Oatmeal Rice Pudding (Dairy free, Healthy)

For most people, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are defined by pumpkin pie, candy canes, gingerbread, sugar cookies, egg nog, and so on. At least this is true for foodies.

For me, its always has been rice pudding. See, being Scandinavian, my grandma and aunts always make huge pots of rice pudding for gatherings. They even follow the tradition of slipping an almond into the dessert, and whoever gets the serving with the almond gets a prize. As if the pudding itself isn't a prize in itself!

Delicious as it is, there's no denying how unhealthy the treat is-- sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and white rice aren't quite health food. So, I took on the challenge with my trusty friend, Oatmeal.

Now you can enjoy this fluffy, elegant pudding without a trace of guilt! This makes a large single serving, just so you all know.


"Rice" Pudding Oatmeal
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup water, or almond milk for an extra creamy result
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup almond milk
Sweetener of choice, to taste
2 large egg whites
cinnamon or nutmeg, optional

1. Cook the oatmeal in the cup of liquid (water or milk, 1 cup) on stove over medium heat, stirring frequently
2. After all liquid is absorbed, stir in sweetener, milk, and extract and cook until the milk has thickened slightly
3. Meanwhile, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
4. Fold eggwhites into oatmeal gently, over low heat until egg whites are cooked. 
5. Serve immediately. Top with cinnamon or nutmeg, if desires.

Enjoy It! 

It's healthy enough to eat for breakfast--I mean really, it's oatmeal and eggs!

Danielle


P.S. By clicking on the black icon above and to the right, you can hop on over to Blogaholic Designs and enter into a giveaway for a free blogger template!

Pumpkin Meringue Pie Baked Oatmeal

Pumpkin pumpkin everywhere. Some hate it. Some love it. I am lucky enough to be in the latter category. I mean really, though, what's not to love? Pumpkin desserts are basically a hug from fall. I may not be in love with fall, but I am not opposed to hugs. Or pumpkin.

And what better way is there than to start off your day than with a dessert-like hug from fall? (The answer is no way, to those of you who were wondering)

Now, to be perfectly honest, I'm already listening to Christmas carols. Yep.

*ooh, I can feel you judging me*

But that doesn't mean that I am not also embracing the beauty of fall at the same time...
...and now you can, too!

Pumpkin Meringue Pie Baked Oatmeal
Serves one

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1.5 cups pumpkin puree
1.5 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp almond milk
Sweetener of choice, to taste
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
__________________________________________
For the meringue: (optional)
1 large egg white
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tsp sugar, optional
1/8 tsp. Cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a single-serve ramkin
2. In a small bowl, combine together oats, spice, and baking powder.
3. Softly stir in pumpkin, milk, sweetener, and vanilla.
4. Put in ramkin and bake for 15 minutes if using meringue, or thirty minutes if not using the meringue.
5. If making meringue: while oatmeal is in the oven, beat egg white until it forms stiff peaks. Continue to beat in vanilla, cream of tartar, and sugar, if using.
6. After the oatmeal has been in the oven for fifteen minutes, top with the egg white mixture, and return to oven for an additional fifteen minutes, or until the meringue has cooked through.
7. Enjoy your hug from fall.

<3 Danielle

How to be Gluten Free Naturally

With so many people being gluten free these days, companies are beginning to catch on and create g.f. packaged foods, full of junk that does not belong in the human body.

Now I'm not vegan, paleo, or anything like that, I'm just gluten free and mostly dairy free, but I still believe it is important to feed our bodies whole, real foods. It might be easier to pick up a package of granola bars off the shelf of the grocery store, but in the long run? Your body will thank you for choosing an apple and peanut butter, or something like that instead.

So below, I'm going to list some gluten free foods that are just naturally g.f. please note that I am not a doctor or certified nutritionist, and I'm not recommending that anyone go gluten free. This is for the many people who are gluten free, but would like to remove packaged foods from their diet.

Milk.                    
Yoghurt

Cheese

Butter

Fruit

Vegetables

Rice

Potatoes

Corn

Quinoa

Certified G.F. Oats

Eggs

Chicken

Beef

Pork

Lamb

Salmon

Tilapia

Codfish

Shellfish

Catfish

Vinegar

Coconut oil

Olive oil

Honey

Agave

Maple syrup

Cocoa powder

Nut butters

Nuts

Coffee

Tea

Please note also that you should always double check each item listed here to see if it really is g.f. because sometimes there can be a glutenful product in a place you least expect it.

