Banana Oat Pancakes

Lately, I must admit I have been a huge fan of crepes- they are light and delicate and lend themselves to infinite possibilities when it comes to fillings.

However, there is something about pancakes that is comforting and nourishing and dare I say, even nostalgic. One of my earliest childhood food memories is of my Mom actually allowing us to have pancakes for dinner! It was indeed a highlight that all of us enjoyed. My Dad is still a great pancake maker and nobody can beat his pancakes especially when we have a huge crowd! Sadly, Dad's recipe is not GF so, I have devised one here that will get the test at the next family breakfast gathering.

Below is my gluten-free spin on this age old breakfast classic. Please feel free to tweak to your own interpretation as far as the spices and toppings go- I used both cinnamon and nutmeg but you might like to add vanilla or use blueberry compote as a topping. There is yogurt in the batter, but you might want to add a dollop on top. Whatever you do, I think you will really enjoy these!

Banana Oat Pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups oats ( I used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free)

1/2 buckwheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp sugar, honey or agave

1 cup yogurt ( I used goat milk yogurt)

1 cup milk ( almond, coconut, etc can be substituted)

2 eggs lightly beaten

dash of cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

sliced banana and a handful of toasted walnuts for topping

Maple or Agave syrup for finishing

Method

1. Place the rolled oats in a food processor and pulse until you get a shaggy flour. Mix oat flour with the rest of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine and stir until incorporated.

2. Let batter sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This helps to get them to rise high and light.

3. Cook on a griddle until browned on both sides.

4. Serve with topped with bananas and walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup or agave syrup.

Make your own Nutella

If any two ingredients were a match made in heaven it's chocolate and hazelnuts! Spread on some really great bread or rolled up in a crepe = sublime.

I love this stuff but in my quest to eat as few preservatives, over-refined nasty oils and ingredients that I can't pronounce, I have stayed away from the commercial brand of Nutella.

Here is what the label on Nutella says:

          • Over 50 Hazelnuts per 13 oz. Jar
          • Contains No Artificial Colors
          • Contains No Artificial Preservatives
 

ingredients: sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced minerals whey (milk), lecithin as emulsifier (soy), vanillin: an artificial flavor.

Food manufacturers today think it' perfectly okay to put soy in everything (which BTW is not as great as it has been made out to be- I will riff on that subject on another post), and wow- it has no artificial colors or preservatives, but artificial flavor is okay?? C'mon! Only 50 hazelnuts? ....and notice that sugar and palm oil are the first ingredients. 

If you are a food label fanatic like me, you know that ingredients are listed in order of the most to the least- so if you want a mouthful of sugar and palm oil get this stuff and be done. You also need to be mindful of what type of palm oil is being used- here they don't specify but there's palm fruit oil (taken from the fruit) and palm kernel oil (taken from the seed which is super high in saturated fat- 80% to be exact as opposed to 50% in the palm fruit oil). Consuming this type of oil can lead to heart disease and a host of other health issues so always read your labels and try to find better oils like olive and canola. Not to mention the environmental impact that farming palm oil has created.

I stumbled upon this blog where I learned to make it from scratch and I agree- it's so easy and worth it. All I can say is yum! Get the full recipe here and enjoy!

 

photos via missmoss.co.za

Food Cravings

The last few weeks have been a bit on the crazy side- between working trade shows, studying, and a recent trip to NYC, my blogging has been sadly, well, neglected.

To top that off, I have not been inspired to write-guess I have a case of writer's block on top of everything else.

But this past week an inspiration revealed itself and it came in the form of a craving. I have been noticing my food cravings more and more, thanks in large part to the coursework I am doing at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (aka- IIN).

First it was spinach and any kind of green really- and I still crave greens almost everyday so that is still great. But this past week, I suddenly had a craving for grapefruit. That ruby-colored sweet juicy citrusy fruit. What really amazed me about it though, is this craving directly coincides with the fact that grapefruit is in season right now! The best time to eat it is January through March.

So, I am wondering....did my body know this? How did it know this? Is it a matter of coincidence? I didn't crave them last year like I am right now. I think it could be part of the awareness I feel with what my body itself seems to know and I am just learning how to tap into that. I can't wait to see what I will crave next!

I know that a lot of us crave "bad" foods too- and I am no exception believe me! Salty snacks and  chocolate have always been my weakness. I do get cravings for these from time to time, but as of late, I am able to ask myself, "Do you really want that or are you just thirsty?" It seems that we often crave foods that are not so good for us when all the body really needs is hydration. I also learned a term recently called H.A.L.T.- which is hungry, angry, lonely, and tired. I now ask: am I any of those things? This is where and when cravings for the wrong foods have the potential to kick in and we go down a road of binging and over-eating when all we need is to access what we are feeling in that moment.

