Category: breakfast

Berry Oat Mylk

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Berry Oat Mylk

Making your own oat mylk is so easy and economical. Adding berries takes it to a new level of enjoyment and can be frozen into popsicles.

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups berries, your choice or use cherries, mango, kiwi or pineapple
  • softened dates, depending on the sweetness of fruit. I usually add 5 and adjust more after tasting if needed.
  • Adding spices/herbs that you like add a nice flavor variation (cinnamon, chili, cardamom, nutmeg, mint, basil, etc.)

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You can drink it like this, but I prefer to strain out the remaining oat fiber and berry seeds, so I pour the mixture through a nut milk bag or fine strainer/sieve. Refrigerate and enjoy by the glassful, poured over granola or chopped fruit, or freeze in popsicle molds or ice cubes trays for frozen treat..

 

Berry- Spacho

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Berry- Spacho

This is a wonderfully refreshing cool starter or dessert soup. Perfect at the height of berry season or you can use frozen berries that have been thawed.

  • 2-3 cups fresh berries, mixture is nice (strawberries, black, blue or raspberries)
  • 1 kiwi, diced
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1 lemon, squeezed
  • 11/2 cup fresh / frozen berries ( these are for blending so frozen and thawed is fine, I like strawberries  and raspberries for this. Blueberries will thicken up because of all the pectin they naturally have, so use more l juice or water if using them.)
  • 2 oranges, peeled and seeds removed or 1 cup juice
  • 5 softened dates
  • 1 cup water
  • pinch of cayenne, optional

In a mixing bowl, add fresh berries, diced kiwi, apple, cucumber and mint. In a blender, combine the lemon juice, fresh/frozen berries, dates, oranges and water. Blend into a creamy sauce. Pour this over the diced fruit and serve or chill. Sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne when ready to serve.

 

 

Cashew-hemp yogurt and fruit

Cashew-hemp Yogurt

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Cashew-hemp Yogurt

I have a hard time paying the price of dairy-free yogurt and then not liking it once I get it home. Do you have a favorite store bought brand? If you like yogurt, but have never tried making your own dairy-free yogurt, I hope you give this easy yogurt recipe a try.

You’ll need to allow time ahead to soak the raw cashews. I typically put them in a jar and fill the jar with water covering the nuts by at least two inches. They will expand a bit. This soaking allows the cashews to absorb some of the water and soften, so that they will blend very smooth. The soaking also releases the enzyme inhibitors that coat nuts and that helps them digest better and you to get the most nutrition out of them.

To culture the mixture, you’ll need a powdered probiotic. Some probiotic supplements will not culture, so if you take a capsulated probiotic powder, you can try it and see if it works. I use Probiotic Eleven found HERE. You can also find packets of dairy free yogurt starter at health food stores.

If you need nut free option, oat milk can be heated and thickened with a little oat flour or arrowroot, cooled a bit and then add starter. Continue as recipe indicates by keeping warm for several hours. You can also use all seeds or canned coconut milk instead of the cashews for nut free yogurt. There are options and they all taste a little different. So try some and see what you like.

 

Cashew-hemp yogurt and fruit
Print Recipe

Cashew-Hemp Yogurt

A creamy, tangy thick yogurt with a perfect protein blend
Prep Time15 minutes
Soaking and culture time10 hours
Course: Breakfast
Servings: 6
Author: Chef Kim

Equipment

  • blender
  • Spatula
  • Jar or covered container

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked 2 hours
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 1 probiotic capsule opened or dairy-free yogurt starter

Instructions

  • Strain and rinse the cashews, add to a blender along with the hemp seeds and water. Blend on low speed, increasing speed up to high speed and blend until mixture is smooth. It will likely begin to warm up and may take a couple times of stopping and scraping sides to incorporate all the seeds.
  • This water ratio will result in Greek style thickness. If you like thin yogurt add another 1/2 cup of water and blend until completely incorporated.
  • Add the probiotic powder or starter to the mixture and blend quickly to combine.
  • Pour mixture into a jar and cover. Place the jar in a warm environment, you want to keep the temporary steady at around 110 degrees. This can be done by warming your oven to 200 and turning it off, placing the jar wrapped in a towel inside and turning on the light. Keep the oven closed for 6-10 hours. A dehydrator or insta-pot can also be used to provide a controlled temperature for the culturing the yogurt.
  • After culturing for that time, stir the yogurt and refrigerate to set. It will keep for several weeks.

