Recipe: A Light, Rustic Treat: Whole-Wheat Apple Tea Cake

When I wake up in the morning, I usually find myself already sorting through the options of what to eat. Because breakfast is usually my favorite meal of the day, I take care to consider my options.

Oatmeal, pancakes, smoothies, fruit + yogurt bowls, cereal, an omelet, a bagel?

Truly, the possibilities are endless. 

But to make such a weighty decision as what one is to have for breakfast (serious first world problems here…), brain power is needed.

Uh, that’s the problematic part—brain power…in the morning.

Brain power? Well, that requires food. Fast.

Sometimes, I’ll just munch on a piece of fruit or some cereal, while I plan. And then other times, I’ll mosey over to the cake server that sits in our kitchen and peer inside, as if it’s a crystal ball. A magical crystal ball that tells me what scrumptious delight I’ll be consuming in the next 3.67531 seconds.

3.67531 seconds later, I find myself happily eating a piece of homemade cookie or muffin, or in this case….a square of rustic apple tea cake.

Let’s just call it a breakfast appetizer. Can we swing that?

I’ll take that as a yes.

Whole-Grain Apple Tea Cake

Naturally sweet from the apples and apple sauce, this cake is perfect for an afternoon snack or light breakfast with a cup of tea. My family enjoyed it, but I also forewarned everyone that it was more of snack cake than a sinful dessert. If you would prefer such a dessert, I would recommend a frosting, icing, or perhaps even a scoop of ice cream. As for me, I’ll stick with the breakfast appetizer.

Adapted from "The Realistic Nutritionist"

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or more oat flour)
• 1/2 cup oat flour (or more whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium apples, finely diced (I left the peel on)
• 1 egg (a flax egg would probably work as well)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp chopped pecans (or other nuts)
• 1/4 cup organic applesauce
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 8-inch baking pan.

2) Whisk flours, baking soda, spices and salt with a whisk in a small mixing bowl.

3) In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, apples, chopped nuts, egg and applesauce. Slowly add in dry mixture, mixing gently just until well-combined. Mixture will be thick.

4) Pour batter in greased pan, and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Recipe: Here Comes The (Bagel) Sun

Dear real breakfast food,

I missed you too.

Where I live, there is a bagel shop like no other. For years, people told me that I could find better bagels in somewhere like New York or Philly or Jersey or Washington D.C.. But after trying bagels from all over the county, I can say with confidence that these bagels are the BEST. Of course, I’ll never pass over a good bagel, but I think it’s safe to say that I’ll never find a bagel better than that of “I Love Bagels.” (Yes, that’s the name of the shop.)

The shop opens at the crack of dawn every morning and serves everything from standards like plain bagels and bagel sandwiches to gourmet flavors like spinach-parmesan (the one pictured), french toast, and even pumpkin during the fall months.

Most people tend to order one or two bagels with cream cheese or a bagel sandwich, but my family has always opted to get a “Bakers’ Dozen”—13 bagels in a big, crinkly white bag. Perfect for satisfying your fickle bagel consumers like me who want a bite of every flavor. Perfect for freezing for weekday breakfasts. Perfect for making your own gourmet bagel creation.

Kinda like this one. Here comes the sun doo doo doo doo…and I say, it’s alright!

Simply Perfect Egg & Cheese Bagel Sandwich

I feel almost silly calling this a “recipe,” but I’m typing it out just incase some people have never ventured into the world of sandwichin’ glory. Dress this up with fancy cheese, mushrooms/onions, or perhaps even bacon if that’s your style. Or just eat a simple sunny morning meal, and call it a day. Either way, you’ll be in heaven.

You’re gonna need:

1 bagel (if you’re in Southern California, only I Love Bagels will do), sliced in half

1 egg

1 thin slice cheese (or ~2 tbsp shredded cheese or cheese spread)

butter/margarine (optional)

salt & pepper

Directions:

1) Cut bagel in half through the middle to create two circular halves.

2) (Very) Lightly spread halves with butter/margarine, and lay cheese slices/shreds on top. Place in toaster over for about 2 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan, and cook egg (I did mine over-easy). Remove bagel from oven and egg from pan. Place egg on top of bagel + melted cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Tip: After going to the bagel shop, we freeze all the leftovers instead of leaving them out on the counter or in the fridge. This keeps them fresh longer. When you want the bagel, defrost in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Presto! Good as new

Post-toaster oven:

Just a lil ooey gooey melted cheddar to start the day. Nothing fancy here folks.

Golden deliciousness with a cuppa Santa-adorned coffee.

A perfect lazy morning.

Have a wonderful day

Recipe: Mediterranean Dreamin’ Pizza

I love pizza. Like really, really love it. Because I tend to prefer crazy, out-there, and somewhat exotic foods to mainstream foods(burgers, chicken fingers, grilled cheese), that might surprise you. But the thing is, I don’t just like any pizza.

Dominoes? Meh, the cardboard box probably tastes better.

Georgetown Dining Hall (a.k.a. Leo’s)? Burnt crust.

Tuscany’s in DC? Whatevs.

Pizza Paradiso (in DC)? Too pricey for what you get.

But homemade pizza is different. It’s customizably delicious, and I’ve taken to craving it whenever I’m away from home. As a family, we’ve made everything from Pear & Gorgonzola, Thai Peanut Chicken, and BBQ Chicken varieties a la California Pizza Kitchen. But prior to this Mediterranean pizza, we mainly stuck to copycats. Then, this pizza came along. It was a game-changer.

It doesn’t sound all that exotic, but something about the combination of flavors—olives, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, and fresh pesto—takes things to a whole ‘nother level.

Like other homemade pizzas, there is some prep time involved, but don’t be daunted—the end result is worth it.

We use Trader Joe’s Herbed Pizza Dough because a) it saves time and b) it’s simply superb/better than any other dough, homemade or otherwise, that we’ve tried. If you don’t have a TJ’s near you, you could try Whole Foods or your regular grocer. Just don’t skip any of the components, including making the homemade pesto. It’s a little time consuming, but oh-so-AMAZINGLY-delicious.

Mediterranean Dreamin’ Pizza

Adapted from the LA Times’ Culinary SOS on Café del Ray

I’ve tried my fair share of pizza—both in restaurants, from take out places, and at home—but this one takes the cake. The mixture of the garlicky pesto, melty cheese, salty olives, and sweet tomatoes makes this pizza simply amazing. While it takes a little bit of time to prepare (like most other homemade pizzas), it has quickly become my favorite!

Ingredients:

1 Trader Joes’s pizza dough (or homemade/storebought if you can’t find this)
2 cups spaghetti or pizza sauce, reduced***

Basil Pesto:
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp pine nuts (toasted)
pinch red chile flakes
2 tbsp parmesan, grated
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups packed basil leaves

1 cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup crumbled feta
2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
¾ cup olives
1 small jar artichoke hearts, sliced in half

***For the sauce, we use Prego Heart Smart. Because spaghetti sauce is more watery than pizza sauce, we put it in a strainer lined with a coffee filter for at least 1 hour (or as long as overnight). This drains some of the water from the sauce, resulting in a thicker consistency that will ensure that your pizza doesn’t come out soggy.

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Follow instructions for prepping pizza dough. (For the TJ’s one, we take the dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for 15 minutes before stretching it out onto a circular pan.

2) To make the pesto, place the garlic cloves, pine nuts, chili flakes, parmesan, olive oil, and basil leaves in a food processor. Blend until a smooth paste is formed.

3) On your prepared pizza dough, spread the sauce evenly, being careful to not put too much in the middle. Then, layer pizza ingredients in this order: mozzarella, feta, tomatoes, olives, and artichokes.

4) Bake for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle pesto over pizza before serving.

Recipe: The Ultimate Kitchen Sink Split Pea Soup

I know you're a little bit scared for these soup pictures, considering the graphical horrors in  my last post. But we're gonna make it through this mess together. Cause ya know...that's what friends are for.

...Did I really just say that the purpose of having friends is to survive mediocre split pea soup pictures?

Well dang, my friends deserve gold medals.

But since I'm out of medals, they'll just have to settle for carrots. I wouldn't complain :)

Unfortunately, there's really no way for me to do this soup justice in pictures. Well, hmph. I suppose words will just have to be good enough this time 'round.

This soup is totally, completely, incredibly, amazingly: a) Delicious b) Simple c) Comforting d) Unpretentious e) Soul-soothing

Never mind the fact that it is unattractive. After all, it's not the soup's fault. Blame it on the blogger :)

The Ultimate Kitchen Sink Split Pea Soup

Despite this soup's unassuming (ahem.) looks, it's actually quite lovely in the flavor department! I wanted to stick with traditional split pea soup ingredients and flavors, but feel free to add whatever vegetables or grains you have on hand. When ASOS Mum makes her variation of this soup, she typically uses both ham and chicken broth. Though this version is good in its own right, I wanted to experiment with a vegetarian version that would be on par in both taste and texture. I'm happy to say that said experiment was a success!

Yield: Serves 2 hungry people for dinner or 3 not-deathly-famished people for lunch

Ingredients:

- 1 onion, diced - 2 cloves of garlic, minced - 2 carrots, diced - 2 small potatoes, diced (I used russet potatoes and left the skin, scrubbing them well rather than peeling. If you'd prefer, peel the potatoes.) - 1 tbsp oil or butter/margarine OR cooking spray - 1/2 cup split peas - 1/2 cup pearled barley - 7-8 cups water - 3 tbsp vegetarian "chicken-flavored" broth mix/bouillon (Use less if your bouillon is strong) - 1/2 tsp dried basil - 1/2 tsp salt - pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Wash, scrub, and prepare the onion, garlic, carrots, and potatoes. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat; add the oil/butter or cooking spray. (Use just enough to grease the pan, so the veggies won't stick.) When the pot is hot, add the vegetables and saute until slightly softened (~3 minutes).

