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Breakfast and Brunch

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oatmeal: Individual Servings are Delicious and Crazy Convenient

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Bob's Red Mill Individual Gluten-Free Oatmeal

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Individual Oatmeal

Have you seen the Individual Servings of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal? (Amazon link) I bought this one a few days ago in the store and am already planning to go back for more! I searched for them online and have found that (in spite of my store only having one variety), there are actually several different varieties.

The Blueberry and Hazelnut one is definitely one I’ll buy again (and again and again and again), but I’m also very anxious to try the classic, the Brown Sugar & Maple, and the Apple and Cinnamon.

I was really excited to try this gluten-free oatmeal when I saw it at the store because I buy SO many Bob’s Red Mill products that I’m more than aware of how excellent the brand is. Honestly, if I see a new product from them that’s gluten-free, I simply buy it without a second thought.

It doesn’t get any simpler or faster to enjoy a serving of gluten-free oatmeal than these individual serving containers – simply add hot water… right to the container, let sit for 3 minutes and enjoy.

Crazy convenient!

You can find Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal (Amazon link) on Amazon. This link leads you to the page for Brown Sugar & Maple but the other options are listed.

My Favorite Orange Julius Copy Cat Recipe

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Orange Julius

Orange Julius “Copy Cat!”

I love making different beverages at home – coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milkshakes, smoothies, apple cider, punch… The list goes on and on. But one of my favorite drinks to make (and certainly one of my family’s favorite drinks to enjoy) is the Orange Julius.

I don’t know if any malls still carry Orange Julius kiosks or not. I seriously doubt it. I know the ones around us no longer have them. I have no idea why, they were outrageously popular.

The recipe below is darn close to these wonderful, citrus-y, frothy beverages. They’re perfect year-round because, even though and Orange Julius is a cold drink – what better time to serve your family scads of Vitamin C than cold and flu season?!

I think you’re going to really enjoy this beverage.

Orange Julius Recipe

1 cup orange juice (I like for it to have some pulp)
1 cup water
1 egg white
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 heaping cup ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender.  Blend on high for about 15 to 20 seconds… until the frothy magic happens.

NOTE: Don’t get cute with the sugar. I tried to replace it with Stevia (wasn’t the same) and I have tried cutting back on the amount (again, not the same).  Pinch the calories elsewhere!

As far as the brand of orange juice, I’d imagine that the better the orange juice, the better the Orange Julius.


Orange Julius

Orange Julius Copy Cat Drink

The BEST Bacon is Made in the Oven-Baked Bacon (Here’s How)

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Oven Baked Bacon at 400 degrees

Oven-Baked Bacon

It’s already been established on the food blog that I’m a huge Rachael Ray fan. If she makes it, I buy it and use it. If she tapes it, I watch it and watch it. When I saw her bake bacon in the oven on an episode, I immediately bought her baking sheet (with a rack) and couldn’t wait to test the results.

The Rachael Ray Bacon Baking Sheet with Rack QUICKLY became one of my favorite things in the kitchen. How much did I love it? Well, I ordered a second one immediately.

I’ve used it most often for baking bacon but it is also ideal for roasting vegetables and, of course, the baking sheet itself can be used for anything, simply remove the rack.

The Best Oven-Baked Bacon

The basics (please read below for the whys and hows): Place your bacon onto the pan. Place into a cold oven and THEN turn on the heat to 400 degrees. Cook for 20 minutes.

Bacon in the oven simply tastes better and I have to admit, I was surprised just how much better. I also love that it doesn’t curl up – especially useful for breakfast wraps, crispy homemade bacon bits for salads, and BLTs.

(Continued below the goodness….)

Oven Baked Bacon at 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Oven-Baked Bacon at 400 degrees for 20 Minutes

While I, of course, use my baking sheet with rack for cooking bacon in the oven, it isn’t a necessity. You can put your bacon directly on a foil-lined baking sheet and you’ll do just fine. I have experimented for months with oven-baked bacon (I love my life) and these are my tips of the trade:

  • Buy good bacon. The whole bacon is bacon premise is incorrect and when you try different brands you’ll see what I mean. Smithfield and Oscar Meyer are the two I buy the most frequently.
  • Don’t pre-heat the oven. I mean, you CAN, but putting the bacon into a cold oven, then turning on the heat, seems to cause the bacon to render its fat more slowly (which is a delicious thing) and more evenly, as in less instances of a slice of bacon that’s half crispy and half fatty.
  • Baking Times Vary. Not only do oven temperatures and personalities vary, people’s individual preferences vary too. My husband likes for his bacon to be crisp whereas I like for mine to bend if you hold him out like a diving board. Use 400 degrees and 20 minutes as a “guide,” not as an “absolute.” Use this approach, but check the bacon at the 15 minute mark – unless you like yours to bend even more than I do, it will not be ready to eat at this point, but you’ll get an idea of how much further you want to go.
  • Keep Time. When you discover your favorite time frame for baking the bacon just as you like, write it down and put it someplace you’ll ALWAYS know where it is. On the refrigerator, in a frequently-used recipe box, or tattooed on your arm – this is vital information, treat it as such!

