 When the end of summer rolls around, I am eager to see the weather cool down (I know I'm not alone in this), but I'm not as eager to say goodbye to all the produce that's been readily available for the past few months. Don't get me wrong--I adore fall produce (and we'll celebrate it plenty here on the Nourished! Recipes page in just a few short weeks...don't you worry). However, nothing really compares with the bold flavors of summer. I would say that summer produce, unlike any other time of year, sings on it's own. What I mean by that is while we may need to dress up squash with oils, spices, and proteins in the winter and while we may need to roast asparagus with garlic and lemon in the spring...come summer time, items like tomatoes, stone fruit, berries, melon, and avocados are amazing on their own.
Now that I've declared my love for summer produce for the thousandth time this year, I'm squeezing one more peach recipe into the arsenal before the close of this marvelously sunny season. And while peaches are one of those fruits that stand on their own quite nicely, we will be dressing them up a bit for the sake of today's dish. I can't wait for you to taste this Peaches and Cream Oatmeal! Now when I say cream, I'm actually referring to the creaminess of the oat milk you'll use in this recipe. I find oat milk thick and delicious (not particularly on its own, but in a recipe--yes!). And while you can certainly swap the oat milk for dairy and the flax eggs for actual eggs, this baked oatmeal serves as a lovely vegan option on its own. In fact, serve it with a dollop of coconut cream if you want to really play up the dish's name. Enjoy! Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal Serves 8 3 c chopped peaches, divided 3 flax eggs (1 flax egg=1 T ground flaxseed + 2 T water, whisked) 2 c oat milk 1/3 c maple syrup 2 T oil 2 t vanilla extract 2 1/3 c old fashioned oats (use certified gluten free if necessary) 2 t cinnamon 1/4 t nutmeg 1 t baking powder Pinch salt 1/3 c pumpkin seeds Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9" square baking dish and sprinkle in a little over half of the chopped peaches to cover the bottom. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flax eggs (important to make flax eggs first as simply adding flax and water to the wet ingredients will not yield the same results), oat milk, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in pumpkin seeds and pour batter evenly over peaches. Top with remaining peaches and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until center is no longer wobbly and edges have turned a nice golden brown. Cool for 20 minutes before serving in squares. Once fully cooled, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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 This recipe will help summer last longer and satisfy those who wake up craving dessert...because if I haven't mentioned it yet, I eat fruit crisp for breakfast. Make 12 servings For the filling: 10 organic peaches, pitted and sliced lengthwise 1 c organic blueberries ¼ c quick oats ¼ c coconut sugar 1 T organic corn starch or arrowroot powder For the crumble: ¾ c coconut flour 1 c quick oats 3/4 c coconut sugar 1-1 ¼ c soft, but not melted coconut oil ¼ t sea salt 1 t ground nutmeg Preheat oven to 375. Combine ingredients for filling and transfer into a large glass baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix together ingredients for the crumble with a clean hand and press over filling. Bake for 30 minutes, until fruit is bubbling and topping is golden brown.  It's a new year and I find myself prepping bright and fresh meals for clients who are seeking to focus in on their nutrition goals. I love supporting these intentions! In fact, prepping the tasty blueberry smoothies pictured here this week inspired me to pop in and share a smoothie recipe of my own for all of you doing your weekend meal prep. If you're looking for a nutritious breakfast option that's high in protein but easy to take on the road, this one is just for you. Enjoy!
Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie Makes 1 smoothie 2 T quick oats 1 T flax seed ½ c organic milk, organic runny yogurt, or milk substitute 1 frozen banana 1 T natural peanut butter ⅛ t maple extract (or ¼ t vanilla extract) ½ t cinnamon The night before you prepare your smoothie, soak the oats and flax in milk. Leave this in a cup in the refrigerator. On the morning of, combine soaked oats, plus remaining ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.  Gluten free baking is rarely foolproof...it usually takes a few tries when developing a recipe to come up with the perfect texture, temperature, and baking time. I've been pretty excited about the combination of sour cream and cranberries for the past month, so when I needed a new recipe for my gluten free clients, I looked to inspiration from the Minimalist Baker. The "bones" of her blackberry cornmeal muffins provided me with some ideas for how to turn my new flavor combination idea into an awesome muffin! So here you have it:
Gluten Free Cranberry Sour Cream Muffins For the cranberry sauce: 12 oz raw cranberries Juice of 1 navel orange 1/4 c honey 1 t allspice For the muffins: 2 eggs 2 T honey 1/2 c coconut sugar 1 1/4 c organic, full fat sour cream 1 c cornmeal 1 c oat flour 1/4 c almond meal Pinch sea salt 1 1/2 t baking soda In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients for the cranberry sauce. Bring to a slow simmer and allow to continue simmering for 20 minutes, until cranberries have burst and sauce begins to thicken. Strain sauce over the sink and measure out 1 cup (depending on how large your orange was, the sauce may produce slightly more that a cup...reserve any extra for a homemade salad dressing or something!). Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and greese a 12 cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, honey, coconut sugar, and sour cream. In a separate bowl, combine cornmeal, oat flour, almond meal, sea salt, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to combine. Fold in cooled cranberry sauce thoroughly. Spoon batter into muffin cups (not quite to the brim) and bake for 25 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and centers are set. Turn out onto a cooling rack to cool before serving. Enjoy! This is what I've been eating for breakfast most mornings this month...it's full of fiber and nutrients and tastes oh so yummy with a cup of coffee. Try it out for yourself! Autumnal Oatmeal Serves 1 1/4 c quick cooking oats 1/2 c water 1 T pumpkin puree 2 T organic raisins 1 t maple syrup 1/2 t cinnamon 1 T ground flax seed 1/2 organic fuji apple, chopped 1/4 c coconut milk Combine first 7 ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1.5 minutes. Stir in apples and coconut milk. That's it!   If you get my newsletter, you know that I'm working hard on reconciling my once hostile relationship with the month of September. And what better to aid with this than a sweet and comforting pumpkin recipe? This one is tried and true; the star of A Nourished Holiday, really...and I have a feeling that between the double batches I'll keep in the freezer for myself and the batches I'll whip up for my clients, that I'll make at least 150 of these babies this season. So without further ado:
Flourless Pumpkin Muffins Makes 1 dozen ½ c coconut oil 2 organic eggs ⅔ c honey 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree 1 ½ c quick oats ¼ c ground flax seed 1 t freshly ground nutmeg 1 t allspice 1 t ground cloves 1 t baking soda ½ t salt ½ c organic raisins Preheat oven to 375 degrees and soak raisins in warm water to clean out any grit. Combine wet ingredients (coconut oil, eggs, honey, and pumpkin puree) in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats, flax seed, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking soda, and salt). Dump dry ingredients into wet and stir to combine. Strain and towel dry raisins, then fold in. Spoon into 12 large muffin cups (no need to grease the pan). Bake for 20 minutes. Because the muffins are flourless, a toothpick inserted in the center will not come out clean, so look for browning on the sides and tops of muffins. Allow to cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack. Enjoy!  Eating seasonally is a glorious practice in Southern California. Our weather lends itself to long "in season" periods for favorite produce like tomatoes, apples, and certain berries. I call my (almost) flourless strawberry banana muffins May Muffins because although you can find good strawberries in this area from January-September, I find that May brings the peak of ripeness and sweetness to strawberries. With that said, I've managed to continue finding decent (in ripeness and in price) strawberries all summer long so though it's August, May Muffins with an over easy egg on the side have been breakfast this week. Notice in the recipe below that you can make this 100% gluten free by using certified gluten free oats and oat flour (instead of whole wheat pastry flour). Enjoy!
