5 Days of Breakfast - Day 3

Here's the thing about Oatmeal; you either love it or you learn to tolerate it because it's good for you. It seems to be available almost everywhere these days from Starbucks to Jamba Juice, which tells me more of us just might be on the 'love it' side of the street. My oatmeal method is great for when you are really in a rush.

First of all, ditch the microwave. Unless you like standing there, face against the plastic, trying to prevent an oatmeal eruption. It is so much quicker and easier to make oatmeal with boiled water. So turn your tea kettle on, pour a package of plain, instant oatmeal in a bowl and go check your email.

Once the water is boiling, you can add as much or as little as you want depending on the consistency you prefer. Add at least a 1/4 Cup, drizzling in more as you need. Let the oatmeal stand for a minute or two, then stir and start adding in all the goodness.

Second tip, remember I said pour in a package of plain oatmeal? Ditch those flavored varieties that have unnecessary sugar and often weirdly rubbery dried fruit and just add your own stuff.
I like to sprinkle mine with about 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon and then dashes of ground cloves, ground allspice and ground nutmeg. Next, I toss in a teaspoon or two of brown sugar or honey, a spoonful of flax seeds or chia seeds and some fruit. Here I used banana, but I've also tried it with different types of berries.
If the oatmeal is too hot or not quite creamy enough, just drizzle it all with a bit of any milk of your choice. I prefer Almond milk.

I love this meal for those winter mornings when you just can't quite get out of bed. It's warm and comforting and ready to eat in minutes.

5 Days of Breakfast - Day 2

Yesterday, I started 5 Days of Breakfast recipes to help shake up your normal morning routine. Here is one of my all time favorite, fun alternatives to the classic combo of toast and eggs. 

I toast one slice of whole grain bread (any brand or flavor you like works), then spread half of a ripe avocado over it. Next, cut up a medium boiled egg and gently smash it into the avocado. 

Finally, sprinkle a bit of pepper and Lawry's seasoned salt on the whole thing. Pair with a piece of fruit and you're ready for the day.

Done! Quick, easy and sooooo delicious! 

Enjoy!

5 Days of Breakfast. Day 1

Breakfast. The crackling sound of crispy bacon, the sweet warmth of maple syrup drizzling over fluffly blueberry pancakes and the oozey goodness of just slightly runny eggs. Hungry yet? Unfortunately for the majority of us, our schedules, not to mention our waistlines, just don't have room to eat like that everyday.

I regularly struggle to come up with different breakfast ideas that are not only tasty, but healthy AND most importantly, will keep me moving until lunch. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite breakfast creations that meet that criteria (these are individual portions, but could be made for multiple people). Each day of this week, I'll offer up a new morning meal that is delicious, healthy and pretty fast to make too.


Day 1:

This is one of my go-to morning meals. The bottom layer that you can't see is Plain, nonfat, Greek yogurt (I prefer Fage), which is not only great for you, but is also a blank flavor canvas to add absolutely anything you like to.
I top the yogurt with any fresh fruit I have on hand. This time its a Honeycrisp apple, but I've done blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and even grapefruit sections. Next, I sprinkle some ground cinnamon over the top and then finish it off with half a packet of plain, instant oatmeal. Adding the oatmeal gives this meal some extra fiber, which helps to keep you fuller, longer. You could use rolled oats if you like, but they are not as tender and small as the instant version. You could also toss some nuts or flax seeds in for extra textural crunch.
Finally, I drizzle the whole bowl with a bit of raw, local honey (you could also swap the honey for agave nectar) to add just a hint of sweetness.

Quick, easy, delicious. What do you like to eat greek yogurt with?

Merry Christmas

May your Holiday and home be filled with love and happiness!

Stocking Stuffers

Christmas is just days away and I'm still not done shopping! The last items on my list are always the small things...the little add-ons to the big gifts I've already purchased. Here are a few of my favorite last minute stocking stuffers.

Beauty

For the fashion savvy ladies out there, one of my must have nail polishes comes from Deborah Lippmann. Her polish is beautifully pigmented, high quality and super quick drying. You can buy them at department stores like Nordstrom and Bloomingdales, or you can purchase them online from www.lippmanncollection.com. I recently bought this gorgeous blue/green glitter shade named Across the Universe, and also adore the gold version called Boom Boom Pow. It helps that the names of each color are super fun!

Tech

If the guy in your life is anything like mine, his phone is constantly running low on battery. I saw these handy and handsome chargers in the J.Crew Men's Shop last weekend and thought what a great stocking stuffer they would make. They do come in a variety of colors, but are not currently available online. Check out your local mall to pick one up, or for a plainer but no less useful version, check out the ultimate smart charger on Kitson.com

Kitchen

One of my favorite little kitchen tools is my fresh nutmeg grater. I got mine at Crate & Barrel years ago, but this one is from Bed, Bath & Beyond.com. This is such a handy item and you could certainly use it to grate small amounts of zest from lemons and limes. The bottom (black) portion catches everything you grate for easy pouring into recipes.



