Breakfast Tip: Steel-Cut Oats

A wholesome breakfast idea...

Steel-cut oats (also called Irish oats) require a longer cooking time than I generally like to endure. Plus, whenever possible, I like to avoid getting pots dirty.

However, with some quick preparation the night before, here's a way to cook up (i.e. microwave) some steel-cut oats for breakfast in just a few minutes. The trick is to first allow them to soak for several hours--that is, overnight.

Oatmeal made from steel-cut oats has a texture that is chewier than oatmeal made from rolled oats and (especially) quick oats. It also has a somewhat nuttier flavor. From what I've read, there seem to be virtually no differences in the nutritional benefits of any of these types of oats--the differences appear only in the way the oats are cut and processed (which affects the cooking time) and in the way they taste.

Critical note: Be sure to use a large microwave-safe bowl for this recipe.
Other critical note: Don't leave the microwave unattended while you're heating this oatmeal.
Why?: The oatmeal will essentially boil and may overflow the bowl.

Overnight Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Estimated total preparation time: 6 minutes (plus overnight)
Estimated cooking time: 3-5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup steel-cut oats
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons dried fruit (like raisins or dried cranberries)
• Brown sugar or maple sugar to taste (start with 1-2 teaspoons)
• Optional: Extra milk or plain/Greek-style yogurt

Instructions

The night before:
1. In a large microwaveable bowl, combine the steel-cut oats and water.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning:
1. Remove bowl from refrigerator, uncover it, and allow it to come closer to room temperature for a few minutes while adding the other ingredients.
2. Stir in the milk, cinnamon, dried fruit, and brown sugar or maple sugar to taste.
3. Place bowl, uncovered, in microwave and cook on high for 3-5 minutes, stopping and stirring it occasionally, until oatmeal is desired consistency. Don't leave the microwave unattended.
4. Remove bowl and let it sit for 1 minute. (Oatmeal will also thicken some as it cools.)
5. Enjoy with extra milk or a dollop of plain or Greek yogurt.


Enjoy!

Kielbasa with Onion and Apple

Make this dish in just 30 minutes...

I wish I had better pictures to show off the results of this recipe.
Just take my word for it: this is delicious.

This meal uses ingredients that are easy to keep on hand--freeze the kielbasa (thaw before using it), store the onion in a dark, dry place, and refrigerate the apples.

My husband says this dish is "ridiculously good," and that's pretty much it. The flavors are sweet, spicy, and smoky. I like how it has mixed but similar textures: tender kielbasa, succulent and still-a-bit-crisp apples, and soft onions.

Note: You probably can omit the butter in this recipe, but I haven't yet tried it that way. 

Side ideas: Couscous or Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or another green vegetable.

Kielbasa with Onion and Apple
Estimated total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1 pound polska kielbasa
• 1 large onion
• 2 large apples (Gala or a similar crisp variety)
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley

Instructions
1.  Cut fully-thawed kielbasa into wedges (1-inch at widest outer edge).
2.  Heat butter over medium heat in a large pot--I use a 5-quart pot. 
3.  Add kielbasa wedges to butter and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
4.  Meanwhile, slice onion into thin strips.
5.  Add onion to pan and cook for 6 minutes, stirring often.

6.  Meanwhile, slice apples into wedges (1/2-inch width at widest).
7.  Add apple slices to pan and stir.

8.  Cook the mixture for about 13 minutes or until apples are tender (they should be springy and somewhat bendable).
9.  Stir the cider vinegar and sugar to the kielbasa-onion-apple mixture. Stir. 
10.  Add the dried parsley to the mixture and stir well. 
11.  Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer for 1-2 minutes.

12.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Mini Blueberry Pies

Simple and delicious miniature pies...

I had a difficult time naming these munchkins; I wanted to invent a name more creative than "Mini Blueberry Pies." In the end, though, as occurred with my Yummy Oatmeal dilemma, I settled on that name because it is what defines them: They are miniature blueberry pies--made with a pie crust, blueberries, and a few other ingredients.

Ahhh, these little pastries are a tasty dessert. Plump, juicy blueberries, lightly sweetened and enveloped by a warm, flaky crust. I highly recommend serving these pies with vanilla ice cream because they are only lightly sweetened, and the addition of cold, smooth, ice cream balances out the sweetness and excellently complements the flavors and textures of the pies.

I don't have any pictures of the pies paired with ice cream....but you may feast your eyes upon this snazzy pic of one pie--nicely golden brown. Yum.

