Posts Tagged ‘maple syrup’
Hot Oat & Quinoa Cereal
April 16, 2013 | 
Author Memphis may be experiencing highs in the 80s and lows only in the 60s, but that doesn’t stop me from craving a warm breakfast. The great thing about this oatmeal/cereal is that you can prepare it the night before and then reheat it in the morning, complete with some great toppings. It even has some quinoa in it instead of just being all oats so it’s packed with extra protein. And by the way even if you are not a quinoa fan, it blends right in. Which got me to thinking, maybe I should try adding quinoa to granola bars?
One year ago: Blueberry Oatmeal Bagels
HOT OAT & QUINOA CEREAL
Serves 4
Ingredients:
CEREAL
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup rinsed quinoa (you can buy it pre-rinsed)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamon
4 cups water
TOPPINGS
Milk
Maple syrup
Toasted pepitas
Toasted walnuts
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, bring dried fruit, steel-cut oats, quinoa, raisins, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and water to a boil. Cover and let sit off heat overnight. (Alternatively, bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until grains are tender, 20-25 minutes.)
- Before serving, reheat cereal in saucepan, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed, until warmed through, 5-8 minutes. Serve with milk, maple syrup, pepitas, and walnuts.
Source: Bon Appetit February 2013
Posted in Breakfast, Oatmeal | 
Tags: cranberry, maple syrup, oats, pepitas, quinoa, raisins, walnuts | 
4 Comments »
Review: Alexia’s Sweet Potato Rolls with Apple Maple Turkey Sliders & Giveaway
I know I have been slacking on the Superbowl recipe sharing this week so I am here to make it up to you with some awesome sliders and a giveaway (at the end of this post)!
Potato rolls and bread have always been a favorite of mine, so when I found out Alexia had sweet potato rolls I jumped on the opportunity to review them. And decided to make sliders out of one of my favorite burger recipes.
Normally I would serve these with sweet potato fries, but decided to change it up with the sweet potato buns and then served with some of Alexia’s Oven Reds instead. I think these buns were made for these sliders, and may not return to regular buns. The turkey sliders are mixed with applesauce, maple syrup, and crumbled bacon, and then topped off with a maple-dijon sauce that I made with Greek yogurt (instead of mayo in the original recipe I posted). The sweet potato roll is like a happy little hug around all that flavor, but still holds it own. If there hadn’t been the exact amount of sliders per roll, I may have eaten a roll by itself! Which means I now have to go out and buy more so I can do just that.
One year ago: Superbowl XLVI Recipe Roundup
Two years ago: Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies
APPLE MAPLE TURKEY SLIDERS WITH MAPLE-DIJON SAUCE
Makes 8 sliders
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt ( I used 0% Chobani)
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp real maple syrup, divided
1-1/4 pounds ground turkey breast
1/4 cup cooked, crumbled bacon
1/2 cup chunky applesauce
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 bag (8 rolls) frozen Alexia Sweet Potato Rolls
Desired slider toppings
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake buns as directed on the package.
- Meanwhile, set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking (I used a stovetop cast iron grill pan).
- For Maple-Dijon Sauce: In a small bowl, stir to combine Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, and 1/4 cup maple syrup; set aside.
- For Turkey Burgers: In a medium bowl, mix together ground turkey, bacon, applesauce, poultry seasoning, 2 Tbsp maple syrup, and salt & pepper. Wet hands to prevent sticking and shape into 8 small patties.
- Place burgers on hot grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Serve on sliced sweet potato buns with condiments and a dollop of maple-Dijon sauce.
Source: Adapted slightly from Sandra Lee from Food Network.
