Veggie Might: Lazy Weekend Gluten-free Pancakes

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.

Pancakes are the food of lazy weekend mornings with loved ones, be they boyfriends, friend-friends, or family. Breakfast, or more specifically, brunch, is the best meal of the day because lazy weekend mornings are the best time to be awake.

Brunch in New York is like church. Everyone has their preferred house of worship, and weekly attendance is compulsory. Congregants line up out front, no matter the weather, to say their prayers to the gods of maple syrup and challah bread.

After years of serving eucharist at one of Manhattan's most popular temples, I relish every Saturday and Sunday morning I get to have a leisurely breakfast at home. I'm nondenominational brunch eater, and I like to worship in my pajamas. Plus, it's way cheaper that way.

My pal and fellow brunch altergirl, Miss T is newly gluten-free. She recently spent the night at my pad, and the next morning, she, my boyfriend, and I contemplated venturing out for brunch. I told her about the whole wheat pancakes I'd been making for CB, and she wondered if I could come up with a gluten-free version for her.

"Sure," I said. "Let's try it now." Miss T was all smiles and agreement. Church bells were ringing.

We donned our aprons and cleared a space on the table. Starting with a recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking, I had futzed around until I came up with a whole-wheat pancake that satisfied CB's morning sweet tooth and my fiber requirement. Making them gluten-free was as easy as substituting the wheat flours for a combination of chick pea, brown rice, and quinoa flours. We had a smashing success.

The alterna-flour gluten-free pancakes came out light, fluffy, and golden-brown—just like the wheat version. Miss T and I were so proud of our pancake improv. We looked to CB, our resident pancake connoisseur, for final judgment.

"Pancakes are just a vehicle for maple syrup and butter," he said. "These have the right texture, which is the important thing. They're good."

We took his praise with gratitude and laughter. These delicious, gluten-free vessels of maple and joy are worthy of lazy weekends and those you love.

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If this recipes warms your cockles, you may also enjoy:

• Baking and Cooking for the Sensitive and Cleansing
• Maple Morning Polenta
• Tofu Veggie Scramble

~~~

Lazy Weekend Gluten-free Pancakes
3 servings
Adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking

1/2 cup chick pea flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoon safflower oil (half for mix and half for cooking)
1 cup nondairy milk (I used almond)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl or 4-cup measuring cup. Stir in 1 tablespoon of oil and milk until combined but don't overmix. It's okay if there are some tiny lumps.

3. Heat a small amount of oil in a cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Spoon or pour batter into 3" to 4" pools in the skillet. Cook until bubbles form in the batter.

4. With a plastic or silicone turner, flip pancakes and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Place pancakes on an oven-safe plate and keep warm in oven until all pancakes are ready. Repeat step 3 until you've used up the batter. The number of pancakes will depend on how big you make them.

5. Serve with your favorite toppings, like vegan butter and maple syrup, and enjoy with those you love.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
249 calories, 12g fat, 5g fiber, 6.3g protein, $.56

Note: Substituting 1 tablespoon of cooking oil with high-heat cooking spray will reduce calories to 209 and fat to 7g per serving. You can also substitute the quinoa flour for something a touch cheaper, like sorghum flour, to reduce cost.

Calculations
1/2 cup chick pea flour: 220 calories, 4g fat, 10g fiber, 12g protein, $0.32
1/4 cup brown rice flour: 130 calories, 1g fat, 2g fiber, 3g protein, $0.15
1/4 cup quinoa flour: 110 calories, 1.5g fat, 2g fiber, 4g protein, $0.50
1 tablespoon baking powder: 6 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.06
2 tablespoon safflower oil: 240 calories, 28g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.16
1 cup almond milk: 40 calories, 3g fat, 1g fiber, 1g protein, $0.50
TOTALS: 746 calories, 35.5g fat, 15g fiber, 19 protein, $1.69
PER SERVING (TOTALS/3): 249 calories, 12g fat, 5g fiber, 6.3g protein, $.56

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Strata PLUS Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs

Today on Serious Eats: Cider-Poached Pears with Yogurt and Toasted Almonds. Elegant, light, fruity!

(Note to self: When trying to psyche self up to blog, do not listen to Radiohead's OK Computer right before beginning to write. It's a bit like watching the first ten minutes of Up before playing in the Super Bowl.)

(And yes, blogging is just like playing in the Super Bowl. Think of the carbs!)

Hey you guys! So, we're trying something new here at CHG, in which we de-emphasize calorie counts a little (as they're not the decisive measure of a food's healthiness) so as to better focus on the overall nutritional value of any given recipe.

(Did I just make that up just now, so this post would fit into our stated thematic parameters? Yes.)

(Does it have some merit to it? Yes.)

(Did I have a large glass of red wine before beginning this post? I think you know the answer to that.)

Anyway, you'll see that today's dish, Apple-Cinnamon Whole Grain Breakfast Strata from The Kitchn via Opera Girl Cooks, is a little higher in calories than our usual recipes. This is okay, though. Because A) it's warm and appley and delicious – like non-cloying French toast, B) the fiber and protein counts are super-high, and C) all the ingredients are dang wholesome. Combined, all that makes for a healthy breakfast.

(What also makes for a healthy breakfast: grapefruit, oatmeal, not Lucky Charms, not skipping breakfast, escaping a pack of roaming ninjas to successfully get to work on time.)

I changed very little from OCG/The Kitchn’s original recipe, and the alterations made were mostly for economic reasons. A regular supermarket loaf of bread substituted for a fancier loaf. Dark brown sugar was chosen over organic cane sugar. Honey went in for agave syrup.

(That last one's not just financially motivated. It's just - agave syrup tastes like really thick tequila to me. And if the words "really thick tequila" don't automatically make you a little nauseous, then you may never have had a tequila-induced hangover. In which case, I salute and envy you.)

There's a bonus to the strata, as well. Step #2 requires you to saw off all the crusts of a loaf of bread. At first, this seems wasteful. BUT WAIT! By toasting said crusts for a few minutes, then crushing them in your mighty grasp, you come up with 1 1/2 cups handy, dandy whole-wheat breadcrumbs! Imagine what you can do with those!

(Coat chicken!)

(Top casseroles!)

(Sprinkle on macaroni and cheese!)

(Use as confetti at a mouse's birthday party!)

And that's it.

(Really!)

~~~

If this looks good, you might also quite enjoy:

