The Perfect Pre-Mixed Oatmeal Blend

If you've ever breastfed or been friends with someone who has, you know oatmeal is the best.  It is filling when you are recovering from birth and trying to survive those newborn days, plus it has the added benefit of helping to maintain your milk supply.  I am all for letting plant foods work their magic on our bodies. 

During this pregnancy, and most of the time when I’m not pregnant, my two go-to breakfasts are green smoothies and oatmeal. Lately, I have been enjoying raw oatmeal bowls with defrosted berries, homemade almond milk, and lots of extra goodies like dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and coconut. I decided it was in my best postpartum-interest to make a pre-mixed container of oats and dried goodies for the hubby to scoop, mix with fruit and almond milk, and serve me those much-needed calories while I was recovering. 

This recipe is what I came up with for my preferences and needs, but feel free to change the ingredients and amounts to suit your needs. The rolled oat mixture can be used raw, as I enjoyed it this summer, as well as cooked by stove top or microwave. I provide all of those preparation options in the Instructions below.  Enjoy!

(Note, I combined my mixture in a VERY large bowl and in two batches.)

The Perfect Pre-Mixed Oatmeal Blend
Time: 10 minutes to prep
Servings: approx. 20 - 1 cup servings

Ingredients:
        10 cups rolled oats
         5 cups unsweetened coconut (shredded or chips)
         2 1/2 cups raisins (or other dried fruit)

         2 1/2 cups hemp seeds

         1 1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)

         1 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds

         1 1/4 cup chia seeds (whole or ground)

         1/4 cup ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1.)  In a VERY large bowl or container (or in two half batches), mix together all ingredients.  Store in an air-tight jar or container in the fridge, scooping out 1 cup per serving.  Use one of the following ways to prep and enjoy your oatmeal.

• Prep for Raw Oatmeal Bowl - In a large soup bowl, mix together the following and enjoy:
• 1 cup defrosted mixed berries
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 cup Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend
• 1/2-1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt (optional)

• Prep for a Hot Oatmeal Bowl using a Microwave - In a large soup bowl, mix together the pre-mixed oatmeal and water, then microwave for 3 minutes on high, allow to cool for 2 minutes before adding fresh fruit and plant milk.
• 1 cup Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 cup fresh berries
• 1/2-1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt (optional)

• Prep for a Hot Oatmeal Bowl on the Stovetop - In a small saucepan, mix together the pre-mixed oatmeal and water and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Allow to simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.  Allow the oatmeal to cool for 2 minutes before serving with fresh fruit and plant milk.
• 1 cup Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup fresh berries
• 1/2-1 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt (optional)

• Bonus use!  Add 1/2 cup of the Perfect Pre-Mix Oatmeal Blend to any smoothie to give it some extra oomph.

Amy's Notes:
I find it best to store this mix in the fridge.  Since I have added ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds - all of which I keep stored in the fridge on their own - refrigeration is best in my opinion.

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Millet with Mushrooms and Garlic

Some personal stuff.

It has been a minute.  I have been so far out of the blogging routine because Instagram has been such a quick and easy way to share my day-to-day and quickly thrown together recipes.  But, for the sake of followers (and myself), I thought I would start posting some of my regular recipes again on the blog.  Yes, I totally use my blog as a personal recipe box, with my Three-Bean Chili and Vegan Ranch Dressing being the two recipes I look up and cook most often.  Hopefully, you get as much use out of my recipes as I do. ;)

Lots of things have been happening around the kitchen and our household since I last formally posted on the blog.  Like most of you, the virus has created a fairly isolated Spring and Summer of 2020 so far.  BUT, we have an additional reason to quarantine at this time.  If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you already know the answer... We are due with baby #2, a girl, in August!  At 37 weeks currently, it feels like it is just around the corner and I still feel like I have a million things left to get done.

I'm so grateful to have had a reasonably comfortable pregnancy with no health issues.  Many of my appointments with my midwife this time have been virtual, which I really don't mind not having to drive or mask up for very many visits.  At this point, baby girl's growth is great and we are just counting down the days until she makes her appearance.  Her official due date is 8/8, and with Ben's birthday being 10/10, we think that would be a wonderful pattern to have with our kid's birthdays.  We'll see if she agrees when the time comes.

The attempted family photo over 4th of July weekend. 

Literally the best family photo we've ever taken. 
This was on a lovely hike near the Carbon River in Rainier National Park.