May Muffins Makes 1 dozen ½ c coconut oil 2 organic eggs ½-⅔ c honey (depending on desired sweetness) ¾ c chopped, organic strawberries Approx 2 mashed bananas (1 c) 1 ¾ c quick oats ¼ c ground flax seed ¼ c whole wheat pastry flour 1 t freshly ground nutmeg 1 t allspice 1 t ground cloves 1 ¼ t baking soda ½ t salt ½ c organic, golden raisins Preheat oven to 375 degrees and soak raisins in warm water to clean out any grit. Combine wet ingredients, excluding strawberries (coconut oil, eggs, honey, and bananas) in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (oats, flax seed, flour, spices, baking soda, and salt). Dump dry ingredients into wet and stir to combine. Strain and towel dry raisins, then fold in raisins and strawberries. Spoon into 12 large muffin cups (no need to grease the pan). Bake for 18-19 minutes. Because the muffins are nearly flourless, a toothpick inserted in the center will not come out clean, so look for browning on the sides and tops of muffins. Allow to cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto cooling rack.  They're everywhere on Instagram and while I wasn't necessarily willing to make time for elaborate plating or "bowling" when I tried my hand at 'em, smoothie bowls are super appealing. I mean, if you can get a low carb, high protein frozen treat packed with produce and fiber in your hands (not to mention your belly), why not? Here's how I made my most recent bowl:
Smoothie 1 c frozen strawberries 1/2 banana 1 T natural peanut butter 1/4 c goat's milk 1/2 t vanilla extract 1 T flax seed Toppings 1/2 apple, chopped 1 T unsweetened, toasted coconut shreds 1 t organic honey Blend smoothie ingredients together in a blender on high until smooth and pour into a bowl. Top with the goodies listed above, arranging as eloquently as you desire. Enjoy!  How were your bowel movements this week? Sorry. Too personal? Well, staying regular is a super important factor when thinking about wholistic health. While some body types stay most regular on simply a high fruits and vegetables diet (which we all should be consuming anyway), some require a little extra fiber. Enter Fruitmeal. I love eating "Fruitmeal" for breakfast especially when I need to get things "moving", if you know what I mean, and early Spring is the perfect season for this particular fruit blend-we're at the tail end of apple season and the early end of berry season. Enjoy this breakfast that is packed full of fiber, pairing it with a fried egg, topping it with a dollop of organic yogurt, or serving it next to a small side of breakfast meat (i.e. organic bacon!) to get in your protein, too.
Fruitmeal Serves 4 (easily quartered and cooked in the microwave for a single-sized portion) 1 c old fashioned rolled oats 2 c water ¼ c organic raisins ¼ c ground flax seed 1 organic apple, cored and diced into bite-sized pieces ½ c organic blueberries 1 t vanilla ¼ c organic milk or non-dairy substitute Measure out oats, water, raisins, and flax seed in small pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cooking for 3-5 minutes, until oatmeal forms a soft-thick texture. Turn off heat and add apple pieces, blueberries, vanilla, and milk. Stir to combine with hot oatmeal mixture and serve warm, storing any leftovers in the refrigerator.  This month's recipe is a morning favorite for me. An ode to my sister-in-law's brilliant name for an over-easy egg, the bloop bloop sandwich is protein-rich and delicious. While it's not a recipe for those of you working on a weight-loss goal, some are seeking a diet to balance hormones, stabilize blood sugar, or help aid in muscle building. This is the kind of breakfast you want to be eating! Some weeks, I eat it as often as 3 or 4 mornings out of the 7.
A successful bloop-bloop comes down to the quality of ingredients. The sandwich (which I prefer to eat open-faced, as pictured) is made of just three ingredients: bread, cheese, and egg. It's not a complicated "recipe"...in fact, if you know how to fry an egg, you can figure this one out from the photo alone. So instead of typing up a step-by-step, I'll elaborate on choosing good quality bread, cheese, and eggs. Bread: Please, please don't cheat yourself on empty carbs. Choose a sugar-free whole wheat bread (in case you're unfamiliar with looking for this ingredient, white flour is labeled "wheat flour" while whole wheat flour will always be labeled as such). Or, if you're gluten free, choose a whole-grain gluten free bread. Cheese: I strive to buy all organic animal products, but cheese that is made from the milk of grass-fed cows is perfect. Grass-fed cows are healthier animals who product milk with fats that our bodies know how to digest. I love a grass-fed sharp white cheddar for this. Yellow cheese is hard to trust because it typically contains food dye. Eggs: If organic eggs are out of reach (being too expensive or unavailable), purchase antibiotic and hormone free, free-range eggs. Again, they come from healthier chickens. Whatever it is, enjoy protein-rich breakfasts this week! |
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