opportunity to try any of the other varieties, unfortunately, though I’m sure I’d love the oatmeal cookies). My mum and I have a longtime tradition of indulging in iced tea and a treat when we visit Barnes & Noble together, and even though I’m not a fan of Starbucks, I was SO pleased when they started offering Dr. Lucy’s cookies alongside their considerably less healthy (and by no means vegan) desserts. I must say, while homemade is always best, these are pretty tasty and satisfy my sweet tooth whenever I’m in need of a little sugar fix beyond my daily dose of dark chocolate.

Granola