Hope this has helped you! This is not EVERYTHING that's g.f., So be sure to explore your options around you!

<3 Danielle

Simple Thai Spaghetti Squash

Suddenly, it's freezing out. The grass and garden are dying. Leaves are changing colours, I've traded my tank tops for sweaters. Ugh.

The good news is that I have a whole bunch of winter squash to use up! 

Between the pumpkins, butternut squash and spaghetti squash from my garden, I'm set for the winter!

Spaghetti squash is the star of this dish. It gives the illusion of pasta, with a slight crunchier texture and a more earthy taste. I showed you how to cook these bundles of perfection in this post.

The chicken packs the protein. its what will keep you full until your next meal. The green beans add color, flavor, and nutrients. The ones pictured above were actually home grown! Then comes the sauce, contributing a Thai-like flavor that comes from soy sauce, garlic, and of course I couldn't leave out peanut butter!

I also recommend sprinkling crushed red pepper flakes over the top, of you want to give it a little kick!

Simple Thai Spaghetti Squash
1 spaghetti squash
1 cup chopped chicken, cooked
about 20 green beans, cleaned
2 tbsp. peanut butter
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar (can substitute water)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
crushed red pepper flakes to top (optional)

1. Cook and remove flesh from spaghetti squash with a fork.
2. Steam green beans in a sauce pan with 1 inch of water until soft (about 15 minutes)
3. In a small cup or bowl mix peanut butter with vinegar until smooth. Add in the soy sauce a little at a time, stirring constantly to keep a smooth texture. Finally, stir in the garlic powder.
4. Toss together the chicken, squash, green beans and sauce, and red pepper flakes if using.
5. enjoy your meal!

Hope you al like it!
<3 Danielle

Mango Sorbet

This is summer in a bowl. I mean really this and summer have so much in common:

They are bright and cheery

They make me happy

They are both things I always look forward to

They make you forget your worries and cares

They go by really fast. 

And I mean fast. One bite of this and I started shoveling it in my face as fast as my spoon could travel. It's so silky and sweet, and its only one ingredient. One. Just one. Yeah.

I am always skeptical of recipes advertised as one ingredient, because a lot of the time it's some kind of processed packaged product.
But not this. This is about as fresh as you can get! And even fresher if you have access to mango trees (if this is the case, I'm so jealous)!

Mango Sorbet
1 mango

1. Peel and cube the mango. Find out how to cut a mango like a pro here.
2. Freeze the cubes until solid.
3. Process until smooth in a food processor. Enjoy immediately.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

<3 Danielle

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

Why, oh why is cherry season so short?

Why, oh why do cherries cost so much?

Oh the problems I have. When I do have cherries, I try make the most of them. However, usually my attempts are in vain, as I end up snarfing them down by the handful... oops!

But this year, I managed to save some for this oatmeal! And guess what? It was definitely worth it!

The juice from the cherries spread throughout the oats while cooking, letting off a subtle flavor that pairs well with the chocolate.

So if you have self control enough to save your cherries, try this out. It'll be worth it!

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal
1/2 cup rolled oats
1.5 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 banana, mashed
12 cherries, pitted and chopped
1 cup water
1/2 cup almond milk, or milk of choice

1. In a small saucepan, heat all ingredients except for the almond milk until thickened.
2. Add almond milk, then bring back to a boil and let thicken again.
3. let cool slightly before enjoying!

Serves one

~Danielle

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Do chicken nuggets sum up anyone else's childhood? It's not just me, right?

right?

Well, they were always my favorite. Whenever and wherever we went out to eat:

Culvers

McDonalds

Burger King

Sonic

.......Just to name a few. But that was before I was very health-consious, obviously.

These little gems I have for you today are much healthier, and baked. To be honest, I've never deep fried anything in my life. Grease just doesn't appeal. At all. I don't even remember the last time that I ate fast food!

Anyway, you should definitely give these a whirl, they are sooooooooooo much better than McDonald's. Although, I guess that's not saying much, but you get the picture.