But wait, didn’t I say something about a giveaway? Never fear, I did not forget! One lucky reader will win: One Alexia apron, One Alexia kitchen timer, & One coupon for a FREE Alexia Product! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter the giveaway.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary bag of Alexia’s Sweet Potato Rolls to review and giveaway is also provided by Alexia. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Posted in Entree, Giveaways, Holidays, Reviews, Sandwiches, Sports Events, Turkey | Tags: applesauce, bacon, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, mustard, sweet potato, turkey | 28 Comments »
Maple Breakfast Sausage
Homemade breakfast sausage is not something that normally crosses my mind to make, but with the availability various ground meats provided at the grocery store it’s pretty easy. Using ground turkey, these made a healthier breakfast sausage option. They are prepared similar to burger patties, just a little smaller and then pan fried. You can even save some in the freezer for later. But I decided to take it a step further and assemble them into sandwiches using buttermilk biscuits, eggs, and cheddar cheese, and then frozen for later.
MAPLE BREAKFAST SAUSAGE
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 egg
2 Tbsp quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 tsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 lb ground turkey (93 percent lean)
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions:
- In a bowl, lightly beat egg with oats, syrup and seasonings. Mix in turkey until combined. (If you’re making these a day ahead, refrigerate turkey mixture until you are ready to cook.) Form into 8 patties, each about 3/4-inch thick.
- In a large nonstick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook patties until well browned on both sides and no longer pink in the middle, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
- Serve on halved biscuits. I like mine with eggs and cheese!
Source: SELF Magazine
Review: Sprouted Flax Bread & Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Don’t get bummed out by another review, because there’s a great recipe along with this wonderfully healthy bread! Food for Life introduces their new Ezekiel 4:9® Sprouted Flax Bread, made with freshly-sprouted, certified organic live grains and sprouted flax seeds throughout. It provides an excellent source of Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids (the “good” fats). And the 6 grains, legumes and seeds combine to create a complete protein containing all 9 essential amino acids, while decreasing the calories and carbohydrates found in the original grain.
Ezekiel 4:9® Sprouted Flax Bread is 100% flourless and free of conditioners, additives, artificial flavors, colors and preservatives. It is also made with filtered water with no added fat and is low-glycemic, diabetic-friendly, pH-balanced and kosher-certified. Each slice of contains 90mg of Omega 3, 5g of protein, 4g of dietary fiber and 18 amino acids from vegetable sources.
The bread itself was quite enjoyable. I especially liked the seeds around the crust as well as within the bread, but I couldn’t just stop there and eat bread just as bread. Continuing with the spirit of November’s “Better Nutrition Month”, I chose to make a healthier bread pudding along with the good-for-you seasonal flavor of pumpkin. The resulting mixture was so good I convinced myself it was healthy enough to each for breakfast instead of dessert. But for once that concept was not much of a stretch. Add maple syrup and pecans on top to seal the deal!
PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1-15 oz. can pumpkin
4-1/2 cups (about 8 oz.) 1/2-inch cubed bread
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Directions:
- Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add bread, tossing gently to coat. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover with foil; chill 30 minutes or up to 4 hours (I actually let mine sit overnight).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place dish in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan*; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake, covered for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve each bread pudding piece warm with about 1 tablespoon syrup and 1 1/2 teaspoons pecans.
*I used a smaller, deeper pan because that’s how I like my bread pudding!
Source: Cooking Light November 2002
Disclosure: I was provided with two loaves of Ezekiel 4:9® Sprouted Flax Bread from Crier Communications. I was not compensated for this post. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie
Have you ever craved cookies for breakfast? Well today I am going to tell you that you can have your cookie, a big soft one in fact, ready in a minute! And it’s made with oats and whole wheat so there’s no need to feel guilty. Just don’t go making a pizza-sized one (although now I want one myself).
There are so many varieties which you could make using this breakfast cookie recipe. Try substituting in other nut butters or even Nutella or Biscoff/Speculoos cookie butter. Add your favorite dried fruits instead of the chocolate. You could also use any flavor of Greek yogurt that you desire. But of course, this version is my favorite O:-).