Not even remotely and ad and I have not been paid to say anything (if only I were paid to talk, I’d talk all the way to the bank!), but I highly recommend this Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked bacon, pictured below. Extraordinary and worth the extra pennies.

Oscar Meyer Baon

I just realized I don’t have a category for bacon on the food blog. What kind of madness is this?! I’m about to take care of that irresponsible oversight…

Done.


Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms and Tomato

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Eggs and Cream

My love of and infatuation with eggs defies description, so I won’t even try. I love to try different techniques with them – even if I have a preferred style of fixing a particular egg dish (omelets, for example), I love to experiment with different ingredients, measurements, and cooking styles.

When it comes to scrambled eggs, you could LITERALLY cook them differently each day of the year. Most of the time I add 1 TBS milk, heavy cream, or (rarely) water per 2 eggs. However, with the scrambled eggs, here, I only add 1 TBS heavy cream. The moisture in the vegetables compensates for the decrease in liquid.

If you don’t like mushrooms, pass this one by as the mushroom flavor is strong (I love mushrooms like crazy, so I’m good to go). You could always substitute green onions for the ‘shrooms or tomatoes if you so desired.

Your eggs…. your call!

Recipe: Oven-Baked Omelet with Broccoli, Asparagus, and Tons of Cheese….

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Oven Baked Omelet with Broccoli and Asparagus

Oven Baked Omelet with Broccoli and Asparagus

Two of my husband’s favorite foods are omelets and asparagus, so combining the two always makes me feel kind of like my favorite superhero, Hawk Girl. If only I had the uniform…  never mind, it’d be too traumatic for the cats.

I’m one of the few people who actually enjoys making traditional, skillet omelets (the “secret” is using an 8-inch non-stick skillet and a spatula that isn’t too big or too floppy OXO makes an ingenious Omelet Flipper). The only drawback is, if you’re feeding more than one person at the time, it’s really tricky to time two omelets to be served at the same time. That’s why I love the occasional Oven Omelet. It’s still delicious and can be packed with even more vegetables and cheese than a skillet omelet (unless you don’t mind it when it splits its seams). It’s also a ridiculously easy and inexpensive meal – who doesn’t need that in their life?

Best of all, no one has to eat a cold omelet.

Oven-Baked Omelet with Broccoli and Asparagus

6 eggs
1⁄2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese (I almost always use Monterrey Jack and Cheddar but it’d be almost impossible to go wrong with your cheese selection)
1⁄2 cup chopped broccoli
1⁄4 cup chopped asparagus
1 tablespoon onion (sweet or green are my go-tos)
salt and pepper

  1. Combine eggs and milk, then whip them with a whisk or fork.
  2. Add in rest of ingredients. Moment of honesty – I generally add more than 1 cup of cheese. Probably more like 1-1/4 cups, but use your own judgment.
  3. Pour into pie dish.
  4. Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

You could also, of course, add bacon, ham, red bell pepper (one of my favorites)… whatever floats your boat.

Oven Baked Omelet with Broccoli and Asparagus

Fun and Delicious: The Little Kernel Miniature Popcorn (Review + Delicious Recipe for Honey Peanut Butter Granola Bars)

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The Little Kernel Mini Popcorn

Have you seen -or heard of – The Little Kernel miniature popcorn? I hadn’t when I was first contacted to try it in exchange for a post on the food blog. But one look at the Little Kernel guy and I was hooked. That combined with the fact that I’m BEYOND obsessed with popcorn made me downright giddy at the prospect.

The Little Kernel Mini Popcorn

The Little Kernel is a better-for-you snack with a unique, hulless, “miniature kernel.” Popped in 100% pure olive oil, each popcorn is gluten-free, non-GMO, dairy-free, kosher and certified whole grains. 

The Little Kernel Mini Popcorn Sweet and Salty

My favorites were the Sweet & Salty Kettle and the Butter Flavored while my husband was wild about the Truffle Sea Salt. I have a funny relationship with Truffle salt – I like it for a few bites, then, I’m ready to move on.