Ben checking out a special tree cubby in Rainier National Park. 
This area of the park, north of the mountain, is all old-growth forest.

The last few weeks I have been organizing and preparing her room and the house before the birth (the nesting instinct is STRONG this time!).  I'd like to leave no to-do list item unchecked, so when I get any burst of energy, I take it and waddle with it (see what I did there ;)).  This weekend we cleaned out and cleaned up the garage, got the car seats cleaned and resituated, and I did some freezer meal prep (Three-Bean Chili to the postpartum rescue).

Some recipe stuff.

This Spring I read Dr. Fuhrman's newest book, Eat for Life (affiliate link), and took a week or so to mourn the need to ditch rice varieties from my diet.  He explains in the book that rice, even organic brown or wild rice, should be limited since they contain arsenic.  The arsenic is now so prevalent in US soils that cultivate rice from decades of pesticide and herbicide abuse, that we are unlikely to find rice in the US that doesn't have some amount of arsenic in it.  That is all to say, millet and I have become good buddies since I've resolved to severely limit my rice intake.

Millet is not a grain, but, like quinoa, is actually a seed.  Now, quinoa is great, and it definitely tastes better when you give it a good rinse and cook it properly, but I have never been crazy about it.  The Husband, on the other hand, loves quinoa and will gladly eat it most days of the week.  I have come to prefer millet over most whole grains, so it is now my go-to "grain" for hot dishes and hearty salads.  It cooks up about as quickly as quinoa and has a great fridge shelf life of 5-7 days depending on the type of seasonings or sauces you add.



Because millet is a small seed, it can be a bit tricky to wash it.  In my recipes, I always suggest fine-mesh strainer, but I actually don't own one.  I have one of these OXO strainers specifically meant to wash grains and seeds.  If you're looking to add to your kitchen tools, this is the one I use and love.

I have found that sometimes millet gets a little dry sitting in the fridge, so if I'm going to reheat it, I add a tablespoon or two of water or vegetable broth before reheating.  This can usually be avoided if I add a dressing, but adding sauce often shortens its fridge storage time.

Millet with Mushrooms and Garlic

Time: 5-minute prep, 30-minute cook time

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:

        1 cup dried millet, rinsed and drained

        3 cups water (or no-salt vegetable broth)

        1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped (or 1/2 cup dried mushrooms)

        4-6+ cloves garlic, minced

        Liquid aminos and nutritional yeast to taste

Instructions:

1.)  In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse and drain the millet.

2.)  In a medium saucepan, bring the water (or broth), millet, mushrooms, and garlic to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so, checking occasionally and turning the heat off once all of the liquid is absorbed.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes with the lid on and removed from the heat.

3.)  Stir lightly to fluff with a fork.  Serve hot and topped with liquid aminos and nutritional yeast to taste.  See notes for serving suggestions.

Amy's Notes:

I like to serve this millet hot as part of a nourish bowl.  For example, I served 1 cup of millet for lunch the other day with water sauteed greens and onions, sweet potatoes, tofu, zucchini, avocado, and a tahini mustard sauce.  (Please note that I am pregnant, so this is more avocado than I would normally add otherwise.  And I'm not mad about it one bit!)

Want to up your salad game? Add 1/2 to 1 cup of this millet dish from the fridge to your next big green salad.  I particularly like it with raw kale, a bean or lentil, pepitas, raw red onion, shredded apple, and a creamy cashew dressing like my Vegan Ranch Dressing.

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Easy Apple ONOs (Overnight Oats) for the Work Week

I recently started a new part time day job.  It's actually at my husband's alternative high school managing their student data.  It is a bit monotonous, but I'm a huge spreadsheet nerd and actually LOVE the quiet time to listen to music and chug away at my work.  It's also REALLY nice that Kevin and I are on opposite schedules, so when he is leaving for the day, I get there and vice versa on other days.  That allows us to trade off Ben, but still get family time together in the evenings for at least an hour before Ben goes to bed.

With this new job comes a predictable schedule, which is the best part.  We started sleep training Ben back when he was 6 weeks old, and now at one year old, he has always done best on a set nap and sleep schedule.  (This is 100% because of MyBabyCanSleep.com... if you're a mama or dada with a babe and NEED to get naps and sleep under control, I would recommend them to the moon and back!)  Predicability in work and nap schedules also finally means predictability in meal times for me!