Today marks my last day in Knoxville working with mice. I cannot believe I’ve already been here 5 weeks, and that I will be returning to Memphis tomorrow. Although my experiments conducted during my stay were not perfect, I am still excited about what I have learned and the potential which lays ahead for my project. Now I have to whip up a poster for the conference in San Francisco in a little over a week!
One year ago: Almond Berry Overnight Slow Cooker Oatmeal
REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIE
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp mini Reese’s pieces
1 Tbsp chopped peanuts (optional)
Directions:
- Stir everything together in a bowl until everything is combined. Place in the center of a small microwave plate. The mixture will be pretty wet, this is not something you can really do with your hands. Gently press down, just slightly. Microwave for 60-70 seconds. Your cookie is done when it springs back, and is no longer sticky on top. Enjoy warm for gooey chocolate!
Source: Adapted from Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts
Posted in Breakfast | Tags: Greek yogurt, maple syrup, oats, peanut butter, whole wheat | 18 Comments »
Blueberry Walnut Oatmeal Pancakes with Vanilla Maple Glaze
I’ve been enjoying having a backyard full of wildlife during my stay in Knoxville. I’m reminded how many pretty and bright colored birds there are, and have even seen a few hummingbirds and wild turkeys! But the best part of all was spying on some baby bluebirds.
They are almost ready to start flying! I hope I get to see them test out their wings, but with my luck I will be at work when they decide to fly away from home. In the meantime, they are the mascots today for this post because just like these little bluebirds, the berries in these pancakes have something in common – blue-ness! Yes I just blew your mind relating bluebirds to pancakes.
Before I talk about blueberries though, allow to me rant about buttermilk. It is annoying because most recipes don’t even use up the smallest containers, leaving you with a random amount to figure out a purpose. Which typically results in a purpose-less journey down the drain (I have the same problem with heavy cream). So I decided to skip out on the buttermilk in these pancakes and use a combination of 0% blueberry Chobani Greek yogurt and milk. It is Chobani week after all!
The addition of the blueberry Greek yogurt not only added more blueberry flavor, but created very fluffy pancakes. And in case that isn’t good enough for you, how about a vanilla maple glaze on top? I think these pancakes might tempt those little birds to start flying sooner so that they can dig their beaks into them.
Don’t forget to enter my Chobani giveaway HERE!
BLUEBERRY WALNUT OATMEAL PANCAKES WITH VANILLA MAPLE GLAZE
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned oats
2/3 cup 0% Blueberry Chobani Greek yogurt (vanilla or plain works too)
2/3 cup milk, divided
2 eggs + 2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp molasses
1 cup flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp canola oil
Directions:
- Pour the oats into a medium bowl and stir together with the yogurt and 1/3 cup milk. Let this sit for at least 1 hour or overnight, if you can, to let the oats soften.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and egg whites for 2 minutes until they are light and a little frothy.
- Add the milk, vanilla, sugar, and molasses to the eggs and mix together for a minute.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the egg mixture.
- Pour the oat and yogurt mix into the egg and flour mix and gently stir.
- Dump the blueberries and walnuts into the batter and fold them in gently, so you don’t burst any berries.
- Stir in the oil.
- Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Scoop 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re golden brown.
- Serve warm with butter and vanilla maple glaze.
VANILLA MAPLE GLAZE
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients:
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)
Splash of milk
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, mix the maple syrup and powdered sugar together.
- Stir in the vanilla bean paste and a splash of milk, if the glaze is too thick to drizzle off the end of a spoon. Add more milk if you want it a little thinner or another spoonful of powdered sugar to thicken it up until you have the texture you want.
- Drizzle over your pancakes before serving.
Source: Adapted slightly from Bran Appetit.