• Breakfast Couscous with Custard
• English Muffin Strata with Ham and Cheese
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal

~~~

Apple & Cinnamon Whole Grain Breakfast Strata
Serves 6 to 8.
Adapted from The Kitchn.

For the strata:
1 (24-ounce) loaf good supermarket whole wheat or whole grain bread
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
8 large eggs
2 cups 1% milk
1/3 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For the glaze:
3 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons 1% milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1) Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish ever-so-lightly with butter

2) Unpack bread. Place ends aside. Cut crusts off each piece. Set crusts aside.

2.5) IF MAKING BREADCRUMBS : Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread crusts out on baking sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes, until bread is completely toasty. Remove from oven and let cool. When totally cool, run through a food processor or beat senseless with rolling pin. Store crumbs in an airtight container. Should make 1 1/2 to 2 cups breadcrumbs.

3) Line bottom of baking dish with half the crustless bread. Layer apple slices on top of bread. Layer apples with remaining bread.

4) In a medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk thoroughly. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate a few hours, or overnight.

5) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

6) Cover strata with tin foil. Bake for 35 minutes (45 minutes if coming straight from the fridge). Uncover. Bake for additional 15 minutes.

7) Mix cream cheese, honey, milk, and vanilla in a small pot. Heat over medium heat until cheese is melted and glaze is formed, stirring constantly. Pour over warmed strata. Spread glaze with back of a wooden spoon until pretty evenly distributed.

8) Let sit 10 minutes. Serve, with syrup if preferred.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
Seven servings: 392 calories, 13.8 g fat, 10 g fiber, 16.9 g protein, $0.99

NOTE: Calculations are for Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Triple Health (I don’t know what that means, either) bread, which is what I used. Since there’s no real way to calculate nutrition for crustless bread, I subtracted 30% of the totals. It’s not scientific per se, but that’s why we write “approximate.”

Calculations
1 (24-ounce) supermarket loaf whole wheat or whole grain bread: 1050 calories, 21 g fat, 63 g fiber, 42 g protein, $2.50
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, sliced into 1/4-inch wedges: 184 calories, 0.4 g fat, 5 g fiber, 1 g protein, $1.36
8 large eggs: 588 calories, 39.6 g fat, 0 g fiber, 50.3 g protein, $1.00
2 cups + 2 tablespoons 1% milk: 224 calories, 5.2 g fat, 0 g fiber, 18.1 g protein, $0.66
1/3 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar: 229 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.22
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract: 30 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.20
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon: 9 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.9 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.06
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg: 6 calories, 0.4 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.03
3 ounces cream cheese: 297 calories, 29.7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 6.4 g protein, $0.56
2 tablespoons honey: 128 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.32
TOTAL: 2745 calories, 96.4 g fat, 70.2 g fiber, 118.1 g protein, $6.91
PER SERVING (TOTAL/7): 392 calories, 13.8 g fat, 10 g fiber, 16.9 g protein, $0.99

Guest Post: Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

Today's guest post comes from Ali, who lives in Vancou... you'll see.

Hi everyone.

My name is Ali, and I live in Vancouver, Canada with my boyfriend J. We are both graduate students, so we eat on the cheap, and we're both pretty active - I'm training up for a half marathon - so we're a couple of hungry buggers. The recipe below is a great way to use up pumpkin, if you've got it, and cranberries.

This muffin is one of our faves: It's cheap and healthy and good (what a coincidence!), and also portable, freezable, and toastable. CHGPFT! Also, let's compare this nutritional info with the info for a "Lowfat raspberry muffin" from a large international coffee chain that shall remain nameless. Their muffin (according to their online nutrition info): 340 calories, 6g fat, 2g fibre, 7g protein. This is their healthy muffin, people. And let's not even talk about the price...I'm not sure what they are charging for their muffins, but it sure as heck isn't $0.53. Yikes. So, save your money! Save your calories! Give the muffins below a try....you won't regret it. Promise.

A couple of notes:

1) The inspiration for this recipe comes from a fantastic cook book called Re:Bar, but we've made loads of adaptations to it so I'm not sure you could call it the same recipe. Nevertheless, the idea of putting millet and pumpkin together in muffin form comes from those guys and their yummy restaurant.

2) Did you know that there is as much protein is 1/2 cup millet as there is in 2 eggs (11g)? I didn't. And the millet is a third the price. So there's that.

3) For the pumpkin: we bought a huge (10 pound) pumpkin from a farmers' market, cooked the sucker, mashed up its insides, and froze the resulting mush in 2-cup ziplock bags. I admit I do not remember the exact price of the pumpkin, but it was cheap. So what you have here is my best guess for price. I'm guessing that the pumpkin cost about $10, and we got about 7 frozen cups of mush from it, plus a cup or two of pumpkin seeds.

~~~

If this looks good, you'll surely love:

• Banana Oatmeal Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins
• Egg McMuffins

~~~

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

1/2 cup millet (uncooked)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1.25 cups pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 cup flour (all white, or 1/2 white 1/2 whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1) Preheat oven to 375 degress. Grease a muffin tray, or line with muffin papers.

2) Toast millet in a hot dry skillet until it's lightly browned and starts to smell toasty. Set aside.

3) Beat together eggs, sugar, and vanilla until well mixed. Then add in yogurt pumpkin, and vegetable oil. Mix.

4) In a different bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and millet.

5) Combine wet and dry, and stir in cranberries. Don't overmix, or muffins will be tough - use minimal stirrage.

6) Bake at 375 for 20-25 mins or until a knife comes out clean.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fibre, Protein, and Price Per Serving
155 calories, 3.8g fat, 3.1g fibre, 4g protein, $0.53

NOTE: Calculations are in Canadian dollars. Just add about 10% to convert to USD.

Calculations
1/2 cup millet: 378 calories, 4.2g fat, 8.5 g fibre, 11g protein, $0.50
2 eggs (we used happy-organic-free-range-type, hence the price): 126 calories, 8.7g fat, 0g fibre, 11.1 g protein, $1.75
1/2 cup sugar: 387 calories, 0g fat, 0g fibre, 0g protein, $0.25
1 teaspoon vanilla: 12 calories, 0g fat, 0g fibre, 0g protein, $0.10
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt: 77 calories, 1.9g fat, 0g fibre, 6.4 g protein, $0.64
1/8 cup vegetable oil (we used grapeseed): 241 calories, 27 g fat, 0g fibre, 0g, protein, $0.20
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree: 104 calories, 1g fat, 9g fibre, 3.4g protein, $0.75*
1/2 cup whole wheat flour: 203 calories, 1.1g fat, 7.3g fibre, 8.2g protein, $.0.18
1/2 cup white flour: 228 calories, .5 g fat, 1.7g fibre, 6.5g protein, $0.15
1 teaspoon baking soda: 0g everything, $0.05
1 teaspoon cinnamon: 6 calories, 0g fat, 1.2g fibre, 0g protein, $0.10
2 teaspoons fresh ginger: 12 calories, 0g fat, .5g fibre, .3g protein, $0.35
2 cups cranberries: 87 calories, 0g fat, 8.7g fibre, 0.7g protein, $1.35
TOTALS: 1862 calories, 45.5g fat, 36.6g fibre, 47.5g protein, $6.37
PER SERVING (Totals/12): 155 calories, 3.8g fat, 3.1g fibre, 4g protein, $0.53

Guest Post: Chocolate Granola

Jerimi Ann Walker a math professor living in the Chicago area and founder of Math Bootcamps. When not doing math, she enjoys trying to put new and hopefully healthier spins on common recipes.

My husband and I love finding ways to satisfy our collective sweet tooth without eating food that's over-the-top sweet or too heavily processed. Last year, this lead us to experiment with recipes for different type of granola. Eventually, we decided that any old granola wouldn’t do. We had to find a recipe for chocolate granola. I mean, think about it - the best of all worlds!

After a couple of duds (okay - way more than a couple of duds), we finally found a recipe that has become a staple of our household. Just a few simple and easy-to-find ingredients makes an amazing sweet and salty mixture that always has our friends asking us when the next batch will be ready. Compared to granola from the store, which is expensive and often comes in small packages, this turns out to be a great deal. When we are being selfish and keeping it for ourselves, it can easily last a week.

Before I present the recipe, I do want to make two comments:

1) You really have to try it with the sea salt. I know it seems strange and even I was skeptical of the thought at first, but now I won't eat this granola without it. It will work with regular table salt as well, but the sea salt is a step up.

2) Don't expect granola bars. This will come out more like the granola in a cereal, with some large and some small pieces.

With that said, here's the recipe!

