This time of year everything sounds better pumpkin flavored. Although I’m not a big fan of pumpkin lattes (too sweet and artificial), I am a fan of basically everything else pumpkin flavored, especially all Trader Joe’s products. The other day I went out to breakfast with friends and had the most amazing pumpkin waffles with cardamom mascarpone. It started me down the bad path of craving pumpkin treats at the breakfast hour when I’m usually my most health-conscious. This is what I came up with. This is also a great breakfast to pack for class or when you’re on the go.
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp slivered almonds
stir pumpkin puree and yogurt together until creamy and combined
drizzle honey over the top and sprinkle cinnamon and almonds
This was another cold salad born out of necessity during this weekend’s heat wave. Chick pea is “pois chiche” in French, I think it’s one of my favorite French words, next to champignon (mushroom) and pamplemousse (grapefruit). My friend asked me what my favorite French words were, while studying abroad, and when I told him this list, he was like “of course they’re all foods!” I hadn’t even noticed.
1 can garbanzos/chick peas
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (maybe more depending on the consistency of your tahini)
2 handfuls spinach
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 cup tahini
2 roasted carrots
2 tsp yellow curry powder
1/2 lemon
drain garbanzos
chop spinach, bell pepper and carrots
add garbanzos and veggies to a medium size bowl and stir in curry powder, tahini and red wine vinegar
squeeze lemon juice into bowl, depending on how thick your tahini is (they vary brand to brand), you may need to add more red wine vinegar if it’s too globby (yes it’s a word, I read it in my Biopshychology book today, describing the cervical cortex)
This is one of my favorite breakfasts and fairly fast and easy. Lots of protein, good fats and verrry tasty. At this time of year when avocados are plentiful, it’s especially appealing.
1/2 of an avocado (preferably a large one)
1 egg
pepper
salt
1 sprig basil
2 tsp feta cheese
cut avocado in half, using the half without the seed, hollow out hole to fit an egg (depends on size of avocado and pit)
fill with egg and sprinkle salt, pepper and whatever spices you feel like on top
bake at 350° F for 15 minutes
remove and add feta then return to oven and put under broil for 10 more minutes or until egg turns white and looks set (cooked to your liking)
serve with basil, great with a good piece of bread or roasted potatoes (pictured)
Tonight marks the first night of being upperclassmen in college. Yoykes. In honor of this right of passage we are making salmon, that my roommates’ dad caught, for dinner. Just like freshman year when we were the weirdos dressing salmon with olive oil and garlic at our dorm desks and gingerly carrying it over to the communal kitchen to hopefully find a clean pan or tray and not be bothered while we cooked and enjoyed our feast… Except for now we have a super cute and completely equipped kitchen. It’s going to be a good year.
1 lb baby potatoes
3 sprigs rosemary
5 cloves garlic
1/2 a lemon
3 tbsp dijon mustard
few grinds black pepper
sea salt
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic
1 thick, 8 in slice of salmon
cut lemon into slices then into half-moons
lay lemons flat in the pan then pour potatoes over
keep garlic in skin and wedge in between potatoes, place rosemary in as well
drizzle olive oil, balsamic, mustard, pepper and salt over the top
bake at 300° F for 20 minutes then remove and stir around, poke potatoes with a knife of fork
bake for 20 more minutes then remove and cut potatoes in half, turn heat up to 350° F
cut salmon in half and place it in the middle of the potatoes and bake 25-30 minutes or until salmon is cooked
When my mom got a vitamix we went into a crazed vitamixin’ phase. One sunday when my dad was making breakfast we realized we’d finished the peanut butter. After breakfast he likes to have some peanut butter. Not one to just spoon it out of the jar, he artfully modifies his spoonfuls with honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, sometimes some nuts or seeds. Anyways I decided I would whip up (or grind up) some peanut butter in the new handy contraption. The peanut butter was great but it only lasts up to a week and I guess I got a bit overzealous because I made a bit more than we really needed. So, towards the end of the week I solved that problem and turned the leftover peanut butter into these no-bake dessert/energy snacks.
Peanut Butter: (I used my vitamix but it would probably work in a food processor)
1/2 cup peanuts
a splash H2O
dash vanilla extract
dash cinnamon
blend peanuts w/ a little water until it turns into a paste. eat peanut butter
Aforementioned Dessert/Snacks:
peanut butter (you can use store bought if you don’t have home-ground)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
a few more dashes on cinnamon
a dash of salt
spread sesame seeds on a mini baking sheet and toast them for a couple of minutes. not long.
mix the cinnamon with the hot seeds (to bring out the aroma)
add salt to the mix
roll peanut butter into balls then roll in the mixture
