Breastfeeding Moms Unite » Breakfast

Egg Nog French Toast

Melodie — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 23:36:24 +0000

Stale bread plus a litre of un-drunk eggnog equals a good idea for breakfast. My mom made the bread for Christmas. It was one of those lovely braided loaves that you pull apart like buns. It had lemon zest in it which made it a perfect breakfast or tea bread. A couple days after Christmas it was too stale to enjoy with a spread but perfect for French toast.

If you’re wondering where the soy egg nog came from, I’m afraid I have no answers. I don’t even remember why I bought it. I. Have. No. Idea. I just knew it had to be drunk and since I don’t like spiked egg nog (or egg nog plain for that matter, although with coffee it’s nice) I thought I should substitute it for something milky in a recipe. What a great idea!!

Anyway, as you can see, the bread my mom made was not conducive to sliced French toast so I tore the bread into manageable pieces for frying. The result was really nice – it was rich and flavourful, and I didn’t even have to cut it into bite size pieces.

This is what I used, which will serve 1-2.

Egg Nog French Toast

2 eggs

about 1/4 -1/3 cup egg nog (any kind)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1-2 Tbsp butter for frying

I whisked the ingredients together and then soaked pieces of bread until the egg mixture was all gone. Then I fried the battered bread in butter until it was golden all around.

It tasted awesome with real maple syrup.

Enjoy!

I am sharing this recipe with Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet, Frugal Food Thursday at Frugal Follies, Foodie Friday at Designs By Gollum, Food on Friday at Ann Kroeker, Friday Potluck at EKat’s Kitchen, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop at A Moderate Life.

Moosewood Apple Crisp

Melodie — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 02:50:30 +0000

My Apple Crisp and a few leftover apples from my tree.

Mollie Katzen is a foodie soul mate of mine. Thank goodness for her Moosewood Cookbook, as I would have never gotten through the early vegetarian foodie years without it. I’ve been making this healthy apple crisp for almost as long as I’ve been a vegetarian! If you know me in real life you’ve probably had this before. Maybe more than once. It had been to potlucks and has graced Thanksgiving and Christmas tables next to my famous Vegan Pumpkin Pie. It doubles as both a dessert and breakfast dish. It is more hearty than it is sweet, and tastes excellent warm or cold, with whipped cream, ice cream, cream or milk. I recently made mine with apples from our new apple tree. They are so good! I swear, untouched, sun ripened, in-your-own-yard apples and other tree fruits are The. Best!

If you don’t already own Moosewood Cookbook, here is the recipe. If you do own it, just go to page 186. I hope your page will soon be as well worn as mine.

Apple Crisp

8-10 medium cooking apples

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup orange juice

juice of one lemon

2 cups raw whole oats

3/4 cup flour (any kind you want)

1/2 cup butter

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp salt (I only use a pinch)

Directions:

Peel (if necessary – I don’t), pare and slice the apples. Drizzle them with fresh lemon juice. Spread half of them into a large oblong pan.

Melt the butter and honey together. Combine with oats, flour, nuts and seeds, salt and spices. Spread 1/2 this mixture (actually crumble, it won’t really spread) onto apples in the pan. Cover with the remaining apples and the rest of the topping. Pour OJ over the top. Bake 40-45 minutes, uncovered, at 375 degrees. Cover if it crisps too quickly.

Note: If you substitute pears or peaches for the apples, reduce baking time to 25 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

Are you a Moosewood Cookbook fan? I haven’t tried everything so tell me what your favourite recipe is and why you love it.

I’m sharing this at my very own Vegetarian Foodie Fridays, Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum, Fresh, Clean and Pure Fridays at Bella Vita, Friday Favourites at Simply Sweet Home, Friday Food at Momtrends, Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade, Food on Friday at Ann Kroeker, Wholesome Whole Foods at Health Food Lover, Friday Potluck at EKat’s Kitchen, Family Food Fridays at Get Healthy Cheap, My Meatless Mondays at My Sweet and Savory, Just Another Meatless Monday at Hey, What’s For Dinner Mom?, Meatless Mondays at Midnight Maniac, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop at Frugality and Crunchiness With Christy, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays at Blessed With Grace, Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly The Kitchen Kop.