If you're feeling a little bit bold, you could substitute a different fruit for the blueberries. Raspberries, strawberries, or maybe even apples would likely work. I would recommend cutting large fruits (like apples and strawberries) into smallish pieces before mixing them with the sugar, flour, etc.

I'm excited to try this recipe again soon. I plan to use a different fruit and see how it goes. If you try this recipe, let me know what you think. :-)

Mini Blueberry Pies 
Estimated preparation time: 20 minutes plus time to bring crust to room temperature as per package instructions
Estimated baking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 3/4 of a pint)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• About 1 tablespoon butter, divided into fourths
• Vanilla ice cream (optional, but exceptionally tasty, accompaniment)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pie crust according to the package directions (usually it is suggested that you let the crust come to room temperature, which takes around 15 minutes--sometimes you can microwave it for a few seconds, but check the instructions).

2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Rinse the blueberries and shake off excess water.

4. In a bowl, stir together the blueberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Then add the flour. Set this mixture aside.

5. Unroll the prepared pie crust onto a cutting board.

6. Cut the crust into fourths (a pizza slicer is a great tool for this). Pull the pieces apart a bit.

7. Place a scoop of about 1/4 of blueberry mixture in the center of a pie crust piece.

8. Fold up the crust around the mixture, firmly pinching the 4 edges to form a little pouch around the blueberries. Leave the top of the mixture exposed a bit, but make sure that everything is contained inside the pie crust and there are no holes on the edges.

9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for all pieces of the crust, using equal parts of the blueberry mixture for each.
10. Place the miniature pies in a pie dish or another oven-safe dish.

11. Top each mini pie with a slice of butter (about 1/4 tablespoon for each).

12. Place the pie dish in the preheated oven on the middle rack.
13. Bake for about 10 minutes.
14. Carefully remove the dish and lightly cover the mini pies with a length of foil to avoid overly-browning the edges.
15. Place the dish back in oven and bake for about 10 more minutes.
16. Remove the dish and check the mini blueberry pies for doneness (they should be lightly golden-brown and very hot and bubbly).
17. If they aren't done yet, place them back in the oven without the foil for about 5 more minutes. The total baking time should be about 25 minutes.
18. Remove the pies from the oven.

19. Allow the mini blueberry pies to cool some before eating them because they will be quite hot.

20. Serve the pies with scoops of vanilla ice cream, or if you're gutsy, some vanilla yogurt or slightly-sweetened plain yogurt.

Enjoy!

Applesauce Toast Dessert

A simple, light dessert...

Tart applesauce and smooth cream cheese are complemented by the flavors of cinnamon and sugar. It's all sandwiched between lightly buttery slices of wholesome whole wheat toast and dusted with sweet powdered sugar.

Using ingredients that are commonly on hand, these sandwiches are easy to cook up in a pinch. It's a nice dessert that isn't full of fat and sugar. It's a tasty treat, even for kids--and they can help make it, too.

To make the dessert a bit fancier, try trimming off the crusts (before buttering the bread slices), cutting the finished sandwiches in fourths, and dusting the dainty squares with powdered sugar.

The measurements I list for the ingredients are approximations because amounts will depend on the size of bread you use--and the amounts should be according to your taste.

Applesauce Toast Dessert
Estimated time: 20 minutes
Serves: 1 sandwich per person (see ingredients below)

Ingredients
(Listed are approximate amounts for each sandwich)

• Whole wheat bread (2 slices per sandwich)
• Butter (just enough to spread lightly on 1 side of each bread slice: about 1/2 tablespoon per sandwich)
• Unsweetened applesauce (2-3 tablespoons per sandwich)
• Cream cheese, softened slightly (1-2 tablespoons per sandwich)
• Granulated sugar (just a sprinkling for each bread slice: about 1/4 teaspoon per sandwich)
• Ground cinnamon (enough to evenly sprinkle atop each bread slice: about 1/4 teaspoon per sandwich)
• Powdered sugar (about 2 teaspoons for each sandwich)

Instructions
1. Lightly butter 1 side of every bread slice (2 slices per sandwich).
2. Place the slices butter-side-down on a cutting board or plate.
3. Spread the cream cheese on half of the slices (on the un-buttered sides).
4. Spread the applesauce on the other half of the slices (on the un-buttered sides).
5. Heat a griddle or low-sided skillet over medium-low heat.
6. Lightly sprinkle some sugar on top of the applesauce-coated slices.
7. Lightly sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top of the applesauce-coated slices and the cream-cheese-coated slices (or just the ones with applesauce).
8. Carefully transfer all slices to the griddle or skillet, and arrange them in one layer--buttered-sides down.