~~~

If this looks good, you'll love:

• Chocolate Cherry Popsicles
• Chocolate Souffles
• Granola Bars

~~~

Chocolate Granola
Serves 4

2 1/4 cups of oats
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup CRUNCHY peanut butter (Note: I do not think natural peanut butter would work here.)
1/2 cup brown sugar
You will also need a 9x9 casserole dish, a large mixing bowl, and a pot for melting the butter.

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and butter the casserole dish.

2) Mix the oats, sesame seeds, cocoa powder, and salt together in large mixing bowl.

3) Place the butter and peanut butter in a medium sized pot on the stove and melt both together over low heat. Once they have melted, remove from heat and mix in the brown sugar.

4) Pour the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar mixture over the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.

5) Take mixture and put into baking dish pressing it down and flat. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until browned on top. Once you remove it from the oven, allow it to cool COMPLETELY for the best results. In fact, we will often let it cool a bit then put in the freezer for about 15 minutes to really set it.

After it cools, it is ready to go, simply use a spoon to break it into pieces and eat by itself in a bowl, or even with milk or ice cream (I need to try this!). You will find that it is not only really good – but also VERY
filling for a snack!

Veggie Might: Hash Browns—Kablammed!

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.

I learned something on a recent roadtrip South: the Waffle House is no longer an exclusively Southern delight. Not as nationally ubiquitous as Cracker Barrel, you can still get your pecan waffle and cheese grits fix as near to New York as Bethlehem, PA.

Where I grew up, in semirural/suburban North Carolina, the Waffle House was a sketchy roadside joint frequented by exhausted truckers and tweaking rednecks. At least, that’s was the conventional wisdom. Nice girls who wanted breakfast food after a late-night movie went to Shoney’s. My friends and I were nice girls.

Our idea of a fun Friday night was straight out of Gidget minus the surfing (I even named my car LaRue after Gidget’s best friend). After seeing a movie or working on our musical at A’s house, we’d drive past the Waffle House on Hwy. 74, turning up our noses at the pick-up trucks with gun racks and late-model Chevys for classier (read: safer) fare at the all-you-can-eat breakfast bar.

It wasn’t until college that I dared enter the greasy, syrupy underworld of the Waffle House, likely after alcohol-infused evenings with my theatrical cadre. We were old enough to feel worldly and young enough to feel invincible. Though my first experience is lost down the memory hole, it seems like I’ve always gone there.

Beyond waffles, WH is known for “scattered and smothered” hash browns, which come crisp as can be after being “scattered on the grill” and then “smothered” in sauteed onions. An additional array of verbs are available for your fried potatoes, including “covered” with cheese and “capped” with mushrooms.

To me, these are the gold standard in hash browns, and I can’t imagine the oil slick necessary to create the crunch they achieve. For these reasons, and the notion that hash browns just seem hard and scary, I’ve never made them before. However, Sunday, I set out to make a healthier and equally delicious version for brunch, and I think I’m onto something. The secret is straining the liquid from the grated potatoes.

I began by combining grated potatoes with carrot, scallion, mushrooms, and parsley. Then I pressed out the water while I made biscuits. Here’s how: wire mesh strainer --> potato/veg --> clean kitchen towel --> glass mixing bowl = water dripping into sink.

My first batch came out delicious, but a little mushy in the middle with only a few crispy edges. I thought maybe the potato mixture was still a little too wet, so I spread it out on another clean, dry towel and laid yet another on top. Then I rolled up the towels together to squeeze out the remaining water.

Attempt number two showed marked progress. Once I placed the potatoes in the pan, with only a teaspoon of oil, I let them cook for 2 minutes each side, pressing down with a turner. The potatoes browned, but did not attain the crispiness I sought. After one more tweak to the cooking time (4 minutes each side + pressing), I was seeing and tasting near perfection: golden brownness, crispy texture, vibrant flavor, and a very happy boyfriend.

Waffle House, you and your hash browns no longer scare me. You’ve been kablammed!

Gentle readers, do you have any fabulous hash brown tips you’d like to share? Waffle House stories you need to get off your chest? The comments are all yours!

~~~~

If this recipe tips your canoe, swim on over to:

• Tofu Veggie Scramble
• Winter Squash Frittata
• Malt Vinegar Oven Fries

~~~

Kablammed Hash Browns
Serves 6

2 russet potatoes, grated
1/2 cup carrot, grated
1/2 cup scallion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon safflower oil

1) Peel and grate potatoes; wash and carrots. Place grated veg in wire mesh strainer with kitchen towel on top. Place a heavy bowl on top of towel to press water out of potatoes and carrots. Allow to strain for 10-15 minutes, or while you do other chopping.

2) Chop scallions, mushrooms, and parsley and combine in large mixing bowl. Remove grated potato and carrot from strainer and spread out on clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Roll up to strain out any remaining water. Combine with vegetables in bowl and mix well.

3) Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet. Spoon 1/2-cup portions of potato mixture into pan and shape into patties OR spread all potato mixture into one thin layer. Press with spatula and allow to brown on one side, 3-4 minutes. When potatoes are crispy, carefully flip and brown other side, 3-4 minutes.

4) Serve immediately with eggs or tofu scamble, grits, and biscuits and pucker up for some smooches.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
73 calories, .76g fat, 1.75g fiber, 2.3g protein, $.72

Calculations
2 medium russet potatoes: 336 calories, 0g fat, 6g fiber, 10g protein, $0.86
1/2 cup carrot: 26 calories, 0g fat, 2g fiber, 0.5g protein, $0.16
1/2 cup scallions: 16 calories, 0g fat, 1.5g fiber, 1g protein, $0.16
1 cup crimini mushroom: 20 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, 2g protein, $2.99
2 tablespoons fresh parsley: 2.6 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.14
1 teaspoon safflower oil: 39.6 calories, 4.62g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.03
TOTALS: 440 calories, 4.6g fat, 10.5g fiber, 13.5g protein, $4.34
PER SERVING (TOTALS/2): 73 calories, .76g fat, 1.75g fiber, 2.3g protein, $.72

Guest Post: Pioneer Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe

Shane can be found at ShaneHalbach.com, blogging about the zombie apocalypse, bacon, and his adorable kids (not necessarily in that order).

My daughter Evie likes pancakes. A lot. It's not really Sunday at our house if you're not in your PJs at noon eating pancakes while batter slowly drips off your daughter (and the stove, and the walls...). I can't say I blame her, they're fun to make, they're delicious, and they're really not that bad for you.

(This is assuming you don't put chocolate chips inside and then slather them with whipped cream and who knows what else - I mean, you can do that, I'm not judging. I won't even call the health police on you. However, if she was going to be eating pancakes that often, I figured we should at least try.)

So why are they "pioneer" pancakes? Well, anyone who has kids knows that the first component to a successful meal, especially one they don't want to eat, is marketing. (Yes, we had to sell our daughter on the idea of pancakes. Kids are funny that way. I'm sure she wouldn't believe it now either.) One of the main components of the recipe is substituting molasses for sugar, since molasses is a mineral-dense sweetener, particularly for calcium and iron. My daughter and I were reading the Little House on the Prairie books, and they mentioned eating molasses as a topping for pancakes. Voilà, marketing slogan established!

Evie, helping me make pancakes: "Are we going to put that in now? The other thing?"
Me: "What thing?"
Evie: "The icky sticky goo?"

Well, apparently I can't add molasses to anything without singing, "Molasses, molasses, icky sticky goo! Molasses, molasses, it'll always stick to you!" A song that fun was not going to go unnoticed.

As far as I'm concerned, there aren't a lot of things that can't be improved with the addition of pumpkin (and there's not a lot of other ways to sneak vegetables unnoticed into breakfast). And I throw some walnuts in there too for good measure ("Brain Food"...it looks like your brain and it's good for it too! There should be a requirement that all ad execs have to have prior experience as a parent.) Use whole wheat flour and you're in business!

We usually make a triple batch and freeze them on cookie sheets, before putting them in big freezer bags. Then we can reheat one or two at a time for a quick breakfast during the week. Because, hey, if you could get away with eating pumpkin pioneer pancakes for breakfast every morning, you would too!

Pioneer Pumpkin Pancakes
Feeds 3 hungry people (12 - 14 medium-sized pancakes)

1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp black strap molasses
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup walnuts

1) Beat egg in a large mixing bowl.

2) Beat in buttermilk, baking soda, baking powder, molasses, canola oil, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.

3) Beat in whole wheat flour. I just hand mix it (but then again Evie doesn't mind if it is a little lumpy). You might notice that the batter is pretty dark thanks to the whole wheat flour and the molasses.

4) Add water to thin batter if necessary.

5) Heat skillet. You could hypothetically do this at the same time as mixing the batter, unless you also have to manage a 3 year old.

6) Oil the skillet. I usually do this about every other batch of pancakes or so.

7) Use a large spoon to make whatever size pancakes you want.

8) Sprinkle a handful of walnuts on each pancake. You could mix it into the batter, but I like to put it into the pancakes manually so the walnuts are evenly spread. I find that if you mix them into the batter, you end up with the last few pancakes being walnut city.

9) Flip the pancakes when bubbles rise to the top and the edges look a little crispy.

NOTE: All of the following calculations come from Kris (the proprietor of CHG), instead of Shane (author of the guest post). Please e-mail her/me if there are any issues. Thanks!

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
382 calories, 15.4 g fat, 8.1 g fiber, 14.6 g protein, $0.99

Calculations
1 egg: 54 calories, 3.7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4.7 g protein, $0.33
1 1/4 cups buttermilk: 172 calories, 6.1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 12.6 g protein, $0.62
1/2 tsp baking soda: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
1 tsp baking powder: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.01
1 tbsp black strap molasses: 47 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.13
1 tbsp canola oil: 124 calories, 14 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.08
1/2 cup pumpkin: 42 calories, 0.4 g fat, 3.6 g fiber, 1.3 g protein, $0.33
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice: 6 calories, 0.2 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.70
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour: 509 calories, 2.8 g fat, 18.3 g fiber, 20.5 g protein, $0.27
1/4 cup walnuts: 191 calories, 19.1 g fat, 2 g fiber, 4.5 g protein, $0.50
TOTAL: 1147 calories, 46.3 g fat, 24.2 g fiber, 43.7 g protein, $2.98
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 382 calories, 15.4 g fat, 8.1 g fiber, 14.6 g protein, $0.99

Apple Sausage Breakfast Patties: A Thanksgiving Breakfast Treat(ise)

Today in mah Serious Eats column: Ellie Krieger's Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Three cheers for the chef! (Ellie, not me.)

In the hubbub over Thanksgiving dinner, we often forget the wonder of glory of Thanksgiving breakfast. And y’know what? It’s a dang shame.

Think about it: The flurry of dinner preparations has not yet begun. Every member of your family is bizarrely and totally accounted for. The older kids are home from college. The younger ones haven’t scurried off to school. Mom isn’t due at the 5am Kohl’s Black Friday sale for another 21 hours. Dad’s awake, and he’s wearing pants. In this day and age, it’s practically a coup d’etat in the name of togetherness.

So, sweet readers, don’t waste this opportunity. This Thanksgiving, sit down and bond with your immediate family before the extendeds and all 57 of their drooling, deafening toddlers arrive. Brew some joe. Scramble some eggs. Toast some, er, toast. Whip up Apple Sausage Breakfast Patties from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

“Make my own meat?” you might holler across the plains. “Are you insane? I’ll have a 34-pound bird to defrost, brine, baste, and slice later that day. Why in the name of Super Grover would I spend my 40 minutes of Thanksgiving free time mixing sausage? Go home, nerd!”

Yikes. You’re not in a good mood today. That’s okay. I understand. And I’m telling you: never fear. These patties only take about 20 minutes, and half of that is cooking time. You can be doing a ton of other things while they warm through, like peeling potatoes and calling Grandma to tell her to bring that gravy bowl you like.

Ooo. And I forgot to mention. Apple Sausage patties are inexpensive, way delicious, and comparatively light. (To give you a yardstick, a Jimmy Dean turkey patty is almost three times the calories and more than four times the fat.) Essentially, they’ll alleviate any negative feelings you’ve ever had about making sausage, plus communism and athlete’s foot.

Of course, if you should try them, know these two things:

1) The parsley in this is listed as “optional,” which is a clever way of saying that I mistook the cilantro in my fridge for parsley, and subsequently failed to purchase any from the supermarket. I didn’t miss it. Neither will you.

2) Nutritional calculations come from Better Homes and their respective Gardens.

Remember folks: Thanksgiving should be a day of appreciation. For everything. Especially family breakfasts.

~~~

If this recipe makes you want to play pattycake, these will propel you right up to double dutch:

• Autumn Sausage Casserole
• DIY Turkey Breakfast Sausage
• Hush Puppy Corn Cakes

~~~

Apple Sausage Breakfast Patties
Makes 8 patties.
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook.

1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1/2 cup apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced (I used a MacIntosh – Kris)
3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash o’ cayenne
1/2 pound 93/7 ground turkey breast (I used Shady Brook - Kris)
Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

1) In a medium bowl, combine egg, onion, apple, oats, salt, sage, nutmeg, pepper, cayenne, and parsley if using. Stir. Add turkey and mush all ingredients together with your hands, as you would for meatballs. Form into eight patties, each about 2 inches long and 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick.

2) Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add patties. Cook until first side is browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip. Do the same to the other side. Cut into one patty to make sure everything is cooked through. Serve hot.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
51 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein, $0.33

Calculations
1 egg white, lightly beaten: $0.33
1/4 cup onion, finely diced: $0.05
1/2 cup apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced: $0.24
3 tablespoons quick-cooking oats: $0.06
1/2 teaspoon salt: $0.01
1/2 teaspoon ground sage: $0.08
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg: $0.03
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: $0.02
Dash o’ cayenne: $0.01
1/2 pound 93/7 ground turkey breast: $1.68
Nonstick cooking spray: $0.10
TOTAL: $2.61 (Nutritional calcs from Better Homes)
PER SERVING (TOTAL/8): 51 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein, $0.33

Sweet Potato Fritters With Apples: Thanksgiving Begins

For the first time in years, I’m not making Thanksgiving dinner for my family. Instead, we’re heading off to Ohio, the homeland of HOTUS (formerly Husband-Elect), for a holiday with his extended brood. This is simultaneously super exciting and somewhat disorienting.

Here’s why: I’m fairly laid-back in general, but on Turkey Day (and I freely admit this), I’m a Type A, micromanaging battleaxe. There are week-long searches for appropriate recipes. There are minute-by-minute schedules. There are dozens of papers taped to the kitchen cabinets. I barely tolerate myself on Thanksgiving, so I’m not sure how my parents have held up.

And this year, I’ll have no control whatsoever. Ack.

Instead, Imma take it out on CHG. Ha! Prepare yourself, sweet readers, for an onslaught of Thanksgivingy blogginess like you’ve never seen before. There will be appetizers. There will be side dishes. There will be main dishes. There will probably be an unrelated recipe, because not everything works like we plan sometimes. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

Today’s recipe, Sweet Potato Fritters with Apples, is an inexpensive, fairly nutritional dish suitable for either Thanksgiving breakfast or a dinner side. Crunchy on the outside and softer on the inside, they're sweet without being cloying. HOTUS loved them for dinner last night, which is good, because he’s getting them for lunch again today.

If you should make them yourself, know two things:

1) The calculations in the source material felt a little off, so I did my own numbers using Calorie King. And – yoinks - they were significantly different. Mine are the ones posted, though, because that’s how we roll

2) Any decent cooking apple should work here. I used MacIntosh, because they’re good all-around varieties, but y’know, go crazy.

And so it begins. Readers, do you have a solid Turkey Day recipe for us? Do tell. We’d love to give it a shot.