I find it easiest to stick to my health goals by prepping meals ahead of time.  Lately breakfast has been a hard meal for me to fit in, so I took control this Sunday and made my breakfasts for the week.  This overnight oat (ONO) recipe is one I've made in single servings many times before, but with this busy mama's schedule, I needed to bump it up to 5 weekday servings.  Hope you enjoy!

Easy Apple ONOs (Overnight Oats) for the Work Week
Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 5 servings (approximately 1 1/2 cups each)

Ingredients:
    2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
    2-3 large apples (or 5 small), cored and finely chopped
    1/4 cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
    5 Tbsp chia seeds
    2.5 Tbsp ground flaxseeds
    1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or bit of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg)
    5 cups plant-based milk (see my notes below)

Instructions:
1.)  In a large bowl mix together all of the ingredients except for the plant-based milk.
2.)  Pour in the plant-based milk and mix together until thoroughly coated.
3.)  Measure approximately 1.5 cups per serving into 5 air-tight containers.  Store in the fridge and eat them for breakfast during the week, but allow to sit at least overnight before serving.

Amy's Notes:
For the plant-based milk, I like to use my homemade cashew milk (basic recipe here) or an unsweetened 30 calorie store bought milk.

These ONOs can be eaten cold straight from the fridge or heated for a minute or two in the microwave.  You can also add some extra goodies when you eat them such as extra fruit, coconut shavings, bit of dried fruit, extra plant-milk, etc.


Health and Happiness,

Amy

Creamy Wild Rice and Lentil Stew

I threw this soup together one evening a while back and it ended up being BenBen's first not-just-one-ingredient food.  We are doing Baby Led Weaning, and you can read more about that here.  I think these pictures tell you how much he enjoyed it.

Made as written below it is a thick stew, but I have been thinning out individual servings with extra vegetable broth and having as a yummy soup.  This recipe is one of those set it and forget it recipes for a pressure cooker, but you can easily adapt it for a slow cooker or on the stove top.  Hope you enjoy half as much as Ben did!

Creamy Wild Rice and Lentil Stew
Time: 15 minute prep, 25 minutes high pressure
Servings: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
    Veggies:    
        1/2 onion, chopped
        2 carrots, peeled and chopped
        1 cup chopped mushrooms
        1 cup chopped tomatoes
        6 cups vegetable broth
    Dry ingredients:
        1/2 cup brown lentils
        1/2 cup black eyed peas
        1/2 cup black rice
        1/2 cup brown rice
    Spices:
         1 Tbsp no salt seasoning (I use Mrs. Dash)
         1 Tbsp oregano
         2 tsp parsley
         1 tsp cumin
         1/2 tsp corriander
         1/2 tsp onion powder
         1/2 tsp garlic powder
         1/2 tsp smoked paprika
    Optional after cooking:
         salt and pepper to taste
         1/2 cup cashew cream
         additional vegetable broth to thin
         fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions:
1.)  Place the vegetables, vegetable broth, dry ingredients, and spices in a pressure cooker and stir.
2.)  Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes and allow for a natural pressure release.
3.)  After the pressure has released, you can salt and pepper to taste, add 1/2 cup cashew cream (directions to make in my notes below), add vegetable broth to thin the recipe or individual portions, and add fresh parsley to garnish.

Amy's Notes:
To make 2 cups of cashew cream, in a high-power blender, blend together 1 cup of raw cashews and one cup of filtered water.  Blend on high, stopping and scraping the sides, and blend until smooth and creamy.  This will keep for a little over a week in the fridge, perhaps longer, but I generally go through it sooner than that.

Alternatively, you could thin the soup with an unsweetened plant milk of your choice rather than adding additional vegetable broth and cashew cream.

Health and Happiness,

Amy

5-Minute Banana Bread Oatmeal

I eat oatmeal every. single. day.  And I love it!  Oatmeal is probably my second favorite food, second only to watermelon (ooooohhhh yeeeaaahhh watermelon season is just around the corner!!!).  I first loved oatmeal when I was in high school.  My dad started eating oatmeal in the mornings to help with his blood pressure and cholesterol that was high at the time from medication he had to take for his autoimmune kidney disease (which is totally gone now thanks to a WFPB diet!).  Even in high school I had (and still have) that "I want to be like daddy" feeling.  So, I tried oatmeal with a bunch of brown sugar and loved it.  At that time it was my new favorite dessert.