Chicken Nuggets
2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped
2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
2 slices bread (stale is good. if it is super stale, skip step no. 2)
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. In a food processor, grind the chicken until it forms a thick paste. Add the eggs, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp. garlic powder, 2 tbsp. oregano, and 1/2 tsp salt, and combine until everything is evenly distributed. Set aside.
2. Dry bread out by toasting on low until very stale.
3. Crumble bread into super small crumbs (this can be done in a food processor). mix with remaining ingredients.
4. Take chicken mixture 1.5 Tbsp. at a time, form into a slightly flattened ball, and coat in breadcrumb mixture. Placeon a baking sheet lightly greased with coconut oil.
5. Once all the chicken is used (you'll probably have leftover breadcrumbs. Just throw them away), bake in a preheated (400 degrees Fahrenheit) oven for about ten minutes, or until heated through and golden brown and slightly firm. Allow to cool slightly before enjoying!

I hope you like them as much as I do!

<3 Danielle

One Pan Stir Fry

Note: sorry this post came a little later in the day than usual, I am out of town staying in a house of no WiFi, so bear with me for the next week or so... I'll do my best to post regularly!

Some nights, I just don't feel like cooking.

Some nights, I have too empty of a pantry to make anything fancy.

Some nights, I just want to eat something delicious, but don't have much time.

Some nights (read: every night), I crave Asian food. 

That's when I make this stir fry.

This is super adaptable:

Don't have the right veggies? Mushrooms, green beans, sugar snap peas, etc. work well

Don't have chicken? Omit  or  substitute cooked pork, tofu, or beans.

No rice? Use quinoa, spaghetti squash, cauliflower rice, or your favourite grain.

So, there is no excuses not to make this!

One Pan Stir Fry

2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped

2 cups uncooked rice

3 large carrots

1 head broccoli

2 large stalks celery

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (I love Little Soya brand)

pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. sriracha sauce

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 tbsp. rice vinegar

1. In a large skillet, simmer rice in water for twenty minutes, or until soft.
2. While rice cooks, chop vegetables to a uniform size, or as shown in the picture above.
3. Strain the rice. in the same skillet, steam vegetables until tender, about ten-  fifteen minutes.
4. Once they are soft, remove steaming liquid from pan, and add rice, chicken, soy sauce, pepper, sriracha, ginger, and vinegar to the vegetables. Heat everything through, and keep heated until serving.

Serves about 6-8

Hope you all like it as much as I do!

~Danielle



Berries 'n' Cream Oatmeal Parfait

Why oh why can't it be summer all year long? Probably because without winter and fall, we wouldn't appreciate summer quite so much. One of my favourite summer features is the fruit. Especially:

Peaches
Strawberries
Blueberries
Watermelon
Raspberries
Cherries

Nectarines

Etcetera

I mean, sure, fall has apples and pears, winter is prime for citrus, and spring is the time for rhubarb (at least in my garden), but really? Summer trumps them all.

So here's a recipe calling for berries. Enjoy it now as we cling to the last wisps of summer, or forever hold your peace (because really, winter lasts FOREVER).

Berries 'n' Cream Oatmeal Parfait

Serves one

1/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup almond milk, or milk of choice

4 strawberries, stems removed

6 blackberries

15 blueberries

1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Sweetener of choice to taste, optional

3/4 cup yoghurt of choice

Optional: granola, chocolate chips, more berries, coconut, etc.

1) In a blender or food processor, puree milk, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, sweetener, and vanilla.

2) in a small saucepan, cook oats and milk/berry puree until oats are soft and most of the liquid has absorbed. Cool overnight, or until it's cold. This is sped up if it's placed in a shallow bowl.

3) Layer the oatmeal and yoghurt and optional ingredients in a container. Enjoy immediately.

~Danielle

Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Baked Oatmeal

Well do I have a treat for you! I went into making this without high expectations, but as soon as the first forkful passed my lips, I was in foodie heaven.

Normally, no matter what anybody claims, "hidden" bananas in recipes can be detected from miles away, even if your name is not Sherlock Holmes. And unfortunately, it seems, the less one likes bananas, the better they are at tasting them. Me? I adore them in recipes, as you may have noticed, but I only tolerate them plain, as the flavor os just mediocre, in my opinion. Does anyone else find the aftertaste disgusting?