~~~

If you like the looks of this, later, yer gonna wanna avert your gaze to:

• Popovers
• Sweet Crespelles
• Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

~~~

Sweet Potato Fritters With Apples
Makes 16 fritters.
Adapted from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating on a Budget.

1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced small (I used a MacIntosh - Kris)
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese (I used 1% Friendship – Kris)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
Honey, maple syrup, or powdered sugar for serving

NOTE: If you don’t have any cooked, mashed sweet potato hanging around, buy a large spud, scrub the outside, prick it a few times with a fork, and cook for 50 or 60 minutes at 375°F. Remove from oven, let it cool, peel, scoop, and mash.

1) In a mixing bowl, stir together sweet potato, apple, cottage cheese, flour, sugar, egg, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Divide the dough in half.

2) In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Divide half the dough into eight rounded tablespoons. Drop each tablespoon into skillet, taking care not to crowd. Flatten dough balls with spoon, until about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Cook 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove to a paper towel-covered plate.

3) Repeat Step #2 with the remaining half of butter and dough.

4) Serve warm with honey, maple syrup, or powdered sugar.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
67 calories, 1.8 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 2 g protein, $0.13

Calculations
1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed: 180 calories, 0.4 g fat, 6.6 g fiber, 4 g protein, $0.43
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced small: 61 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, 0.3 g protein. $0.28
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese (1% Friendship): 90 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 16 g protein, $0.75
1/2 cup all-purpose flour: 228 calories, 0.6 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, 6.5 g protein, $0.05
1/4 cup sugar: 194 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.06
1 large egg: 54 calories, 3.7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4.7 g protein, $0.33
1 teaspoon cinnamon: 6 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.2 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.04
1 teaspoon baking powder: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.02
1/4 teaspoon salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
2 tablespoons butter: 204 calories, 23 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0.2 g protein, $0.12
TOTAL: 1019 calories, 28.9 g fat, 11.2 g fiber, 31.8 g protein, $2.09
PER SERVING (TOTAL/16): 67 calories, 1.8 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 2 g protein, $0.13

Whole Wheat Scones with Corn, Tomato, and Basil

Today on Serious Eats: Mexican Potato Soup. This soup is so fast, easy, and out-of-this-world delicious, it’ll make you believe in time travel, Nostradamus, and Yeti.

Summer is winding down, and a fall nip is in the air. It’s still warm enough to find ripe, juicy tomatoes and sweet corn at the market and cool enough to turn on the oven. There is no better time to whip up a batch of savory scones.

Scones are my Charming Boyfriend’s favorite breakfast bread, and turns out, they’re incredibly easy to make. CB prefers the classic raisin version, but I like something a little more savory. I’ve been tweaking and fine-tuning this scone recipe, from Vegan with a Vengence by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, for a few months now.

We’ve had such a gorgeous bounty of corn and tomatoes this season, I couldn’t resist stuffing a batch of scones with gold and red, inspired by the chewy, speckled corn breads I grew up with.

To stand up to the filling, I subbed in whole wheat flour and went with a nonhydrogenated shortening instead of oil to give the scones a flakier texture. I compensated with a little extra almond milk to make up for the moisture loss.

Another little trick of this recipe is to combine the almond (or soy or rice) milk with vinegar: the classic vegan method for substituting buttermilk. The vinegar curdles the nondairy milk, giving it a similar sour flavor to buttermilk. The real deal would work fine in place of the vegan version.

The fragrance of basil will fill your kitchen (or whole apartment) when these come out of the oven. Moist and flaky, a touch sweet from the corn, and tangy with tomatoes, these scones are the perfect complement to a weekend brunch. And with the more substantial whole wheat flour and veggies, they make an ideal grab-and-go breakfast bread.

Give these scones a try while the fruits and veggies of summer are still with us. But hurry! The corn is going fast. (Oh Eve Arden, that made me so sad.) Maybe scones will become your favorite breakfast bread too.

