Tag Archives: healthy

Savory Miso Oats

This is my take on savory oatmeal.  It’s cozy and nourishing and full of toasty and umami flavors– without being too heavy.  It’s also a nice not sweet breakfast option that isn’t avocado toast.

Some life updates:

Mica has to have eye surgery and we’re trying to to think of ways to spoil her post-op. It will probably look something like this.

I turned 35.

Phil and I recently discovered Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix and are LOVING it.

I’ve been on a banana baked goods kick lately. First these muffins and now these ”blondies”.

I’ve also really been leaning into the local winter produce (see here, here, and here).

Hope you all are keeping warm! xo

*Instead of arugula, try pea shoots or other microgreens. Steamed broccoli is also delicious here, and I bet spinach would be tasty, too.

1/2 cup rolled oats, GF if needed
2 tsp miso
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Couple handfuls of arugula (or other veg; see note)
Garnishes: thinly sliced scallion, toasted sesame seeds, drizzle of toasted sesame oil, tamari

  • Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add oats, reduce heat, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat and let stand for a couple of minutes.
  • Stir in miso, red pepper flakes, and arugula, and let stand a couple of minutes more.
  • Transfer to a bowl and top with desired garnishes.

Yield: 1 serving

Strawberry PB Banana Shake

I wrote the first version of this post several months ago, when it was still cold and gray, when practically every non-citrus fruit I had was stashed deep in the freezer. My bananas, however, sat cheekily on the countertop, getting spottier and spottier by the second. Enter this delicious shake, which makes the best of frozen strawberries and sweet, ripe, perhaps a-little-too-soft bananas. Of course since I shot this strawberry season has come and (mostly) gone, and so I tried this recipe with fresh strawberries and frozen bananas. It totally works– but I think I prefer the first version just a tad more. And since my strawberries are back in the freezer again, that’s the one I’ll be making and the one I recommend. It’s simple yet substantial, with peanut butter and jelly vibes that will have you craving it on the regular.

¾ cup unsweetened vanilla plant-based milk
¼ cup salted peanut butter
¾ cup frozen strawberries
2 ripe bananas
Very optional: bit of sweetener, to taste (not necessary if fruit is very ripe)

  • Combine everything in a blender and process until smooth, stopping to scrape sides as necessary. Enjoy.

Yield: 2 cups

Farfalle with Cabbage & Sunflower Seeds

I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for quite some time now.  Yet even after I finally (finally!)  buckled down and took photos, edited them and even uploaded them onto WordPress, I still didn’t post.  I felt the pressure to write something eloquent– after all my last post was half a year ago!  The fact of the matter is that working a full-time job (and riding two very popular trains to and from there every day) leaves little room for much else.  On weeknights I carve out my time to hang out with Phil, make dinner, maybe watch Colbert’s monologue to help us swallow the latest news, prep for the next day.  On the weekends we sleep and play catch-up. Can you relate?

Still, eating well (though not necessarily perfectly) is something I prioritize.  I’m not really a meal planner, but I’ve been trying to do more “veg prepping”— washing and cutting my market haul– on Sundays.  Then during the week all I have to do is cook my already prepped vegetables and toss them with whatever else I feel like making.  This pasta dish is one of those throw together dinners that has become a staple in our home.  I like to joke that it combines my Eastern European Jewish roots with my Italian sensibilities, simultaneously familiar and satisfying.  I’m not sure when I started adding sunflower seeds, but they go beautifully with tender braised cabbage, providing a protein boost and salty crunch.

 

12 oz pasta, preferably farfalle/bowties
1 medium head of cabbage, trimmed and cored, chopped thin then chopped again so pieces aren’t too big
5-6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
¼ cup roasted, salted sunflower seed kernels

  • Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions.
  • Drizzle a bit of oil in a large skillet and cook the garlic and red pepper flakes on medium low for about 3 minutes, watching closely and stirring as needed.
  • Add the cabbage and a couple splashes of water and turn up the heat to medium high. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every now and then, until tender and browned in places. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Combine the (cooked and drained) pasta with the cabbage and, if desired, drizzle with a little more olive oil. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top and serve.