9. Cook on medium-low heat until the buttered sides are lightly golden (it will take just a few minutes).

10. Using a spatula (of the turner or flipper variety), scoop up a cream-cheese-coated slice and place it, cream-cheese side down, on top of an applesauce-coated slice and press down lightly, making a sandwich. Repeat with the other slices.

11. Cook sandwiches for another minute on low heat, being careful not to burn them.
12. Remove sandwiches from the heat, sprinkle some powdered sugar atop each one, slice them in half, and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Pineapple Chicken

Here's a variation on the usual sweet 'n' sour chicken...

I define this dish as "semi-sweet and sour chicken" because, unlike most of my experiences with said meal, this variation isn't overly sweet. I use 2 teaspoons of sugar, which I find makes the sauce sufficiently sweet. The pineapple juice also adds some sweetness and, along with the pineapple chunks and cider vinegar, contributes a nice tartness to the dish.

This meal tastes so good. 

Start off by lightly breading and seasoning two large boneless skinless chicken breasts. Then brown the chicken slightly before placing it in an oven-safe dish (I use an 8"x8" glass Pyrex baking dish). Next, mix up the sauce, which includes pineapple juice, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, cider vinegar, and spices. The corn starch will thicken the sauce, and it'll get quite bubbly. Once you pour the sauce on top of the chicken and pop it in the oven, you can start making a side dish of quinoa or rice. Thirty minutes later, cover the chicken with the pineapple chunks and red bell pepper pieces. Twenty or thirty minutes after that, you'll be eating a delicious hot meal! 

Note: When purchasing a can of pineapple chunks, choose the type that is packaged in pineapple juice, not syrup.

Side dish ideas: Cooked quinoa or rice, steamed broccoli or Brussels sprouts, or a salad.

Pineapple Chicken
Estimated preparation time: 35 minutes
Estimated total baking time: 50 - 60 minutes
(Total time: About 90 minutes)
Serves: 2 - 4

Ingredients

• 2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 2)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the skillet)
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks in pineapple juice
• 1/2 large red bell pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Slice off any excess fat, if desired.
3. Mix together the whole wheat flour, salt, and lemon pepper seasoning.
4. Place the flour mixture in a large zip-lock bag, add the chicken, seal the bag, then gently shake it to move the chicken around and coat it with the mixture. (You could instead place the mixture in a large bowl and dredge the chicken in it.)

5. Coat the bottom of a 12-inch skillet with olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil).
6. Cook the chicken in the skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.

7. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish (an 8"x8" glass dish will work).
8. Drain the pineapple juice from the can into a two-cup measuring cup. Add water, if needed, to make 1 cup of liquid.

9. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the pineapple juice (and water), cider vinegar, soy sauce, ground ginger, onion powder, dried rosemary leaves, cornstarch, and sugar.
10. Bring sauce mixture to a boil, stirring often. Boil the mixture until it thickens and gets bubbly--about 2 minutes.

11. Pour sauce over chicken in baking dish. Sprinkle extra ground ginger on top, if desired.

12. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
*Meanwhile, prepare a quinoa or rice side dish.*
13. Slice the red bell pepper and then chop it into 1-inch pieces.

14. Remove the dish from the oven (after 30 minutes has passed).

15. Scatter the pineapple chunks and red bell pepper evenly on top of the chicken and sauce.

16. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Be sure the chicken looks fully cooked and tender.

17. Cut the chicken into large chunks before serving, if desired.

18. Serve over cooked quinoa or rice.

Enjoy!

Salad #3

Strawberries have been on sale lately...

...so I stocked up and used some of them in a dinnertime salad last week. Their sweet flavor balances the acidity of baby spinach quite nicely. I worried that combining Roma tomatoes and strawberries would be a culinary faux pas--similar crisp-juicy textures, all red--but I found that they went very well together with their varying sweet and tart flavors. Dried cranberries lend a chewy texture that breaks up the near-monotony of the vegetable and berry combination. Chopped cilantro adds a burst of freshness along with the lemon juice.

Feta cheese frequently finds its way into salads at my house: its flavor is unmatched, and using just a small amount will both brighten up a salad and enhance its palatability--it's hard to resist that savory stuff, and with moderation, it's okay not to.

Of course, we must not forget the black pepper--freshly ground over the top of the salad--and a slight sprinkling of coarse salt.

Ah, another salad. So tasty! Such a mosaic of textures and colors! And it's good for you!
Enjoy it as a side dish or the main course.