Notes

I think it’s best to wait until the yogurt is finished culturing before you add any kind of sweetener.  Taste it and decide if you need sweetener. If you eat yogurt with fruit, you may not need extra sweetener. If you do, consider a little dried fruit, or date paste or a couple drops of stevia liquid. Or blend up some fresh or frozen berries and add those to swirl in. 

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Toast

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Toast

Toast, toast, toast can be for any meal. And it can definitely be more than avocado toast. Toasts are easy to whip together and can pack a flavor punch, yet really satisfy. You do need to find a bread that fits into your dietary needs. The gluten free bread I like is by Sami’s Bakery, both the millet-flax and the sourdough millet bread. There is a sprouted grain bread that has a great texture by Angelic bakery. Both of these brands can be ordered online and requested through grocery stores. 

Breakfast Toast:
  • Avocado w/ kiwi, blueberries, bananas or sliced strawberries (pick one) and a pinch of cayenne
  • Nut cheese w/ Berry-chia jam or sliced cucumbers and radish
  • Coconut butter spread w/mango or kiwi slices
  • Almond butter w/ orange slices or strawberries
  • Sunflower butter w/ apple slices and cinnamon
Lunch toasts:
  • Avocado mash w/ raw kraut and microgreens
  • Mustard w/ radish, cucumber and avocado slices
  • Mashed avocado w/ tomato and sprouts
  • Almond butter w/ banana or strawberry slices
  • Sunflower butter & grapes
  • Hummus with carrot ribbons, cucumber and radish slices
  • Pesto or hummus w/ tomato and Kalamata olives
Dinner Toasts:
  •  Beet hummus w/ avocado and cucumber
  • Nut cheese with sautéed onion & mushrooms
  • Chickpea mash, nut cheese spread topped with olives, peppers and tomatoes
  • Tahini w/arugula and kimchi
  •  Sweet potato puree w/ avocado and pickled onions
  • Tahini w/avocado-cucumbers and roasted chickpeas
  • Pumpkin puree, nut cheese spread with caramelized onions and sprouts

I hope the suggestions are helpful. Keeping some staples on hand or in the pantry can make for a quick meal. Toast is great when there’s only a few things left in the fridge or you’re short on time. It’s healthy, easy and delicious. I hope you enjoy!

No Sugar Pumpkin Muffins

Chef KimLeave a Comment on No Sugar Pumpkin Muffins
  • 1 14 oz can of pumpkin puree
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups oat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • Optional stir in: ½ c chopped cranberries and/or 1/3 c pumpkin seeds or chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the pumpkin, bananas, applesauce and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the oat flour, spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add cranberries if using, and coat with flour mixture.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix with a spoon until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated.

Lightly spray or line a muffin pan with papers. Divide batter between muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool before removing muffins from the pan.

Notes: Spelt or Einkorn flour can be substituted if gluten is not an issue, You can make your own apple puree by blending a chopped apple with a little water and adding to the recipe.  To make your own oat flour, grind rolled oats in a blender until fine.

Savory Plant Based Scramble

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Savory Plant Based Scramble

I’ve made chickpea crepes and quiche before but I haven’t tried a chickpea scramble until today. I like the texture but unless you have a sulfurous salt like kala namak it does not taste like eggs. It’s more like fluffy savory bread chunks and veggies. But it’s a nice combination and very filling. The chickpea flower has a decent amount of protein and if you add in a variety of veggies, each one brings more protein to the table along with lots of fiber and phytonutrients. I used onions, mushrooms, yellow peppers and arugula.

For a large single serving of the chickpea portion:

  • 1/4 cup chickpea flour
  • 1T nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 tsp each, turmeric and cumin
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt
  • 6 T of water.

Add dry ingredients to a bowl and stir. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Let sit while you prepare your veggies. Slice or chop your desired vegetables. I used about 2 cups total of chopped veggies and then a couple handfuls of arugula. Sauté the veggies to your liking, then remove from pan. Add 1tsp of olive oil to the pan then the chickpea flour mixture and cook on medium heat until the edges start to bubble and look a little dry, then flip and separate into bite size pieces. Scramble stirring gently until all the dough is dry. Add in the veggies to warm and then serve with pepper and hot sauce if desired.

Citrus Cinnamon Chia Pudding

adminianLeave a Comment on Citrus Cinnamon Chia Pudding

This easy, yet yummy cleansing breakfast or snack is packed with calcium and omega-3 fatty acids that are so important to get into our diets. Plus the vitamin C and cinnamon help with immune, and blood sugar regulation. All around Good!

  • 1 cup of nut /seed or coconut milk
  • 3-4 Tbs chia seeds
  • 1 tangerine, orange or grapefruit
  • cinnamon to taste

Continue reading →

Celebrate the Smoothie Bowl

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Celebrate the Smoothie Bowl

This smoothie bowl can be a beautiful start to your day, a light lifting lunch, a lovely and refreshing midday snack or a cooling Summer’s eve delight.

Smoothie bowls can be made with a variety of fruits and veggies. to make the bowl pictured above:

Blend together until creamy…

  • a handful of sprouts
  • 1/2 cup frozen berries
  • 1/2 of a banana
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango
  • 1/2 cup of pineapple
  • 2 tablespoons of almond butter
  • 1/2 cup of almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon of chia seeds.  Blend and pour into a bowl.
    Top it with, blackberry, mango, pineapple, green apple, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and /or Brazil nuts. (Or any combination you like)

image

To make the smoothie bowl above, blend together:

  • 1 cup of pineapple
  • 1 kiwi
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 1/4 of an avocado
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 cup of almond milk
  • scoop of super green powder or handful of spinach
  • 1/2 tsp of maca powder, optional.

Pour smoothie in a bowl and top it with fresh pineapple and blueberries, goji berries, pumpkin seeds and some granola. I hope you give it a try.

Turning to Turmeric

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Turning to Turmeric

Here are a couple recipes to enhance your health using this powerful and delicious spice. Fresh or powdered, Turmeric can boost your immune system and curb inflammation.  There have been over a hundred scientific studies done to determine its powerful potential as an anti-cancer nutrient and has been shown to be superior in its ability to reduce systemic inflammation.  So finding ways to incorporate this spice into your daily routine can serve up some serious medicinal side affects.  Food as medicine is the best way to improve your health. Pairing the turmeric with a little black pepper in recipes will increase its absorption in the body giving you a better outcome.  Some studies indicate that the concentration of insoluble oxalates in turmeric could be troublesome for people with an oxalate sensitivity or who are prone to kidney stones, and should not consume more than 1 Tablespoon of turmeric a day.

Golden Almond Milk

  • 2 cups of plant milk (almond, cashew, hemp, oat)
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • pinch of black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small pan and whisk until combined. Warm over med-low heat until warmed through. This can also be combined in a blender and blended on high for two minutes until warm. Serve in a mug and enjoy!

Golden Raw Overnight Oats

  • One recipe of Golden Almond Milk
  • 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds or mixture
  • dried fruit of your choice ( cherries, figs, raisins, goji berries)
  • fresh fruit of your choice ( banana, apple, mango, orange, berries)

Place oats and seeds in a mixing bowl or large jar. Pour milk over oats and mix well. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, take your desired amount of soaked oats and seeds and place in a bowl. Top with your favorite fresh and dried fruits.  Easy and Yummy!

Turmeric Almond Balls

  • 1 cup of almond butter ( can substitute another nut or seed butter)
  • 1 Tablespoon of turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 -1/2 cup oats
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds or sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds

In a mixing bowl, combine the almonds butter, spices and honey. Mix well. Then add in the remaining ingredients and stir well to mix.  Form into balls.  Dough should hold together when pressed, if too sticky add more oats or seeds. These are great as travel snacks, on the go, in lunches to as an after school /work snack.

Smoothie Bowl

Chef KimLeave a Comment on Smoothie Bowl

Here’s a new twist on smoothies…filling a bowl with great things that go crunch and topping it off with a smoothie, stir and enjoy the goodness!

IMG_0467[1]My morning smoothie bowl usually consists of a mixture of nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin, sunflower, flax and chia) then a fresh fruit, here I used apple, and some dried fruit, maybe (figs, apricots, cherries or cranberries). Then I blend a simple smoothie – you can add anything you like. I made this one with a generous spoonful of tahini, 1/2 cup almond milk, a big handful of spinach, some maca powder, ginger and a little maple syrup. I added a little water to thin it out a bit.