Breakfast Fried Rice

I have been working on this recipe for a long time, and it took many tries to get it just right. I finally went back to basics and used this recipe as a jumping off point. I traded the eggs for tofu, used liquid smoke instead of bacon, and added nutritional yeast as well. We have really been enjoying the resulting savory dish for any time of day.

Breakfast Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups brown rice (cooked according to package directions) or 4 cups leftover rice

1 block of firm tofu

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, divided
5 green onions, thinly sliced

3-4 tbsp soy sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 - 3 tsp liquid smoke (to taste)

3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (use black ones for a nice pop of color)

Directions:

Prepare the rice and reserve. Drain the tofu and cut into small strips or squares.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add half of the sesame oil. Fry the tofu in the sesame oil until it browns on both sides. This takes about 20 minutes, and it works best if you don't mess with it too much. Give it some time and then flip it. Once the tofu is done, take it out of the frying pan and reserve.

Add the rest of the sesame oil to the pan and add the rice. Cook the rice until it is heated through then add the scallions. Once the scallions have begun to heat add the seasonings, which are the soy sauce, vinegar, cayenne, and liquid smoke. Toss to distribute the seasonings and then add the tofu back into the rice mix to combine. Top with the nutritional yeast and sesame seeds.

Golden Granola

Having recently fallen in love with all things golden milk (golden milk overnight oats, golden milk chia pudding, golden milk the drink, etc.), I thought to try the flavor profile with granola. The turmeric has a wonderful almost nutty quality to it which adds a nice dimension of flavor to this lightly sweetened granola. Try this as a cereal, over vanilla soy yogurt, or on top of an acai bowl.

Golden Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup buckwheat
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger
dash of nutmeg
1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

*Optional: crystalized ginger pieces or dried fruit.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. This includes the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, buckwheat, chia seeds, black sesame seeds, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and turmeric powder.

Next, pour the maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla into a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl and heat in the microwave just long enough for the coconut oil to melt so the wet ingredients can be combined. Pour the sweetened coconut oil over the oats and stir well to coat everything evenly.

Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and pour in the oat mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, and be sure to stir it every 10 minutes or so until the granola is evenly browned. Once the granola has cooled add the crystalized ginger, or another dried fruit to the mix.

9 servings of 1/2 cup each.

Slow Cooked Steel Cut Oats

This is a basic steel cut oat recipe that isn't too sweet. It is a canvas that can be topped with just about anything. Try granola, bananas, apples, berries, nuts, chocolate, shredded coconut, seeds or stir in pumpkin or cocoa. This makes a great breakfast that you can reheat throughout the week. Put it in the microwave for a minute or two and then stir in a tad more water or non-dairy milk to make it nice and creamy.

Slow Cooked Steel Cut Oats

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
6 cups water
1 cup chopped fresh dates (120 grams) or 1/4 cup sweetener (sugar or maple syrup)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Optional: Add 1tbsp molasses, 1/2 tsp allspice, and a pinch of ground ginger for a richer flavor that hints at gingerbread.

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in and cook on low for a few hours (start checking them at around 4 hours. I find that they have a nice texture after 4 1/2 hours. They can cook a lot longer than that, though. You can leave it overnight, but know that without occasional stirring the oats will stick along the edges. With some effort in the morning you can scrape it off and it's not a big deal. I like to cook them during the day on Sunday when I can check on them, and then eat them reheated throughout the week.

For 6 servings.

With chopped dates:                                                 With 1/4 cup sugar:
>

Refried Beans From Scratch

My mother in law recently gave us some new crop pinto beans, and they are so good. The fresh taste of the beans makes it worth the effort to make them from scratch and then fry them up. If you plan ahead for the cooking time in your crock pot, these come together quickly once the beans are cooked through. I find that with these fresh pinto beans, I don't even need to soak them.

Refried Beans

Ingredients:

1 cup dried pinto beans
3 cups water

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, diced (1/3 cup diced onion)

1 tsp liquid smoke
Pinch of garlic powder
Salt to taste

Optional - add a pinch of cumin and a pinch of dried oregano

Directions:

Cover the beans in a slow cooker with the 3 cups of water and cook on low for several hours (older beans can take up to 8, while new crop beans can be done in 4). It is okay to cook them for a long time. On low the water won't evaporate too quickly and you want the beans to be soft for mashing.

When the beans are cooked through, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, and saute the diced onion on medium low until it begins to soften. Once the onions are translucent, add the beans to the pan and mash them with a potato masher. Add some of the cooking liquid to get a nice consistency. Keep mashing and adding a little liquid until they are to your liking. Add a tsp of liquid smoke and a pinch of garlic powder. Taste the beans and add a little salt.

Makes 3 cups of refried beans

Cherry Chocolate Granola

This granola is decadent and almost dessert-like. It is great for snacking when you want something sweet, try it on top of yogurt, on a smoothie bowl, or with ice cream. The chocolate and the tart cherries are a perfect match for hearty granola.

Cherry Chocolate Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seed hearts
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries

Directions:

Pre-heat your over to 400 degrees. Combine the dry ingredients (oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, cocoa powder and salt). Then add the wet ingredients to the dry (coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup. Mix it well to coat the oats with the oil and syrup.

Spray a large rectangle baking dish with cooking spray and pour in the oat mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring every 10.  Once the granola has started to cool, add the chocolate chips and the dried cherries.