~~~

If you dug this recipe, point your divining rod to
Vegan Bran Muffins
Zucchini Bread
Tofu Veggie Scramble

~~~

Whole Wheat Scones with Corn and Tomatoes

Adapted from Vegan with a Vengence by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Makes 16 scones

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1 1/2 cup almond milk + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (vegan buttermilk!)
1 cup cooked corn (fresh from the cob or frozen)
1 cup tomatoes, fresh diced
2 tbsp basil, fresh chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease a cookie sheet.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and into a large mixing bowl.

3. With a fork, cut shortening into flour mixture. Leaving pea-sized bits of shortening will make a flakier scone.

4. In a measuring cup, combine 1 1/2 cup almond milk and 2 tsp apple cider vinegar. Stir until milk coagulates. Fold in milk-vinegar combo, corn, tomatoes, and basil. Mix until just combined, taking care not to overwork the dough.

5. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and shape into a circular mound, about 12” in diameter.

6. With a sharp knife, cut the mound in half, then the halves into quarters, and so on, pizza-style, until you have 16 pieces.

7. Transfer dough to cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy with a fabulous breakfast or as a midnight snack.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
127.25 calories, 4.2g fat, 3.15g fiber, 3.15g protein, $0.24

Calculations
3 cups whole wheat flour: 1221 calories, 6g fat, 48g fiber, 48g protein, $1.08
2 tbsp baking powder: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.04
1 tsp salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.02
2 tbsp sugar: 52 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.04
1/3 cup nonhydrogenated shortening: 500 calories, 55g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.60
1 1/2 cup almond milk:: 60 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g fiber, 1.5g protein, $0.75
2 tsp apple cider vinegar: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
1 cup cooked corn: 177 calories, 2g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.75
1 cup tomatoes: 22 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, 1g protein, $0.50
2 tbsp basil: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.08
Totals: 2036 calories, 67.5g fat, 50.5g fiber, 50.5g protein, $3.87
Per serving (Totals/16): 127.25 calories, 4.2g fat, 3.15g fiber, 3.15g protein, $0.24

Vegetarian Bloody Marys

Today on Serious Eats: Confetti Quinoa Salad, a rainbow of vegan deliciousness that even the staunchest meaties will love.

Happy Labor Day, dear readers. Today is a day to celebrate the working people of America. For much of the country, that means picnics and cookouts. In New York City, a holiday Monday means brunch.

Now, I’m a teetotaler (for health reasons—you’ll get no moralizing from me), but I like a fancy beverage with my brunch as much as the next girl; and my favorite brunch mocktail is the Virgin Mary. First of all, I love tomato juice; I love spicy; and a virgin mimosa is just orange juice.

The problem as a vegetarian is that most restaurants use a premade Bloody Mary mix. Not only are those mixes often bland, the Worcestershire sauce is already in there, meaning the dang thing is not vegetarian.

Here’s my tried-and-true Vegetarian Virgin Mary recipe, perfect for your next brunch party or the next time you want some zesty vitamin C with your breakfast. It uses my homemade Vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce, but you can find veggie versions in most natural food markets.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses to Mrs. and Mr. Kris and Husband, the loveliest, funniest, dancingest bride and groom on the Island of Long. Sláinte!

If you liked this recipe, you’ll likely enjoy:
Mint Limeade
White Wine Sangria
Cranberry and Blackberry Champagne Punch

Vegetarian Virgin Marys

makes 4 8-oz servings

32 oz (1 quart) tomato juice
2 tsp crushed celery seed
1 tbsp hot sauce (or to taste)
2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon

1. Chill tomato juice in a medium pitcher.

2. Add crushed celery seed, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

3. Stir and pour into glasses. Garish with parsley, lime wedges, or celery.

4. Toast to your good friends.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
67.8 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, .5g protein, $.98

Caluculations
NOTE: I used organic tomato juice. Your cost will vary depending on the tomato juice you choose.
32 oz (1 quart) tomato juice: 240 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 2g protein, $.3.49
2 tsp crushed celery seed: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1 tbsp hot sauce (or to taste): negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce: 16 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.06
1 tsp salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
juice of 1 lemon: 12 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.25
Totals: 271 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 2g protein, $3.92
Per serving (totals/4): 67.8 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, .5g protein, $.98

Photo by Brian Haskell

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal: Quick and Tasty Nostalgia

Today on Serious Eats: Pork Roast en Cocotte with Apples and Shallots – an infallible America’s Test Kitchen recipe that tastes as good as it sounds.

I apologize for being horrifically negligent with posting lately. But, woof. Thangz iz crazy here at CHG central. Husband-Elect’s bachelor party was this weekend. Friends and family are already starting to trickle into Brooklyn. And oh, the wedding is Sunday.

Mommy?

Anyway, I’ve been keeping Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal in my back pocket (um, the recipe, not the food itself) for just such an occasion. It’s the world’s easiest breakfast, and will fill you up clear through the next morning. Not to mention: tasty.

There’s the nostalgia thing, too. Like everybody, I’m sure, peanut butter and jelly holds a special place in my heart (um, the idea of it, not the food itself). My mom packed my lunch with PB&J from first grade clear through to sixth. I didn’t touch it for years after that, being as tired of the sandwich as the general U.S. populace was of Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic” by November 1996.

But now? I will house that sandwich without ever coming up for air. And having a bowl of it for breakfast feels indulgent, like a treat. Like Mrs. Nall let me clap the erasers out back after school, because I scored a 99 on the spelling test. (Note: In the Morissettiest of ironies [meaning, not really an irony at all], I misspelled “sandwich,” adding an extraneous “t.”)

I urge you to commit the oatmeal to memory (um, the recipe, not the food itself). It’s a culinary trip back in time, not to mention a fast meal when the world becomes busier than you ever thought it could.

~~~

If you enjoy oatmeal and related recipes, you might also dig into:

• Banana Oatmeal Muffins
• Gingersnap Oatmeal
• Oatmeal with Soy Sauce and Scallions

~~~

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal
Serves 2.
NOTE: This is not my picture, but a placeholder, and a pretty good approximation of the real thing. It comes from one of those ad-drenched blogs that obviously steals content, so I won't link to it here. Apologies to the actual photographer. My pic is coming a bit later.

1 cup dry 5-minute oats
1 cup water
1/2 cup skim milk
About 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 or 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
1 or 2 tablespoons your favorite jelly
Kosher salt to taste

1) Combine oats, water, and milk in a small pot. Heat over medium.

2) After a minute or two, add vanilla extract, peanut butter, jelly, and salt to taste. Stir to combine, though the peanut butter will gradually melt into the mixture as the oatmeal heats up. Cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) When the oatmeal reaches your desired consistency, taste it. If you’d like a little more of either PB or J, add it in.

4) Serve, and wonder why you’re not eating this for every meal.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
304 calories, 7.4 g fat, 2.9 g fiber, 7.9 g protein, $0.38

Calculations
1 cup dry 5-minute oats: 147 calories, 2.3 g fat, 4 g fiber, 6.1 g protein, $0.30
1 cup water: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.00
1/2 cup skim milk: 45 calories, 0.4 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4.4 g protein, $0.11
About 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract: 6 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.03
1 1/2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter: 135 calories, 12 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, 5.3 g protein, $0.09
1 1/2 tablespoons your favorite jelly: 84 calories, 0 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.21
Kosher salt to taste: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.01
TOTAL: 609 calories, 14.7 g fat, 5.8 g fiber, 15.8 g protein, $0.75
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 304 calories, 7.4 g fat, 2.9 g fiber, 7.9 g protein, $0.38

In Praise of the Breakfast Burrito

Today on Serious Eats: West African Veggie Stew. Delicious, easy, and way out of the box. Definitely worth checking out.

It’s Monday morning. You know it’s gonna be a pretty rough week at work. There are at least three … no, four … no, 22 meetings scheduled, all during your lunch breaks. You want a breakfast that will brighten your mood and give you hope for future.

What will you do?

It’s Friday morning. You are scrambling to get the family out the door. The Frosted Flakes have run out, and your triplets are clawing at your blouse for something portable and filling to keep them alive through ninth grade math.

What will you DO?

It’s Saturday morning. You stayed out until 3am last night, for no apparent reason other than trying to bowl above a 60. (What? It seemed like a good idea at the time.) You want a hangover breakfast requiring minimal effort and maximum cheese.

NO SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE CRAP WILL YOU DO?

You’ll make breakfast burritos.

Yay! Breakfast burritos! Beloved by food bloggers and personal finance folks the world over, these compact pockets of healthy (no, really) scrumptiousness have two basic ingredients: tortillas and eggs. The rest (beans, salsa, lettuce, rice, bell peppers, onions, scallions, dill, tomatoes, mushrooms, blue cheese, cheddar, goat cheese, Monterey Jack, Colby, turkey sausage, ham, bacon, etc.) are up to you.

The last few weeks, Husband-Elect and I have been on a breakfast burrito kick of epic proportions. (Meaning: Odysseus would go wild for these.) While the add-ons vary a little, our version is basically: medium salsa, 2% sharp cheddar, pinto beans, eggs, egg whites, a tortilla, and a few field greens. It is more delightful than a walk in the park, but not quite as delightful as Betty White doing CSI: Sarasota. Still, it gets the job done. Deliciously so.

A few things to know, should you decide to try it yourself:

1) We use crazypants, humanely raised eggs now, which are a tad pricier than the ones at the grocery store. If you use supermarket eggs, your burritos will cost less (though the odds of double double yolks are probably much lower).

2) Burrito-sized tortillas can be astoundingly high in fat and calories, so you have to look around for leaner ones. We use Tropical brand burritos, which clock in at 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and about $0.18 each. I think Pepito comes close. Do you guys know of any others?

3) These drip. It’s the salsa. It’s not bad, but make sure you have napkins handy.

If you’d like to learn more about the wonderful world of Disney breakfast burritos, The Simple Dollar has a few tricks for assembling them in bulk, then freezing them. Recipe Zaar has a well-reviewed … wait for it … recipe. And The Kitchn has a basic set of directions. With pretty pictures, of course.

Sweet readers, what are your favorite breakfast burrito combos? Is it possible to keep them non-messy? Have you ever made them en masse? How’d that go? Do tell.