When I started a Nutritarian lifestyle my junior year of college in 2011, I had oatmeal a few times a week for breakfast, but with no brown sugar this time.  I loved it cooked with bananas and plant milk the most.  Then a few years into eating this way I started to lean towards having just fruit or a smoothie for breakfast, having oatmeal less frequently.

Now, as a breastfeeding mom, oatmeal is my everyday morning companion.  Oatmeal is one of those foods that is always suggested to help mothers maintain their milk supply.  Here is a nice article about that.  I'm happy that my daily oatmeal is now not only good for me, but good for Ben too.  Since I have oatmeal most every morning, I've slowly perfected several recipes that I love.  #1 on that list is Banana Bread Oatmeal.  This is the ultimate bowl of cozy yum yum!

Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 servings

Ingredients:
    Oatmeal:
        1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
        3/4 to 1 cup boiling water (I use water heated in my teapot)
        1 Tbsp ground flaxseeds (optional)
    Banana bread goo:
        1 small-medium banana
        1/2 cup plant-based milk
        1/2 tsp vanilla extract
        1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg)
        2 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Instructions:
1.)  In a smaller bowl mix together the rolled oats and ground flaxseeds.  Pour 3/4-1 cup boiling water over evenly and allow to sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
2.)  In a medium-sized bowl mash the banana with a fork until creamy but with some chunks.  Add in the plant-based milk, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and walnuts, stirring thoroughly.
3.)  Place banana mixture in the microwave for 1 minute on high.
4.)  Take the steeping oatmeal and scoop onto the heated banana mixture.  Serve immediately.

Amy's Notes:
If you prefer your oatmeal less chewy, cook it on the stovetop before combining it with the banana mixture.  I find my this way of cooking it is easier (because I'm already heating water for tea in the morning) and produces a chewy texture that I prefer oatmeal to be.  Adjust it to your tastes though.  :)

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Pinterest Reference:

Cauliflower and Spinach Risotto

Have you ever had risotto?  Risotto is one of those dishes that I used to only be able to get at restaurants and would roll my eyes in ecstasy when I saw it on the menu.  Still to this day, my favorite dish at a restaurant ever is a Brasilian risotto at Kevin and my favorite restaurant near our college town.  We actually went there for our first date (4 years ago, today happens to be our 4 year dating anniversary :)).

Until recently, the fancy name and decadent nature of a risotto had me resigned to think of it as a restaurant only food.  No more!  In Jill Nussinow's amazing pressure cooking cookbook, The New Fast Food, she walks you through how perfectly easy and delicious making risotto at home can be.

To make the recipe below, I adapted her Basic Risotto recipe (page 53) to include cauliflower "rice", some of my favorite spices, and some frozen spinach (as she recommends on page 54).  I included cauliflower "rice" in this recipe 1.) to cut down on calories (aka so I can eat more of it), and 2.) to use up some cauliflower I had had in my fridge since last week.

Lately, I have been getting most of my produce from Costco, as I discussed in this post.  So, when I pick a veggie to eat, I generally need to commit to it, as they come in larger quantities from Costco.  I had had some steamed cauliflower for dinner the other day, but other than that, the cauliflower in my fridge wasn't calling my name, UNTIL, I remembered you can make "rice" with cauliflower!  I may not be into eating a full cup or so of cauliflower florets this week, but I can get onboard with "rice"!

This recipe is more strictly a Pressure Cooker recipe, as I have never made risotto without my IP.  If you give it a shot on the stovetop, please let me know how it goes and what times it took everything to cook!

Cauliflower and Spinach Risotto
Pressure Cooker Time: 5 minute prep, 5 minutes at pressure, quick release
Servings: 4 servings

 Ingredients:
        1/2 onion, finely chopped
        3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
        4 cups vegetable broth
        1+1/2 cup arborio rice
        1 tsp dried basil
        1/2 tsp dried parsley
        1/4 tsp white pepper (optional)

        2 cups uncooked "riced" cauliflower (directions here)
        1/2 cup water

        1-10oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and liquid squeezed out
        lemon juice and nutritional yeast to garnish

Instructions:
1.)  In a heated pressure cooker, saute the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes, adding small amounts of water to prevent burning.
2.)  Add in the vegetable broth, arborio rice, and spices.  Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 3 minutes.
3.)  Quick release the pressure.
4.)  After the pressure has been release, take care to remove the lid, then stir in the "riced" cauliflower and additional 1/2 cup water.
5.)  Lock the lid in place again and cook at high pressure for 2 additional minutes.
6.)  Quick release the pressure.
7.)  Remove the lid and stir in the spinach.  Season with black pepper and lemon juice to taste.  Serve hot with some nutritional yeast sprinkled on top.

