This is a good one. One of my girlfriends shared the recipe, and she was right – this is a breakfast to look forward to.
gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan
Overnight Protein Cheesecake Breakfast
1.5 medium bananas (about 120g)
60g quick oats
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Big pinch salt
145g package vegan cream cheese (if your cream cheese will soften, soften it – I did not and I had lumps)
120g Skyr or Greek style vegan yogurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon – about 1 – 3 Tbsp, depending on your dairy and how tart you want your cheesecake
4 servings your favorite plain protein powder
125g package blueberries
1 tsp vanilla
Mash your banana with the oats, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt.
Mush into the bottom of 4 containers (or 1 big one and cut into 1/4 to serve).
Mix the cream cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, protein powder and vanilla together until smooth (or as smooth as you can get it – see above). Fold in the blueberries.
Distribute evenly to the containers and spread in a thick layer.
I tried every which way from Sunday to screw this dish up. I let the meat thaw too long, wrapped it halfway and let it sit for a day, took little care in the actual cooking, and then added insult to injury by not eating it for a day after.
And it was still damn delicious, despite the disrespect.
healthy-ish
(Nearly) Weeknight Wellington
3-ish pound beef tenderloin
Package filo or puff pastry dough
250g mixed mushrooms
2 tsp beef stock starter
1/2 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp soy sauce
Bourbon
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 package proscuitto
Chinese hot mustard
1 egg
Preheat your oven to 400F/200C.
Rub your tenderloin with oil, salt & pepper generously. Put on a roasting pan and bake 10 minutes to brown a bit.
While the beef is working, chop the mushrooms very fine.
Sauté in 1 Tbsp olive oil until softened. Add 2 tsp beef stock starter, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp soy sauce, a splash of bourbon and 1/3 cup water. Let cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed.
When the beef is finished, remove and let cool completely.
Remove the mushrooms from the heat and let cool as well.
Lay some Saran Wrap down (or a layer of aluminum foil + a layer of baking paper if you, like me, didn’t get your ish together). Layer the prosciutto over top in a single layer with no gaps showing.
Spread the mushrooms over top in a thinish layer to almost the edges.
Slater the top of the beef generously with the mustard and lay down over the mushrooms mustard side down.
Roll the ham around the beef, using the wrapping to do so, tightly. Chill at least :30 (I let mine go overnight and it was fine).
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven again to 400F/200C.
Prepare a baking sheet. Roll the dough over the sheet into a flat rectangle.
Unwrap the beef roll and place onto the edge of the dough. Wrap the beef in the dough, ending up seam side down.
Brush the seam with the egg (beaten) to seal. Tuck the ends under as well to make a package.
Make some small slashes in the top to let steam escape. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake :30 for rare-mid rare; longer for more doneness.
Serves 4? 5? 6? You decide how far you want to stretch it
This recipe started life as a roasted Kabocha cake sent in a newsletter by Aran Goyoaga from Cannelle et Vanille and ran rampant from there. That cake was fabulous, but with the amount of sweet things I made for the rest of Thanksgiving (I went for maple pecan as the theme) and the amount of leftovers I still had – I couldn’t handle the sweet for days on end for breakfast.
So I tinkered.
Now, I don’t bake. I hate baking. I’m not a “rules” person and don’t have a clue what ratios are proper in baking to make things work. Super not confident there, but I decided to charge ahead anyways with my newfound beginners luck (I heavily modified the recipe the first time I made it because of fancy thickeners and the like I couldn’t find here either at all or for under a Kings ransom).
I boldly went. Aaaaaaaaaand attempt 1 was gar-baage. Too much baking soda(?) Cornstarch(?) One bite absolutely killed my palate and made all things taste like weird basic metals for like half the day. Oops.
Attempt 2 was much more successful, despite the fact that I think I overcooked mine a bit. The taste is good, but I would caution with this bread to cook until just set for a moist cake like texture. Mine ended up still moist – mostly – but also crumbly around the edges and kinda dry.
I may do a version 4 with applesauce and more oats if I ever actually figure out what I’m doing.
gluten-free
Less Sweet Pumpkin Oat Bread
1 c roasted or canned pumpkin (I used roasted butternut squash in 2 versions and canned pumpkin in 1 and think I preferred the butternut)
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c brown sugar
3 eggs
3/4 c oil (I had grape seed on hand but olive would be much more cost effective)
1 c roasted rice flour (I have no idea if other flours would work – the original recipe called for superfine rice flour and I was surprised to see rice flour is super cheap where I live – check the Indian aisle if you are lucky enough to have one in your grocery)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c rolled oats
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cardamom
Big pinch salt
Pumpkin seeds
Preheat your oven to 200C, grease a loaf pan and cut a strip of baking paper long enough to hang over the sides of your pan lengthwise so you have a good handle to lift the cake with.
In a large bowl, mash the orange squash of your choice with the maple syrup, sugar, eggs and oil. Whisk until smooth.
Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, oats, spices and salt. Whisk together until well incorporated.
Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle with a generous helping pumpkin seeds.
Cover with tinfoil and bake 40 – 50 mins or until just set.
I was super shocked when this side was a huge hit with an International audience this Thanksgiving. I warned everyone that came that I had gotten carried away and spiced things to my taste – but … they still liked it. Aussies, French and Brits alike. 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
This side wasn’t the star my husband’s bourbon ham was (to be expected) … oooor the Chipotle sweet potatoes I 100% forgot to write any kind of recipe down for – but they were loved. I’ll take the win!
Boooooooooo – this picture sucks, but I forgot in the serving rush to take a better and didn’t end up with leftovers to shoot.
Chinese Mustard Brussels
1.5 lbs brussels sprouts, washed, de-stemmed and quartered
2 Tbsp mustard oil
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp Chinese mustard
4 Tbsp sesame seeds
4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp red chili flakes
Salt & white pepper
First, prep your Brussels by washing them, cutting off the stem ends and quartering.
Preheat your air fryer on 400 for 3 minutes.
Toss the prepped Brussels with the oils, vinegar, paprika, and generous sprinkles salt & white pepper.
Air fry, tossing a few times, until nicely browned – about 15 mins.
When nice and roasted, toss with the mustard, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and chili flakes to serve.
4 Tbsp flavored vinegar (I used ume plum but sherry would be good here)
2 anchovies
Salt, pepper & oil
First, make your salsa & sauce by adding half of the following to a blender & half to a bowl: chopped tomatoes, parsley, thyme and almonds; sliced and salted garlic, and vinegar. Add the sardines to the blender only.
Blend half the mix and toss the other. Set aside.
Heat a pan over high heat, and add a bit of high smoke point oil. Salt & pepper the steak and brush some of the blended sauce over. Sear on one side, flip, re-sauce and let cook a couple minutes (about halfway done). Flip again and sauce. Continue cooking until your desired doneness is reached. Re-sauce and let rest.
To serve, layer slices of steak over a bit of the blended sauce and top with the chunky salsa.
This is a quick weeknight flavor Bomb that makes a great meal prep.
gluten-free, paleo
Tandoori Pan
1 lb chicken breasts or tenders
2-4 sweet potatoes, about 4 cups chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2.5 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1.5 Tbsp oil (I used mustard oil)
2 cups cilantro
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp sweetener (I used maple syrup)
1/2 avocado
Pinch red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper
Preheat your oven to 200C. Prep a baking sheet.
Chop the sweet potato and add to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the spices.
Add 2/3 of the spice mix to the sweet potatoes and toss with 3/4 of the oil + good cracks of salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes.
While the potatoes are working, toss the chicken and peas with the rest of the oil and spice mix.
Scooch the potatoes to the sides of the pan and add the chicken + peas in the center. Bake another 10-20 minutes or until the potatoes are nice and browned and the chicken is cooked through.
While that is going, blend the cilantro, garlic, lime, sweetener, avocado and red pepper with enough water to loosen. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This is a really flavorful bowl built from mostly things that have been kicking around in my pantry for awhile. Yay for pantry reorganization and clean out!
gluten-free
Umeboshi Rice Bowl with Scallion Pork
1 cup sushi rice
2 tsp mirin
1.5 Tbsp sushi vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil + 2 tsp
1 onion, thinly sliced
Dashi broth granules
Napa cabbage, about 1.5 cups sliced into ribbons
3 large scallions, chopped on the bias
1 pound ground pork
2 tsp umeboshi paste
1 packet furikake sangho (or any rice seasoning blend)
Soy sauce
White pepper
Salt
Start the rice. Wash if you don’t want Japanese grannies the world over to tsk your memory, and add to the vessel you cook rice in. Add a double amount of water, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 2 tsp mirin, 1.5 Tbsp sushi vinegar and a generous pinch salt. Cook how you cook rice – I put mine in the slow cooker and hit “rice”.
While that cooks, add the extra 2 tsp sesame oil to a hot pan. Add the pork and sautee, crumbling, until 3/4 done. Add the scallions, a sprinkling of soy sauce and white pepper. Brown and set aside.
Add the thinly sliced onion to a pan and just cover with water & a generous shake dashi granules. Simmer until soft and 3/4 of the liquid has evaporated. Add the cabbage and sautee until crisp-tender. Set aside.
When the rice is done, mix in the umeboshi paste and furikake.
To serve, add pork and cabbage to the rice. Top with sesame seeds, a little snipped nori if you have it, some chopped pickled ginger (delivery sushi FTW), and drizzles of mirin and sesame oil.
Makes enough to batch cook. Mine, sadly, only lasted 4 portions.
Another great grab-n-go lunch option. These fish taco bowls are pretty great.
gluten-free, pescatarian
Fish Taco Bowls
500g fresh fish (I used King Fish, but any firm fillet will do)
Couple Tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Your favorite spicy seasoning
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
3 cups red cabbage, shredded
1/2 small red onion, cut into thin half moons
Small bell pepper, diced
100 grams feta (my favorite is Sheeze or Veg Life)
Good glug olive oil
Tajin
Salt & pepper
Preheat your air fryer to 400 for 3 mins. Skin, de-bone and cut the fish into bite-sized cubes.
Toss with a liberal amount spicy seasoning and cornstarch. Blast with a couple hits spray oil and air fry 7 – 10 mins, tossing a couple times and blasting with more oil.
While the fish nuggets are working, prep all the veggies and add to a large bowl. Add a couple glugs olive oil, the lime juice and liberal shakes of Tajin, salt and pepper.
Toss to combine and taste for seasoning. I ended up repeating the seasoning process 3x.
To serve, layer the salad in a bowl over some leftover rice or grains and add a hand full of the fish nuggets.
Makes 5 – 6 servings, depending on how much fish you have per serving
Gastography 