Breakfast Muesli

I discovered I love muesli.  I didn't know what it was until I stayed at the Bed & Breakfast that served it.  I tried it and loved it, and each year when we go back I would look forward to it. Even then I didn't know what it was called, I just knew I liked it.  I finally asked and so now when I see it in cookbooks and magazine I know what they are talking about. 

Since I am trying to amp up the nutrition in my food I thought I would put one together that had all the stuff in it that I like.  There are lots of different toppings you can add, just a pick a couple or several you like.

This is going to give you energy and it will stay with you until lunch.

Ingredients:
1 green apple, cored and diced small 
1 cup rolled oats or kamut
Goji berries, small handful 
3 tbsp ground flax seed
3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1 cup of low fat Greek yogurt
3 tbsp honey, agave, or stevia
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

Mix together and refrigerate until cold.   When ready to eat take out a serving to a separate bowl and add desired toppings.  I like cinnamon, granola and nuts. I make this at the beginning of the week and it is ready for quick weekday morning meals.

Toppings:
Walnuts, diced
Almonds, diced
Granola
Coconut
Dried cranberries
Raisins
Pepita's ( pumpkin seeds)
Fresh berries
Banana

Your going to love it and need to make another bowl full for next week!

Roasted Cauliflower with Asiago

If you gotta eat cauliflower, this is the way to eat it!

Let me say right off, that cauliflower is not very photogenic. I apologize for this picture upfront, but hope you get the idea of what it is supposed to look like.

While I tend to be a pretty healthy eater I will admit that cruciferous vegetables are not my favorites.  Broccoli and cauliflower are hardly ever on my menu because I do not care for them, but my husband loves them both and so occasionally I will make them for dinner.  And you can forget about brussel sprouts, I hate them!  Can't get them into my mouth.  So when I figured out how to make cauliflower by roasting it in the oven and then putting cheese on it, I thought, now that's more like it!  This I can eat.  It's actually pretty good.

So here's how to make it.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Get one large head of cauliflower and break it up into medium size florets.  Put it into a large bowl and add some olive oil, seasoned salt, pepper, and toss to coat well.  Put this on a sheet pan, add about 1/4 cup of water to pan and put into the oven for about 20 minutes.  The water will help with streaming.  Check the cauliflower for doneness by taking a paring knife and inserting it into the thickest part of the vegetable.  If done, remove from the oven, and sprinkle with about 1/4 cup finely grated asiago cheese and salt if necessary.  Serve hot.

Dig in!  While you are eating, think about how many vitamins you are giving to your body.  It will make you feel strong just thinking about it.    

Caramelized Rice Pudding

There is something about rice pudding.  It evokes time gone by.  I think of my childhood, and my daughter's childhood.  She looooooved rice pudding!  It's comfort food.  While everyone has their preferred recipe, it is basically white rice in milk with sugar. 

I remember hoping there would be rice leftover from dinner so I could have it for dessert. I didn't even bother to make the rice pudding, I just put in a bowl, nuked it, added some milk, sugar and cinnamon and ate it just like that. And I was happy to have it.

These days I am a little more picky and I enjoy the finer things in life so I actually take the time to make it.  I've tried various recipes and I liked the caramelized rice pudding for a little something extra .  Yes it's that same old rice pudding recipe but then you put sugar on top and use a blowtorch to burn it. The result is a crunchy topping similar to creme brulee.  

The recipe:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Put 3 cups of whole milk into a medium saucepan.  Add 1/2 cup arborio rice, and 1 vanilla bean that has been split and scraped.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Discard the vanilla bean.

In a bowl whisk 3/4 cup of heavy cream with 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 2 large egg yolks.  Pour into the rice mixture stirring constantly and return to heat until it comes to a low simmer.

Divide mixture into four 6 ounce ramekins.  Set them in a roasting pan and add boiling water halfway up sides.  Bake until almost set about 15 minutes.  Remove ramekins from pan and allow to cool 10 minutes.  Sprinkle tops with raw sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.  Using a kitchen torch caramelize the sugar.

If you do not want to use a vanilla bean substitute a good quality vanilla.

If you do not have a kitchen torch you can brown them under the broiler.  But keep an eye on them as they can burn very quickly.

Holiday Cocktail

This recipe has the warm scent of mulling spices telling you the holidays have arrived.  You can buy mulling spices in various forms, and use that, or you can make your own.

To make mulling spices:  In a piece of cheesecloth combine 3 tbsp orange rind, 3 tbsp broken cinnamon sticks, 2 tbsp whole allspice, 2 tbsp whole cloves.  Spoon into the center of the cheesecloth and tie up.  Secure the end with a piece of kitchen twine.

In a large saucepan combine 2 cups of pomegranate juice, 2 cups cranberry juice, 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice and mulling spice bundle.  Heat to a low simmer, simmer for 5 minutes, turn off heat, and cover.  Allow to cool completely.  Allow mulling spices to steep for several hours or overnight.

Remove cheesecloth bundle.  Strain through fine sieve into pitcher.  Chill.

To serve, fill glass with ice, add 1/3 vodka, juice to almost full, and a splash of tonic or club soda. 

Enjoy!  Happy Holidays!