Overnight Oat Espresso Smoothie

I was around 18 years old when I became more serious about eating healthier, and it made me realize how eating a good breakfast affected my mood in the morning. Truth be told, I wasn't always a morning person and now breakfast is one of my favorite meal's of the day! In my opinion a good breakfast needs healthy fat, protein, and most of the time whole grains. Oh and there must be coffee present! Keeping all of that in mind this overnight oat espresso smoothie is an A+ in my book. 

Much like any overnight oat recipe, most of the work goes on while you're sleeping; the oats and chia seeds soak in the milk promising a beautiful pudding-y texture in the morning. I prefer using frozen bananas in smoothies because it gives them an indulgent, frosty and creamy mouth-feel. In this particular smoothie, I feel like I'm indulging in a fancy frappe but in reality it's a nutritious smoothie we all can enjoy at home! To brew the shot of espresso, I used my Nespresso and my favorite flavors are Altissio & Diavolitto because they really pack on a punch!

Here's all you need to do:

overnight oat espresso smoothie

serves 1

• 1/4 cup old fashioned oats 
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 cup milk of choice 
• A shot of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee
• 1 frozen sliced banana
• 1-2 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• optional: 1 tablespoon smooth almond or peanut butter

Combine oats, chia seeds and milk in a small bowl. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day brew the espresso and set aside. Place frozen banana, dates, cinnamon, almond extract and nut butter in blender. Pour espresso with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a cooler smoothie add in some ice. Serve immediately. 

Tahini & Sweet Potato Smoothie

Michael and I have a weekly ritual of eating smoothies, I say eat 'cause they're so thick you need a spoon! I like to call this ritual "Smoothie Sundays" but have never actually said that aloud. This became our thing sometime last year when Michael and I started attending church at HBC; we needed something quick and nutritious for breakfast. So each week, I've been waking up a little earlier to get ready for church and make Smoothie Sundays possible. Through these weekly endeavors, I've learned my share of smoothie techniques and how smoothies differ from one another and which flavors work and which don't. In my opinion, one that didn't work for me was blending turmeric, frozen pineapple and fish oil all in one smoothie. It was the first time I didn't finish a smoothie! Anyhow, while I do believe smoothies are a healthy, convenient and equally delicious little breakfast they don't always keep Michael and I's bellies full for the entire morning... 

So this week, I've been playing around with our lovely blender and blending up some smoothies, and came across one that I really enjoyed. And it's filling too! Because I promised to post more recipes this year, it would be criminal of me not to share this smoothie with you all.

It's called Tahini & Sweet Potato Smoothie and it's packed with complex carbohydrates, fiber and beta-carotene. It features a few of my favorite ingredients too! Oats, sweet potato and tahini. Tahini gives the smoothie richness, boldness in flavor and a healthy dose of both calcium and fat. And the addition of the oats and sweet potato effectively prevent the epidemic today that is known as mid-morning hunger! Plus once blended you get a beautiful orange smoothie that is velvety smooth.

Tahini & Sweet Potato Smoothie 

• 1/2 medium cooked sweet potato (The night before I usually roast a whole sweet potato in at 375 F for 45-50 minutes)
• 1/2 frozen banana 
• 1/2-1 cup almond milk (Add more milk depending on your desired level of thickness)
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon tahini paste
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• optional add-ins: 1 scoop vanilla protein powder; 1 tablespoon chia seeds

In a high speed blender place in all ingredients and blend until ingredients are smooth and thoroughly incorporated. For a sweeter smoothie try a teaspoon of maple syrup or a pitted date. Pour into a small glass and enjoy with a spoon. Mmm!

