I hope everyone is doing well on this fine Saturday morning. I just finished a bowl of pumpkin oatmeal and coffee, both of which are contributing to the start of what should be a great Saturday. I haven't bloggy blogged since Wednesday, so I'll give you a quick rundown what I have been up to.
Here are the crispy lentils from Wednesday nights fire hazard.
Here are the lentils prior to the burn. They were actually pretty delicious! The recipe was from Whole Foods, and the dish was described as Indian baked beans. I was excited to make this because I was able to use my coconut oil for actual cooking instead of as a facial treatment!
Baked Coconut Lentils
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pound lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 1 cup pitted dates, chopped
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in ginger and turmeric and cook 1 minute. Add 6 cups water, lentils and dates and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir in tamari and transfer lentils to a 2-quart baking dish or casserole. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then uncover, top with coconut and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until lentils are tender and coconut is golden
I didn't have any dates on hand so I went without them. The dish was still quite tasty, but the dates would definitely have added more to the flavor and texture.
New fave pumpkin oatmeal! I adapted the recipe from Sweet Tooth Sweet Life after salivating over it while reading the blog.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
(adapted from Sweet Tooth Sweet Life)
- 1/3 cup oats
- 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1/3 – 2/3 cup water
- 2 tsp chia seeds
- 1/2 mashed banana ( I didn't have a nanner, but the oats tasted great without it!)
- 1/4 cup egg whites
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup pumpkin
- cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
- Various Toppings: raisins, chopped nuts, granola, nut butter, maple syrup ( I used maple syrup, almond butter, and coconut!)
Combine oats, milk, water, and chia seeds in saucepot on stovetop. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, stir in remaining ingredients. Continue stirring occasionally until desired consistency is reached. Add toppings and feast!
I made this gem for dinner on Thursday night. This easy pasta dish is one of my fave meals my mom makes and I finally decided to make it in my own kitchen! My mom will kill me when she sees this pic because the recipe calls for orecchiette -not noodles. When I first asked for the recipe and said that I was going to use quinoa pasta instead of regular pasta, she told me that the dish wouldn't be the same and that I should just follow the recipe. I did intend on using regular pasta, but coincidently I forgot to buy it and only had soba noodles! I didn't feel like going out just for pasta, so I went ahead with what I had on hand. The dish came out awesome, but I would recommend using orecchiette. You were right, Mom!
Orecchiette with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
-1 pound Italian Sausage (I use 1/2 fennel sausage and 1/2 hot,spicy), casings removed and meat crumbled. (Turkey or chicken sausage work fine, too.) I used precooked chicken sausage, but I think the Italian Sausage is much better
· 1 pound Orecchiette pasta
· 1 pound (bunch) broccoli rabe, washed, trimmed, and cut into 3-inch pieces
· 2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
· 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
· 3-4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
· Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
· Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Directions
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add sausage meat and cook, stirring, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a bowl; set sausage and skillet aside.
2. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and broccoli rabe. Cook 1 minute and remove broccoli rabe, set aside. Return the pot of water to boiling.
3. Add pasta to pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain, reserving 2 cups of pasta water.
4. Place reserved skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and fennel seed. Cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add drained broccoli rabe, and sausage to the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes and then add the orecchiette. Stir to combine, adding 1-2 cups reserved cooking liquid (or chicken broth) and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.
This dish reheats very well. Just add an extra splash of chicken broth before reheating.
Hmmmm... I wonder what's in here?
Oh, a brown butter pumpkin spice cupcake with carmalized pumpkin seeds! I could not think of a better thing to be inside that little box. :) My fabulous boyfriend picked this up for me in his work travels. Luckily, he was out when I enjoyed this slice of heaven so I didn't have to share :) It. Was. Amazing.
I have a few more things to share, but I have to shower and get ready to go apple picking! YAY! I will be back later with a few more fun things.
Something to think about: I have read a plethora of articles that discuss how mindless we are when we eat. We watch tv, read, or fiddle around with the computer while we midlessly munch away on whatever meal or snack is in front of us. I am TOTALLY guilty of "multitasking" while I eat, and there are times when I have no choice but to eat while doing something else. With that said, I am making an effort to focus on just eating when I am having a meal or snack. Have you ever tried to do nothing but eat when you are eating? IT IS HARD!!!! I find myself subconsciously reaching for my cell phone or the nearest magazine because I am simply not used to just EATING. I challenge you to try this and shut EVERYTHING off while you eat. If you already do this, you are pretty awesome because I find it to be a huge challenge!
xo
Sarah
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