But let's get back to the lovely, delicious and nutritious grapefruit! My favorite way to eat it is the old-fashioned way my Mom taught me (and her Mom before her). Just slice in half and cut the sections with a special grapefruit knife, use a spoon to eat it, and squeeze out and drink all the juice at the end.

 The best grapefuit knife in the world, above

 detail of the double blade

 Pink and red grapefruit are  packed with Vitamin C and have high amounts of vitamin A, potassium (325mg), folate (25 micrograms), calcium (40mg), and iron (1mg) and contain high amounts of lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that is know for lowering the risk of prostate cancer. Grapefruit stimulates appetite and possesses the unique ability to burn away fat. Grapefruit is a rich source of pectin. Pectin is a soluble fiber that helps to lower blood cholesterol.

My second favorite way to enjoy grapefruit is in a salad- some recipes actually use the juice in the vinaigrette so it really brings a fresh and light flavor to the greens and the rest of the salad.

Years ago I discovered The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison and instantly fell in love- I probably made everything in that book over the years! Even dined at the restaurant in San Francisco and what a treat that was. I still make her Butter Lettuce and Spinach with Citrus and Avocado Salad and that is what I will share with you here. The combination of the soft butter lettuce, the dark spinach and the brightness of the ruby jewels of grapefruit, make a winning combination. The avocado is the creamy icing on the cake that brings it all home. Hope you will enjoy. I highly recommend using the Szechuan peppercorns if you can get them- they add a flowery fragrance-toast them first and grind with a little salt- omit the the fruit vinegar and use all sherry vinegar instead. Here is the recipe with a few of my adaptations.

 photo via williams-sonoma.com

Ingredients 

serves 4-6

• 1 head butter lettuce, limestone, or Bibb lettuce
• 1 small bunch young spinach leaves (or one bag of baby spinach leaves)
• 2 ruby grapefruit 
• 2 avocados
• 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons raspberry or other fruit vinegar 
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• ¼ teaspoon salt 
• 6 to 7 tablespoons virgin olive oil or a mixture of virgin and light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mint, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chives, finely sliced 
• Black pepper or Szechuan peppercorns

Method

Separate the leaves of the lettuce and remove the spinach stems. Discard any leaves that are bruised or yellow, wash the greens–the spinach in two changes of water– and dry them in a spinner. (skip this step if you are using the bagged spinach) If the spinach leaves are small, leave them whole. If they are large, layer several leaves together, roll them up, and slice them into wide or narrow ribbons. Place them loosely in a kitchen towel and refrigerate until needed.

Use a very sharp knife to peel the grapefruit. Slice a piece off the top and the bottom of each, then work down the sides, removing the white pith as well as the peel. Holding the grapefruit over a bowl to catch the juice, cut each section loose from its membrane and turn it into the bowl. (Later you can drink the juice.)

Peel the avocados, slice them in half, and remove the seeds. Lay the halves cut side down and slice them crosswise at an angle.

Combine the vinegars, shallot, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the oil or mixture of oils. Taste, and adjust the balance of vinegar and oil if necessary. Stir in the mint and chives.

Pour the juice off the grapefruit sections, combine them with the avocado slices, and dress them carefully with some of the vinaigrette. Toss the greens with the rest of the vinaigrette and lay them on salad plates. Set the grapefruit and avocado slices in and among the leaves. Add a grinding of black pepper (or roasted Szechuan pepper) and serve.

What are some of your favorite grapefruit recipes? Please share them in the comments section!

Easiest Gluten Free Pizza Ever!

fresh fig, caramelized onion pizza with raw murcato goat cheese, greens and balsamic glaze

I have the simplest most delicious quick pizza you will ever make- it's more of a flatbread or cracker if you will but let's not get technical! No need for that here. So go get your oven very hot at 425°.

Simply take a tortilla, (I used rice flour tortillas from Whole Foods hence the gluten-free), brush with a little good quality extra virgin olive oil, top with the figs, caramelized onions (which you can make ahead of time) and cheese. You can also use regular flour tortillas- up to you.

Bake for 10-12 minutes and remove from the oven to cool a minute. Add fresh greens and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and presto! Easy.

Here is another version:

cherry tomato and pesto pizza with raw sharp goat cheddar cheese

In this version I used the same method but spread pesto on the tortilla first, topped with the fresh tomatoes and cheese then baked it for 10-12 minutes.

There are so many things you can top these with- and what a great weeknight meal with a salad and a glass of wine. Yum!

Simple Quinoa Salad

If you haven't yet discovered the wonders of quinoa, I am about to give you a delicious recipe for you to put into your side dish repertoire.

Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") is a great source of protein with a slightly crunchy texture. It is available now in most grocery stores and of course health food stores as well. Make sure you always rinse it before cooking and strain it in a fine mesh sieve. What I find is that it's very adaptable to whatever ingredients you want to mix in with it. You can do something as simple as adding a little butter and fresh herbs or really get creative with combinations of flavors and ingredients. Any way you make it, you will start to wonder what you did without it! Here is the recipe:

 Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 cup white quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 white or yellow onion, diced small 
1 clove garlic, minced
2 small carrots, diced
1/2 red or orange pepper, diced
6 stalks of asparagus, sliced in 1/4 discs
1/2 of a zucchini, diced
4-6 sundried tomatoes, sliced thin
olive oil for sauteing
2 tablespoons fresh pesto sauce (can be store bought!)
1/4 fresh parsley, chopped
handful of walnuts, or pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Cook quinoa in salted water until tender.  This can be anywhere from 15-20 minutes depending. Drain off any excess liquid and set aside to cool.
Next, saute onion in a little olive oil until soft, add the the carrots and saute for 5 minutes. Add remaining vegetables, and cook until soft but not mushy. Cool.

Transfer the quinoa to a bowl. Add the vegetables, pesto, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold to incorporate all ingredients. Top with toasted nuts. This makes enough for 4 healthy servings.

 
 It's funny because my sister and I were having a conversation about quinoa salads just the other night so she just sent me a recipe she tried and liked. I am going to make her version next and maybe I'll post it here! Hope it's good MB! :) I am sure it is!

What to do with all that zucchini you ask?

 

Zucchini or as the Brits refer to them, courgettes, seem to be overflowing this time of year at local farmer's markets, grocery stores or perhaps out in your own vegetable garden.

That is probably why, when you google zucchini, you will find a ton of recipes from breads and muffins to gratins, pizzas and pastas (yes you can turn these green gems into fine strands of "spaghetti" if you have the right tool.)  My all time favorite way to eat these little beauties is in the form of fritters. I know what you are saying: that can't be healthy if it's fried, but the way I justify it is that they are "lightly" fried in just a smidge of olive oil and if you use a non-stick pan, you will need even less!

The recipe I loosely based this weekend's fritters on comes from Nigella Lawson- I added and subtracted a few things to make it my own- which is what I highly recommend you do as well- using any combo of fresh herbs that suite your own taste. If you want to, you can omit the cheese (although it does give it a nice salty bite!) Get the recipe here.

 photo via marthastewart.com

For instance, I used shallots, red pepper and cilantro as my base and omitted the feta cheese-I also used GF flour to make them gluten free but feel free to use regular all-purpose flour if that's the way you roll. ( I ate mine so quickly I forgot to snap a photo. The one above is borrowed to give you a visual of how they look.)

I like to make a side of yogurt sauce to layer on more flavor and some tartness- all you need to do is repeat some of the herbs and add some lemon juice salt and pepper to some plain yogurt. It's that simple!

Serve these alongside any meat, chicken or fish dish or have them alone with a salad. It's a nice way to pay homage to one of the summer's most abundant vegetable!

Herb Omlettes

herb omelettes from Plenty

 I have always had a love affair with cookbooks. I love to sit and read the recipes, drool over the photos and imagine the end product and how it will taste after I fidget with it.

After waiting for what seemed to be an eternity, my copy of Plenty  arrived last week. I quickly set to work scouring, reading and taking in all the lovely photos of what I had hoped would be delicious vegetarian recipes. After all, this book has gotten a lot of press. It was sold out for a while and I wanted to see if it would lived up to my now lofty expectations.

Ok- first the good news: after only a week of experimenting and making several of the dishes in this book, I can already declare that I have a favorite and I have even made it three times already! A definite winner in my book for sure.

This is the best omelette I have ever made hands down. I believe the appeal lies in the whisper thin and herb packed "wrapper".  I made the filling according to the recipe, which was Swiss chard, potato and saffron. Yum. Not too heavy and packed with "good for you" ingredients (click on the link above to get the recipe).  I did substitute goat milk yogurt for the creme fraîche that he calls for.  I used a combination of fresh parsley, dill, chives and tarragon for the herbs, but any combo you like will due just fine. I imagine all kinds of other fillings you could create with this. Imagination is limitless.

The not so great news (at least for me) is that there are a lot of recipes which include wheat and dairy-  that is tough because I try to eliminate both of these ingredients in my cooking mainly for the fact that I am highly sensitive to these food allergens.

But, still and all, with some creativity, I know I will be able to "tweak" those pesky ingredients into something I can eat without fear. Take for instance his recipe for "Socca" which translates into a kind of variation on pissaladière ( a Provençal type pizza).  And this is gluten free! Made with garbanzo bean flour. This is my second runner up and will be a great meal all summer long. It was so good in fact, that I ate it before I could take a pic of it! I look forward to making this again when the local tomatoes appear- maybe add some summer squash to it as well?

Socca by Ottolenghi, photo via tastespotting.com

I will spend this summer trying more of these wonderful recipes and putting my own personal spin on them. I highly recommend you try getting a copy. Your stomach will thank you!