Salad #3
Estimated preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
(Note: Amounts will vary, based on the number of persons to be served. Use what looks good to you, the chef. Approximations for serving 2-4 people are listed in parentheses below.)

• Baby spinach (3 large handfuls)
• Roma tomatoes (3)
• Strawberries (8)
• Fresh cilantro (2 tablespoons)
• Dried cranberries (1-2 tablespoons)
• Juice from half a lemon
• Feta cheese, crumbled (1 tablespoon)
• Coarse salt (1/2 teaspoon or less)
• Freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the spinach into a serving bowl.
2. Wash, dry, and halve then slice the Roma tomatoes. Toss them on top of the spinach.
3. Wash, dry, de-stem, and quarter the strawberries. Put them on top of the tomatoes.
4. Rinse and pat dry the cilantro. Chop it into small pieces, and sprinkle it over the salad.
5. Measure the dried cranberries and add them to the salad. 

6. Juice a lemon and sprinkle the desired amount of juice over the salad ingredients.
7. Measure the feta cheese and toss it over the salad.
8. Add a sprinkling of coarse salt and a generous amount (to taste, of course) of freshly-ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Apple Quick Bread

Here's a tasty bread...

This recipe is for a quick bread that's yummy and wholesome. It's quick because you don't use yeast and don't let it rise before you bake it. It uses applesauce instead of oil and additional applesauce and baking soda as a substitute for one egg. I've tried making this bread with no eggs, and it works, but I like the 1-egg version better. With that one egg, the resulting bread is a bit fluffier and smoother; plus, it seems to hold together better.

No eggs? If you'd like to try the recipe without any eggs, substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 cup applesauce for each egg. That means you'll use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 cup applesauce instead of 2 eggs.

Baking soda shows up twice in this recipe: It's part of the egg substitute, and it's also combined with the flour and other dry ingredients later in the recipe.

No oil. Applesauce appears as part of the egg substitute, and it's used instead of oil (2 tablespoons) and mixed in with the egg, baking soda, and sugar at the beginning of the recipe.

Scoop or spoon? For this recipe, I recommend you scoop the flour out of its bag or container with the measuring cup(s) you'll use to measure it instead of using a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Scoop up some flour, filling the measuring cup as full as possible, and level it off with a knife. If the measuring cup isn't full enough, just spoon out a bit more to make it the correct measurement, leveling it again with a knife.

Sugar? Yup, there's 1/2 cup of it in this bread. Using less sugar should work out fine, particularly if you use sweet apples instead of tart ones (remember that the cranberries are tart, so if you decrease the sugar too much, your bread will have quite the zing to it). Next time I make this recipe, I plan to use closer to 1/4 cup of sugar, but I don't want to recommend that yet, since I don't know how it'll turn out.

All that said, however, this isn't intended to be a health-food, just a healthier food. 

I really like the taste of this bread (and my husband thinks it should be a household staple). The texture is hearty and dense, partly because the whole wheat flour doesn't contribute well to much rising, and partly because there's so much fruit-n-berry-goodness packed in there. The chopped apples are soft after baking. The cranberries are softened on the inside but remain somewhat firm and often pop (watch out) as you bite into them.....mmmhmm. The cinnamon adds a real nice spice that tempers the sweet and tart flavors of the fruit and the wheaty, almost nutty flavor of the flour.

I think this bread is most delightful when served warm--just after cooling for a bit on a wire rack, or re-heated for a few seconds in the microwave later...that is if any is left after it cools....

Cranberry Apple Quick Bread
Estimated preparation time: 20 - 25 minutes
Estimated baking time: 60 minutes
Estimated cooling time: 5 minutes
Serves: 6 - 10

Ingredients

• 1 egg (or substitute 1/4 cup applesauce + 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for this egg)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons applesauce
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour (scooped out with measuring cup)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (this is in addition to the 1/4 teaspoon listed above)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 cup milk
• 1-1/2 cups tart apples, peeled and chopped (about 1 or 2 apples, depending on their size)
• 1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries (can add an additional 1/4-1/2 cup if desired)

Instructions

1. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg.
4. Add the applesauce, 1/4 teaspoon of the baking soda, and the sugar and mix thoroughly.
5. In another bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
6. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just till combined.
7. Pour in the milk and stir thoroughly.
8. Add the apples and cranberries and stir--the batter will be thick.

9. Transfer the mixture to the greased loaf pan.

10. Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the loaf comes out clean.

11. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool further.
12. Can be frozen for enjoyment later or served now!

Enjoy!