triple yum

Today was super productive!! Always nice to cross things off the to-do list. 

Breakfast: oats + rice milk + whole banana + dollup brown rice syrup + pnut butter glob = always delicious

Do you guys ever eat Kale?? It is a completely underrated leafy green! I only started cooking with it about 1yr ago.  Chris and I both love it.  I either roast it in the oven [alone or with other veg] or pan sauté it.  Today it went in the pan. 

Drizzle a little olive oil in the pan and set to medium. Rip the kale leaves off the stem, wash, and dry.  Chop to bite size pieces and let cook in the pan about 7min.  I also sprinkle on a little salt + garlic powder.  It has great flavor and still holds a nice crunch even after cooking.  YUM

Lunch: pan sautéed kale + leftover veggies + noodles [sunday’s dinner] + sunny side up egg on top.  The egg was seriously so good on the veggies.  Provides a nice little sauce and lots of protein =)

With a side of POM!

I decided to make tomorrow’s breakfast, TOday!  Back to the baked oatmeal snack bars I tried out a few days ago [from Kath’s blog].  I wanted to play with it more this time though! 

Insert PUMPKIN =)

Here was altered ingredient list: [needs to be reworked more though]

• 1.5c. oats
• 3/4c. pumpkin puree
• 1T flaxseed meal
• 3T water [combine with the flax]
• 1.25c. unsweetened rice milk
• 1/4c. brown rice syrup [or cane sugar/maple syrup/honey/etc.]
• 1 sliced banana
• 2t. vanilla
• 1-1/4t. cinnamon
• 1/4t. cloves
• 1/4t. ginger
• 1/4t. nutmeg

So I am experimenting with substituting flax + water, as an egg substitute.  For no reason in particular…just want to see if it works, like it says it does on the side of the bag! Not sure I would go trying this in cake recipes, but we’ll see ;)

Bob’s Red Mill – ground flaxseed meal – For replacing 1 egg combine 1T flax meal with 3T water and let sit for 2min then stir in with other ingredients.

I also left out the nuts and dried fruit and instead subbed in 1 sliced banana and the pumpkin.  I may or may not have also added in 1/3c. dark chocolate chunks ;)

I made adjustments for the higher altitude, [the recipe I provided is normal elevation] but something was definitely off =(  The flavor is good but it’s too wet.  I even cooked it for 10min longer than I thought I needed to.  Maybe the flax didn’t gel it together like the egg would have?  Or maybe Rice milk doesn’t bake in the same way cow’s milk does?  I figured it shouldn’t matter what type of liquid you use…kind of like when you’re making a bowl of oats, you can use whatever.  I think I’ll just use less liquid next time especially because of the pumpkin addition + banana which added extra moisture.

I’ll let you know when I get it right!!  I was cooking dinner + making the bars at the same time which made me need this…

Wine in a whiskey glass =) Oat bars in the background…

Dinner: my made up version of stuffed peppers – Greek style

Serves 6:

• Cook 1c. of whatever rice/grain you want – I used short grain brown rice
• While that is cooking preheat your oven to 400* – cut 6 peppers in half – clean them out – brush with olive oil – place in a pan cut side down – roast for 30min
• Cook whatever meat you’re using, if you’re using any.  I used 3/4lb ground lamb [local colorado lamb! yeehaw] and .25lbs grass fed beef
• Drain the grease and use that pan to sauté 1 small onion + 1 med. tomato  for about 5-7min. on medium
• Wash – dry – chop 4 big handfuls of kale leaves and add them in the mix for another 5 or so minutes
• Take off the heat and add in about 1c. spinach
• When rice or grain is done, fluff with fork and combine with meat and veggies.
• Take out peppers and stuff them full.  Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350* for 30min.
• Uncover, top with feta, and broil for 5min.

After baking, but before the feta was broiled on top…

If you have any questions let me know…I typed that out fast!! I’m wiped out =)

I don’t have the exact cost right now, but it was pretty cheap.  The peppers were on sale for 55 cents!! They weren’t organic but at least they weren’t covered in wax.  I couldn’t pass up that deal. 

Pantry items were: rice/feta/spinach/tomatoes/onion

I only had to buy the peppers, meat, and kale!

Goooooooooooodnight!

Off to the mountains again tomorrow =)

Ashley