Baked Oatmeal with Fruit

We have been able to add oatmeal back into our meal plans, so it was a nice treat to have this baked oatmeal.  I did cheat a little with the addition of an egg and some maple syrup and we thoroughly enjoyed every bite.  This does take about 5 or 10 minutes of prep time and 35 to 40 minutes of baking which may make it a weekend meal for a lot of people.  The nice thing is there are leftovers so you can enjoy it for several days.  I just add a little more coconut milk when heating it up.


Baked Oatmeal with Fruit
Makes 4-6 servings

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup milk (I used coconut milk)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (I used ghee)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 cup blueberries, divided

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.  Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half of the berries.  Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.  Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Annie's Eats

Our rating:

Asian Chicken Salad

Since the weather has started to warm up here in Texas, I decided to go with a salad for dinner.  This meal was the last of our soy testing meals so there was edamame in the salad and I marinated the chicken breasts in a marinade including soy sauce.  The salad was delicious even if it does look a little too green.

Asian Chicken Salad
Makes 2 servings

4 cups cabbage and romaine mix
8 ounces chicken breast
4 ounces steamed snow peas
1 cup edamame
2 or 3 diced green onions
2 tablespoons, toasted slivered almonds

For the marinade:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Stevia (or sugar) to taste

Combine ingredients for marinade in a bowl or zip-lock bag, add chicken and marinade for a couple of hours (or as long as 8 hours).  Remove chicken and grill over medium high heat until cooked through.  Allow chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Combine all ingredients for the dressing and toss half of it with the salad, edamame and diced green onions.  Divide the salad between two plates and top with the sliced chicken, steamed snow peas and slivered almonds.  Drizzle with the remaining dressing.


Slightly adapted from The Virgin Diet

Our rating:

Thai Green Curry Coconut Shrimp

Thai food makes me automatically say yum.  This dish turned out well, but I thought it could have used quite a bit more heat.  I used one heaping tablespoon of green curry paste, but next time I will add two full tablespoons to up the heat level.  I served this curry over brown rice.

Our soy addition for today was Lettuce Wraps made with sauteed tofu and vegetables and seasoned with soy sauce.

Thai Green Curry Coconut Shrimp
Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 small scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste (I recommend 2)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (from 1 1/4 pounds unpeeled)
6 ounces light coconut milk
2 teaspoons coconut milk
2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Salt to taste

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat oil on medium-high flame.  Add scallion whites and green curry paste; saute one minute.

Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cook about 2-3 minutes.

Add coconut milk, fish sauce and mix well; simmer about 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through.

Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens and basil.  Serve over rice and enjoy!

Slightly adapted from Skinny Taste

Our rating:

Lemon Piccata Turkey Tenderloin

This was a nice variation on either Veal or Chicken Piccata.  Turkey tenderloins are readily available and easily adaptable to a variety of dishes.  In this case, I pounded one turkey tenderloin (weighing about 10 ounces) thin and cut it in half.  I then marinated it in a mixture of white wine, fresh lemon juice and sea salt for about 8 hours.  The recipe calls for a marinating time of 12 to 24 hours, but I forgot to marinate them the night before, so they got about 8 hours and it seemed to work out fine.  About 15 minutes before dinner, I sauteed them quickly in a little olive oil until lightly browned on both sides.  I used the same pan to make a quick sauce and they came out perfectly.  Our side dishes were mashed sweet potatoes and steamed green beans.

Our soy addition for today was a Boca veggie burger (a soy product) spread with Dijon mustard with tomato and avocado slices wrapped in Bibb lettuce leaves.  So far, no reactions to the soy except for some puffiness around our eyes.

Lemon Piccata Turkey Tenderloin
Makes 2 servings

1 turkey breast tenderloin (about 8-10 ounces)
5 ounces white wine, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground cracked black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon butter or ghee
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/2 tablespoon capers
Lemon wedges for serving, optional

Flatten the turkey breast tenderloin to about 1/4" thick.  Marinate for 12 to 24 hours in 1/2 cup white wine, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the cutlets for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and cooked through (will vary with thickness of cutlets).  Remove and cover with foil or lid to keep warm.

Deglaze the pan with the remaining white wine and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice, loosening all the browned bits stuck to the pan.  Bring to a boil.  Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper and whisk in 1 teaspoon butter (I used ghee) until melted and add the parsley and capers.    Drizzle sauce over plated turkey and serve with lemon wedges.