Vegetarian Foodie Fridays #20

Melodie — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 03:36:43 +0000

Welcome to Vegetarian Foodie Fridays! Where we’re not just Meatless on Mondays, but all week through! Hi! My name is Melodie and I’m a long time vegetarian who’s into real food, holistic nutrition, and healthy living but suffers from a sweet tooth! (I love homemade baked goods and ice cream). To learn more about why I became a vegetarian or why I choose to raise my children vegetarian please click on my links.

Carnival Guidelines

You do not have to be a vegetarian/vegan or have a vegetarian/vegan blog to participate.
Your dish must be completely meat-free (no fish or seafood and no meat based broths, etc). Eggs and dairy are fine. Desserts and other baked goods are welcome as are vegetarian-friendly food-related and health posts.
You may link any appropriate post you want. The date doesn’t really matter to me, although most people will link to something within a week old.
Please link back to the carnival in the body of your post.
Please ensure you link back to your post and not your blog.
Please use your best carnival manners.
Please try to visit others’ posts.
Have fun!

My post this week is called Understanding Nutritionism and The Problem With Infant Formula. If you’re new to the word “nutritionism” then you aren’t alone. I was too until this week. This post gives you a run down on what nutritionism means. As well, it discusses how I think eating a real food diet can protect children from infant formula exposure.

Shout Outs

credit: Katie @ Riddlelove

There’s something about glazed whole grain scones that gets me psyched about getting up early in the morning to bake, and then going to sit on the porch in my bathrobe while the air is still crisp and cool, nursing a cup of creamy homemade chai while scones bake in the oven. Katie at Riddlelove is a gal who chooses health but doesn’t allow that get in the way of a little treat now and then. And don’t think these Glazed Cranberry Lemon Scones with Spelt are anything but delicious. You will not be disappointed!

“Karate Kick” Egg Scramble

Melodie — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:49:34 +0000

Earlier this week I was walking through China Town with my girlfriend Diana. We were remarking on all of the interesting vegetables there: the pimply bitter melon, the purple water caltrop that resembles a Halloween bat (check out the link to see a picture), and my favorite, the holey lotus root, when we simultaneously noticed that fresh shitake mushrooms were on sale for $4.99/lb. The shitake mushrooms made me remember that I’ve been wanting to replicate a breakfast I had at Lady Marmalade a couple months ago, a restaurant I finally got to try on when I was single and childless for three days. So I grabbed a bag of them (only paying $2.30 which I thought was a steal) and some baby bok choy and headed home to play with my fantastic idea. At this point my mouth was watering just thinking about it.

Here’s what I did:

6 organic free run eggs

1 small onion, chopped thin, vertically

8-10 shitake mushrooms, sliced

1-2 bunches of baby bok choy

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

3-4 Tbsp tamari

Green onions

Sesame seeds

Directions: Break eggs into a bow with the enthusiastic healp of your young children (if you are lucky enough to have any). Admire the bright orange yolks of your free run chicken eggs (if you are lucky enough to get any). Whisk eggs in a bowl. Coat skillet with sesame oil and place over medium heat. When warm add onion and cook until soft. Add mushrooms and baby bok choy. Cook until bok choy is wilted but not overcooked and mushrooms are soft. Remove veggies from the skillet, add a little more sesame oil and pour eggs. Cook eggs to desired consistency. When eggs are done put veggies back in the pan and toss with tamari. Garnish with green onion stalks and sesame seeds. Serve with bread. I recommend this Sprouted Gluten Free Bread by Coconut Mama. Vegans can make this using organic tofu.

This served two adults and two picky young girls, so let’s say it can reasonable serve 3.

Linked up at Vegetarian Foodie Fridays at Breastfeeding Moms Unite!, Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum, Recipe Swap at Grocery Cart Challenge, Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade, Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home, Friday Food at Momtrends, Food on Friday at Ann Kroeker, Wholesome Whole Foods at Health Food Lover, Family Food Fridays at Get Healthy Cheap, Just Another Meatless Monday at What’s For Dinner Mom, My Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop at Hunger and Thirst, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays at Blessed With Grace.