Anyway, the banana is barely detectable. I say barely because although I could faintly taste it, the flavor blended in so well with the lemon and blueberries that it definitely would have taken home a medal for hide and seek. Does anyone else think hide and seek should be an Olympic Sport? Gosh, that would be fun to watch!

Back on track, Danielle..... okay, so all that to say, seriously, make this. You will not be dissappointed. IT'S LITERALLY THE BEST!

Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Baked Oatmeal
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Poppy seeds
Zest of one lemon
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/3 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 large ripe banana, mashed
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 heaping cup blueberries

1) Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit
2) In a small bowl, stor together first five ingredients.
3) Gently mix in almond milk, banana, lemon juice, and extract, in that order
4) Fold in blue berries.
5) Bake in a greased single serving ramkin until the center is no longer wet, anywhere from 20-30 minutes.

~Danielle

Dark Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

I've been having a baked oatmeal craze lately. It never used to appeal to me until out of the blue, I decided to give it a try.... and the rest is history!

Oatmeal is a crazy thing. It's so healthy, but so delicious. That is, if you make it the right way; and this, my friends, is the right way. Brownie-like on the outside, fudgey in the middle, it doesn't get better than this. 

Remember my chocolate pudding oatmeal? If you tried it, then you know it's delicious. Well this is the baked version, which is also delish.

So go ahead, give it a whirl. You won't be disappointed.

Dark Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 tsp. Baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp. Cocoa powder

1 small ripe banana, mashed

1/3 cup almond milk, or milk of choice

1) Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. And grease a single- serving ramkin.

2) Combine first three ingredients.

3) Stir in first the banana, then the milk.

4) Bake until no longer liquidy in the center, or about 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

-Danielle

Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Soft Serve

Wow that title sure is a mouthful! Think of it as a warning about how you'll want to get as many mouthfuls of this bliss as possible.

The flavors and textures of this are mind-blowing. It's like a giant mouth party. And good news: eat your heart out; this concoction is guilt-free! On the contrary to "normal ice cream", this is loaded with fiber, vitamins, and protein.

The caramel extract is not really health food, so omit if you'd prefer, bit there's such a small amount in this and it add such fantastic flavor without all the sugars that I figure it is worth it.

Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Soft Serve
Makes 1 giant serving, 2 standard servings

2 Bananas, cut into chunks and frozen solid
2-3 Tbsp almond milk
1-2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1-2 Tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tsp caramel extract
1 handful pretzels, lightly crushed

1) Remove bananas from freezer and place in bed of frood processor. Process until very small crumbs.
2) Add almond milk, cocoa powder, peanut bitter, and caramel extract. Process again until a smooth soft serve has formed.
3) Add pretzel bits and whirl them into the mixture until evenly distributed
4) optional: return soft serve to freezer for 30 minutes to an hour to solidify a bit more, for more of an ice cream experience, and less of a soft serve one.

~~{~@  Danielle

Homemade Ketchup

Hello Everyone, and happy Fourth of July!
I have a last minute recipe for all your barbecues today, which works out well because this is the type of recipe perfect for last minute needs!

This homemade ketchup is not only easy, but it's also at least a million times better than store bought. Not only is it more delicious, but also, it's waaaay more healthy. No high fructose corn syrup and no preservatives. Hallelujah!

This condiment also is a bit thicker than the stuff you buy at the store. If the thickness bothers you, maybe add a bit more water about a teaspoon at a time, until it's to your liking.

The contrast between this recipe and Heinz Ketchup is so huge even in appearence. Below is a picture of Heinz.
Notice how it lacks texture and the deepness of color that the homemade retains. Well, if this discussion hasn't convinced you, it's convinced me! I'm never going back!

Of course, I could brag on this ketchup all day because, it's not really my own recipe, I've just veryslightly modified it. To try out the legit recipe and visit the totally awesome blog from which I extracted the formula, visit Edible Sound Bites.