Disclosure: I was sent six 16 oz. tubs of blended Chobani Greek yogurt. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes | Tags: blueberries, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, oats, powdered sugar, walnuts | 10 Comments »
Flavor-Injected Glazed Ham
Hope everyone had as great of weather as we did over the weekend. First my dad and I took care of a few odd things around my apartment, such as hanging my newest work of art (check it out). We were super crafty too because I didn’t have a level, just used a straight piece of wood and a tape measure. Then my dad and I took advantage of the weather and spent some time walking around the Lichtnerman Nature Center on Saturday followed by a movie and some great frozen custard eaten on a bench outside. On Sunday we enjoyed brunch on a friend of mine’s roof-patio, followed by cooking our holiday dinner with all the windows open in my apt, while the wonderful aromas were filling my kitchen.
Now that we are on the subject of food, have you ever flavor injected your meat? If you haven’t you really should. It results in serious flavor saturation. And with this ham recipe, you also get a nice sweet glaze on the outside, locking in all of that flavor. Of course, since this was a pre-spiral cut ham some of the injected juices leaked out, but having it seep through the layers was good enough for me. This recipe made way too much for the number of people who were eating it, but leftovers are not frowned upon!
GLAZED HAM
Serves approximately 20
Ingredients:
1-10 lb. fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham, on the bone
1 cup mango chutney
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup pineapple juice
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the ham on a rack in a heavy roasting pan, cut-side down.
- In a pot over medium heat, add chutney, sugar, syrup and juice. Stir until sugar is dissolved and then bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Using a flavor injector, inject ham with some of the cooled glaze mixture all over, inserting the needle in various directions (use as much as desired). Pour the remainder of the glaze over the ham and cover completely with foil.
- Bake for 2 hours until the ham is fully heated. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Source: The Spiffy Cookie original
Maple, Walnut, and Flaxseed Pancake Doughnuts
I discovered something magnificent. You can pour pancake (or waffle) batter into a doughnut pan and make pancake-doughnuts! The world of doughnut-making possibilities just expanded right in front of your eyes, didn’t it? Pancakes now can be baked into the shape of doughnuts. Heart-shaped ones in this case thanks to the post-Valentine’s Day sale at Target.
These pancake-doughnuts are even good for you. A healthy doughnut – the world just paused for a second in disbelief. Full of whole wheat and flaxseed they are a great way to start your day. And I really enjoyed the tiny crunches of walnut pieces.
For a moment I contemplated making a maple syrup-glaze to enhance their doughnut-likeness but decided to stick to pouring regular syrup over the top and eating with a fork. And don’t forget the berries!
One year ago: Spicy Cheetos Crusted Chicken
MAPLE, WALNUT, AND FLAXSEED PANCAKE DOUGHNUTS
Serves 4-5 (makes approximately 18-20)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cake flour*
1/2 cup 100% whole wheat flour*
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 cups reduced-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 large egg
*Or use 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease doughnut pan; set aside.
- Whisk flour, flaxseed meal, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk buttermilk, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and egg in another medium bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk just until incorporated.
- Pour scant 1/4 cupfuls into the prepared doughnut pans**. Bake for 6 minutes. Allow to cool for a minute before inverting the pans to release doughnuts. Serve with syrup and raspberries.
**Batter can also be cooked pancake or waffle-style.
Source: Adapted slightly from Prevention RD, originally from Bon Appetit.
Posted in Breakfast, Pancakes, Pastries | Tags: buttermilk, flaxseed, maple syrup, whole wheat | 17 Comments »
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
It felt so wonderful to get out of town for a couple days and visit family this weekend, even though I didn’t stay the full 3-day weekend (cell cultures won’t start themselves!). Of course many delicious things were eaten, but before I share those details I want to talk about this oatmeal, which was made this morning. It’s a holiday, so guess who had time to cook herself a warm delicious breakfast? I’ll give you a hint, I cannot get away from this person… yup it’s me.
Without using a lot of sweetener, this oatmeal is a sweet oatmeal delight thanks to the carrots and little bit of maple syrup. And it really does taste like carrot cake, but in creamy form. You will even feel like you are indulging but it is packed with carrots and other goodies that are sneakily nutritious.