Vegetarian Foodie Fridays: Peach Coconut Pancakes

Melodie — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:18:51 +0000

I had planned on making the Coconut Macaroon Peach Cobbler from Frugal Antics of a Hurried Homemaker this week, but I forgot to buy a couple of the main ingredients. Instead, keeping the important ingredients in mind, coconut and peaches, I decided to make some yummy pancakes for me and my girls instead. What a hit! This is definitely my favorite food combination right now. I was happy to use some of my new Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions too. I was thankful I made enough so we could enjoy them two days in a row. Made with organic whole wheat flour and cornmeal these were heavy enough not to need more than a couple at a time. The coconut flavour was subtle, not overpowering at all, like I thought it might be. Fantastic served with real maple syrup!

I’M HOSTING A TROPICAL TRADITIONS VIRGIN COCONUT OIL GIVEAWAY! ENTER TO WIN HERE.

Coconut Peach Pancakes

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup milk or milk alternative

2 farm fresh eggs

2 tsp. baking powder

1 3/4 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

2 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut

1/8 cup honey

1 cup fresh organic peaches, chopped

Tropical Traditions virgin coconut oil for frying

Directions: In a large bowl, place milk, eggs, baking powder and honey and mix well. Add flour and cornmeal, beating only until the large lumps disappear.

Heat a skillet or griddle. Place approximately 1 Tsbp of Tropical Traditions virgin coconut oil and coat the pan. Pour in desired amount of batter. Turn when small bubbles appear. Remove when they stop steaming. Use more cocount oil between pancakes as needed. Freeze extras and heat in toaster for snacks or busy mornings.

Makes about 16 4-inch pancakes.

Linked up at Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum, Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade, Friday Foods at Momtrends, Food on Friday at Ann Kroeker, Wholesome Whole Foods at Health Food Lover, Food Revolution Friday at Notes From The Cookie Jar, Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home, Just Another Meatless Monday at Hey, What’s For Dinner Mom? My Meatless Mondays at My Sweet and Savory, Two For Tuesdays Blog Hop at A Moderate Life, Tuesday Twister at GNOWFGLINS, Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly The Kitchen Kop.

Carnival Guidelines

You do not have to be a vegetarian/vegan or have a vegetarian/vegan blog to participate.
Your dish must be completely meat-free (no meat based broths, etc). Eggs and dairy are fine. Desserts and other baked goods are welcome as are vegetarian friendly food-related and health posts.
Please link back to the carnival in your post.
Please use your best carnival manners.
Please try to visit others’ posts.
Have fun!

Foodie Friday: My Famous Granola

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:45:44 +0000

This granola is darn good! It has just the right amount of sweetness and is both crunchy and chewy. It even clumps together a bit, reminiscent of the Quaker Harvest Crunch cereal I grew up on. And the beautiful thing about this oatmeal is that the dry ingredients are interchangeable so each new batch can taste a little bit different. The following is my favorite combination.

Nutritionally speaking, granola is high in fat and sweetener but when you make it yourself using organic whole foods, rich in nutrients, it is a far cry from what you would buy in the store.

My Famous Granola

8 cups flakes (oats, rye, kamut, barley, wheat, etc)

2 cups sunflower seeds (I’ve also used pumpkin seeds)

1/2 cup wheat germ (I’ve used bran)

1 cup chopped almonds

1 1/2 cups sunflower oil

1 1/4 cups honey (or combination of honey and maple syrup but it won’t come out the same)

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup dates

1 cup raisins

(you could also try dried apricots, cranberries, blueberries, apples, etc)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together except the dried fruit and coconut. Bake on large trays (I use two cookie sheets) in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cereal is golden brown. Remove from the oven and add the dried fruits and coconut. When cooled, put cereal in glass jars and store in a cool place. This recipe made 6 large jars of granola as seen above. It generally keeps well for up to 60 days and makes a great snack as well as breakfast. You will find that the cereal will mold to the jar it is stored in. Never fear! It is easy to break up by stabbing the end of a wooden spoon into the jar.

Do you think you’ll make this? What are your favorite granola ingredients?

Foodie Fridays: The New Juice

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:24:55 +0000

This is the first Foodie Friday post in honour of Fr uits and Vegetables month. Check back here again next Friday for more fresh fruit and/or vegetable recipes. Below you will find three different kinds of juice recipes. Enjoy!