2) Add the split peas, barley, water, broth, dried basil, salt, and pepper to the pot. Keep the heat on medium, waiting for the mixture to come to a boil.

3) Once the soup is boiling, reduce heat to low-medium, making sure that it is still at an active simmer. Simmer for 1+ hour.* Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

*Add a cup of water as needed, if the liquid level in the soup starts to get too low (at or below the level of the vegetables/split peas). The longer you simmer, the lower the level of liquid. Thus, if you want your split peas really soft and smushy, add more water and cook longer.

Going out for dinner tonight for my 3-months belated birthday dinner!

Hopefully, there will be blog pictures involved :)

Recipe: The Best Single Serving Pancakes...EVER

OMG.

If nothing else, there's one thing you should know about me: I love pancakes.

Like, we're talking some serious, head-over-heels "L-O-V-E." I can eat them for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner--all day, everyday. No shame, I tell you.

There is, however, one condition. They have to be really good pancakes.

So let's talk qualifications.

To me, really good pancakes don't come out of a box or a yellow jug (Shake 'n Pour, I'm looking at you). They aren't found in the freezer section of the grocery store or at Denny's. And they aren't slathered in "maple syrup," in which maple syrup isn't even an ingredient. Nope. For pancakes to qualify as really good, they need to made with real ingredients. Oh, and love--lots of love :)  Simple as that.

Prior to this batch, I've made some good pancakes. Sometimes with white flour and lots of butter but usually with whole grain flour of some sort, baking powder, water, milk, cinnamon. Whatever works.

But after returning from the family vacation, I wanted to make something better than just "good." I don't mess around when it comes to pancakes. (Okay, maybe that's a lie...).

Anyways, the requirements:

1) Taste - I've tasted some fairly delicious pancakes made with white, all-purpose flour, but I really wanted a whole grain pancake recipe that wouldn't be labeled as "good, but healthy-tasting." I decided to use a combination of oat and whole wheat flours to keep the flavor light and creamy.

2) Texture - I actually love pancakes that are still a little doughy in the center, but I know most people don't. The way I see it, pancakes are like steak. Most people tend to like them cooked medium, as uncooked middles scare people as much as tough, burned edges. Moving on, then. Using 100% whole wheat flour can result in gummy, doughy pancakes. To make them soft and fluffy, I used egg whites and yogurt.

3) Size - Thanks to my good friend Jetlag, I woke up at noon. ASOS Mom, Dad, and brother had already finished breakfast, but I still wanted pancakes. I made this batch a single-serving to accommodate. Sometimes, however, I find that a single-serving of pancakes doesn't really fill me up. I wanted hearty and stick-to-the-ribs without feeling weighed down, so I made sure to include whole grains, protein, and a bit of fat. Though I made one serving, this recipe could easily be made into a family-size.

These were delicious. Probably the best pancakes I've ever made. I would recommend you make them. Don't question it; just do it.

The Best Single-Serving (and Healthy!) Pancakes Ever

These pancakes are everything pancakes should be: light, fluffy, hearty, and utterly delicious. I made two HUGE pancakes the size of my face, but you could make them silver-dollars or medium-sized  'cakes, if that's what floats your boat. I also added a few dark chocolate chips to the second pancake for kicks--fan-freaking-tastic. Dress them up or keep 'em plain Jane. That's what freedom is all about ;)

Yield: 2 gigantic pancakes or 5-6 (?) normal-people, silver dollars. Adapted from Kittencal's Best Pancakes on the Planet

Ingredients

Dry: - 1/4 cup oat flour (I just ground oats to a flour consistency in the food processor) - 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour - 1/4 tsp baking soda - 1/2 tsp baking powder - 1/4 tsp salt

Wet: - 1/8 cup egg whites - 1/8 cup nonfat yogurt - 2-3 tsp of honey (or other sweetener of choice) - 1/4 tsp vanilla extract - Additional 1.5 tbsp nonfat yogurt PLUS enough water to make a 1/2 cup total* - Fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, coconut (optional)

Directions:

1) In a medium-large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Then, in a small bowl, beat together egg whites, 1/8 cup nonfat yogurt, vanilla extract, and the 1/2 cup yogurt + water mixture. (You want the wet mix very smooth and airy.)

2) Add wet mixture to dry mixture, and stir gently until all ingredients are well incorporated and no lumps remain. If using fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, or coconut, fold into batter now. Do not overmix batter. Flat, fluff-less pancakes are not your friend!

3) Heat a griddle or nonstick pan. Grease with a wee bit of butter or oil. Pour batter on the griddle to cook your pancakes (1/4 cup for silver dollars; 1/2 cup+ for ginormous 'cakes).

4) Smile like a goofy five-year-old, and enjoy your pancakes!