xo, Jessica

Roasted Apple and Chia Steel Cut Oats {naturally sweetened with dried apricots!}

I find a hot bowl of oatmeal to be so comforting on these cold autumn mornings and to make things more fun and less bland, I have fun with my toppings and flavors to keep me fuller and satisfied longer. For about three years now, I've been adding a thickened chia gel for an additional boost of fiber, omega 3s, protein and of course texture. I honestly don't remember a day I didn't add chia seeds to my oatmeal! I just love those little seeds. Anyway, this oatmeal was real special to me because it cherished the true flavors and my favorite fruit of the season: apples! By roasting the apples with cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg they develop a lovely dimension of texture and flavor. If you're pressed for time the apples in this recipe can be roasted the night before and thrown into the oats at the last five minutes of cooking. This oatmeal is also different because it relies on the use of dried apricots for sweetness and again more texture! (Can't you tell I just love texture?!) If you don't love dried apricots you can easily swap them for dates or simply just add maple syrup to your oats instead. The apricots are great because they get more tender and chewy upon simmering and they add both sweetness and fiber; a nice way to limit excess sugar into your diet. 

With that said here's the recipe!

Serves 2

½ cup steel cut oats

1 ½ cup water

½ cup plus 1/3 cup almond milk or milk of choice, divided

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 pieces dried apricot, sliced thin

2 Mutsu apples (Gala, honey crisp and granny smith work here too!), cored and chopped into medium dice

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon plus more for serving

½ teaspoon cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup chopped pecans for serving

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the apples with coconut oil, cardamom and nutmeg; place them on baking sheet and roast about 15 minutes or until tender. While baking the apples bring water and ½ cup almond milk to boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling add steel cut oats, salt and dried apricots to saucepan. Set heat on low, allow the oats to simmer for 15-20 minutes (until the liquid is absorbed and oats are thickened) and stir every now and then. While oats are simmering, in a small bowl combine remaining almond milk and chia seeds and set aside to thicken.  As soon as the oats are thickened stir in the roasted apples and chia seed mixture. Allow to simmer for another five minutes. Divide the oatmeal into two bowls and top with remaining roasted apples, chopped pecans and more cinnamon. Enjoy!

xo Jessica

mint chocolate chip ice cream {coconut milk based and dye free!}

Hello!

I decided to take a little break from writing part 2 of my recovery story and focus my energy on a subject that's a little sweeter and more indulgent. I am so excited to share this recipe with you all! Ice cream happens to be one of my favorite summer treats and I remember being obsessed with trying different flavors. Besides a simple chocolate and vanilla twist soft-serve, my top five flavors were: strawberry, butter pecan, chocolate chip cookie dough, coffee and mint chocolate chip (always on a waffle cone). And to be honest, my least favorite has always been plain chocolate. I love me some chocolate, but as an ice cream, I find it rather boring and it almost always leaves my mouth severely dry. While I don't dig an ice cream that is exclusively chocolate, I do appreciate chocolate in my ice cream! 

Not being able to have traditional ice cream has had it's downfalls but if it weren't for my food sensitivities, I probably would have never been brave enough to try goat milk ice cream at Victory Garden in NYC. Michael and I went back in December and I got their popular salted caramel flavor which was just....wonderful. I can honestly say it was the best ice cream I've had in a long time! It was creamy, salty, tangy and perfect. But because we live all the way in western PA, I've been needing to whip up my own ice creams left and right. I must thank my sister and her husband for buying me an ice cream maker for Christmas; Ice cream making has become a therapeutic hobby of mine and it just so happens to satisfy all of our summertime ice cream cravings! It is easy...inexpensive... and delicious to get into, if you are looking for a new hobby. ;)

Anyways, I have only tried my hand at coconut milk based ice creams and so far have made: lavender honey ice cream (recipe coming soon!!); cookies and cream; and roasted strawberry ice cream. I am very intrigued to add onto that list and hopefully share my journey and recipes with you all in the process. Now with further ado, I hope you enjoy this refreshing mint chocolate chip ice cream on what seems to be an increasingly hot summer...

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream {coconut milk based + dye-free}

recipe lightly adapted from here and here;  serves 6-8 

2 cans full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon arrowroot starch

1/2 cup mint leaves, divided

1/3 cups natural cane sugar

1/3 cups maple syrup or raw honey

1 ½ tablespoon white wine or vodka

½ tsp peppermint extract

3 ounces chopped semi or bittersweet chocolate

Directions:

1. **Freeze your ice cream maker canister 24 hours before starting this recipe!**

2. Optional: Prepare an ice bath by using two large stainless steel mixing bowls that can nest together (I used my stand mixer's bowl and a larger stainless steel bowl) and fill the larger of the two about 1/3 full of ice and water. Place the other bowl on top and set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan empty entire contents of coconut milk cans.