Homemade Ketchup        Makes about 1 cup.
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tiny pinch cloves
1 larger pinch salt
1 can tomato paste

1) In a small saucepan over medium- low heat, dissolve sugar in water.
2) Stir in vinegar, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until they are dispersed throughout the sugar water.
3) Remove from heat and stir in tomato paste.
4) Store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Enjoy!
~Danielle

Triple Thick Mocha Milkshake

Remember my healthy chocolate softserve? Well this magical mixture is an extension of that goodness. Milkshakes should aways be two things: extra large and extra thick. Yep, this one sure sets the bar high, as it also is chocolatey and healthy, two sets of mega bonus  points to the the Triple Thick Mocha Milkshake!

The ingredients are quite tweakable, although I cannot vouch for the results of variations using substitutions. You can't get much better than only 4 ingredients, now can you?

Frozen bananas

almond milk (more bonus points for homemade!)

Cocoa powder

Coffee extract, or substitute 1 tsp. Instant coffee granules

As the queen of crazy extracts, it would be rude to expect all my readers to keep up with my collection, so I will try to offer substitures as much as possible! Any way, whether you're using extract or granules, you are in for a treat!

Triple Thick Mocha Milkshake      makes: 2 small; 1 large

2 bananas cut into chunks and frozen until hard

3/4 cup milk of choice (I used almond)

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. coffee extract (or sub. 1 tsp. Instant coffee granules)

Place frozen bananas and milk and extract.into a blender. Pulse until almost completely smooth. Add cocoa powder, and blend until the bananas have no remaining chunks and the cocoa powder is completey mixed in. Enjoy immediately or stick in freezer for up to a half hour.

~~{~@ Danielle

Chocolate Pudding Oatmeal

Chocolate pudding oatmeal. Mmmmm. This deliciousness is so creamy, chocolatey and rich, no one could guess that it's secretly a gathering of super foods. I mean really;

Oats

Almond milk

Cocoa powder

Banana

Who'd think that these simple ingredients could make such a mouth-watering quartet? The oats add texture, almond milk provides creaminess, cocoa powder brings flavor to the table, and the banana not only supplies the richness, but it also adds bulk.

As for nutrition, the oats and bananas both bear good-for-you fiber. The almond milk contains the protein. Studies show that cocoa can help promote a healthy heart. Bananas once again play two roles, as they also provide lots of vitamins and minerals.

Yay! Let's dig in!

Chocolate Pudding Oatmeal

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1 ripe banana

1-2 Tbsp. cocoa powder (depending on how strong one  likes it)

1 cup water

1/2 cup almond milk

1) Cut the banana into circles before mashing it very well with a fork, until no large chunks are left.

2) Place the mashed banana, oats, and cocoa powder in a small saucepan and stir well.

3) Add the water and place pan over low-medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture begins to boil 

4) Add milk and continue to stir until the 'sauce' thickens, although the mixture still looks pretty wet.

5) Cover the saucepan and turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the stove*. Let sit for 10-20 minutes, or until its thickened a bit more.

6) Enjoy!

*Do not leave on burner if using electric stove.

I seriously have this at least 4 times a week. Its so good!

Hope you like it as much as I do!

~~{~@ Danielle

Healthy Chocolate Soft Serve

Hey All,
If you're on Pinterest, follow health blogs, or read health magazines, you've surely heard about coconut cream vegan ice cream, cashew cream ice cream, and banana soft serve. Well personally, I'm not a huge fan of cashew cream. (I can never get ot smooth enough!) Coconut cream isn't something in my pantry. Factory-canned food scares me a bit too much.

But bananas? Fresh, healthy, and loaded with vitamins and fiber, these super foods make the best three ingredient chocolate ice cream ever. Smooth and creamy and chocolatey and addictive, this recipe only takes about 5 minutes (plus freezing time) to make. Now, theres no excuse to buy store bought ice cream because:
1) This is made faster than going to the store.
2) Banana soft serve is a million times healthier than store-bought
3) No, this does NOT taste healthy

Chocolate Banana Soft Serve
Makes 1 huge serving

2 ripe medium bananas, cut up, then frozen
2-3 Tbsp. Unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk

Remove bananas from freezer and break up any chunks frozen together. Blend with the milk and cocoa powder until smooth. Eat immediately, or freeze until harder for a less soft-serve-y experience.~~{~@  Danielle