If you love truffle salt as much as my husband does, however, this will become your new addiction.

As for me and my taste buds, we’re sticking with the Sweet & Salty and Butter Flavored. I’m intrigued by the other flavors available too – especially the White Cheddar and Pink Himalayan Salt. They both sound out of this world good.

The Little Kernel Mini Popcorn Truffle Sea Salt

Where to Buy The Little Kernel Miniature Popcorn:

The Little Kernel is on Amazon – something I love since I pretty much live on Amazon. It’s super-easy to just throw a bag or two or twelve in the cart along with whatever lovely little something caught my eye at the time. Just click the link (Amazon) and shop for the variety of Little Kernel you’re craving.

You can also order The Little Kernel Miniature popcorn from their website.

You are going to love this popcorn – it’s uncommonly delicious and just a lot of fun to eat.

One of my favorites, Sweet & Salty, stars in the great recipe below from @snacksalldayeveryday. Just be sure to order plenty of The Little Kernel to use in the recipe AND for popping directly into your mouth.

Trust me on this one.

Honey Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Honey Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Recipe Credit: @snacksalldayeveryday

2 cups of rolled oats
3 1/2 cups The Little Kernel Sweet & Salty
1/2 cup puffed rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl (using about 1/2 cup of popcorn only).
2. In microwave, combine peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract and melt until smooth.
3. Combine this with dry ingredients and then line a dish with this mixture (tightly packed about 3/4 inch high).
4. Chill in fridge for 20 minutes.
5. Then combine remaining popcorn with honey and add this on as a second layer (tightly packed).
6. Chill for another 15 minutes or so, cut, drizzle with melted chocolate, and serve. No baking necessary.


The Little Kernel Mini Popcorn Dive In!

Recipe for National Apple Month: Apple Flax Muffins (Gluten-Free)

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Apple Flax Muffins

 

The beautiful and delicious Apple Flax Muffins, pictured above, are IDEAL for autumn.. especially given the fact that this is National Apple Month! I can’t get enough of apples, so this is a favorite favorite apple recipe. Each bite is bursting with apple flavor.

Apple Flax Muffins with Carrington Farms Flax Seed

1 and 1/4 cup Carrington Farms Organic Milled Flax Seed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar or sweetener
4 large eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup liquid (syrup or water)
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 medium apple, chopped fairly finely
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 12-muffin tin very well. Mix the dry ingredients together, then add the rest of them. Let batter stand 10 minutes, then put into the muffin pan and bake for about 18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and muffins just barely start to pull away from the sides of the tin. *Makes 12 to 24 muffins depending on your preference.

Recipe and Photo Credit: Carrington Farms

 

Bacon and Eggs Salad with a Creamy Mayo Dressing

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Bacon and Eggs Salad
Bacon and Eggs Salad 
My love of animals, birds, butterflies, and bees is so great that it’s a part of my DNA. I’m somewhere between a modern day Snow White and Ellie May Clampett (without the little men or pigtails – though I’d kind of fancy having both around).

As you’d expect, I only buy cage-free eggs. They cost a little more, but the way I see it.. it’s more than worth it. The thought of any animal being confined and miserable – unable to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and… well… life – makes me miserable and that’s a feeling I’m not wild about. The way I see it, if we were to all DEMAND better for animals (be their voice, if you will), their treatment will improve.

Talk about worthwhile goals!

When I saw Nellie’s Free Range Eggs website, the first thing that caught my eye was a precious picture of a beautiful little girl holding a beautiful hen like a cherished pet. Not only am I obsessed with animals, having raised three beautiful little girls of my own – I’m terribly partial to that “critter” as well!

Above the precious picture were the words that have stuck with me… “We Love Our Hens.” Maybe it’s because I’m a sentimental animal lover with few rivals for the title of Queen Sentimental Animal Lover, but that struck a chord with me. The love for their hens has led Nellie’s Free Range Eggs to be Certified Humane (click the link to learn exactly what this means).

Teaching Kids About Healthy Cooking and Humane Living

{Continued Below…}

Nellie's Free Range Eggs Hen
My Buddy, the Nellie’s Free-Range Eggs Hen (My Cats Love Her)
I’m a huge advocate for teaching girls and boys how to cook (safely, healthily, and deliciously). When our girls were growing up, they took turns helping in the kitchen. I showed them simple things like…

  • how to always turn the pot handles toward the back of the stove
  • how to pour ingredients safely to keep them from splattering all over your face
  • how to handle knives without incident
  • where to store eggs in the fridge (not on the door)
  • what foods need refrigeration and what ones don’t
  • how garlic powder and an iron skillet make the best burgers ever
  • etc, etc, etc..

