Steel Cut Oats

My personal go to breakfast meal is steel cut oats (a type of oatmeal). You can find these at numerous stores, including the bulk section. My favorite is McCann's Irish Oatmeal. It comes in tins you can use after.

The following is from the Mccann's website:

Why Steel-cut Oats?

Steel-Cut Oats are whole grain groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) which have been cut into two or three pieces using steel discs. Golden in colour and resembling mini rice particles, they are as nature intended – nothing added and nothing taken out.

How are they different from Rolled Oats?

Rolled oats are flake oats that have been steamed, rolled, re-steamed and toasted. Due to all of this additional processing they have lost some of their natural taste, goodness and texture.

Steel cut oats take a bit longer to cook than regular oatmeal but I think you'll agree it's worth it. The finished result is much creamier and heartier, unique crunch much different than the packaged stuff!

The recipe below includes my suggested toppings but be adventurous--try bananas, brown sugar, raisins or other dried fruit. With all the various choices, you can have a different breakfast almost every day. 

Steel Cut Oats with Cranberries and Walnuts

4 C water

1 C steel cut oats

1 tsp just ground flax seed*

handful walnuts

handful dried cranberries

1 tsp real maple syrup

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add steel cut oats. Once it begins to thicken turn down the heat to low. Allow to cook about 20 - 30 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Serve and top with suggested toppings or your own.

You can save leftover oatmeal in the refrigerator and microwave it the next day at 30 seconds to one minute with a bit a fat free milk. When you remove it, stir quickly and enjoy.  It is not as good as the first day but great when you are in a big hurry!

* Note--Flax seed is loaded with healthy omegas but flax seed goes bad quickly after ground. If you don't have time to grind flax seeds (I use a coffee grinder.), add extra walnuts--also lots of healthy omegas!

It's Back to School TIme

For the next few weeks, I am switching gears and focusing on the most important meal of the day, breakfast. Studies show students who eat a good, healthy breakfast get better grades at school. It's no wonder--young, growing bodies need complex carbs for energy and quality protein to keep going. Sugar on the other hand gives kids a hyper spike but leaves them down and tired by mid morning. 

The problem is getting breakfast ready. When you are busy getting the kids dressed and ready, breakfast seems like a bother. But it doesn't have to be. By planning ahead, you can get a quick breakfast to go without sacrificing time.

Some quick breakfast ideas include (try and keep all items organic--no one needs a bunch of chemicals first thing in the morning):

- multi-grain toast with peanut butter (natural) and a piece of seasonal fruit

-smoothies with a healthier muffin* (baked the night before)

- pre-cooked chicken sausage wrapped in a healthier pancake* (again made the night before) with some fresh fruit

- scrambled egg, cheese and spinach quickly broiled on a multi-grain muffin

The great thing about these ideas is kids can even eat them in the car and they are all better than stopping off for that pastry at the coffee shop on your way to school :)

 * Recipes for these items will be posted in the next few weeks!

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Going to the restaurant? Be thrifty and healthy :)

Let's face it. We all have days when we don't want to cook or clean. But we still have to eat. We like to enjoy lunch every Sunday after church at a local restaurant. Because we are in Texas, we have lots of tex-mex options and thankfully the kids love tex-mex.

Now when you get to your seats, you will notice the hostess provides your kids with their own kids' menus.  DON'T LET THEM. The childrens' menu is filled with very unhealthy meals like corn dogs, grilled cheese and fried chicken AND they are offered at a much higher price. Seriously, look at the kids' menu the next time you go out to eat--that grilled cheese (basically two pieces of cheap processed white bread with a slice of processed cheese) is a whooping five bucks! Oh but they do throw in a soda usually--yet another thing your child doesn't need.

So what do you do? Well, if the kids insist on the same fare as on the kids' menu, check out the appeitzers--almost the same food for the same price but double to triple the portions. For tex- mex, I get the loaded with veggies and smoked chicken quesadilla that all four of my kids can share as a meal for about 1/2 the price of four plain tortillas with processed cheese (the kids' quesadilla). Talk about a better deal!

If your kids are more into the healthier choices, look into splitting adult portions--you can feed three small children easily with one plate (there may be a plate splitting charge but most places will overlook this if you are sweet to your server ;) ). 

Now will it be the healthiest? Not always but staying away from the kids' menu will always be the healthier option.

Happy Dining!

Note--This August, I am featuring recipes to help with back to school. I'll have tips for stocking the pantry, quick breakfast recipes, lunch ideas and a couple of give aways. Stay tuned!

Chorizo with Beans and Kale

Loosely adopted from Nigella Lawson, this dish is a snap to make, and pretty darn yummy.

Kale as I may have mentioned is one of the super greens--it makes spinach look like a wimp ;)

If you are not familiar with chorizo, be warned it packs a little heat so you may want to go easy on the hungarian paprika. Also, most chorizo is pre-cooked; if it is raw, obviously cook until cooked.

