Meatless Mondays: Start it out right!

I am a huge believer in breakfast, probably because my body seems to be programmed to eat a full meal within a few hours of waking up.  (I wake up hungry, people, hungry!)  In my experience, it's important to eat healthy (and hearty!) in the morning to start a day out right. 

As a vegetarian, I also find it's important to be sure there's a decent dose of protein in every meal, including breakfast.  Don't be fooled - "vegetarian protein in the morning" does not necessarily have to mean eggs.  In fact, I find that I can get a nice dose of protein simply by eating whole grains. 

This weekend I whipped up my first batch of baked oatmeal, which I've been reading about all over the internet.  I used a very basic recipe, and I look forward to jazzin' it up in future versions with some dried or fresh fruit and other flavor combinations. 

Oatmeal has a nice dose of protein built right in, plus it makes a great base to combine with other protein sources.  By my count a serving of this baked oatmeal recipe has about 5 grams of protein (based on a 12-serving recipe), which isn't bad for something that smells as good as a freshly baked oatmeal cookie! 

This morning I had it with yogurt and berries, which was great.  Tomorrow I might try it with warm milk, which I imagine will be closer to a true bowl of oatmeal.  The oatmeal-dairy combo puts my protein tally closer to 12 grams, which I consider to be quite respectable for breakfast.

In case I'm selling this stuff short, this recipe is truly enticing!  It absolutely smelled like a cookies as it baked.  I was thrilled when it won over my hubby, who typically turns his nose at traditional oatmeal.  Plus, it satisfied my morning sweet tooth without being quite as sweet as an actual cookie.  I'm the queen of leftovers, so I was doubly pleased to discover how well it warmed up in the toaster oven the next day.  Yay for a week of baked oatmeal!

Baked Oatmeal - the Basic Recipe
Serves 8-12

• 3 cups oatmeal
• 3/4 brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the over to 375 degrees.  Mix all of the ingredients together.  Pour into a buttered 13 x 9 inch pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Meatless Mondays: More on Muffins

{Photo from here}

In the last few weeks I've mentioned my (and my preschooler's!) new love for hearty muffins as an afternoon snack. This muffin started it all. The recipe calls for peanut butter to replace some of the butter. It is sweetened with maple syrup and chocolate chips. And they are made with whole wheat flour. These are more than your average muffin because the peanut butter and whole grains really boost the protein and fiber.

Oh, and did I mention how yummy they are? The chocolate chips poking out of the top of the muffins entice my daughter every time. We have some in our freezer now!

Meatless Mondays: Pumpkin Cornbread

Last week I mentioned that the new favorite snack around my house is the {muffin}, and this recipe was a truly great find. These are hearty, sustaining, even long-winded. They are whole grain, for a boost of protein and fiber to make you feel full, and the subtle honey flavor makes them absolutely scrumptious. Just like the little cakes Alice eats in Alice in Wonderland! They taste best the first day, or frozen immediately after cooling and re-heated later. Yum!

Pumpkin Cornbread
Adapted from Simply Vegetarian

• 1/2 c. soft butter
• 3/4 c. honey
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or regular whole wheat flour)
• 1 c. cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter a 12-cup muffin tray. Cream the butter and honey in a bowl. Add the eggs, pumpkin, and milk, then mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full, then bake for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Meatless Mondays: Make-Ahead Favorite

I have a new make-ahead recipe that I love. I can't wait to have an excuse to eat it again! I made it for my graduation party and for the baby shower a few weeks ago. It's a strata, which is a dish made with bread, eggs, and cheese.


I love that stratas are hearty enough to satisfy full-time vegetarians and carnivores alike. Can you see why?


This recipe is stellar ~ it appeared on both Smitten Kitchen and Annie's Eats, two of my favorite blogs. You layer the bread, spinach mixture, and cheese in a pan much like you would layer a lasagna.


Then you pour the egg and milk mixture over the top and let it chill in the fridge overnight. The custard soaks into the bread and the flavors mingle a bit. In the morning the strata is oven-ready, making it so much easier to get brunch on the table.


And the flavor of the spinach and gruyere cheese is . . . well, yum! My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

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Spinach and Cheese Strata
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Annie's Eats

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1½ cups onion, finely chopped
• 2 (10 oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
• 1 tsp. salt, divided
• ½ tsp. pepper, divided
• Dash freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp. prepared Dijon mustard
• 8 cups cubed French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 oz. coarsely grated Gruyere (about 2 cups)
• 2 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about 2/3 cup)
• 9 large eggs
• 2¾ cup milk
  

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and the nutmeg, and continue to cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the spinach, remove from the heat and set aside.

Butter the inside of a 2½-3 quart baking dish. Layer the bottom of the dish with one third of the bread cubes. Top with one third of the spinach mixture and one third of each of the cheeses. Repeat these layers twice more with the bread, spinach and cheese.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, milk, the remaining ½ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, and 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard. Whisk together until blended. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread and spinach layers in the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Bake uncovered until puffed, golden brown and cooked through, 45-55 minutes. Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.

A Plate of Sunshine

A few weekends ago I made these sunshine-y pancakes. This is the kind of recipe I love ~ a few simple ingredients that turn into something wonderful. These are slightly sweet and a bit spicy.


While I don't often use mixes for things, I always like the idea of quick and easy breakfasts. You just can't beat needing only 3 ingredients!


These are very moist and freeze well. Do watch out, since they seem to stick more than most pancakes. I re-oiled the pan several times.

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Easy Pumpkin Pancakes

• 3 cups pancake mix (I used Krusteaz buttermilk)
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin pie filling
• 2 1/3 cups water (adjust the water if the consistency seems off since the moisture from the pumpkin may vary)

Whisk the ingredients together and drop onto a skillet. Cook on both sides, and you're done!