Bringing inspiration and ideas to better manage your home kitchen
Every once in a while, pancakes just fit the bill for a weekend breakfast. I’m not much of a carb heavy breakfast lover – I’d opt for protein heavy over carb heavy – but when you’re avoiding gluten, you start to appreciate the carbohydrates that …
Muesli is a cold Swiss cereal that primarily consists of rolled oats. Traditionally, it’s set to soak in water overnight (hello overnight oats) and is eaten with fresh fruit, nuts, and cream sweetened with honey. This takes a bit more preparation than a typical cold …
Special K with red berries? Probably one of the best cereals out there, if you ask me! Store-bought cereals are a special treat. Growing up, our family had a tradition that every time we went camping, we could pick out a sugar cereal. Not camping? No sugar cereals. Now, as an adult, store-bought cereal just isn’t something that we ever buy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still delicious. But when you don’t know what it tastes like, you don’t miss it or crave it. I’m skeptical of anything that’s fortified. I think we’ve wandered off the path of adequate nutrition when we start adding vitamins and minerals to processed foods to get the essential nutrients available in real, whole foods.
You can buy or make homemade granola or muesli which are both good breakfast cereals. It’s nice to have some hot and cold cereal options that you can pull together quickly. A simple granola with berries and milk will meet the need if you don’t have time for sous vide egg bites or any other healthy savory breakfast option.
There are many great granola recipes out there. Depending on whether you're using your granola to top oatmeal or as cold cereal, you may want something different. This is a great cold cereal granola. It's simple and not too complicated with lots of ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 325F.
In a large bowl, place 4 cups of rolled oats.
In a medium saucepan, add 1/4 rolled oats, and the sesame and flax seeds. Toast over medium heat, stirring or tossing frequently until the seeds start to pop and turn golden brown (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the seeds and oats in a food processor or blender and reduce them to a coarsely ground texture.
Next, add the ground mixture to the bowl of oats. With it, add cinnamon and salt. Mix to combine. Add 1/4 cup of maple syrup (you add the remainder later). Mix well. Add a 1/4 cup of olive oil. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
Using a half sheet pan covered in parchment, spread the granola evening across the pan. Bake for 12 minutes, then toss and add remaining maple syrup. Bake for an additional 13 minutes (25 minutes in total), until granola is crisped to your desire and golden brown. Cool completely before placing in an airtight container.
Inspired by: Backpacking Chef
There’s something about the combination of oatmeal and bananas with a cup of coffee that I love. In this version, loads of warming spices, roasted pecans, bananas, and raisins bring together a delicious bowl of hot oatmeal. And this recipe can be adapted for an …
I’ve noticed some seasonal patterns in our food and drink consumption. We drink a lot of sparkling water in the warm weather months. Sparkling water gets traded for tea when the weather turns cold. Oatmeal becomes increasingly popular December thru March. It’s interesting to see …
The turning of a new calendar year is a good reminder to set new goals. You don’t have to do it January 1st. January 1st goal setting, also known as “New Years Resolutions,” are reserved for people that need motivation. We (the collective we) don’t need motivation because we’re disciplined. 😊 Our discipline creates habits and habits bypass the need to be motivated.
I created a regular workout habit in 2024. When the alarm goes off in the morning, I get up, get my workout clothes on and head out to the gym. What I do varies – in both difficulty and variety from day to day, but I go out to the gym every day, Monday through Friday, and do something for at least 30 minutes. I don’t even have to think about it anymore. It doesn’t feel like a morning unless I first spend it out in our cold garage gym. I have a long way to go with my gym habit. I have weight to lose and muscle to gain, but I’ve laid a great foundation in 2024 that sets me on the path to be a healthier version of myself.
This is just one example of the power of goals. Without sitting down and giving thought to what I wanted to accomplish in 2024, I may not have made it to this point with my exercise routine. There are goals that I know I wouldn’t have accomplished had I not written them down because I may have not even been aware of wanting to accomplish them. The point is to be intentional. To time warp yourself to December 31, 2025 and ask yourself, what do I want my life to look like now? What do I want to have accomplished this past year. And then go on a date with your spouse or with yourself. Go sit in a Starbucks, order your favorite drink, and write down what’s most important to you. I find it helpful to create goals for each of the following categories. You’ll be amazed by what you accomplish just by making a plan!
JOBS / CAREER
HOBBIES
FITNESS / HEALTH
SPIRITUAL
FINANCIAL
MARRIAGE / DATING
FOOD
HOUSE / PROPERTY
This soup is a classic, quick meal that is nourishing and comforting in the colder months of Fall & Winter. Leeks and potatoes are are both in season at the start of Fall. I describe leeks as a cross between cabbage and onions. They have …
I’ve shared this recipe already as it’s probably my favorite soup recipe. Minestrone is on the short list of recipes I’d love to perfect. This recipe reflects my journey to perfect minestrone. I’m nowhere near an expert on it and am excited to learn from …
I’ve talked about minestrone being the perfect soup. It really is. It’s my favorite if I was forced to pick one. Aside from the components, I think my favorite part is the combination of tomato and chicken broth. Check out my minestrone recipe if I’ve piqued your interest.
My second favorite soup may just be Italian Wedding. I’ve had a couple different versions of this that I love, but just a basic Italian Wedding soup that boasts a richly flavorful chicken broth and is loaded with small chicken meatballs and freshly grated parmesan calls to me. It’s comforting and very savory. The recipe I’m sharing here is adapted from one I found online, but is almost unrecognizable from the original recipe. If you have the time and willingness, try it with the caramelized pearl onions. The jus you’ll get in the sauté pan from the onions, butter, and sugar is a gift to add to your stock.
This is a classic Italian Wedding Soup with a rich, flavorful broth, loaded with small meatballs and fresh vegetables. The kicker is caramelized pearl onions that add flavor to the soup and a richness to the broth.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, add all meatball ingredients and stir until combined. Roll into 1 inch meatballs (the key here is not to have too large of meatballs. I like them smaller, but I'd say no larger than a spherical quarter. Set aside.
This next step is completely optional as a garnish. It takes a bit of time to blanch and peel the pearl onions. I love it because it the sauce left in the pan adds a wonderful dimension to the broth. If doing this, place all pearl onions in a pan over medium heat. Add a knob of butter and 1 tsp sugar, allow it to caramelize a bit on all sides. Then add water till they are halfway covered and top with a lid. About 10-15 minutes will cook them until tender and caramelize them. When the water is gone, they should be ready (prick with a knife to see if it's soft). If not, add water and continue. If yes, set aside pan with onions and season with salt.
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, add olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic cloves and cook until tender. Add the wine and allow to cook off slightly. Next add the chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil. Add the parmesan rind. Then add meatballs in batches so that you don’t cool down the soup lower than a rolling boil. Gently stir and continue adding meatballs until they’re all in the pot. Allow the meatballs to cook for 5-10 minutes and then add pearl onions. Steal a ladle of the soup broth and put it in the onion pan and stir off heat to incorporate all of the jus from the onions. Add this back to the soup. Next add in spinach and stir for a couple minutes allowing the spinach to wilt. Season with salt, pepper, and grated parmesan.
Inspired by: therecipecritic.com
This is a wonderful soup recipe and can come together very quickly if you’ve already made wonderfully, rich turkey broth and have leftover turkey meat. If you find yourself away from home – either traveling for vacation or away for the holidays visiting family, sometimes …