Chorizo with Beans and Kale

Bunch of kale, washed and torn off stems into bite-sized pieces

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 lb. chorizo sausage in links, sliced

1 can (reg size can) cannelli beans (white kidney beans)

Hungarian paprika

Salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat, add chorizo for about 5 minutes (the pan will also turn bright orange at this point. At rinsed beans and carefully mix until beans are heated. Sprinkle with paprika.

Remove sausage and beans. Set aside.

Add kale and cook until bright green and slightly wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Place cooked kale on large plate and pour sausage bean mixture on top.

Serve. It doesn't get any easier!

*You may want to sprinkle final dish with more paprika depending on your tastes.

Turkey Meatloaf with Red Pepper sauce (*no ketchup needed*)

One of the most popular comfort foods in good ol' meatloaf. Men especially enjoy this very 'meaty' dish. This turkey one  is adopted from one of my favorite food network chefs, Dave Lieberman (he makes healthy food on the cheap!). And I have to admit I have made very little changes to his original recipe.

I am not a fan of meatloaf but I enjoy this one--especially the red pepper sauce. I promise you will love this sauce--maybe so much you'll never want to ketchup covered meatloaf again.  Hmmmmm...wonder how this sauce would taste with fries?

Meatloaf:
2 pounds ground turkey (1 lb. white; 1 lb. dark preferred--play with the combinations)
2 eggs
3 ounces tomato paste (1/2 of 1 small can, reserving rest for the sauce)
1 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) 
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Red Pepper Sauce:
3 ounces tomato paste (from reserved 1/2 can)
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 large red pepper, seeded, cored, and roughly chopped
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

15 grinds black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and then add all other ingredients. Mix by hand (this is a fun kid task--just be sure to wash those hands before and after). Place mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf. Place in center of the pan, allowing room on sides for the sauce (in other words, don't press into the sides). 

Now make the red pepper sauce. Add  all ingredients, liquids first,  in a blender and puree until smooth--about one minute. Pour all the sauce over the raw meatloaf; allow the sauce to pour over the sides.  Cover pan with aluminum foil making sure the foil does not touch the sauce or meatloaf. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake 45 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes. Now slice and enjoy.

Theses also make great next day sandwiches

Christmas in July Salmon

I got the basis from this recipe from the Whole Foods website. I love the colors of this dish--the bright pink of the salmon, the crisp green of the chard and the glowing red of the red chard stem. It looks like Christmas on a plate.

I also use a plastic baggie in the recipe but you can use a shallow pan instead--I find the plastic baggie a bit easier and neater--it also ensures even distribution.

Christmas in July Wild Salmon


juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tsp tamari
salt and pepper
1 lb wild salmon fillet, skinned
1 bunch red swiss chard
4 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced


In a large heavy baggie, mix lemon juice, tamari and salt and pepper. Slice the salmon in appoximately seven slices. Place in baggie and refrigerate.

Wash the chard in the sink--give a swish in a full sink to shake off dirt. Dry off with towel and tear leaves of stems into bite size chunks. Now slice stems horizonaly into bite sized pieces. Set aside

Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until garlic softens . Add chard stems, cover and cook 2 minutes. Stir chopped chard leaves and cover and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water if it dries to create enough steam to cook greens quickly. Greens will be a lovely bright green and red when ready (like Christmas).

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Remove salmon and discard baggie. Add the salmon pieces in a single layer and cook 2 minutes on each side or until done (flaky yet bright pink). When done, place it on top of the chard and serve immediately.

Salmon with Pesto Pasta

We still have a good few weeks of wild, fresh salmon available. I like to make this recipe with salmon and I buy and freeze later because texture and appearance is not as crucial. However, my girls love and I mean love this dish. My oldest wants it every year for her birthday and it is a sure fire hit for anyone who comes over--who I ask you does not love pasta?!

It's also a snap to make if you have some leftover pesto (jarred pesto is OK too).

Salmon with Pesto Pasta

1 1b. wild salmon

1 box angel hair pasta nests

1/2 C pesto

olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season salmon (skin on OK) and rub 2 tablespoons pesto on top. Fold up in parchment paper, sealing edges. Place on cooking sheet and bake 9-11 minutes (remember the fish should flake easily when done and should be a nice pink).

While cooking, boil water. Season with salt and add angel hair. Cook based on package instructions (mine is two minutes). In a large bowl, add pesto. When pasta is complete, drain and add to bowl with pesto. Quickly mix (if any sticks, add some olive oil).

Remove salmon from the oven. Carefully unwrap (lots of steam escapes from the paper so be careful). Using a fork, shred small pieces and add to the pasta until you have added the entire fish.

Serve immediately (And because it is fish, left overs are not OK. Fish has a very quick shelf-life and can go bad quickly.).