While it wasn’t really an issue when my girls were children, today parents and grandparents would be great to teach their little cooks about food allergies and intolerances. Teaching them that it’s always considerate to take things like allergies into consideration when cooking for others.

I’ve also preached to my daughters (and anyone else who’ll listen!) about the importance of mastering certain recipes that’ll serve you well throughout your life. Egg recipes are among the ones that I think are most important to master.

Everyone should be able to make EXTRA special…

As is the case with many recipes, perfecting egg recipes simply takes practice – and attention to detail. I love eggs to distraction – I guess that’s why I have (over the years) worked so hard to perfect my egg recipes. It’s why I’ve always found ways to get eggs into as many meals as possible.

They aren’t just for breakfast you know!

When it comes to summer meals, one of my favorite ways to enjoy eggs is a Bacon and Eggs Salad with a Creamy Mayo Dressing.

{Bacon and Eggs Salad Recipe Below…}

Bacon and Eggs Salad and Dressing

Bacon and Eggs Salad

Round up the usual suspects: Romaine Lettuce (or your favorite leaf lettuce – don’t let me tell you what to do), chopped green onions, bacon, hard-boiled eggs (chopped), tomatoes if you’ve got them… and any other vegetables you want to invite. Most of the time, I want the bacon and eggs to be the stars they are, so I keep things ridiculously simple.

Creamy Mayo Dressing:

For some reason, the dressing looks almost yellow in the picture below, but don’t let it fool you.. it’s white. I guess the mid-day sunlight coming through the kitchen window pulled a fast one.

1 cup mayo (I love Duke’s and Hellman’s)
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 TBS sugar
salt and pepper

This is the basic dressing I use for the Bacon and Eggs Salad – but you can jazz it up a little with chopped chives (fantastic on just about any tossed salad) or other herbs. You can also add a little lemon juice if you so desire. Again, I don’t want anything upstaging the bacon and eggs, so I keep it basic. As you can see from the pics, the last time I made this I didn’t even involve tomatoes. They sat in a bowl looking at me but I was like, “Nah, I’m good…”

{Concluded Below…}

Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard-Boiled Eggs without Pepper? I Do NOT Think So!
 As long as we have our children’s attention, we should also teach them about compassion. Along with my love for great, healthy food and cooking, I passed on to my girls a great love and compassion for every human and animal involved in the process – from farm to table. The kitchen is one of the easiest places to do this. Strike up conversations with your kids about the importance of things like supporting local farmers and buying free-range eggs. Visit Nellie’s Free Range Eggs with them (they’ll love the pictures!) and show them “the right way” to do a business.

Nellie's Free Range Eggs
I was sent a gift certificate for Nellie’s Free-Range Eggs in exchange for telling you all about them. I decided to do more than just tell you about them… I decided to RAVE because everything about the way Nellie’s does business makes this animal lover’s hear soar.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Place your free-range eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. Place the pan on high heat and cook until it reaches the boiling point. Take the pan off of the heat (don’t forget to turn off your burner… I used to be AWFUL about that!) and cover the pan. Allow the eggs to sit in their hot bath for about 13 minutes. Peel, pepper and enjoy!

Hard Boiled Eggs

Health Benefits of Kale Plus a Few Ways to Enjoy it for Breakfast

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Fried Egg and Kale

I love kale. Love, love, love kale. In fact if I’d had a son in addition to my three beautiful daughters, I’m pretty sure his name may have been Kale. Kale Michael – wonderful name. At this point in the game, however, I’ll just file it away for a future cat.

We’ve already determined on the food blog that I’m a salad junkie, so it won’t come as a great surprise when I tell you that I add kale to salads on the regular. Not only does it taste fantastic, it looks gorgeous when chopped into ribbons AND it ups the salads nutritional value. More about that in a minute.

Soups and stews are other favorite kale destinations. Be sure to throw it in as late as possible to keep it more green than gray.  Then again, there’s also the yummy and strangely addictive “Kale Chips” – in fact, I’d love a big plate of them right about now.

When it comes to breakfast or brunch, anyone and everyone knows that kale makes a great smoothie ingredient. I have to admit, for green smoothies, I actually prefer spinach BUT kale is perfectly delicious too.

My favorite way to enjoy kale for breakfast, however, is like so…

  • Fry an egg (Sunny Side Up or Over-Easy) in a little butter and olive oil – then, after the egg begins to slightly set, add in some torn kale. Spinach is also great like this, but this is Kale’s spotlight and Popeye’s favorite has already intruded once as it is.
  • Add a little sea salt to the kale and YUM. The combo of egg and kale is phenomenal.