Halibut Packets with Tomatoes, Capers and Olives

Last week we reintroduced gluten to our diet for four consecutive days and then went back to clean eating for the last three days of the week.  We ended with mixed results from adding gluten  - we both had trouble sleeping all the way through the night which we thought was a strange result.  One of both of us was awake from about 2:00 a.m till 4:00 or 5:00 and some days till we got up in the morning.  Gerry had some slight indigestion but nothing major.  We have decided we will test gluten again at the end of re-introducing other foods.

This week we are testing soy products and we'll monitor how this affects us.  Our soy addition for today was tofu in our miso soup that we had for lunch.

I love the idea of placing the main component of dinner in its own little package and then adding a few ingredients on top and letting it all steam together in the oven.  Dinner prep doesn't get much easier than this.  I used impeccably fresh halibut, simply seasoned with salt and pepper and then topped it with garlic flavored olive oil and grape tomatoes, capers and kalamata olives.  Wrapped tightly in foil, the packets spent about 10 minutes in the oven and dinner was done.  I served the contents of the packets over brown rice.

Halibut Packets with Tomatoes, Capers and Olives
Makes 2 servings

2 15" x 15" pieces of aluminum foil
2 halibut fillets (6 ounces each)
1/2 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon capers
6 kalamata olives, halved or quartered
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons unsalted butter (I used ghee)
4 fresh thyme sprigs

Heat oven to 450 degrees

In a small skillet, warm the 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.  Saute sliced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes until garlic turns golden, about 1 minute.  Remove skillet from heat and stir in tomatoes, capers and olives.

Place one piece of halibut in center of each foil square.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Divide tomato mixture among fish.  Top each fillet with 2 tablespoons wine, 1 teaspoon butter and 2 thyme sprigs.  Fold edges of foil to make a tight packet.

Place packets on a large rimmed baking sheet; roast 10 minutes.  Slit open with a knife and gently open.

Slightly adapted from Lexi's Kitchen

Our rating:

Fish Stew

Even though this dish is called Fish Stew, it is more like a soup than a stew.  It was flavored with coconut milk and fresh cilantro giving it a Thai influence and since we love Thai food, it was a big hit.  The recipe calls for 2 pounds of fish so I used 1 pound of salmon, 1/2 pound each of scallops and shrimp.  It was a wonderful combination.

Fish Stew
Makes 4 servings

2 pounds fish (I used salmon, shrimp and scallops)
4 tablespoons palm fruit or coconut oil, divided
16 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can light coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (such as So Delicious brand)
1 teaspoon sea salt
Thai red curry paste or crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Cut fish into bite size pieces; I cubed the salmon and cut the shrimp in half.  I used bay scallops (the little ones), but if using sea scallops, cut in half or quarters.  Cook fish in 2 tablespoons oil for 2 1/2 minutes per side at medium heat.  Remove fish and set aside.

Next saute rest of vegetables and garlic in rest of oil.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.  Add the previously sauteed fish and allow to simmer  in the broth for another 10 minutes.

Add additional coconut mil if you would like the stew a little thinner.

Add red curry paste or crushed red pepper flakes if you want a little zing.


Slightly adapted from The Virgin Diet

Our rating:

Simple Lentil Dal with Cumin and Dried Red Chiles

Every once in a while I crave this simple, spicy soup.  The first time I tried this recipe from my Indian Home Cooking cookbook, I fell in love with it.  It's quick, healthy, flavorful and inexpensive.  In my book, you can't beat that combination.  This was actually our lunch on one of our Meatless Mondays and I was surprised to find that I had not already posted this recipe.

Simple Lentil Dal
Makes 4 servings

1 cup red lentils, picked over, washed and drained
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups water

Tempering Oil:
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 small whole dried red chiles
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Finishing:
1/2 lime or lemon, juiced

Put the lentils into a large saucepan with the turmeric, salt, and water.  Bring to a boil and skim well.  Turn the heat down and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, (15 minutes for  red lentils) 20 to 30 minutes for brown lentils.  Add more water if necessary.  Taste for salt and add more if you need to.

Ladle about 1/2 cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon.  Return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir.  Then continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes to thicken.  If you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree.  If you like a thinner dal, add water.

For the tempering oil, combine the oil and the cumin seeds in a small frying pan over medium-high heat and cook stirring, until they turn a light brown color, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the whole chiles and cook, stirring about 30 more seconds.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the cayenne, and sprinkle in a few drops of water to stop the cooking.

Stir half of the tempering oil and all of the lime or lemon juice into the dal and simmer gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes  Transfer the dal to a serving bowl and drizzle the remaining tempering oil over the top.  Serve hot.


Slightly adapted from Indian Home Cooking

My rating: