Homemade Fruit and Nut Oatmeal

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day--so tasting good is a necessity.  This hearty oatmeal is slightly sweet and fills you up so you are on top of your game!

Put all ingredients in a large bowl in this order:
1/2 Gala apple sliced
1/2 banana
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts
1/8 cup flax seed
cinnamon
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
add milk until they cover the top of the oats
microwave 2.5 minutes
stir
microwave 1.5 minutes
(makes a really big bowl so could be 1-2 servings)

Recipe courtesy of Cory Madigan

Saturday Morning Farmer's Market

Wake up early on a Saturday morning? Support our local farmer's and agriculture by shopping at one of the many awesome farmer's market's in Columbus.  In addition to in-season veggies and fruit that are often picked that morning or the day before, the markets feature local artisan bakers, cheesemakers, honey producers as well as several other homemade products.

Clintonville Farmer's Market,Saturdays 9 am-12pm
Worthington Farmer's Market , Saturdays 9am-12pm
North Market Farmer's Market, Saturdays 9am-12pm
Also check out Local Matters for a more complete listing of the markets in Columbus--there are a few during the week as well.

The earlier you get there the better.  They are becoming so popular that produce sells out fast.
In season now: green onions, greenhouse tomatoes, garlic, garlic, asparagus

Lighten it Up: Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese--it's easy, it's cheesy, (and sorry, so was that line). It's a go-to comfort food. It's also a lot of white bread and cheese.  But it is also very versatile--here's a chance to bust out your creativity.  Why not try it with a nice grainy whole wheat bread, pita or even tortilla?  Instead of butter, brush the bread with a little olive oil or spray the pan with cooking spray.  Or wrap the sandwich in foil and bake it instead of on the stovetop-- pop it in the oven at 350 or 400 and ignore it until the cheese is melted. 

A lot more than just American cheese can go between the bread as well.  There are a million different cheeses to use (and a lot of great local cheesemakers--Blue Jacket Dairy, Mackenzie Creamery, Oakville that sell at Whole Foods and the North Market). What about some slices of tomato or avocado, or spinach and pesto?  Have some roasted red pepper or artichokes?  Slice a tart apple and use sharp cheddar for a German version, or tomato, mozzarella and basil for caprese grilled cheese.  So get grilling and share your favorite creations!

Thai-inspired Snow Peas and Soba Noodles

Spring is finally slowly creeping up on us, and with it come the beginnings of spring fruits and vegetables.  While it is still to early for many of them to be grown outside, many local farmers have indoor facilities to grow spring crops.  One of these is snow peas--which are available at the Worthington Farmers Market (along with local apples, spinach, potatoes, lettuce and several others).  Here is a great recipe that highlights the wonderful crunch of pea pods with a little Asian flair--and the peanut butter provides protein.  Another great use for pea pods: dip raw pea pods in hummus for a healthy snack!

1 serving soba noodles
3/4 c. pea pods
2 carrots, cut into thin, 2 inch strips
1 Tbs. peanut butter
1 tsp. curry powder
2 Tbs. orange juice
1 Tbs. peanuts, chopped (optional)

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot.  Add the carrots and cook until tender, but still a little firm. Remove from water and set aside. Cook the soba noodles in boiling water, 3-4 minutes.  While soba noodles are cooking, cook pea pods in the same manner as carrots.  They should still be slightly crunchy.   Stir together the peanut butter, curry powder and orange juice.  When the noodles and pea pods are done, strain (serving some of the water from the noodles) and toss with carrots and sauce. Add enough of reserved water to reach desired consistency. Top with peanuts, if using. 

You can also add pieces of cooked chicken, shrimp or tofu if desired.

An Irish Tribute

The Irish knew what they were doing when they invented soda bread. Instead of using yeast as a leavener, baking soda is used to make it rise.  The result--a hearty and delicious loaf that is baked in a quarter of the time as a traditional yeast bread.  Thus, it is an awesome and easy way to start making your own bread from scratch.  No kneading, just a little mixing and some time to let it bake.  This recipe uses spelt flour but there are others out there that use whole wheat or white flour.  Raisins or nuts are a great addition--just add some to the dough toward the end of the mixing process.

Spelt Irish Soda Bread

Late Night Sweet Treat

Admit it. After a long day, sometimes all you want is a little something sweet. So here is an awesome incredibly easy guilt free dessert to ease your sweet cravings and make your belly full!

Greek Yogurt chocolate mousse
1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
2 oz. dark chocolate
1-2 Tbs. jelly  (flavor of choice), honey, or agave nectar
fruit--like raspberries, kiwi, mango, blueberries, etc. (optional)
1 tsp. almonds, walnuts pecans, etc (optional)

Melt chocolate in microwave-safe bowl, using 30 second intervals so chocolate doesn't burn. Stir in yogurt until combined (work quickly so chocolate doesn't solidify at the bottom of bowl).  Add in jelly (black raspberry is a great flavor choice but any kind works fine) or honey and stir to combine, adjusting sweetness to your liking.  Top with fresh or frozen fruit and nuts if desired and you have an instant chocolate mousse parfait!

A whole new healthy way to do “Easy Mac”

This was made with whole wheat farfalle (bowties/butterflies) instead of soba.  Soba are similar to linguine in shape, but are a little softer when cooked.

Sometimes all we want is a little comfort food.  Here is a new, healthy and homemade version of Easy Mac that can be made in a flash. The simplicity, ease and certainly taste gives the blue box a run for its money. The recipe calls for soba noodles, a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat that is super healthy and hearty and cooks in just 3-4 four minutes in boiling water.  You can substitute regular or whole wheat pasta (bowties or shells work great with the peas), just keep in mind that pasta takes 10-12 minutes to cook.

“Easy Mac” the Healthy and Gourmet Way (serves 1 but can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.)

2-3 oz. creamy chevre (goat cheese)

2/3-1 cup frozen green peas

1 serving soba noodles (Japanese buckwheat)

Juice from 1-2 slices lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Fill a medium size saucepan with water and bring to a boil.  Add the soba noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes. While the noodles cook, run the peas under hot water until thawed.  Mix peas, cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mash with a fork.  When the noodles are done, drain, reserving about ½ cup of the water.  Put back in pan over low heat and add the mashed pea and cheese mixture.  Stir to coat the noodles, adding as much pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency. 

(You can puree the cheese mixture in a food processor too if you have one.  Leave a few peas out to make it chunky. Adding spinach is another good addition for an extra healthy kick!)

Black Bean Burgers

Thanks to Sara Maguire for sharing her recipe!

Ingredients

• 2-16 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork or potato masher until thick and pasty.
3. In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into six to eight patties.
6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

Veggies Any Time

We know we need them.  Hopefully we want to eat them!  Long hours at the library can prevent that sometimes.  Even if they are in the fridge or freezer, by the time you get home, who wants to wait for them to cook?  Enter bamboo steamer...a not-so-well-known but oh-so-wonderful kitchen gadget that is a must have for fast and healthy cooking.  You can buy a double stack-able bamboo steamer at any kitchen or home store for about 12 dollars.  It fits right over a large Dutch oven cooking pot (check out the pic below) and gives you freshly steamed veggies that retain all the nutrients in just minutes.  The steamer comes with two baskets too, so you can steam two different things at once--possibly fish on the bottom and your veggies on top.

Fresh steamed veggies with tahini (serves one):

fresh or frozen vegetables: broccoli, carrots, peas, zucchini, peppers, spinach, brussels sprouts, green beans, asparagus, potatoes--the possibilities are endless, chopped if needed
1 Tbs. tahini paste (picture is below--you can find this brand at Whole Foods--it is the cheapest brand--it may seem pricey, but for 5 dollars, this jar can last you for months)
1 slice of lemon or 1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Fill a Dutch oven (pictured above) with about 1 1/2 inches of water. Bring the water to a soft boil and place steamer basket on top of pot and add chopped veggies.  Place lid on steamer basket and let the veggies steam until tender (cooking time will vary with the veggie and whether it is fresh or frozen).  When the veggies are tender, place in a bowl and toss with tahini, juice from 1 lemon slice, cumin, salt and pepper.  Serve warm.

Note: The basic steaming technique can be used with any vegetable to cook it quickly.  Switch it up by putting different things on the veggies once they steam--salad dressing, olive oil, pesto, mustard, salsa, etc. and different spices.

Easy Test Week Meal

 
Makes a wonderful fresh, easy, inexpensive dish to share with friends that looks expensive and fancy.  It obviously makes enough for more than one person. So you have two options.  Cut all ingredients back to 1 serving size on the package or make the whole thing on Monday and you are good to go for the week--eat either cold for lunch or reheat for dinner.

1 box Whole wheat or Barrial Plus pasta of any shape
2-3 buches of Brocolli or one bag frozen steamed and drained
3-4 fresh tomatoes chopped finely
1 package crumbled feta cheese

Cook pasta and drain.
Add all other ingredients while pasta is hot.
Stir and serve.

Can add shrimp or chicken if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Allison