Amy's Notes:
For this recipe, the type of rice is very important!  Arborio rice is particularly for risotto, so traditional brown rice varieties won't work, at least not with the amount of time I suggested.

Once the recipe was done, I was super surprised not to taste the cauliflower at all.  I know it is there, but if I didn't make it, I wouldn't have known.  Yay for hidden veggies!

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Lentil and Wild Rice Pilaf

Pilaf... isn't that a fun word to say?  Pilaf.  A pilaf is essentially defined as a rice dish cooked in a seasoned broth which may also include vegetables (yay!) and meat (yuck! let's go with lentils instead.).

Last weekend Kevin and I took a trip north to Vancouver, BC for his Birthday (I'll share pictures in another post this week).  We had a great time, but probably spent a bit too much on dining out and at attractions, so we went into money saving mode this week.  For me, that means using up all the food in the fridge and being creative with our pantry staples on hand before thinking about grocery shopping.

Voila!  Lentil and Wild Rice Pilaf!

Lentil and Wild Rice Pilaf
Prep Time: 5 minutes (plus 30 minute soak)
Pressure Cooker Time: 5 minute saute, 9 minutes at high pressure, natural pressure release
(OR) Stovetop Cooking Time: 5 minute saute, 40 minutes simmering, 10 minutes resting
Servings: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
    Rice and lentils: soak the following for 30 minutes before cooking      
        1/2 cup black or green lentils
        1/4 cup brown rice
        1/4 cup black rice
    Vegetables:
        1 cup sliced mushrooms
        1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
        1 stalk celery, finely chopped
        3 cloves garlic, pressed/minced
    Spices:
        1 Tbsp italian seasoning blend (no-salt added)
        1 tsp fennel seeds
        1 tsp dried coriander
        1 bay leaf
        1/2 tsp ground black pepper
        1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    2 cups vegetable broth

Pressure Cooker Instructions:
1.)  Combine the lentils and rice in a medium bowl and cover with water.  Allow to soak for 30 minutes before draining and rinsing thoroughly.
2.)  In the pressure cooker, saute the vegetables over high heat for 3-5 minutes, adding small amounts of water as needed to prevent burning.
3.)  To the pressure cooker, add the lentils, rice, spices, and vegetable broth.
4.)  Lock the lid in place and bring to high pressure.  Cook at high pressure for 9 minutes.  Once time is up, cancel the warming feature (IP) or remove from heat and allow the pressure to come down naturally.
5.)  After the pressure has released, stir the pilaf.  If liquid remains, allow the pilaf to sit for 5 more minutes uncovered before serving to absorb more liquid.  Serve alongside fresh or steamed vegetables.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:
1.)  Combine the lentils and rice in a medium bowl and cover with water.  Allow to soak for 30 minutes before draining and rinsing thoroughly.
2.)  In a medium/large sized saucepan, saute the vegetables over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, adding small amounts of water as needed to prevent burning.
3.)  To the saucepan, add the lentils, rice, spices, and vegetable broth.
4.)   Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Once a boil is reached, turn the head down to low to maintain a simmer for 40 minutes.  After 40 minutes, remove from heat keeping the lid on and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
5.)  After 10 minutes, stir and serve alongside fresh or steamed vegetables.

Amy's Notes:
I have made this recipe in my pressure cooker, so have not tested out the stovetop cooking instructions first hand.  You may need to monitor the stovetop version to add more water while cooking.

Fennel seeds are one of my new favorite spices, but if that doesn't float your boat, try adding 1 tsp of your favorite dried herb instead, such as rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley, or oregano.  The fennel seeds are not overwhelming, but if even just a tiny bit isn't your thing, go with something else.

This recipe can be adapted to use just about any type of rice, so if you don't want to scare of some non-ETL-ers away with the dark color, try just using all brown rice.

For this recipe, I used homemade vegetable broth, but feel free to use store bought instead.  Just make sure to watch for the excess sodium in some store brands.

