Toasted Muesli with Millet, Coconut, Pistachios, and Cranberries

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 cup whole millet
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
3/4 cup shelled pistachios (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
2/3 cup dried cranberries (I used frozen cranberries)

In a bowl, pour boiling water over millet, cover with a plate, and let sit until softened, 30 minutes.  Drain.

Heat oven to 325F.  In a large bowl, combine drained millet, oats, pistachios, and coconut flakes.  (I also mixed in the frozen cranberries.)

In a small saucepan, bring honey, oil, and salt to a boil.  Pour over millet mixture and stir until combined.

Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until golden, about 20 minutes.  Once cool, stir in dried cranberries.  Muesli keeps, stored in an airtight container, two weeks.

(Even with all of the substitutions I made, this was lovely.)

Roasted Cherry Tomato Clafoutis

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

1 1/2 lbs. cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme (I used less, dried)
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 large eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 oz. grated Manchego cheese
5 basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat oven to 400F.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss tomatoes and garlic with oil and thyme and season with salt and pepper.  Roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes, then transfer tomatoes and juices to a straight-sided 9-inch-round (2-inch-deep)  baking dish and let cool slightly.  Decrease oven temperature to 350F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cornstarch, coconut milk, cheese, 1/2 tsp. salt, and herbs.  Pour mixture over slightly cooled tomatoes.

Bake until top is golden brown and edges are puffed, 35 to 40 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Healthy Apple Crisp

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

8 Macintosh apples, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup date sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup raisins
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup Goji berries, soaked (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, sprinkle apples with lemon juice & toss.  Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a medium bowl, then combine with the apples and mix thoroughly.  Pour into a 8x11-inch baking dish.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Pineapple Papaya Salad with Dried Apricots and Coconut

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay)

1 medium fresh pineapple (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
1 large papaya (about 1 lb.)
2 medium barely ripe bananas
1 large tart, crisp apple (such as Granny Smith)
12 halves dried apricots (about 3 oz.), chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup flaked coconut

Slice off both ends of the pineapple, then cut the pineapple in half crosswise.  Holding the flat side of one pineapple half against a cutting board, use a sharp knife to slice off the peel in a downward motion toward the board.  Peel the other half.  Cut each half into lengthwise quarters and slice off and discard the tough core portion.  Cut the quartered pineapple into small, uniform chunks.  Place the pineapple in a large mixing bowl.

Cut the papaya in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.  Peel the papaya and chop the fruit into uniform pieces about the same size as the pineapple chunks.  Add the papaya to the pineapple in the bowl.

Peel the bananas and chop them into small uniform pieces.  Core the apple and chop it into bite-size pieces.  Toss the bananas and apple with the pineapple and papaya.  Add the apricots, orange juice, and lime juice to the bowl and toss.  Transfer to a pretty serving bowl.

Place the coconut in a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.  Toast for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the coconut is uniformly tan in color.  Immediately remove the coconut from the pan, sprinkle it evenly over the fruit, and serve.

Shakshuka

(recipe from davidlebovitz.com)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 - 1 chile pepper (or to taste), stemmed, sliced in half and deseeded, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. paprika, smoked or sweet
1 tsp. caraway seeds, crushed
1 tsp. cumin seeds, crushed, or 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cored and diced, or two 14-oz. cans of diced or crushed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. red wine or cider vinegar
1 cup loosely packed greens, such as radish greens, watercress, kale, Swiss chard, or spinach, coarsely chopped
4 oz. feta cheese, cut in generous, bite-sized cubes (I omitted this)
4 to 6 eggs

In a wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and wilted.  Add the chile pepper, salt, pepper, and spices.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to release their fragrance.

Add the fresh or canned tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened somewhat but is still loose enough so that when you shake the pan it sloshes around. (Fresh tomatoes may take a little longer to cook than canned.)  Stir in the chopped greens.

If you want to finish the Shakshuka on the stovetop, turn off the heat and press the cubes of feta into the tomato sauce.  With the back of a spoon, make 6 indentations in the sauce.  Crack an egg into each indentation, then drag a spatula gently through the egg whites so it mingles a bit with the tomato sauce, being careful not to disturb the yolks.

Turn the heat back on so the sauce is at a gentle simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, taking some of the tomato sauce and basting the egg whites from time-to-time.  Cover, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

TO FINISH THEM INDIVIDUALLY:  Preheat the oven to 375F.  Divide the sauce into 6 individual baking dishes and press the feta cubes into the sauce.  Set the baking dishes on a baking sheet, make an indentation in each, and crack an egg into the center.  Bake until the eggs are cooked to you liking, basting the whites with some of the sauce midway during baking, which will take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes - but begin checking them sooner to get them just right.  If the yolks begin to get a little firm on top before the whites are cooked, drape a sheet of foil over them, but avoid having it touch the yolks.

Serve with lots of crusty bread for scraping up the sauce.

(Such a flavorful sauce!  Very delicious and satisfying.)

Andrew Feinberg's Slow-Baked Broccoli Frittata

(recipe from Food 52)

10 large eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (I left this out)
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste (I halved this amount, and still found it to be a little too salty)
40 turns from a black pepper mill (I halved this as well)
7 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium (1 lb.) head of broccoli (4 cups once trimmed)
1/2 of a red onion, sliced thinly
1 heaping Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/8 tsp. plus a large pinch of dried chile flakes
1 squeeze lemon, to taste, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Crack the eggs and whisk together with the Parmigiano, salt, and black pepper, and set aside.

Trim 1/2 inch off the stem of the broccoli.  Using a knife, separate all the florets from the base leaving the stem attached and then cut floret pieces in half (you can cut any especially large ones in quarters so all are evenly sized.)  In a 10- to 11-inch oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the broccoli in 4 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Let the broccoli develop a nice brown color on one side, then turn everything over and season to taste with salt.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the broccoli until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.  In a separate 10- to 11-inch sauté pan, cook the onion in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, adding salt to taste.  Cook the onions for about 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat until lightly browned.  Reserve onions on the side.

Once the broccoli is fully roasted and tender, transfer the sauté pan back to the stovetop and reduce the oven temperature to 300F.

Over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the broccoli pan and add the garlic and chile.  Cook the garlic and chile for 1 minute carefully so as not to burn the garlic.  Add the cooked onions to the sauté pan with the broccoli and mix well.  Add the egg and cheese mixture and let cook for 30 seconds over high heat.

Transfer the pan to the 300F oven and let the frittata cook until the eggs are just set.  Should be about 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and then turn the frittata out with a rubber spatula onto a serving plate.  Squeeze lemon juice over the top.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle Parmigiano over the top to taste, optional.

(Found!  The secret to an amazing frittata: a longer bake in a lower oven!  Amazing custard-like texture.)

Pumpkin Seed Dried-Cherry Trail Mix

(recipe from the cookbook 5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson)

2 cups baby pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
6 Tbsp. pure Grade B maple syrup
Coarse salt, to taste
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Preheat oven to 300F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds with the syrup until evenly coated.  Spread the nuts and seeds out in an even, single layer on the lined baking sheets and season with salt.  Bake them, stirring several times with a spatula or wooden spoon, until just golden, about 20 minutes.  Cool the nuts and seeds completely on the sheet tray, then add the cherries and toss to combine.

Store the cooled trail mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

(Tasty, grain-free version of granola.  I used apple juice-sweetened cranberries, which were a nice alternative to the super sugary versions of most dried fruits.  I ate this alone, and as a topping to various chia pudding breakfast concoctions.  It has a perfect sweet/salty flavor mix.)

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes

(recipe from Smitten Kitchen, adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks)

7 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
butter
maple syrup

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; you want it to slowly get nice and hot.

Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in the bottom of a medium bowl.  Dump the sour cream in on top and stir it together very gently; it's okay to leave the texture a bit uneven.  Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and stir them into the sour cream mixture, once again, being careful not to overmix.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter in your skillet or griddle and pour the batter in, a scant 1/4 cup at a time.  Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until bubbles appear all over the surface, flipping them carefully and cooking for about a minute on the other side.  Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve in a stack, topped with a pat of butter and a cascade of maple syrup.

(Again, not vegan: I wanted to use up the sour cream and butter remaining from my peach tart on a new recipe...  A bit of a treat for myself in the morning!  I didn't have enough sour cream, but swapped in some coconut milk to make up the difference, to no ill effect.  These are odd, eggy pancakes, but pancakes nonetheless, and delicious.  I also added a few tablespoons of wheat germ that I wanted to get rid of, making them a bit toothy.)

Makes 12 4-inch pancakes, 8 5-inch pancakes, or so.

Lisa's Granola

(recipe from Eating Well magazine)

6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raw, unsalted pepitas
1/2 cup maple syrup
6 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a roasting pan or large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine oats, almonds, walnuts, and pepitas in a large bowl.  Whisk maple syrup, oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until blended.  Pour over the oat mixture and toss to coat. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan.

Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until lightly and evenly browned and starting to dry out, 50 minutes to 1 hour.  Let cool completely in the pan before serving or storing.

Store airtight in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks.

(Delicious!  I added a bit less oil.  Also, monitor the cooking - my oven is hotter, I think, so I didn't have to bake for as long as they say.  I ate this with blueberries, bananas, and coconut milk and it was yummy.)

Potato, Asparagus & Mushroom Hash

(recipe from Eating Well magazine)

Serves 4.

1 lb. new or baby potatoes, scrubbed, halved if large
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 lb.), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 oz. shitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
fresh chives for garnish

Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil.  Put potatoes in the basket and steam until barely tender when pierced with a skewer, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on size.  When cool enough to handle, chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large (not nonstick) skillet over medium heat.  Add asparagus, mushrooms, shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. oil to the pan.  Add onion and the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits with a metal spatula, until the potatoes are browned, 4 to 8 minutes  Return the asparagus mixture to the pan along with the roasted red pepper, sage, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more.  Serve sprinkled with chives, if desired.

(This is meant as a breakfast entree, served with toast and topped with an egg.  However, I ate this cold for my lunches, kind of like a potato salad.  It's a tasty combination of vegetables.  Topped with fresh chives, very light and springtime-y.)

Apple Cinnamon Oat Squares

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 cups unsweetened almondmilk

1 1/2 cups steel cut oats

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 (about 1 pound) Pink Lady apples, cored and grated

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Transfer to a parchment paper-lined 9-inch square baking pan, press down and smooth out the top and bake until firm and golden brown, about 1 hour.  Let cool in pan; cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

(These were tasty, but a little too moist for my liking in my quest for perfect homemade granola bars.)

Homemade Granola Bars

(recipe from goop.com)

1 1/3 cups rolled oats, divided
a pinch each of salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger
1/4 cup flax seeds (I used hemp seeds)
1 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped (or any combination of roughly chopped dried fruit and/or nuts) (I used 1/2 cup apricots and 1/2 cup pecans)
1/4 cup canola oil (I used mashed banana)
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used agave syrup)
2 Tbsp. brown rice syrup

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a 8" square baking pan with parchment paper, letting a bit of excess paper hang over the sides.

Grind 1/3 cup of the oats in a food processor until powdery.  Add them to a large mixing bowl with the remaining oats, salt & spices, flax seeds, and apricots.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then stir them into the dry ingredients.

Put the mixture in the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula.  Bake for 1/2 hour, or until evenly browned.  Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Remove to a cutting board (the parchment paper will act as a sort of sling, making this very easy).  Cut into individual granola bars.

(I am on a mission to find a recipe for really good breakfast bars.  This was tasty, though a bit dry, and didn't hold together so well in bar form.  Also, loads of sugar syrups and not much healthy substance.  The mission continues!)

Rise and Shine Oatmeal

(recipe from Cooking Light magazine)

4 servings.

2 cups water
2 cups oats
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbsp. sliced almonds, toasted
maple syrup, for serving

Bring water to a boil over medium heat.  Stir in oats; cook 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients.  Serve with maple syrup.

Hearty Morning Cereal

(recipe from Yoga Living)

1/2 cup amaranth
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Lightly toast all of the above ingredients in a dry skillet.  Toast only until a distinct nutty aroma is apparent. Allow cooling.  Grind all ingredients in a food processor, until fine.  Keep mixture in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cook 1/2 cup of the ground cereal with 1 cup milk or water in a small pan over medium heat.  Cook until thick.  Stir frequently to avoid burning.

(I found that this does not cook terribly quickly, and that you may need to add more mixture to the milk till your preferred thickness.  Tastes good, though.  I added some chopped prunes and maple syrup on top.)