Almost Instant Make Ahead Oatmeal Bowls

Everyone knows oatmeal is such a great way to start your morning. It is loaded with whole grain goodness that has been shown to lower bad cholesterol while upping the good and balancing out blood pressure. Its heartiness keeps you full until lunchtime; its versatility is endless. My husband was literally eating a giant plain bagel every morning with fatty cream cheese. One giant lump of white flour, sugar and saturated fats, not to mention a ton of calories. One plain bagel with 2 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese comes in at 300 calories and is nothing more than a bunch of wasted carbs. The carbohydrates in oats are complex; they keep you feeling fuller longer, contain higher amounts of fiber and less simple sugar. The packets of instant oatmeal you get at the store have upwards of 12 grams of sugar; some even more, plus added preservatives. Why subject yourself to this non-sense when you can make your own?

I started making my husband oatmeal bowls that he can just add water to and microwave in the morning for a hearty, healthy low-calorie breakfast. Sometimes he pairs it with an apple or a yogurt to balance out his meal. I make 5 or 6 at a time and keep them in small reusable plastic bowls with lids so he can eat them throughout the week and not have to worry about assembling them in the morning. Convenient, huh? Oh, by the way, I make about 3 weeks’ worth of oatmeal for about $4. One of those oatmeal bowls you buy at the grocery stores costs almost $3.00!

Below is the recipe I use but there are so many variations you can make. Be creative PB2, chocolate chips, dried fruits, nuts, bananas, jam, vanilla bean, spices, apples are all great add-ins for your oatmeal.

These bowls are also a great make ahead breakfast or snack for kids. You can even pack an oatmeal bowl for lunch if there is access to a microwave for you or your little one.

Almost-Instant Oatmeal Bowls (Use organic ingredients whenever possible.)

To make 5 oatmeal bowls:

1 ¼ cups quick cooking oats

5 tbsp dried cranberries, raisins, golden raising or cherries (or a mixture)

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

5 tbsp brown sugar

Salt

5 small reusable, microwavable bowls with lids or you can put them in plastic baggies and just pour it into a bowl in the morning. I like the bowls because I am not wasting any plastic baggies (those babies are expensive).

To assemble:

Place a ¼ cup of oats, 1 tbsp dried fruit, ¼ tsp cinnamon a pinch of salt and 1 tbsp brown sugar into each bowl. Put on the lid and give it a shake. Place in a dry, cool spot until ready to eat.

To Cook:

Add ¾ cup of warm-hot water to your oatmeal. Place the oatmeal bowl in the microwave and heat on high 2 minutes. Give it a stir and cook 30 more seconds. Feel free to add your milk of choice for serving.

Be careful your oatmeal will bubble!

Folic Acid

I recently took a social media class in college. Our final project was to create a blog. I chose to make my blog about pregnancy since it would tie in with the Hippie Baby concept and I would hopefully be able to use some of the posts here. Here is the link to that blog, though I doubt I will continue to keep up with it. Here is an article about the importance of folic acid plus a recipe!

You often hear about folic acid and how important it is when it comes to pre-conception and pregnancy. According to WebMD, folic acid is a water soluble B-vitamin that is crucial in preventing birth defects in early pregnancy. The chance of neural tube defects (i.e. spina bifida) and miscarriage are greatly reduced if folic acid is consumed enough either through food or through supplements such as prenatal vitamins. Folic acid helps create DNA which is obviously absolutely imperative during pregnancy. Many doctors suggest any woman of child bearing age should take a folic acid supplement or a prenatal vitamin since there is always a chance pregnancy can occur.
Many foods contain a great bit of folic acid naturally such as dark leafy greens, lentils, whole grains, asparagus and mushrooms. Consuming a variety of these foods will help you to be sure you are consuming enough folic acid in any given day. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Office on Women’s Health) suggests women of childbearing age, women who are trying to conceive and women who are pregnant should consume 400-800 mcg of folic acid daily. Here is a list of some of the foods high in folic acid:
These amounts are based on a 2,000 calorie diet:

Spinach/Kale: 1 cup, 263 mcg, 95% DV
Collard Greens: 1 cup, 177 mcg, 44% DV
Lentils: 1 cup, 358 mcg, 90% DV
Pinto Beans: 1 cup, 294 mcg, 74% DV
Asparagus: 1 cup, 262 mcg, 65% DV
Strawberries: 1 cup, 25 mcg, 6.5% DV
     
As you can see, getting your daily folic acid intake shouldn’t be too difficult but if you feel like you aren’t getting enough talk to your doctor about getting on a supplement or what type of prenatal vitamin you should be taking.

Here is a recipe high in folic acid and it happens to be my very favorite lunch!

Garlicky Kale with White Beans and Toast

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on your heat preference)
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated
1 can cannellini or navy beans, rinsed
1 bunch of kale, rinsed, hard stems removed and torn into 1-2" pieces
1 piece of your favorite crusty bread, toasted
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Heat olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes over very low heat in a medium saute pan until fragrant (2-5 minutes) Then add in the kale, you may need to do this in batches but the kale will continue to wilt and make more room. Once all the kale is in, stir constantly until it is cooked through and wilted. Then add the beans and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve on top of your favorite crusty toast and enjoy!

Gestational Diabetes

                In light of just finding out a childhood friend was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and since I just did a huge project on diabetes I decided this would be an appropriate topic to blog about.

                Gestational diabetes is diabetes that is contracted during pregnancy. This condition occurs in about 4%-9% of pregnancies. At about the 24^th week of pregnancy women take a blood glucose test to make sure they are not at risk for gestational diabetes. Women drink a very sweet liquid and have their blood taken before and one hour after consumption. If the body is able to make enough insulin to fight rising sugar levels the mother is in the clear and no further testing is required. If blood glucose levels remain high another test is done that involves a lot more time, like three hours of waiting after drinking the sugary beverage. Just because you have to take the second test doesn’t necessarily mean you have gestational diabetes. Actually only about a third of women who are required to take second test end up with the condition and will need to look into ways to keep blood sugar down.

                The reason a women will  get gestational diabetes is because the placenta doesn’t let insulin get through to the fetus. This means the mother’s pancreas has to work on overtime to develop insulin to keep her blood glucose levels down since glucose does go through the placenta to the baby. If the mother can’t produce enough insulin then glucose levels will be too high and can cause an excess amount of energy to be turned into fat and macrosomia or a “fat baby” can be the result. Once the baby is born the mother returns to her normal self.

                Of course, there are ways to treat gestational diabetes. A diet low in sugar and simple carbohydrates will help keep glucose levels down. Foods like lean proteins, tons of vegetables, fruits and whole grains should be staples in the diet of a woman with gestational diabetes. Sugar, white flour, baked goods and unhealthy fats should be used extremely sparingly. Also, a light exercise program may also help keep glucose levels down but always consult with a doctor first, since well, I am not a doctor.

                Here is one of my favorite gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free, nut free, vegan meals that would work great for someone with gestational diabetes:

Falafel Pita Pockets (or Lettuce Wraps) with tahini sauce:

½ lb dried chickpeas, sorted and rinsed

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp ground cumin

2 scallions, chopped greens and whites

½ clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground pepper

Vegetable oil for frying (or enough olive oil to coat an oven safe skillet if you decide to bake)

For tahini sauce:

½ cup tahini paste (find it in the peanut butter or international aisle, pretty much sesame seed butter)

2 tbsp lemon juice (the real stuff, not from a bottle)

½ clove garlic, grated on a microplane or very finely minced

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp olive oil

For Serving:

Field Greens or Baby Greens

Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half

Cucumbers, seeded and sliced

Sliced Pickles

Red Onion, sliced thin

Parsley, chopped

Gluten free pita, wrap or large romaine leaves

Soak chickpeas overnight in enough cold water to cover by 2” and cover bowl with plastic wrap.

Drain the beans and return to the bowl you soaked them in.  Mix rest of falafel ingredients into chickpeas.

Bring a pot of vegetable oil, about 2 inches high to 350 degrees. (Alternatively you could bake these at 375 degrees for 13 min per side on an oiled oven safe skillet; they won’t be quite as crispy but still delicious!)

Put the chickpea mixture into the bowl of your food processor. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your work bowl. Pulse the chickpeas until they get to the size of minced garlic. Not a paste but not too chunky.

Form the chickpeas crumbs into about 2” long footballs. If the mixtures seems like it's too wet add a tbsp of brown rice flour, mix and try again. Then set on a paper towel lined plate for about 10 min while the oil continues to heat and you make the tahini sauce.

To make tahini sauce:

Mix all the ingredients together (I use a mason jar so I can keep leftovers in the fridge). That’s it; so easy. Keep cold while you fry off (or bake) the falafel.

To fry falafel:

Depending on the size of your pot and the amount of oil very carefully place 3-5 falafel balls into the oil. Let fry on the first side for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown, flip and do the same on the second side. Extract the falafel balls and put on a paper towel lined cooling rack while you fry off the rest.

To serve:

Put falafel, greens, tomatoes, onions, tomatoes, parsley, cucumbers and tahini sauce in a gluten free pita pocket, wrap or lettuce cup.

Not only is this meal delicious, it’s high protein, low carb, and did I mention kid friendly?

Serve with some fattoush salad, oven fries or steamed vegetable.

Butternut Squash Cupcakes

October 13, 2012

Winter squash is a staple of fall and winter produce. It’s tough skin and hard flesh makes it a perfect cold weather crop and it’s plethora of vitamins and minerals makes it a healthy fall treat.  The fun part about winter squash and pumpkins is they can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. One of my favorite squash dishes is a staple in Chef Josh Ingraham, the Executive Chef of the Dunkin Donut’s Center’s, Christmas kitchen! Maple roasted butternut squash, wrapped in sage and bacon is seriously to die for and so easy! I’ll try to get him to post his famous recipe!

I am a huge fan of Jamie Oliver’s cooking; he cooks so rustic and true to home. His cooking has finesse but isn’t fancy. One of my favorite recipes of his are his Butternut Squash Cupcakes. Unfortunately, they can be a bit heavy! A ton of oil, fatty dairy and white flour make them not something I want to bake on a regular basis. So I decided to try and make them suitable for Hippie Babies and I think I did alright. Here’s what I came up with:

Healthier Butternut Squash Cupcakes:

Makes 23-24 cupcakes

14 oz butternut squash, cubed with skin on

2 ¼ cups of light brown sugar

4 large free range eggs

1 tsp kosher salt

2.5 tsp baking powder

1 ¼ cup AP Flour

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

¼ cup ground flax seed

1 tsp apple pie spice (or cinnamon)

½ cup apple sauce

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup organic vanilla yogurt, strained

1 orange, zested

1 lemon, zested

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract (I promise the vanilla bean is worth it!)

2 tbsp powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

In a food processor, process the butternut squash until well chopped up. (You will need to constantly scrape down the side of the bowl.)  Add in the brown sugar and eggs and pulse for a few seconds. Add in flours, flax seed, salt, apple pie spice and baking powder and a pulse a few more seconds. Last, add in the apple sauce and olive oil until well blended.

Divide the batter among muffin pans lined with cupcake paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer poked in the middle of the cupcakes come out clean.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. Mix together the yogurt, vanilla bean, lemon zest, orange zest, powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Cool the cupcakes on a rack until cool to the touch. Top the cupcakes with icing and serve for a healthy treat!

What I Secretly Loved About Being Pregnant...

Me and My Love at Papago Park, Phoenix, AZ, exactly two days before my water broke!

Being pregnant definitely has its up and downs. For instance, I am pretty sure I had a fire torch in my chest my whole pregnancy and of course baby always wanted spicy Thai Food! Heartburn was the absolute worst. Restless leg syndrome keeping me up the last 2 months and being nausea every day for 15 straight weeks was by no means fun. Pregnancy led me to hate some of my former favorite foods and made me fall in love with some new ones. The smell of ramen noodles now turns me off in a second; I can’t even be in the same room with it!

                 

Then there are the things all moms love while they are pregnant. They love their glowing skin, the flutter of the baby kicking inside of them, picking out baby names and online shopping in the middle of the night. (You know you did that too!)

              

I read an article the other day with a title along the lines of, 15 Things You Never Say to Pregnant Woman. While most of them I agreed with, such as telling a pregnant woman her life is now over and to live it up now, there was one in particular I actually secretly loved while I was pregnant.

                

I loved when people told me how big I was! When I was 30 weeks pregnant, I got on the city bus in Phoenix and 3 people moved for me saying I looked like I was going to give birth that minute. I later went home and complained about it, probably even put it on face book, but secretly, inside I loved it. I loved knowing there was a growing baby inside me and my giant belly was what signified that! Yes, I felt huge, my back hurt and it was hard to walk without looking like a duck. But there was still a special feeling when people talked to me about my belly, even if it was to tell me how big I was. I was constantly asked if I was having twins and people always were surprised when I told them my due date because they didn’t think I had that much longer to go. I may get scrutinized for this secret love of mine, but that’s ok! I gained 35 pounds when I was pregnant, which in retrospect was over a third of my pre-pregnancy weight. But it was the most amazing 35 pounds I will ever gain and I would do it all over again, even if it means strangers on the bus thinking my water was going to break on their feet.

                 

What was your favorite part about being pregnant?

Farmers Markets and Quinoa for Breakfast

I've said before how the produce in the fall is my absolute favorite. My sister, E and I went to our neighborhood farmer's market this weekend to check out the harvest. Not being too far into Autumn there was still an abundance of apples, squash, eggplant, greens and pumpkins!

Shopping at your local farmer's market has a plethora of advantages. Often prices are lower than those in the supermarket since there are no shipping or packaging charges. Also you can get to know your farmers and get a better understanding of where your food is coming from and what type of practices they use in keeping your food safe and healthy. Many small local farms don't have the money or time to get certified organic but still abide by those standards, so get to know a little bit about your produce, meats and cheeses. Bringing your children to the farmer's market may also spark there interest in eating a little healthier. I bring E in a backpack and let her look, touch and taste whatever she can. She may be a little young still to connect the dots but, getting them involved at a young age by letting them help choose the vegetables for the week could jump start a life time of healthier eating. Farmer's markets also usually boast crafts, baked goods and food vendors which can be a lot of a fun! Be sure to always pick up something you've never tried before you may find a new favorite. Also be sure to bring small bills and your reusable bags! (They will love you for it!)

From the market, we brought home, apples, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, a Halloween cookie and a sugar pumpkin. I decided tonight to get a little creative with the apples and some quinoa I still had in the pantry.

You've heard me talk about quinoa before. The super seed, a complete protein, loaded with vitamins and mineral, but did you know you could eat it for breakfast? Here's my take on oatmeal, quinoa style!

Apple Cranberry Cinnamon Quinoa Oatmeal

1/2 Apple, peeled, cored and diced small (Granny Smith, Macintosh, Honey Crisp, any cooking apple)
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries
2/3 Cup Quinoa
1 1/3 Cup Water
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Your choice of milk for serving.

Put water and quinoa in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add apples, cinnamon stick and nutmeg. Lower the heat to medium and keep at a simmer. Cook for 10 min and add the dried cranberries and brown sugar and stir. Continue to keep at a low simmer and cook for an additional 10 minutes until quinoa is soft but still got a little bite and water is absorbed. Portion "oatmeal" into appropriate size containers for your toddler (or just go ahead and eat some yourself!) and keep refrigerated until serving. When ready to serve heat in the microwave with milk, to the consistency you like and eat!

The Heart of Autumn

Me in an Apple Tree, ironically 4 years ago yesterday in Windham, NH.

 Russell Orchards in Essex, Massachusetts

Fall evokes a feeling in me I cannot begin to describe. Autumn brings about so many memories of warmth and self-comfort. In my opinion, the definition of Fall should be “the time of year that calms our heart, warms our soul and spices up our life.” As a new mom, I can’t wait to share this feeling with my daughter. Carving pumpkins, apple picking, drinking cider, and visiting the farm as a family makes it all the better. Russell Orchards in Essex, MA is my favorite apple orchard. I have some pretty fond memories there. Eating cider donuts, sampling apple cider and visiting the petting zoo are some of my favorites. In close second would have to be Smolack Farms. I worked there one October making cider donuts for field trips that came the next day. I got to be there by myself after hours and fry off hundreds of cinnamon sugar coated pillows of heaven. There may have been a few that fell off the belt, if you know what I mean!

Fall harvest is by far my favorite of the year. In early September you have the last of the corn and tomatoes from summer. Late September starts apple season and October brings squash and pumpkins for carving and eating. Apples are a great source of fiber for the body. Having an apple as a snack makes you feel full for not a lot of calories. Also, one medium apple is considered one serving of fruit, which sets you up for a good day of fruit intake. Pumpkins and other orange squash such as butternut, acorn and hubbard contain the antioxidant beta carotene which translates as vitamin A in the body. They also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, also antioxidants that contribute to retinal health. Iron, zinc and fiber are also worth mentioning. So use apples and winter squash in whatever you can this season! (Don’t worry I will be posting recipes throughout the season.)

Don’t forget about the fairs! Fairs make me think of middle school. We went every year to either the Topsfield or Deerfield Fair in Massachusetts and we always ate way too much food and bought really dumb things. But that was the fun of it, the fun of being a kid, it doesn’t matter! As an adult you learn to control yourself (but a little indulgence won’t hurt.)

I know this wasn’t a typical post of mine but I had to let you know my love for Autumn before I could go about the rest of the season testing recipes and such. Just know that all my heart and soul goes into my fall recipes and I hope to enlist E to help me this year since we are in Florida and don’t get to do some of my favorite Fall activities. There is absolutely nothing like Fall in New England. I miss it! How do you spend your fall? What’s your favorite fall time recipe?

For all you New Englanders, put a on a sweater, grab a cup of cider and pick an apple for me, won’t ya?

Happy Autumn Everyone!