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Apple Pie Oatmeal in the Pressure Cooker

Apples.  Apples!  Apples are probably my #1 favorite fall food.  GASP!  But what about pumpkin everything!?!  I know, I know, pumpkins are great.  I love seeing pumpkin everything over the blogosphere, Instagram, and Pinterest, but apples will always have my fall heart.

Being from Washington, we have some of the best apples in the world.  I have memories as a small child bringing my dad a big apple to bite into and get started for my tiny teeth.  I remember making apple pies with my mom, and the smell that would fill the kitchen.  I remember all through high school my mom packing my lunch with an apple and peanut butter sandwich just about every day. (Ha!  I was geared towards being vegetarian before I knew it!)

It seems that every year I go apple picking or to produce stands, I find a new variety that I've never seen before.  Golden delicious had always been my favorite as a kid, but now I have discovered Jonagolds, Ambrosias, and Pink Ladies... I just can't decide!

This recipe is to appease that fall/holiday craving for apple pie, but in a Nutritarian-friendly way.  I would suggest using a sweater apple for the recipe, but feel free to experiment with your favorites!

Apple Pie Oatmeal (Pressure Cooker)
Time: 5 minutes prep, 3 minutes High Pressure, quick release
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:
        2 apples, washed, cored and finely chopped
        2 cups rolled oats
        2 1/2 cups water (more if you like your oatmeal thinner)
        1/2 tsp cinnamon
        1/2 tsp vanilla extract
        1/4 tsp ground ginger
        1/4 tsp nutmeg
Topping options: plant-based milk, almonds, walnuts, raisins, craisins, banana slices, etc.

Instructions:
1.)  Cut the apples and place them first into the pressure cooker.
2.)  Sprinkle the rolled oats and spices over the apples. (This will help keep the oats from sticking and make sure the apples get thoroughly cooked.)
3.)  Add water and lock the pressure cooker.  Set to high pressure for 3 minutes, then do a quick release after cooking.
4.)  Serve hot with any of the suggested toppings.  This time I added chopped walnuts and a bit of extra cinnamon.

Amy's Notes:
This recipe could easily be adapted for the stove top, but would just require more stirring and watching, and would, of course, take quite a bit longer.

Either way you make this oatmeal, be prepared for a delicious breakfast treat that reminds me of falls at home... can you tell I might be a bit homesick since our move across state?

Health and Happiness,

Amy

Patriotic Grain Salad

It seems like the summer is just flying by!  I can't believe the 4th of July is on Friday already.  Although I'm not planning on going to any BBQs or Pot-Lucks this holiday, I thought I would make a salad to enjoy over the weekend regardless.  This salad is grain-based and very filling.  It is great to have on its own or on top of a pile of dark greens yum!

Patriotic Grain Salad
Time: 20 minutes + grain cooking/cooling time
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
    Salad:
        6 cups cooked whole grains*
        3 cups red cabbage, shredded
        1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
        1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
    Dressing:
        1 package firm silken tofu, drained but not pressed (approx 12-14 oz)
        1/2 English cucumber, roughly chopped, unpeeled
        1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
        2 cloves garlic
        1 tsp dried or 2 tsp fresh dill
        black pepper to taste

Instructions:
1.)  Cook the whole grain following the box instructions.  Allow to cook and cool while you prepare the other ingredients and dressing.  Make sure to drain any excess liquid from the cooked grains.
2.)  Prepare the remaining salad ingredients and mix in a large bowl.

3.)  In a high speed blender, blend the tofu, lemon juice, and garlic until smooth and creamy.  It should be just thinner than a greek yogurt.  Add in the cucumber, mint, and dill and pulse until the cucumber is finely chopped and the spices are well mixed.

4.)  Stir the cooked and cooled grain into the salad bowl.  Top with small amounts of the dressing and stir.  Keep adding until you have the desired amount of dressing on your salad.
5.)  Serve chilled with fresh dill sprinkled on top (optional).

Amy's Notes:
*The grain pictured in this recipe is millet, but quinoa would look very similar.  Some other grain options include barley, wheat berries, brown rice, bulgur, farrow, or wild rice.

Ok, so I was originally going for a red, white, and blue theme in this salad for patriotism, but sometimes you just have to use your imagination.  The red is the radishes, the white is the dressing and grain, and the blue is the red onion and cabbage... close enough right?