Move over Minute Maid – mama’s got a brand new juice! I’ve never really been a big fan of store bought juices (sorry Minute Maid, it’s not just you). They’re way too sweet and when you read the ingredients you realize you are getting much more (not so great stuff) than you bargained for. I’ve always loved making smoothies in my blender but there seems to be a new wave sweeping the health nation - Green Drinks! Aren’t they all the rage? My girlfriends are almost addicted to them (at least they’re a part of their daily regimen), and while I’ve been curious to try them I have also been hesitant. I’ve never liked vegetable juices (but again I have only ever tried the store bought kind) so the thought of liquefying chard, lettuces, parsley, kale, spinach, etc and drinking it, is a hard one for me to swallow – literally!

But indeed they are extremely good for you. My friend Erin has an inspirational poster on her fridge written by Victoria Boutenko, the author of Green For Life from Raw Family Publishing (which she highly recommends by the way). It discusses the benefits of green drinks, which can be read below.

The Benefits of Green Drinks

Green drinks are easy to digest. The plant cells, when ruptured, are easy to assimilate. As soon as you take a sip the cells get absorbed in your mouth.
Green drinks are a complete food because they still have fibre in them.
It is recommended that you start with a 60:40 fruits:vegetables ratio and then once you are used to that, switch it to a 60:40 vegetables:fruit. ( I would have a hard time with this. Hardcore green drink enthusiasts put a lot of greens into their green drinks. A few weeks ago I had a juice with one kale leaf in it. I could taste the slightly sweet green taste of the kale and thought “this isn’t too bad.” Then I was told you’re supposed to put in about 10 stalks to really get the recommended benefits. Egads! I will work up to it, I promise!
Did you know a molecule of chorophyll closely resembles a molecule of blood? Drinking greens is like receiving a blood transfusion!
Did you know chimpanzees have an estimated 99.4 % of the same genes as humans? But their diet consists of much more leaves and fruit than us with only a 1/4 of their diet consisting of things like bark, insects and seeds. Yet, these close ancestors have a strong natural immunity to AIDS, Hepatitis C, cancer and other deadly diseases. We could learn something here.

I asked Erin if she would share her favorite green drink smoothie and this is it.

Erin’s Favorite Green Drink

2 bananas

a mango

a whole bunch of spinach (by whole bunch I mean a bunch that you buy in a store)

some frozen mango chunks or ice cubes

enough water to blend it up…

Make it as thick or liquid as you like. And of course, you should use organic!! Green smoothies are the best if you have a high speed blender like a Vita-Mix. Regular blenders don’t break down the greens as well. For more information check out the Raw Family Website.

We are having a garage sale this weekend. I haven’t been posting as much as usual because I have been trying to get ready for it. While searching through our stuff we came across a juicer that my husband bought at least ten years ago that he never ended up using. Since my friends juice (although they have a Vita-Mix – which is like a blender extraordinaire and very pricey!) and my step-mom was making me juices when I visited her and my dad in Alert Bay, I thought I would dust it off and see if it worked. Lo and behold it did! Honestly, this is the only thing I’ve tried so far. It was what my step-mom was making me and it was so good I’ve just stayed with it.

Melodie’s “Amateur-Juicer” Refreshing Juice

3 Granny Smith apples

2 oranges

1 lemon

Peel and de-seed the fruit and stuff it in the juicer. Yum! as you can see I don’t add any sweetener to my juices. Some people like to add honey or maple syrup but I encourage you to try these without any.

And just for the road, here’s my tried and true long time favorite smoothie, which anyone who owns a blender or food processor can make.

Melodie’s Smoothie

2 bananas (ripe and frozen if possible)

1 cup juice (I use leftover pear juice from my kid’s canned peaches, but you can use anything)

1 cup soy milk (or whatever you prefer)

1 cup frozen berries

Put everything in the blender and blend it until it reaches your desired consistency. Add more liquid or solids as needed. Really, anything goes here. I’ve used no juice, coconut milk instead of soy, kiwis, canned fruit, pineapple, etc. Just experiment til you find a combination you enjoy.

Do you make green drinks or other naural juices? What are some of your favorite fruit or veggie combinations?