4. Remove a couple tablespoons of the coconut milk liquid into a small bowl along with the arrowroot. Whisk thoroughly until combined and pour mixture into the pot along with half the mint leaves and sweeteners.

5. Heat over medium heat and whisk the ingredients until fully combined.

6. Allow mixture to come to a boil and then turn heat to low, allowing the mint leaves to infuse the liquid about 10 minutes.

7. Strain mixture through a sieve, discarding the mint leaves and allowing mixture to cool for about 20 minutes.

8. Once cooled, blend the rest of the mint leaves, peppermint extract and wine in a high-speed blender.

9. Place the mixture in a stainless steel bowl and allow mixture to completely cool in ice bath. (If you are skipping this step, allow mixture to cool in a heat safe bowl in the refrigerator.)

10. Stir every now and then to speed the cooling process.

11. Once fully cooled, process the ice cream mixture in ice cream maker according to manufactures directions.

12. Add chopped chocolate during the very last minutes of processing.

13. Transfer into a bread pan or an airtight container and freeze until nice and firm. 

-Jessica

Golden Cornmeal Waffles ( egg free + dairy and gluten free variations )

Waffles are definitely my favorite breakfast, and when I’m tired of oatmeal or smoothies I like to indulge in a waffle or two. To make this possible, I make big batches of waffles and freeze them for future quick and indulgent breakfasts.  The way Michael and I eat waffles is with a bit of peanut or almond butter which works as a glue for the fruit we top it with and a drizzling of maple syrup or local honey, and a dash of cinnamon. On the subject of waffles, I've always been a sweeter person rather than savory and have never been daring enough to try chicken and waffles. I feel like cornmeal waffles would probably taste delicious topped with chili but again, when it comes to waffles I’m a traditionalist and love me some maple syrup…But,  I am sure Michael would be into that sort of thing, as he is more of a savory guy than sweet! : )

Anyway for a while I've been making vegan banana waffles which are delicious and the batter is easily blended in the Vitamix; thanks to this lovely recipe. But I decided I would step out of my banana waffle comfort zone and try my hand at vegan buckwheat waffles with chocolate chips and cornmeal waffles.  While the results of the buckwheat waffles were just okay and I’m not quite sold on sharing them today, I am still happily eating the leftovers. Next time I will use rice flour along with the buckwheat instead of whole wheat pastry flour to make the recipe entirely gluten free, and replace the chocolate chips for blueberries. The chocolate chips melted and tasted a little burnt to me. On the bright side, the cornmeal waffles stole the show with their deliciously nutty flavor and beautifully golden hue!

Recipe adapted from Food Republic

1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

2 ½ tablespoons natural cane sugar

1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons flaxmeal + 5 tablespoons water

2 1/3 cups goat milk or non-dairy milk of choice, + 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, at room temperature

6 tablespoons coconut oil or organic shortening, melted and cooled slightly

Directions: 

In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flax meal with water and let thicken for about five minutes. Once thickened, whisk in the melted shortening/coconut oil. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until the batter is just combined. Be careful to not over mix. Allow mixture to rest. Preheat your waffle iron and pour a generous ½ cup of batter into the center of the waffle iron. Use a rubber spatula to spread the batter evenly onto about half an inch away from the waffle iron’s edge. Close the lid and cook the waffles until desired doneness. Remove the waffles and let them cool on a wire rack a minute or so before serving. Repeat. Serve immediately, or set aside to cool completely and freeze. Treat your frozen waffles like store-bought by popping them into your toaster/toaster oven. Enjoy! 

Side note// I have tried the recipe with a gluten free all-purpose flour blend, and it provided a much crispier waffle which I found to be equally pleasant. If you're going the gluten free route and have no issue with eggs, try swapping the flax meal for real eggs using Food Republic recipe's egg technique for a fluffier waffle. 

Enjoy your breakfast,
-Jessica