Savory Oats - Version 2.0

This morning I decided that it was time to share my revamped version of an old favorite. In this version, I stir nutritional yeast into my cooked oats (instead of shredded cheese which I still use on top) to give it a slightly cheesy, salty flavor. I know what you’re thinking… ‘Nutritional yeast sounds GROSS!’ or ‘I’m not eating yeast!’. I agree, the name is slightly off putting, but the flavor and health benefits are pretty darn good. For one rounded tablespoon, you get a boatload of B vitamins like B1 - thiamine (273%), B2 - riboflavin (240%), B3 - niacin (123%), B6 (190%) and B12 (50%). There’s also a wide range of minerals and 18 different amino acids. So what is nutritional yeast…? At the most basic level it is a yeast similar to brewer’s yeast that is grown on molasses and then fortified with some additional B vitamins. It is unsweetened and is naturally low in fat and sodium. If you like cheese, you will probably like nutritional yeast in your morning oats. …and who doesn’t like cheese?? My new and improved savory oats include my beloved chia seeds, garlic and a whole egg. If you’re in a hurry, feel free to use the quick cooking or instant oats. Top with hot sauce and get ready to enjoy the best ‘stick to your ribs’ breakfast you’ve had in a long time.

What You Need:

½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup milk, plus ½ cup water
1 egg
1 rounded Tbs nutritional yeast (or shredded cheese of your choice)
1 Tbs sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbs chia seeds (optional)
¼ tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
1/8 tsp salt and black pepper, plus a pinch for the egg (or to taste)

What To Do:

Combine oats, milk, water, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and garlic powder in a small sauce pan over medium high heat until the mixture reaches a slow boil.

Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until desired thickness, stirring occasionally. 

When the oats begin to bubble, begin heating a small skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, spray with non-stick cooking spray and carefully add the egg. Reduce heat to low and allow the white to cook slowly, while keeping the yolk runny. This will also take about 5-8 minutes. Season the egg with remaining pinch of salt and pepper. If you’re not a fan of runny yolks, flip and cook completely.

After your oats are done, combine the nutritional yeast, chia seeds and oat mixture in a small bowl.

Stir to combine.

Top your oats with the over easy egg and shredded cheese. Serve with hot sauce.









Serves 1


Bon Appétit!
Mary

Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake

As the weather warms up, all I want are ice cold shakes and smoothies as post workout recovery fuel. I recently discovered Trader Joe’s peanut flour and have been trying to find fun ways to use this product. A few weeks ago I was making a post workout chocolate shake and decided to toss in a little peanut flour and was in love with the nutritional stats as well as the flavor of this protein shake. So for the nutritionals… This shake boasts 34 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber. It clocks in at 285 calories and just over 10 grams of fat. If you’re feeling sassy, you can add a couple handfuls of spinach. Sounds a little crazy, but trust me… you don’t taste the spinach, only peanut buttery, chocolaty goodness.

What You Need:

¾ cup milk
1 serving chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup peanut flour
1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa
1 heaping cup of ice
1 Tbs chia seeds (optional)

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.


Serves 1

Bon Appétit!
Mary

Creamy Turkey & Potato Soup with Spinach

When you’re tired of being frozen on a day where you’re totally snowed in and its storming like crazy… you’ve got to make this soup to warm up!!  If you use all of the listed ingredients, this recipe will remind you of a Thanksgiving dinner of sorts in a bowl.  B and I enjoyed this Sunday evening while watching movies.  I highly recommend it.  I know that using ground meat in a soup in definitely not ‘normal’ turkey soup, but trust me… this turns out wonderfully.  I will warn you… There are several ingredients and this soup cannot be made in 20 minutes or less, but it’s SO good… you’ve gotta try it just once!     