Health Benefits of Kale

Kale is low in calories, so it’s a great way to “bulk up” a salad (or omelet, stew, smoothie…) without adding substantial calories – and without adding any extra fat. With only 36 calories in a cup of kale, it’s just a really great way to add fiber without a lot of calories.

Kale is high in both iron and Vitamin K. In fact, per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Eating diets high in Vitamin K can help protect you against various cancers – yet most of us aren’t getting enough K in our diets. Kale’s a great way to take care of that oversight. Kale also has antioxidants, which also protect against various diseases (including cancer).

Just one cup of kale boasts 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids. These guys are known for protecting us against arthritis, asthma and a whole slew of other diseases.

What’s More…

  • Kale is known to help lower your cholesterol, which can lower your chances of heart disease.
  • Kale is high in Vitamin C. Kale is higher in vitamin C than most vegetables. It actually has about 4.5 times as much Vitamin C as spinach. Sorry, Popeye.
  • It’s high in Vitamin A.
  • It’s a fairly good source of magnesium, a mineral most of us don’t get enough of. Given that getting plenty of magnesium can protect against type 2 diabetes and heart disease, we should all make sure we get magnesium from as many food sources as possible. High magnesium foods include dark leafy greens, avocados, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, yogurt, bananas, dried fruit, and dark chocolate – which are all out of this world delicious, so upping our magnesium should be easy and enjoyable.
  • Kale is even high in calcium – per calorie, higher even than milk.


Click here to read more about Kale and it’s many health benefits from Dr. Axe.

Also See:
Chickpeas, Kale, and Garlic Salad
Spicy, Cheesy Kale Chips

What are the Benefits of Kale and Can You Eat Too Much

Fried Egg and Kale

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping

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Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping
All of February is Heart Month and today, itself, is heart awareness day for women. I proudly wore my red today in honor of my mother who died from a heart-attack and as a means of raising awareness for heart disease. I hope and pray strides will be made in heart health for the sake of my three beautiful daughters (and everyone else’s beautiful daughters for that matter!)

In honor of Heart Month and today’s Heart Awareness Day, I want to tell you about a healthy breakfast that’s perfect for any time of day. I got the idea for roasted sweet potato pancakes from a tweet from Cooking Light. They made Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with just two ingredients: a roasted sweet potato and 2 eggs.

Intriguing!

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
I saw one willing sweet potato on the shelf and knew I had eggs ready at a moment’s notice in the fridge.

Since I’m “One of those gals” who is always looking for ways to “sneak” healthy food ingredients into as many meals as possible, I decided to also add 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds and 1 Tablespoon of Flaxseed to the mixture… but I’m getting ahead of myself. We have to roast the sweet potato first!

I cut my sweet potato (skin on) into four rounds and sat them in a small iron skillet. I drizzled 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Seed Oil over the tops (but you could easily use Olive Oil). I made sure all sides of the rounds were coated, then sprinkled on a little paprika and a little cinnamon for good measure.

I roasted the sweet potato at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, then removed the skin and mashed them really good with a fork. I then added two eggs along with the chia seeds and flaxseed (1 TBS each).

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancake
I added some ghee to a non-stick pan (you could use butter, of course) and positioned a few pancake molds (not even remotely necessary – I was just trying to be cute). I poured some batter into the two molds and cooked my pancakes over medium heat for 6 minutes – I removed the molds when they looked “set.” After the six minutes, I flipped and cooked them for 4-5 minutes more.

They held together beautifully – which, I’m not lying, kind of surprised me.

Tip: Use the widest spatula you have – otherwise it may take two to flip them. If you aren’t using pancake molds, simply divide the dough into two pancakes. Again, a mold is not necessary.

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes
Topping:

For the topping, I beat 1 cup of whipping cream with 1/2 TBS sugar. Because I wanted to bring a little bit of apple flavor and goodness to the party, I grated nearly half of an apple and stirred it into the whipped topping, reserving some for the topping.

I topped the pancakes with the topping and sprinkled on some more chia seeds and grated apple.

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping
With experimentation, I discovered that these pancakes are also fantastic with maple syrup or honey. You could actually even drizzle a little honey on top of the whipped topping.

When you try these, go easy with the whipped topping at first – I actually added more than I needed. The pancakes, themselves, are so darn good, you don’t need much with them. These were a lot of fun to make and tasted fantastic.

And did I mention they were healthy?

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping