Apple Pie Oatmeal

I spent the end of August traveling North to Montreal, and it has really put me in the mood for the crisper months ahead of us. The weather up north was absolutely perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket. It was so nice to explore the city by foot without the humidity we'd be getting back home. Old Montreal was like a trip back to Europe - I could walk for days taking in all the history. The cobblestone streets, beautiful architecture, and delicious food made for a perfect way to spend a long weekend. I'll share some more of our trip to Canada soon. 

We decided to skip breakfast in Montreal before heading home, and instead stop in Burlington, VT for a change of scenery. I'd never been to Burlington, but with all the granola-eating, Birkenstock-wearing images conjured up around Vermont, I knew we'd hit it off. And we did just that. The leaves have already started turning up north, and we happened to be traveling through during welcome-back-week for the University of Vermont students (the things I'd do to be back in college). The homes were so wonderfully dated, and their dedication to local, wholesome foods is something I could really get into. I always wonder why restaurants in Massachusetts don't get more involved with sourcing local ingredients. Everything we ate seemed to be produced at a farm down the street. We finally hit Burlington around lunchtime (traffic at the border was nuts!), and of course I had researched a restaurant during our drive south. The menu at The Farmhouse Tap + Grill made for an easy decision. My mom and I got veggie burgers, and I topped mine with braised kale and caramelized onions. Incredible. I also got a fresh pressed apple, carrot, ginger juice to start. I really need to juice more. We ended our indulgent weekend of eating with a slice of homemade blueberry pie a la mode, and a sweet and tangy chevre and honey trifle. I highly recommend a trip to The Farmhouse if you're ever in the area. I'll definitely be back to eat my way through their menu.  

Driving through the green mountain state, on our way back to Kingston, I knew I wanted to plan this years apple picking weekend up here in Burlington - mostly so I could enjoy another meal up here. Is it strange that I plan all activities around eating? Most of the time you can find me at my computer eating one meal and researching my next. In fact, I think a lot of my unruly spending comes from trying to keep myself busy until I can eat again. So in hopes of bringing home some of that autumn air, I bring you apple pie oatmeal infused a bit with the delicious blueberry pie we enjoyed in Vermont. Creamy oats served atop warm, spiced blueberries all covered with soft and sweet cinnamon, maple apples, and finished with a sprinkling of toasted pecans. I. Want. Fall. 

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Serves 1

1 apple, finely diced

1/2 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon maca powder

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons pecan, toasted

Place the diced apple, maple syrup, and teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for about two minutes until soft. Alternately, you could saute these ingredients on the stove top. Set aside while you prepare your oats.

Add the oats, apple juice, water, vanilla extract, and maca powder to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium/medium low, and simmer until your liquid is absorbed and the oats are nice and chewy. Throw in the cranberries towards the end of cooking so they can soften up.

Microwave the blueberries in the bottom of your serving bowl. Mash slightly with the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Pour your oats over the warm blueberry mash, and top with the softened cinnamon apple chunks. Sprinkle with toasted and chopped pecans, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Raspberry Nectarine Oatmeal

I heart oatmeal (along with every other health nut, I'm sure). It's hearty and nourishing, stick-to-your-ribs food. It's chewy, creamy, warming, and most importantly, very easy to adapt into a morning dessert - which I'm a huge fan of. The flavor combinations are pretty much endless, and for someone who is big into combining textures, oatmeal is the perfect vehicle. A good formula to follow when making your favorite breakfast cereal...

oats + something fresh + something dried + something creamy + something crunchy

Not that you need a formula when making oatmeal or anything, I mean this isn't rocket science, but I like to stick with what works. In fact I think this is my basic meal formula. Salads are always better with some fresh and dried fruits, and a sprinkling of nuts. Top with a creamy dressing and you're good to go. Pasta with roasted vegetables, fresh greens, creamy cheese, and roasted nuts - ugh, now I'm hungry. 

This oatmeal specifically was a combination of the seasonal fruits I had in my fridge, combined with my hands-down favorite granola, Purely Elizabeth. Have you ever tried this perfectly sweetened and toasted, magical superfood? It's crunchy yet somehow melts in my mouth - I really can't explain it. Made with ancient grains like millet, quinoa, and amaranth, and omega-3 seeds like chia, flax, and hemp, it's the most nutritious granola I've come across. Organic coconut oil and coconut palm sugar provide a filling energy boost, without the blood sugar spike of more processed sweeteners. And to please most every palate out there, Purely Elizabeth is also vegan and gluten-free. Buy it. Try it. Buy it again. Another good kitchen formula. 

Raspberry Nectarine Oatmeal

1/2 cup oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon shredded coconut

a few chopped apricots

1 nectarine, chopped

1/2 cup raspberries, mashed

toppings:

granola

almond milk

maple syrup or honey

shredded coconut or coconut butter

Cook your oats according to package instructions (buckwheat, farro, or brown rice make great alternatives). When oats begin to thicken, add cinnamon, vanilla, shredded coconut, and apricots. Continue cooking until desired consistency. Add the chopped nectarine and raspberry mash and give it a stir. Use whatever toppings are up your alley. Here I went with granola, almond milk, maple syrup, and a few pieces of leftover fruit. I poured the almond milk and honey over top after the photo session to ensure a clear view of that wonderful granola. 

Coconut Cream + Oatmeal Parfait with Raspberries + Papaya

Breakfast is my reason for waking up in the morning (to be clear, not my only reason, but an important one). Sometimes the only way I can make myself stop snacking the night before is to tell myself "You will eat again - in a mere 8-10 hours. And it will probably be something delicious, so stop before you're too guilty to consume anything but a green smoothie (also delicious)." I'll study Pinterest for creative inspiration, and then dream deeply about how I can somehow turn breakfast into a morning dessert. 

Like many of you, I'm big on presentation. And what's more beautiful than colorful layers of delicious ingredients? Here I layered fresh raspberries and papaya with chewy oats, silky coconut cream, and crunchy almonds and cacao nibs. I started mixing yogurt with my oatmeal awhile ago, and it's been a real game changer. I would dump the ingredients together and give it a good mix, often throwing some frozen fruit inside to keep everything on the same page temperature wise. But while it tasted amazing, it really never looked that beautiful. I don't know why it took me so long to do the layering thing, but isn't that usually the way? Parfaits have since become one of my favorite breakfast options. 

My favorite yogurt brand Whole Soy & Co., has been having some relocating issues (don't worry, they will be back!), so after a quick panic attack, I got to thinking. I tried the life changing coconut cream-from-a-can-of-coconut milk when it hit the blogosphere about a year ago, and knew I'd have great success using it as a yogurt substitute. I wasn't wrong. There's something truly magical about sticking a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, and waking up to a can of coconut whipped cream (click that link above for step-by-step instructions). It's right up there with the wonders of churning homemade ice-cream. I could seriously eat an entire bowl of this stuff. Which is exactly what I did over the next couple days. 

Coconut Cream + Oatmeal Parfait with Raspberries + Papaya

Feel free to substitute yogurt for the coconut cream

Serves 1

Coconut cream (I sweeten mine with maple syrup or honey)

1/4 cup oats

2 tablespoons raisins

1/2 cup raspberries, mashed up a bit

1/2 cup papaya, also mashed

1 tablespoon cacao nibs

1 tablespoon toasted, slivered almonds

1 tablespoon shredded coconut, unsweetened 

Cook your oats according to package instructions, stirring in the raisins during the last couple minutes of cooking. Set aside. Mix together the cacao nibs, slivered almonds, and shredded coconut in a small bowl. Set aside. 

Grab a mason jar, or whatever your favorite breakfast bowl may be, and start layering. 

Put 1/2 of the oatmeal raisin mixture in the bottom of the jar. Next add 1/2 of the mashed raspberries followed by 1/2 of the papaya. Top with a few tablespoons of coconut cream (the more the better), and sprinkle with 1/2 of the cacao, almond, coconut mix. Repeat the previous steps starting with the oatmeal and ending with the cacao, almond, coconut mix. Dig in.  

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Did You Know? It was not until 1941, that congress declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

I said I would share a few tips or suggestions for all those Thanksgiving leftovers, so here's some recipes that my family loves...

-Turkey and Cranberry Quesadillas
-Butternut Squash Soup, thin out my squash recipe with some broth
-Turkey Soup (and don't forget any extra gravy or stuffing-according to my mom)
-Cranberry Yogurt: yogurt w/ cranberry sauce mixed in and topped with toasted walnuts (pictured above)
-Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal: cooked oats, roasted pumpkin puree, toasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice (pictured below)...

-Toss leftover veggies (brussels sprouts, carrots, string beans) and stuffing with some rice or pasta and bake with a little parmesan cheese on top
-Potato or Squash Pancakes
-Add a few eggs to a mixture of stuffing, squash, finely chopped veggies, cranberry sauce, etc., and make your own Thanksgiving Veggie Burger

Be creative, almost anything goes with these versatile flavors!