What You Need:

1 – 1.25 lbs ground turkey

1 – 32 ox box chicken or turkey stock (broth works too)

2 cups milk, at room temperature

3-4 small Yukon gold potatoes, 1” dice (or any other thin skinned potato)

6 oz grated cheese (I used garlic infused jack)

½ large brown onion (about a cup), ½ “dice

3 medium carrots (about a cup), thinly sliced

3 small stalks celery (about a cup), thinly sliced

8 oz baby spinach

6-9 cloves garlic, minced (to taste)

2 Tbs Italian parsley, minced (dried would probably work here also)

2 Tbs butter

3 Tbs flour

1 Tbs + 4 tsp olive oil

1 tsp 21 seasoning salute (or your favorite salt free seasoning blend - to taste)

½ tsp poultry seasoning (optional, but highly recommended)

2 bay leaves (optional, but highly recommended)

½ tsp salt and pepper, divided (to taste)

 

What To Do:

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the celery, carrot, onion and bay leaf. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until softened. Season the vegetables with ¼ tsp salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add another 2 tsp of oil into the pan and turn the heat up to medium high heat. Add the ground turkey and bay leaf and sauté for 4-6 minutes or until lightly browned, adding the garlic during the last minute of cooking. Season with ¼ tsp salt and pepper, 21 seasoning salute and poultry seasoning.


Push turkey and garlic to the outside of the pan and melt butter in the center with 1 Tbs olive oil. Once the butter is mostly melted, add the flour in and cook over medium heat stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.


Add the carrots, celery and onions back into the pan and slowly add the chicken stock a little at a time, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.


Bring to a simmer and add potato for 10-12 minutes or until potato is fork tender.


Add the milk and bring up to temperature without boiling or the milk could curtle.  Remove from heat and add spinach, mix and then put the lid on until wilted. Add cheese and parsley. Serve with crusty bread.




Edited to add: makes 10 - 2c servings

Nutritional Stats for 1 Serving

Bon Appétit!
Mary

**cook’s note: I don’t recommend freezing this soup as it has a creamy broth and also potatoes which tend to break down quite a bit when defrosting and then cooking again…**



 

Creamy Baked Potato Soup

I first made this soup in September after my husband has his wisdom teeth taken out. I had no plan other than I wanted to make a creamy potato soup that would be easy for him to eat with ingredients that I had on hand. We both ended up loving it so much, I decided I should make it again for blogging purposes. If you prefer your soup be chunky, use an immersion blender or a potato masher to get the soup to your desired consistency. I used beef stock because that’s what I had on hand, but any broth or stock would work well here. I recommend using a low sodium variety as stocks and broths can pack a lot of sodium. This is also why I don’t season the soup with salt and pepper until after blending. Some stocks will be really salty and you may not even need to add any additional salt. I didn’t have any bacon on hand, but highly recommend frying up a few slices and crumbling it on top of this soup. This recipe makes a generous amount, but does not freeze well so feel free to half this recipe is you desire. Serve garnished with Greek yogurt or sour cream, thinly sliced green onion, hot sauce and crumbled bacon.

What You Need:

 

5 cups stock or broth
2 cups milk, room temperature (I used whole milk)
3 lbs russet potatoes, washed and cut into small pieces (about 5 medium)
1 large brown onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
8 cloves garlic (or to taste), minced
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbs butter
3 Tbs flour
1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
1 ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper, divided
Optional Garnishes: Greek yogurt or sour cream, thinly sliced green onion, hot sauce and crumbled bacon.

What To Do:

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the onion and carrot, season with ½ tsp salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic during the last minute of cooking.

Create a well in the center of the vegetables and melt butter.

Once butter is melted add the flour and cook over medium heat stirring constantly for 2 minutes.

Slowly add stock or broth stirring constantly, scraping browned bits off the bottom.

Once all of the broth has been incorporated, throw the potato in the pot and simmer for 10 minutes or until mostly tender.

Add milk and return to simmer. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

In batches, puree the soup until smooth. Taste and see if you need more salt and pepper. I added 1 tsp of salt and pepper.  Top with garnishes and serve immediately with a garden salad.
















Yields 13 ½ - 1 cup servings



Bon Appétit!
Mary



**Behind the Scenes:  Had to share a picture of my cat/ fur-child trying to help me blog about this recipe :)**