~~~
If you find this recipe quite dreamy, you might also lose yourself in:

• Baked Eggs in a Big Dish
• Egg McMuffins
• Swiss Chard with Pinto Beans and Goat Cheese

~~~

Breakfast Burritos with Beans, Cheddar and Salsa
Serves 2.

2 burrito-sized tortillas
A few leaves o’ greens (optional)
1 ounce 2% cheddar cheese, grated
2 eggs (any size)
2 egg whites (any size)
1-1/2 tablespoons skim milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup beans, drained and rinsed (pinto seen here)
2 tablespoons medium salsa

1) Place burritos on plates. Add greens if desired. Grate cheddar on top of greens.

2) In a medium bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, skim milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk thoroughly to combine.

3) Heat butter in a small nonstick pan over medium. When melted and a little bubbly, pour in egg mixture. Wait for it to set a few minutes, then begin to slowly scramble, using long, uninterrupted strokes. When eggs are thoroughly cooked (not wet), divide them between plated tortillas.

4) Using the egg pan, heat the beans through. (Or just pop ‘em in the microwave for a few seconds.) Divide between tortillas.

5) Top beans and eggs with salsa. Salt and pepper to taste. Wrap as you would any burrito and go to friggin’ town.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
288 calories, 14.8 g fat, 3.2 g fiber, 20 g protein, $0.92

Calculations
Note: calculations here are for large eggs and pinto beans
2 burrito-sized tortillas: 200 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g fiber, 6 g protein, $0.36
A few leaves o’ greens (optional): 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.05
1 ounce 2% cheddar cheese, grated: 90 calories, 9 g fat, 0 g fiber, 7 g protein, $0.25
2 eggs: 147 calories, 9.9 g fat, 0 g fiber, 12.6 g protein, $0.42
2 egg whites: 34 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 7.2 g protein, $0.42
1-1/2 tablespoons skim milk: 8 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0.8 g protein, $0.02
Kosher salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
Freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
1 teaspoon butter: 34 calories, 3.8 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.03
1/4 cup beans, drained and rinsed: 52 calories, 0.5 g fat, 2.8 g fiber, 2.9 g protein, $0.09
2 tablespoons medium salsa: 9 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, 0.5 g protein, $0.17
TOTALS: 576 calories, 29.5 g fat, 6.4 g fiber, 40 g protein, $1.83
PER SERVING (TOTALS/2): 288 calories, 14.8 g fat, 3.2 g fiber, 20 g protein, $0.92

Polenta with Swiss Chard, Pancetta, and a Fried Egg: A Group Recipe!

Today in my column for 2010 JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNING FOOD BLOG Serious Eats: Greek Orzo Salad. I want to eat it as my job. (Congrats, you guys!)

Sweet readers! You did it! Using last week’s Ask the Internet column, you jointly refined an okay recipe to be inexpensive, healthy, and totes delicious. Color me excited.

To recap: last week, I posted that I’d been having problems with a new dish, Parmesan Polenta with Spinach and a Fried Egg. The polenta was dry, the spinach left a funky aftertaste, the texture was mushy, and it lacked overall oomph. Based on your suggestions, I experimented with it three separate times, tweaking the ingredients and methodology a little each time. It kind of went like this:

ATTEMPT #1
Changes: For the polenta: skipped the parmesan, replaced milk and water with chicken broth, increased the amount, and stirred in butter at the end. Added a little more garlic and red pepper flakes to the spinach, and cooked it for a slightly shorter period of time. Left the egg as-was.
Result: Improved polenta flavor and texture. Egg so-so. Spinach and oomph still questionable.

ATTEMPT #2
Changes: Sauteed one ounce of chopped pancetta to start. Stirred it into polenta, and used the leftover oil to cook the garlic, red pepper flakes, and quick-wilt the spinach. Then, used the leftovers to “fry”/steam the egg.
Result: Pancetta an EXCELLENT addition – increased flavor and textural fun-ness. Didn’t need extra fat to cook the egg, either. Spinach continued to be the bane of my existence.

ATTEMPT #3
Changes: Swapped Swiss chard for spinach.
Result: VICTORY, sweet readers. The chard gave it all the scrumptious veggie goodness with nary a fraction of that annoying metallic residue. Now we dance!

Ultimately, the whole shebang was maybe a tad heavier and a few cents more expensive than I intended. But the former makes it suitable for dinners, and the latter can be easily remedied by buying Swiss chard in season. (Which I did not do. Mine was plated in gold, apparently.) These are minor quibbles, though. Overall, the whole thing rocked my socks. (And I’m not even wearing any. Go figure.)

So, I’m raising a pretend glass of champagne to y’all. Then I’m pretend drinking it. After that, I’m pretend stumbling around and wondering why the apartment is spinning. Finally, I'm pretend sauntering downstairs, pretend shoving my face into the fridge, and pretend eating the leftover pancetta raw. Woo hoo!

~~~

If you like this recipe, you might also quite enjoy:

• Grilled Swiss Chard
• Kale with Mushrooms and Polenta
• Swiss Chard with Pinto Beans and Goat Cheese

~~~

Polenta with Swiss Chard, Pancetta, and a “Fried” Egg
Serves 2.
With help from Carrie, Ira, Morgan, Ona, Evelyn, Clea, Michelle, Meagan, Anna N., Claire Dawson, Diane, Katy, Rick, Val, anotheryarn, biankat, wosnes, Happy in Nevada, Katie, Rachel, LaDonna, JohnB, Deeds, Mary Joy, Dana, Elizabeth, Sassy Molassy, Rebecca, and sweet, sweet Anonymous.

2/3 cup corn meal
1 14.5-ounce can low-sodium, reduced-fat chicken broth
1 teaspoon butter
1 ounce thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 ounces fresh Swiss chard, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 eggs
2 teaspoons parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1) In a medium pot, whisk the cornmeal and broth together. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all liquid is absorbed. This should take 8 to 12 minutes. When finished, turn off heat. Stir in butter until melted. Set aside.

2) Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until it releases its fat and is almost crispy. This should take 8 to 12 minutes. Remove meat from pan with a spoon, and stir into polenta. Evenly distribute the mixture between two serving bowls.

3) Turn skillet heat up to medium-high. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook in pancetta oil until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds, stirring frequently. Add Swiss chard. Saute about 2 minutes, until just barely wilted. Spoon on top of polenta.

4) Crack two eggs into the skillet, making sure you keep the yolks intact. Add a teaspoon of water to the side of the skillet and cover. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, until the barest white film appears on the top of each egg yolk. Gently place the eggs (one each) on the polenta and chard. Sprinkle each bowl with 1 teaspoon parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
333 calories, 12.2 g fat, 4.4 g fiber, 15.9 g protein, $2.13

Calculations
2/3 cup cornmeal: 336 calories, 1.6 g fat, 6.8 g fiber, 7.8 g protein, $0.30
1 14.5-ounce can l-s, r-f chicken broth: 9 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 1.8 g protein, $0.75
1 teaspoon butter: 34 calories, 3.8 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g fiber, $0.03
1 ounce thinly sliced pancetta, chopped: 100 calories, 8 g fat, 0 g fiber, 6 g protein, $1.05
1 small clove garlic, minced: 4 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.2 g protein, $0.03
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.04
4 ounces fresh Swiss chard: 22 calories, 0.2 g fat, 1.8 g fiber, 2 g protein, $1.49
2 eggs: 147 calories, 9.9 g fat, 0 g fiber, 12.6 g protein, $0.42
2 teaspoons parmesan: 14 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 1.3 g protein, $0.12
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.02
TOTALS: 666 calories, 24.5 g fat, 8.7 g fiber, 31.7 g protein, $4.25
PER SERVING (TOTALS/2): 333 calories, 12.2 g fat, 4.4 g fiber, 15.9 g protein, $2.13

Cheap, Healthy Asparagus: 81 Recipes for the Springiest of Spring Vegetables

Despite the snow that fell in Syracuse yesterday, spring is pretty much upon us. And along with the warming sun and astronomical pollen count comes that earliest of vegetable bloomers, asparagus.

I don’t know about you guys, but during April and May, I buy as much asparagus as humanly possible. (Perhaps an exaggeration, but you catch my drift.) What's more, I’m always looking for different ways to prepare it. Because I loves me some roasted shoots, but after awhile, you know – variety, spice of life – all that jazz.

This may be coming a week or two early in some areas, but this compilation of 81 asparagus recipes should keep you in the culinary clear until next year. FYI, the criteria for each chosen dish were as follows:

• It had to include inexpensive, easy-to-find ingredients.
• It had to be healthy according to how we usually do it on this blog. Meaning: mostly made up of whole food ingredients, lower in fat and calories, high in vitamins in minerals, etc.
• If it came from an aggregate recipe site (Cooking Light, All Recipes, etc.), it had to have had a high approval rating from reviewers. If it came from a food blog, I just trust it. We’re trustworthy people, see.
• No Cream of Anything soup or mayonnaise. Because I hate them.

So, without further ado, here you go. If you have any other suggestions, or great recipes from your own blog, feel free to add ‘em in the comment section.


BREAKFAST

CHG: Asparagus, Mushroom and Parmesan Frittata: Basements and Breakfast

CHG: Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg & Parmesan

Food Network: Asparagus, Canadian Bacon, and Cheese Frittata
Use egg whites for a lighter dish.

Kalyn’s Kitchen: Asparagus and Tomato Frittata with Havarti and Dill
Sub in a few egg whites and reduce the cheese for a lighter dish.

Kalyn’s Kitchen: Breakfast Casserole with Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Cheese
Sub in a few egg whites for a lighter dish.

Real Simple: Asparagus and Soft Eggs on Toast
Use four eggs and 1/3rd of the olive oil for a lighter meal

Real Simple: Asparagus Spinach Pancakes
Halve the oil (at least) and use a nonstick skillet.


MAINS – CARNIVORE

Eating Well: Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus and Lemon

Eating Well: Wok-Seared Chicken Tenders with Asparagus and Pistachios

Everyday Food: Chicken and Asparagus Rolls

Everyday Food: Sauteed Chicken with Asparagus and Mushrooms

RecipeZaar: Thai Rice Noodles with Chicken and Asparagus

Simply Recipes: Flank Steak Stir Fry with Asparagus and Red Peppers


MAINS – VEGETARIAN

101 Cookbooks: Asparagus Stir-Fry

101 Cookbooks: In a Hurry Green Curry

All Recipes: Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

All Recipes: Fresh Asparagus Risotto

Cooking Light: Chili-Glazed Tofu over Asparagus and Rice

Cooking Light: Lemon Risotto with Asparagus

Everyday Food: Grilled Pizzas with Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Use low-fat ricotta.

Everyday Food: Polenta Wedges with Asparagus and Mushrooms

FatFree Vegan Kitchen: Polenta with Lemony Asparagus and Chickpeas

RecipeZaar: Baked Asparagus Spinach Risotto


PASTA

CHG: Whole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus and Turkey Sausage

Cooking Light: Linguine with Asparagus, Parmesan, and Bacon

Cooking Light: Straw and Hay Alfredo with Roasted Asparagus

Eating Well: Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Everyday Food: Asparagus, Snap Pea, and Avocado Pasta

Everyday Food: Spaghetti with Shaved Asparagus

Real Simple: Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Lemon


SALADS - GRAINS

101 Cookbooks: Spring Tabbouleh
Reduce walnuts for a lighter dish.

101 Cookbooks: Ten-Minute Tasty Asparagus and Brown Rice
Add the dressing only as needed for a lighter dish.

All Recipes: Asparagus Cashew Rice Pilaf

All Recipes: Asparagus, Feta, and Couscous Salad

RecipeZaar: Asparagus Pilaf Rice


SALADS - VEGGIE

101 Cookbooks: Asparagus Salad

CHG: Chlorophyll and Awesomeness Salad

Epicurious: Asparagus and Mushroom Salad with Shaved Parmesan

Epicurious: Asparagus Salad with Sweet Balsamic Vinegar

Epicurious: Roasted Asparagus Salad with Tangerine Dressing

Kalyn’s Kitchen: Salad with Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, and Feta
Ooo … this looks good.

RecipeZaar: Strawberry Asparagus Salad


SIDES

CHG: Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

CHG: Roasted Asparagus and Chickpeas

CHG: Steamed Asparagus

All Recipes: Asian Asparagus Salad with Pecans

All Recipes: Asparagus with Parmesan Crust

All Recipes: Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

All Recipes: Cold Asparagus with Prosciutto and Lemon

All Recipes: Grilled Soy Sesame Asparagus

All Recipes: Orange Glazed Asparagus

All Recipes: Sauteed Garlic Asparagus

Cooking Light: Steamed Asparagus with Lemon-Garlic Gremolata

Cooking Light: Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Cooking Light: Mustard-Sauced Asparagus with Chopped Egg

Cooking Light: Spicy Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus

Eating Well: Asparagus with Curry Butter

Epicurious: Asparagus, Peas, and Basil

Epicurious: Proscuitto-Wrapped Asparagus with Mint Dressing

Everyday Food: Broccoli, Asparagus, and Snap Peas in Parchment

Everyday Food: Sauteed Scallions, Mushrooms, and Asparagus

FatFree Vegan Kitchen: Wasabi Roasted Asparagus

Food Network/Emeril: Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Kalyn’s Kitchen: Slow-Roasted Asparagus

Real Simple: Honey Lime Asparagus with Goat Cheese

Real Simple: Pan Roasted New Potatoes with Asparagus

RecipeZaar: Feta Asparagus

RecipeZaar: Foil Baked Asparagus

RecipeZaar: Guilt-Free Guacamole (Asparagus)

RecipeZaar: Ginger Sesame Asparagus

RecipeZaar: Roasted Asparagus with Sage and Lemon Butter

RecipeZaar: Sauteed Asparagus with Red Peppers and Olives

RecipeZaar: Sugared Asparagus

RecipeZaar: Apricot-Glazed Roasted Asparagus

RecipeZaar: Asparagus with Thyme

RecipeZaar: Asparagus Provencal

Stephen Cooks: Grilled Asparagus a la Sutherland


SOUPS

All Recipes: Fresh Asparagus Soup

RecipeZaar: Asparagus Orzo Soup

Simply Recipes: Creamy Asparagus Soup
Reduce some of the cream for a lighter soup.

Yum Sugar: Easy Cream-less Asparagus Soup

And that’s it. Any good recipes you know about, sweet readers? Add ‘em in the comments

~~~

If you like this article, you might also find the following pretty useful:

• 156 Cheap, Healthy Recipes for Ten Common Leftover Herbs
• Cheap, Healthy Leafy Greens: 246 Recipes for Cabbage, Kale, Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Beyond
• Cheap, Healthy Salad Dressing: 102 Light Recipes