Baked Oatmeal and Quinoa (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

Baked Oatmeal and Quinoa (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

by | Nov 26, 2013 | Breakfast, Fruits, Kid-Friendly, Vegan, Vegetarian

I remember my initial reaction when I was first found out that I had to eliminate gluten from my diet.  Naturally, I was devastated.  No more pizza?  Croissants?  NO BREAD?!?  NOOOOOOOOOO.  “Kill me now/What the hell am I going to eat?/I hate my life” were some of my initial reactions.   Once I stopped panicking, I started researching what I COULD eat, and the list was actually pretty long.  Potatoes, rice, and corn were all okay, as well as quinoa, buckwheat, and GF oats.  Not too shabby.  I realized I could definitely live pretty well off these carbs.  Plus, I’m lucky to live in a time and place where lots of gluten-free options are available.

breakfast bake with bowl

Something kind of unexpected happened when I stopped eating gluten.  My already huge love of food and all things delicious became even more profound.  I’ve always loved to eat, and going gluten-free deepened my appreciation for every delicious bite I ate.  My love for food also became about creating it too, and not just stuffing my face.  My new dietary restriction gave me an opportunity to try new recipes, learn to be a better cook, and more courageous in the kitchen.  It also gave me a springboard to share ideas and recipes with friends, family, and you, my awesome readers here on my blog.

Oatmeal ready to bake

American Thanksgiving is coming up this weekend and it’s got me thinking about what I’m thankful for.   As life has thrown me my share of challenges and sorrows, it’s also gifted me with opportunities and many blessings.  What I’ve realized is that being happy feels a choice we make.  It’s like if you opt to look on the bright side and choose gratitude daily, you’ll probably end up a whole lot happier.

I’m not saying I’m happy all the time, because really, that’s just insane.  Can you even imagine how annoying that would be?  It’s just at some point, when I stopped expecting my life to be a certain way, I became a whole lot happier and thankful for my life as it was.  I am blessed with a loving family and great friends, I married the best guy I know, and I’m healthy.  Life is good.  Happy Thanksgiving to all who are celebrating.

breakfast bake and pears portrait

This recipe is the perfect make-ahead breakfast.  I made a batch on Sunday and will enjoy throughout the week.  It calls for quinoa flakes, which is a great complement to oatmeal.  This breakfast is packed with protein, slow burning carbs, fruit, fibre, and yumminess.  I’ve made it here with pears and vanilla bean, but it also works amazingly with apples and cinnamon.  I like to switch it up so I don’t get sick of the same thing.  I’m sure it’s great with bananas too (I’m a banana-hater, so I won’t be testing that anytime soon).   I like that it tastes like dessert for breakfast, which is my favourite way to start the day.

 Baked Oatmeal & Quinoa | freshnessgf.com

Quinoa Oatmeal Breakfast Bake | www.freshnessgf.com
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Baked Oatmeal and Quinoa (Gluten-Free & Vegan)

This recipe is the perfect make-ahead breakfast. I made a batch on Sunday and will enjoy throughout the week. It calls for quinoa flakes, which is a great complement to oatmeal. This breakfast is packed with protein, slow burning carbs, fruit, fibre, and yumminess.
Course: Breakfast
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: berries, corn-free, dairy-free, egg-free, fruits, gluten-free, kid-friendly, nuts, quinoa, yeast-free
Servings: 6
Author: ness

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

  • 8" square baking dish

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups pear (peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes (about 4 medium pears))
  • 1 vanilla bean pod or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons agave nectar
  • 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats
  • 1 cup quinoa flakes
  • 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups soy milk or other dairy-free milk
  • 1 1/2 cup frozen berries
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, add pears, half the berries, and two tablespoons agave nectar. With a sharp knife, slice vanilla pod lengthwise. Scrape vanilla beans from inside pod and add to pear mixture. Stir to combine. Spread fruit in even layer in greased baking dish.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine oats, quinoa flakes, baking powder, and salt and stir to combine. Spread evenly over fruit mixture, pressing down slightly.
  • In another bowl, mix together milk, 4 tablespoons agave nectar, melted butter. Slowly drizzle mixture over oatmeal mixture, making sure milk moves through oats evenly. Scatter nuts and remaining berries over top.
  • Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown on top and mixture has set. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve with maple syrup if you prefer it to be sweeter. Serves 6 as main or 12 as a part of larger brunch spread.
Quinoa flakes are dried and similar to oatmeal and available at health food stores. If you can't find it, you can simply use all gluten-free oats instead. To make apple cinnamon version, use 4 cups of diced apples and 1 teaspoon cinnamon instead of pears and vanilla. (adapted from Lottie + Doof)
Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts

Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts

by | Nov 17, 2013 | Kid-Friendly, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Poor brussels sprouts – they’ve always had such a bad rap.  It’s too bad because they’re actually delicious, even candy-like when roasted in a touch of maple syrup.  This recipe is my new go-to side for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. It’s the perfect side to meaty mains and rich starchy carbs like mashed potatoes.  I guarantee it’ll be a hit, and possibly the most talked about dish at your next gathering.  Plus, maple anything and everything is hot right now.  I have a friend who works in the gourmet food industry, and she has assured me that maple is definitely a thing.