Bathroom

For those bath lovers out there, check out Lush.com or your local brick&mortar Lush store for the most deliciously scented, smooth as silk and bubbly bath bars. My favorite is the Rose Jam which has an incredibly strong, sweet rose perfume and can be split in half for use in two sleep inducing baths. Bonus: you'll smell like a flower for the rest of the night!

Enjoy the rest of your shopping and remember the best gifts are always the ones that come packed with love!

Comforting Chicken Soup

I'm pretty into soup.  And this simple chicken soup is one of my all time favorites. It's easy. It's economical. It's versatile and above all, it's delicious. This is what you want to eat when that sore throat is creeping up on you, when the days are too short and the nights are crisp.

Start with the basics. Chopped onions, celery and carrots. Then build from there in any direction you choose. If you happen to have any other vegetables handy, like zucchini or squash, toss those in too. The most important thing to remember about homemade soup is that you have to add flavor. And the best way to do that is with lots of herbs, salt and pepper.

I always put a bay leaf in my soup, something I saw my mother do so many times when I was young. I also like to put whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme, you'll find tiny bare branches floating around later, make it a game to see who gets the stems.

Another great flavor addition is a can of white or cannelini beans. Drain the beans, pour half the can into the soup and mash the other half to add a nice creamy thickness to your broth.

At the end of cooking, I like to add a hearty leaf vegetable like kale or swiss chard, it's a healthy alternative to noodles and it tastes amazing!

Whether you choose to use homemade chicken stock or boxed stock doesn't matter, just be sure that it if you do buy it, it's high quality and low in sodium. You need to be in charge of the salt levels. You can also choose to use a raw chicken breast, that will cook directly in the soup, or pre-cooked, shredded chicken (such as a rotisserie chicken from the market). Either way, this soup will seriously satisfy you're whole family and last a while too! I make a pot for my husband and I for two nights of dinner, and you could certainly double this recipe to serve a crowd.

Sprinkle each bowl with a bit of parmesan cheese and dig in.

Comforting Chicken Soup

1 T olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs each of rosemary and thyme
1 bay leaf
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
5 C chicken stock or broth
1  14 oz can white or cannelini beans, drained and split in half
3 or 4 leaves kale or swiss chard, chopped
Cooked rotisserie chicken, chopped, or one large raw chicken breast
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery and zucchini. Brown the vegetables until they begin to become translucent, about 6-7 min. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Add the herbs, bay leaf and salt and pepper followed by the can of tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. At this point, if you are using raw chicken, drop it into the boiling broth and cook for about 8-10 min. Remove the cooked chicken breast and dice it up, then continue with the next steps.

Bring the soup to a simmer, add half the can of drained beans. Mash the remaining beans in the can with a fork until they resemble a paste. Add the mashed beans to the pot. If you are using cooked chicken, add it to the broth at this point. Gently fold the kale into the soup, shut off the heat and cover the pot to allow the greens to wilt down, about 3-4 minutes. Season again to taste, if necessary.

Enjoy!

Quick Weeknight Thanksgiving Dinner

Let me tell you how my day went last Thursday. I worked all day as usual, went straight to the gym, ran home to shower and then cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Yes, Thanksgiving dinner on a weeknight at 6:00pm. It can be done. Maybe you have to work on the holiday this year, or just don't feel like spending hours in the kitchen. Or maybe you are like my husband, who loves Thanksgiving, and these tips allow me to recreate his favorite meal year round.

First tip: Don't cook an entire bird. Larger supermarkets often carry Turkey cutlets, breasts or thighs all year long. The cutlets are boneless, skinless and thinly sliced, all qualities that equal quick cooking. Maybe you don't get the wishbone, but you also don't have to wait 3 hours.

Second tip: Use the same pan to cook different dishes. For example, I used the same saucepan to steam my veggies as I did to boil my sweet potatoes and I didn't even need to rinse in between. There's no reason to use multiple pans if you don't have to. Less pans equals less mess and less time spent cleaning up. I also used the same skillet to brown my veggies for stuffing as I did to pan fry my turkey cutlets.

Third tip: Fire up the oven. But not for cooking, just for keeping everything warm as you cook each side in batches. I prepped the stuffing, put it in a casserole dish and stuck it in the oven to keep hot while I cooked the turkey.

Finally: Keep it simple. We all know what the classic flavors of Thanksgiving are; Turkey, Stuffing, Cranberry sauce, etc. To speed things up, focus on making the ingredients you want to use stand out by paring down what you add to them. Guess what? Green Beans are pretty delicious with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a dash of mustard and butter.

I hope you have a fantastic, relaxing Holiday whether you decide to spend the day cooking or just use these tips to get your meal on the table in no time.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite Cranberry Sauce recipes that will make your house smell amazing.

1 Bag Fresh Cranberries
1/2 C white sugar
1/2 C fresh Orange Juice
1/4 C water
1/2 an apple, peeled and diced small
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1-2 T sweet vermouth or brandy
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp each ground nutmeg, ground clove, ground allspice and ground cinnamon

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer, mixing occasionally. The cranberries will burst as they cook down. Continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the mixture resembles jam. Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator to cool. This sauce will get better with time, so if you have a minute to make it a day or two ahead, go for it.

Enjoy!

And don't forget, the best part of making these dishes is the sandwich you can make with the leftovers the next day!