Overnight Oats: the solution to your breakfast quandaries

What is the most important meal of the day?

This is a question that causes serious debate in my house, so I would like to know, what meal do you value most?

Of course there is the old saying "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" which I think is great marketing by the breakfast people. But is breakfast all it's cracked up to be? According to the "Breakfast of Champions" podcast from my fav Gastropod, breakfast isn't really "the most important," although that doesn't mean you should skip it. Instead, opt for a quick, portable breakfast that you can make ahead for an easy breezy morning. My absolute favorite recipe for this is Overnight Oats. I love it because it is super quick, easy, healthy, and very customizable! See a quick little recipe below:

Overnight Oats

A drawing I did of my oat jar :)

1/2 cup of rolled oats

Almond milk (or any kind of milk you prefer)

Fruit (this can be dried, frozen, or fresh)

Nuts: peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax, pecans, etc. 

Honey or agave nectar (optional, I usually leave it out. Remember: all sugar is processed the same way!)

Almond butter (or any nut butter) 

1. Layer all dry ingredients into a jar. I prefer this order: oats, nuts, fruit, almond butter. 

2. Drizzle honey over the top (again, optional). 

3. Pour in the milk so that it covers the oats on the bottom of the jar. I estimate this step, usually I pour until it looks like all the oats are covered. You dont want too much milk or not enough. 

4. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy the next morning with a spoon! The oats will have absorbed the milk and become soft and creamy. 

I'm telling you this only takes 5 minutes. I make it right after I eat dinner every night so I don't forget, and it saves so much time in the morning. Because when you're trying to make the bus, every minute counts!

If you guys try this recipe, which I urge you to do, then let me know how it turns out! Comment below or post your delicious creation on Instagram and tag my account @gourmanda_ and I just might repost it!!

Oh, I almost forgot, HAPPY MARCH!!

More,

Gourmanda

Cricket Flour Pancake Recipe!

Hello and Happy Presidents Day to everyone reading this!

Today I will be revealing the recipe for my delicious cricket flour pancakes as requested by Aspire Food Group on Twitter! Get excited!!

But first I would like to share with you a cartoon from this week's New Yorker, one of my favorite magazines, it made me laugh so hard! Here it is:

New Yorker cartoon by Will McPhail

Isn't that hilarious? All right, now to the recipe!

This recipe is actually a combination of two pancake recipes, one from Bitty Foods and the other from the amazing cookbook The Family Cooks by Laurie David which I HIGHLY recommend that you all purchase!

Decadent Cricket Flour Oat Pancakes

A heart-shaped blueberry batch that I made for Valentines Day

Yields: 10 (5-inch) pancakes

11/2 cups of milk (can be cow, goat, almond, soy...)

3 eggs

1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

11/2 cups of cricket flour

1/12 cups of rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

coconut oil (for the pan)

Optional: Add-ins like banana slices, blueberries, nuts, or chocolate chips

1. Blend the oats in a blender until desired grain size is reached, I prefer finer grains, but whatever floats your boat! Combine oats in a bowl with the milk, eggs, maple syrup, cricket flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and mix in an electric mixer until smooth. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes to let it thicken. 

2. At this time if you wanted to add anything in, mix in your fruit or nuts now!

3. Melt the coconut oil in the pan and let it heat up before spooning in your batter. Keep in mind that these pancakes are thick and that you will need to spread the batter around the pan in order to achieve a flat pancake.  Because these pancakes are thicker, they will need to cook for longer so cook and flip until both sides and edges are golden brown.

4. Serve with whatever fixings you want! I like to add clementine slices, banana slices, walnuts, ground cinnamon, and a spoonful of almond butter to top off my stack.

I just recently made a large batch of these pancakes and I have enough to have pancakes for breakfast for the rest of the week! Woohoo!!!

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe! Let me know how they turn out in the comments or you can show me via Instagram post with the hashtag #gourmandacricketpancakes. I want to see your beautiful stacks and I will repost all of your photos to my account @gourmanda_

Have a great Presidents Day!

More,
Gourmanda

Zoodles: The new way to pasta!

Hello Gourmanda readers!

I am officially back and cracking my knuckles in preparation for a posting spree to make up for time lost while at camp!

For now I want to tell you all about the amazingly delicious recipe that I made last night using a combination of three recipes from three different resources all while accommodating three different tastes/diets!  I will call it Tomato and Almond Pesto Zoodles with Paleo Meatballs! 

Now before I give you the recipe, a quick explanation of "Zoodles." Zoodles are zucchini noodles made using a spiralizer. Many people following the Paleo or Raw Vegan diets opt to make this veggie pasta as a substitute for the real stuff, and claim that it tastes very similar! What makes zucchini a good substitute for pasta made from flour is that it has a similar look and texture and an almost bland taste that can be manipulated with ease using various sauces and spices.

After placing platters of this dish in front of my family of four, floating above the table were exclamations of "Ooh!" "Yum!" "This is delicious!" My father recently started to follow the paleo diet and he testified, "That was one of the best meals I have ever had! And I've eaten a lot of meals!"

I hope you enjoy this recipe and check out my girl "Fully Raw Kristina's" Youtube channel for more videos and recipes for zoodles.

Tomato and Almond Pesto Zoodles with Paleo Meatballs

Zoodle Ingredients and Equipment:

4 zucchini 8-10"long

A Spiralizer (I have one from Paderno)

Place the strands of zucchini in a colander. Toss with salt and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Rinse with running water, drain well, and pat dry with paper towels. 

Tomato Almond Pesto Ingredients and Equipment:

5 or 1.5 lbs plum tomatoes, halved
1 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup almonds, toasted
1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup of lightly packed basil

1/2 cup of almonds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese*

Food Processor (I used one from Ninja)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with two teaspoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for one hour. Let cool to room temperature. Place the almonds and garlic into food processor. Pulse 3-4 times to roughly chop. Add the basil and pulse another 3-4 times. add the tomatoes and the remaining cup of olive oil and pulse until the tomatoes have broken down but some small chunks remain. The peso should retain a bit of texture. Stir in the Parmesan* and salt to taste.

Paleo Pesto Meatballs Ingredients and Equipment:

2½ pounds pastured lean ground beef or turkey

½ cup almond flour

1 large egg

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

¾ cup Tomato Almond Pesto

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meat with almond flour, egg, salt and pesto. 
2. Roll the mixture into (golfball-sized) balls and place them in a pan

3. Cook each meatball until the sides are evenly browned

FINAL STEP: Combine zoodles, pesto, and meatballs in pot and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. 

serves 4 people

More yumminess to come!
Gourmanda

*Note: do not use Parmesan for Paleo dieters. 

Resources: theclothesmakethegirl.com "Basic Zucchini Noodles", Edible Vineyard Issue 22 "Pesto", everydaymaven.com