The salad dressing, if you didn't notice, is very much like a Greek tzatziki sauce.  If you have any left over (I used all of mine on the salad), serve it as a yummy yogurt-like chip or veggie dip.

Gah!  This one is blurry!  Seriously, I need a better camera than my iPad!

Vegan Red Beans and Rice

While Kevin and I were on our (year and a half later) honeymoon last month, our cruise left out of Galveston, Texas, and we were determined to try some Cajun food before we headed back home.  We planned on staying two extra days after our cruise made it back to Texas so that we could check out the Houston Zoo and NASA Space Center.

The evening after the zoo, we explored a small pier area near our hotel close to NASA, called Kemah Boardwalk.  The little rides and shops were wonderfully picturesque, but unfortunately, it started to downpour with a huge thunder storm passing through.  In the distance about a half a mile from the boardwalk, we could see a place called the Swamp Shack.  With no taxis in sight, we decided to hike it through the storm to get our taste of Cajun food.

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, we were soaking!  We rewarded our daring hike through the storm with a pitcher of beer and ordered some delicious food.  Kevin got a giant platter of crawdads, while I ordered a big bowl of red beans and rice.  These beans were not Nutritarian-friendly and contained meat, but after a long trip, I was happy to have some beans in my system, and boy they were delicious!

Once we got home, I knew I would be able to recreate the Red Beans and Rice in a vegan version.  After doing some research on red beans and rice, I came up with my own recipe.  WOW!  This will be a new regular recipe for our household for sure!

Vegan Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Prep time: 12 hours, or 1 hour quick-soak
Cook time: 2.5 hours
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
        1 lb dried red beans, soaked over night or using the quick-soak method (see directions below)
        1 medium sweet/yellow onion, finely chopped
        1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
        3 celery stalks, finely chopped
        4 cloves garlic, minced (approximately 1 Tbsp)
        4 cups vegetable broth
        2 cups water
        1 Tbsp chili powder
        1 tsp smoked paprika (or add regular paprika and a drop or two of liquid smoke)
        1 tsp thyme
        1/2 tsp oregano
        1/2 tsp parsley
        2 bay leaves
        1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
        Fresh ground black pepper to taste

        Cooked brown rice or whole grain of your choosing
        Sliced green onions to top
        Favorite hot sauce to top

Instructions:
    Bean Pre-Soak:
        1.)  In a colander, rinse the dried beans and pick out any sticks, stones, or wrinkled beans.
        2.)  Place the sorted beans into a large pot and add water until the beans are covered by two or three inches of water.  Allow to soak overnight, or do the quick-soak.
        3.)  If you are choosing to quick-soak, bring the pot of beans and water to a boil.  Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat and cover.  Allow to sit for 1 hour.
        4.)  After pre-soaking with either technique, drain the beans and rinse with cool, clean water.

    Red Beans and Rice:
        1.)  In the empty pot that the beans were soaking it, water saute over medium-high heat the finely chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic for several minutes, until fragrant and tender.  Add small amounts of water to prevent the veggies from sticking to the pot.
        2.)  Add in the spices, vegetable broth, water, and beans.
        3.)  Bring to a boil on high heat, then turn to low, COVER, and simmer for 2 hours.  Make sure to maintain a good simmer, increasing the heat as needed.
        4.)  After cooking for 2 hours, the beans should be very tender.  Cook for 30 minute increments at a time and test if they are not.  When tender, use an immersion blender or a hand-potato masher to mash some of the beans.  Do not puree the whole pot, you want most beans to remain intact.
        5.)  After lightly blending or mashing, allow the pot to simmer for 30 more minutes with the lid off, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent the bottom from burning.
        6.)  Serve hot with a hefty serving of the beans in a bowl and top with a few scoops of rice, green onion, and your favorite hot sauce.

Amy's Notes:
The traditional southern dish of red beans and rice, obviously, comes with rice, but feel free to use whatever whole grain you want.  I would suggest trying brown rice, wild rice, barley, farrow, or quinoa!

Feel free to make this dish as mild or as spicy as you want it by adding more cayenne pepper while cooking, or hot sauce when serving.

This recipe could work perfectly for a dinner party with vegans and non-vegans alike.  It would be really easy to cook up some andouille sausage on the side for meat eaters, like my husband, to add in to their liking.  some excellent side dishes could be corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and corn bread.  Yum!