P.S. Don’t forget to check out my virtual interview with Fastrecipes.com HERE!
CARROT CAKE OATMEAL
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 heaping cup finely grated carrot (about 1 large)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp full-fat coconut milk cream or use more almond milk (I used regular heavy cream)
1 tsp ground cinnamon, to taste
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8th tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup regular oats
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts, divided
2 Tbsp chopped dried cranberries, divided
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp sweetened shredded coconut, for garnish
1 Tbsp coconut milk cream + 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup, to garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Finely grate 1 heaping cup of grated carrots. You want to use the fine grate and not the large one so the carrot shreds are very small. This helps the carrot blend in more.
- In a medium sized pot over medium heat, whisk together the almond milk, optional coconut milk cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of salt.
- Stir in the grated carrots and oats. Adjust heat if necessary or bring heat to low if it starts to boil. Cook for about 8-9 minutes, stirring frequently. When the mixture has thickened up, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, 1 tbsp walnuts, 1 tbsp raisins, and 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Remove from heat and portion into bowls.
- Top the oatmeal with the remaining walnuts, raisins, and shredded coconut. If you are using coconut cream, you can mix a bit of the cream with maple syrup and drizzle on top of the oatmeal. Sprinkle with cinnamon for garnish is desired.
Source: Adapted slightly from Oh She Glows, discovered on Steph’s Bite By Bite.
Posted in Breakfast, Oatmeal | Tags: carrots, coconut, cranberry, maple syrup, oats, walnuts | 23 Comments »
Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Minis
I have been on the hunt for apple cider for over a month now. I did actually find some at Kroger at the beginning of my search, but it was clear and 2 gallons. First of all, since when is apple cider clear?? And second, there’s no way I need 2 gallons of it.
When I was in Columbus, I snagged a gallon jug of it, but then realized I had no way to keep it cold for the 8.5 hour drive back to Memphis so I had to leave it. You’re welcome Christina.
Then I walked into Kroger for my typical almost-every-day-of-the-week grocery store trip, and “ta-da!” there it was staring at me the moment I walked into the produce section. So I finally was able to make these doughnuts that my tummy has been after.
And they were worth the wait, even though my labmates thought they tasted like pumpkin… strange. I ended up making half mini and half large just because I got lazy. Or maybe I just like diversity?
But somehow after finally succeeding in acquiring apple cider, I forgot the cream cheese for the glaze. Really bummed about that because I LOVE cream cheese. A regular glaze had to suffice for now.
One year ago: Asian BBQ Chicken
BAKED APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUT MINIS
Makes approximately 6 dozen mini doughnuts (or 2 dozen large)
Ingredients:
DOUGHNUTS
Granulated sugar for preparing pans
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup apple butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
VANILLA GLAZE
1 cup confectioner’ s sugar
1 Tbsp milk, plus more to reach desired consistency
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat pan with nonstick spray or oil. Sprinkle with sugar, shaking out excess.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together egg, brown sugar, apple butter, maple syrup, cider, yogurt and oil. Add dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Spoon about 1.5 teaspoons (2 generous tablespoons if using the large doughnut pan) of the batter in the cavities in the prepared pan. Don’t fill them to the top or your doughnuts will lose their holes when the batter puffs up while baking!
- Bake 5 to 6 minutes (or 10 to 12 minutes or the large), or until the tops spring back when touched lightly. Loosen edges and turn the doughnuts out onto a rack to cool. Clean the pan, re-coat it with oil and sugar. Repeat with remaining batter.
- Ice your doughnuts, if desired. In a small bowl, whisk with powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, adding more milk if necessary to create a spreading or dipping consistency. Dip tops of doughnuts into the icing, then set right side up on a rack to let the icing set.
Source: Doughnuts from Recipe Girl, glaze adapted from Sprinkle Bakes.