 Cayenne Maple

I tried this maple brussels sprouts when it was featured briefly on Gusto 101’s menu a few weeks back.  I’ve added a bit of cayenne here, it is the perfect balance to the sweetness of the syrup.  However, if you’re feeding little ones, you can always omit the cayenne.  Even if you don’t like brussels sprouts, I encourage you to try them again using this recipe, and see if you’ve changed your mind.

brussel sprouts cut

Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts | freshnessgf.com
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Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts

This recipe is my new go-to side for Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. It’s the perfect side to meaty mains and rich starchy carbs like mashed potatoes. I guarantee it’ll be a hit, and possibly the most talked about dish at your next gathering.
Course: Side Dish
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: corn-free, dairy-free, egg-free, fast, gluten-free, kid-friendly, nut-free, spicy, vegetables, yeast-free
Servings: 6
Author: ness

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds Brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved lengthwise)
  • 1 ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss brussels sprouts in olive oil and spread out evenly. Season with salt. Roast brussels sprouts for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Sprouts are done when browned in spots and easily pierced with a knife.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together maple syrup and cayenne (if using). Drizzle brussels sprouts with maple syrup mixture, and roast for 1 more minute. Serve immediately.
When prepping the brussels sprouts, discard any yellowed or browned outer leaves. Keep any stray leaves that are nice and green. They get very browned and crispy and add a nice crunchy texture to the dish. (adapted from Martha Stewart)
Roasted Vegetable Soup

Roasted Vegetable Soup

by | Oct 31, 2013 | Sides, Soup & Sandwiches, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Hearty, belly-warming, satisfying soup.  That’s what I’ve been craving ever since the weather started to get chilly.   When fall comes, I naturally move away from cold salads and try to get my fill of veggies with soups instead.   The colder weather and dark nights definitely up my cravings for comfort foods, so it’s nice to have a healthy side to go with.  This soup is perfect for pairing up with a sandwich, like this mushroom melt.

root vegetables on tray

This soup makes a huge batch, which is perfect for freezing.  It takes two whole trays full of chopped vegetables.  The combination of butternut squash, carrot, sweet potato, and parsnip gets beautifully caramelized when roasted at high heat.  A sprinkle of chili powder seems to enhance this in the oven – it doesn’t make it spicy at all, it just enriches the flavour.

roasted root vegetables

A whole roasted head of garlic also ups the flavour.  It sounds like a lot but it adds a depth of flavour that really is so perfect. My version of the soup ended up being quite thick, which I enjoy, but you can add as much water or stock as needed to get it to the consistency you like.  I thinned it out a bit more when I served it for my mom’s birthday on the weekend.  I knew they loved it as I heard the sound of spoons scraping the bottoms of bowls –  music to my ears.  Good to the very last drop.

Nothing says fall like butternut squash, Thanksgiving, and pilgrims.

Nothing says fall like butternut squash, Thanksgiving, and pilgrims.

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup close up

 

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Roasted Vegetable Soup

Hearty, belly-warming, satisfying soup. That's what I've been craving ever since the weather started to get chilly. When fall comes, I naturally move away from cold salads and try to get my fill of veggies with soups instead. The colder weather and dark nights definitely up my cravings for comfort foods, so it's nice to have a healthy side to go with. This soup is perfect for pairing up with a sandwich, like this mushroom melt.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: corn-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegetables, yeast-free
Servings: 8
Author: ness

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

  • Blender or immersion blender

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cut into 1” cubes)
  • 2 carrots (peeled and cut into 1” cubes)
  • 2 parsnips (peeled and cut into 1” cubes)
  • 1 medium or 2 small sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1” cubes)
  • 1 yellow onion (peeled and cut into quarters)
  • 1 head of garlic
  • Olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 7 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley or chives (for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread squash, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and onion over two baking sheets and toss with enough olive oil to coat. Toss with chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap head of garlic in foil and place on tray.
  • Roast in oven on two racks. After 20 minutes, move baking sheet on top rack to bottom rack, and sheet from bottom rack to top rack and continue to roast for another 15 minutes.
  • Carefully remove foil from garlic. Cut top off garlic head and squeeze garlic cloves to large stock pot, along with roasted vegetables. Add stock and bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
  • Remove pot from heat. Remove bay leaves and discard. If using immersion blender: Puree until consistency is smooth. If using a blender: Add soup to blender in batches and puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.Serve with chopped parsley and/or chives.
You can play around with the proportions of different root vegetables, it adds up to about 12 cups of chopped vegetables in total. (Adapted from The Kitchn)
Quinoa Granola

Quinoa Granola

by | May 27, 2013 | Breakfast, Vegan, Vegetarian

Gywneth Paltrow.  Love her or hate her, the World’s Most Beautiful Woman knows how to put herself out there.  Admittedly, I was a fan of her last cookbook; including this recipe here.  The recipes looked interesting and appealing to eat and fairly doable, and for the most part seemed to be embraced by the food community.  However, her latest cookbook ‘It’s All Good’ has caused a bit of controversy over her parenting and food views.

Quinoa Flakes Box

All that aside, I’m just going to comment on her quinoa granola recipe.  It’s by far, my most favourite granola of all time.  Some granola recipes are too sweet, sticky, heavy, fatty, or filled with random stuff I don’t like (such as raisins).  This one is simple, light, just sweet enough, and delightfully crunchy.  I hadn’t heard of quinoa flakes and found them to be smaller and lighter than oats, with that distinct quinoa nuttiness flavour.  It was tough to find in stores, but I ended up locating it in the snack aisle of Whole Foods (with the help of two associates).

Quinoa flakes in bowl

Quinoa mixture in bowl

Quinoa on tray

Quinoa done on tray

I haven’t made the leap to buy ‘It’s All Good’ yet, mostly because my cookbook collection is massive and I’m still trying to cook my way through them.  I found Gwenyth’s granola recipe on Fit Sugar.  In the meantime, I’ll let the Gwenyth hater’s hate while I will enjoy my granola, because it IS all good.

quinoa granola x 2

Quinoa Granola |FreshnessGF.com
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Quinoa Granola

It’s by far, my most favourite granola of all time. Some granola recipes are too sweet, sticky, heavy, fatty, or filled with random stuff I don’t like (such as raisins). This one is simple, light, just sweet enough, and delightfully crunchy.
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: corn-free, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nuts, quinoa, soy-free, yeast-free
Author: ness

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 3 cups quinoa flakes
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • ¾ cups dried figs (finely chopped)
  • 1 cup walnuts (roughly chopped)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together coconut oil and maple syrup. Add quinoa flakes and stir until all ingredients are combined.
  • Spread quinoa mixture onto parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, stirring occasionally. Quinoa is done when lightly golden brown. Let cool.
  • Once quinoa is cooled, combine with figs and nuts and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Recipe adapted from Gwenyth Paltrow’s ‘It’s All Good’, found on Fit Sugar
Guacamole with Pomegranates

Guacamole with Pomegranates

by | Apr 10, 2013 | Fruits, Kid-Friendly, Mexican/Tex-Mex, Sauces & Dips, Snacks & Appetizers, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Are you thinking ‘What the what?!  Pomegranates in guacamole? This Chinese girl from Canada is crazy.’  Seriously, I don’t blame you but I swear this is the real deal.    I’ll always remember my first authentic Mexican meal after moving to Arizona at Barrio Cafe in Phoenix, where they made fresh guacamole right at our table.  The waiter wheeled out a little cart with cut-up limes, cilantro, jalapeno, and fresh avocados and smashed them together in a stone mortar and pestle.   And just when I thought he was done, he mixed in some fresh pomegranate seeds.  That, my friends, was when my mind was officially blown away.

Once I fully comprehended what had just happened, I tried the fresher than fresh guacamole on warm just-fried corn tortilla chips and died.  Died and went to taste heaven.  In fact, my taste buds did the Three Amigos Salute as the sweet pomegranates blended perfectly with the sour lime juice, sharp red onion, creamy avocado, and salty chips for the ultimate bite.  I don’t remember what I had for my main as the rest of the night became a blur of tequila shots, but I do recall our friends losing their minds over the churros and goat’s milk caramel.  At least I’ll have the memories of the guacamole for the rest of my days.

Barrio Queen is the sister restaurant located in Old Town Scottsdale. They add dried apricots to the guacamole there.

Barrio Queen is the sister restaurant located in Old Town Scottsdale. They add dried apricots to the guacamole there.

This guacamole is great for dipping tortilla chips into, or topping onto some yummy fish tacos, or even on top of a corn and black bean salad.  Besides being delicious, avocados are full of healthy things like good fats, fiber, and have more potassium than bananas.   Pomegranates are full of anti-oxidants and other good stuff.  Plus they’re pretty.  Whenever I make this guacamole, it feels like I’m in Arizona all over again.  Hope you enjoy.

guacamole on chip

Guacamole with Pomegranates | FreshnessGF.com
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Guacamole with Pomegranates

This guacamole is great for dipping tortilla chips into, or topping onto some yummy fish tacos, or even on top of a corn and black bean salad.  Besides being delicious, avocados are full of healthy things like good fats, fiber, and have more potassium than bananas.   Pomegranates are full of anti-oxidents and other good stuff.  Plus they’re pretty.  Whenever I make this guacamole, it feels like I’m in Arizona all over again.
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: avocado, dairy-free, egg-free, fast, fruits, gluten-free, kid-friendly, nut-free, soy-free, spicy, tacos, tortilla, vegetables, yeast-free
Servings: 2
Author: ness

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium ripe Hass avocado (cubed)
  • 1 tablespoon Spanish onion (finely diced)
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced coriander/cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • pinch of cayenne or chili powder (optional)
  • 1 jalapeno pepper (finely diced (optional))
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Combine all the all the ingredients except for pomegranates into a bowl and mash with a fork. Serve chunky or smooth. Stir in pomegranate seeds and serve immediately with tortilla chips.
If serving later, place the pit of the avocado in with guacamole and cover to prevent avocado from turning brown.

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