Date-Nut Overnight Oats

I really wish I was a morning person.  I look enviously at all those people who get up nice and early and squeeze in a workout before finally hunkering down for breakfast.  They're probably the same people who organize closets and successfully avoid impulse magazine buys while waiting in the check-out line at the grocery store.

I like quick breakfasts because when I wake up in the morning the last thing I want to do is spend a long time making breakfast.  Overnight oats are great because they're fast and require minimal clean-up.  That's my main gripe about scrambled eggs.  They cook up quickly, but I always find cleaning the pan a pain in the you-know-what.

I usually mix just about anything into my oats (coconut is surprisingly tasty) and one of my absolute favorite mix-ins are chopped dates.  This one combines dates with chopped walnuts and warm cinnamon and nutmeg.  

Date-Nut Overnight Oats

Ingredients:

1/3 cup old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup milk

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

chopped dates

chopped walnuts

Directions:

Combine the oats, milk, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl.  Let chill in the refrigerator over night.  In the morning, mix in the dates and walnuts.  

Spinach Frittata

I don't understand the weather in Chicago.  Two weeks ago the weather was in the 80s and I was prancing around in sundresses and flip flops.   Well, there was no actual prancing, but you catch my drift.

I drank iced coffee.  The air conditioner and I were best buds.  I even went to the beach and watched people do drunk yoga while getting an awkward tank-top tan.  Then last week temps were back in the 40s and it was freaking cold.  This week, we're back to the 60s.  

I have no explanation for this, other than the world is ending thanks to excessive driving and hairspray use.  Or, you know, global warming and all that.

If this does mean the world is ending, I feel it is my duty as a food blogger to provide you with one last frittata recipe.  Because when an apocalypse is on the horizon, it's clearly important to be well-fed.  

Spinach Frittata

Ingredients:

6 eggs

2 tbsp milk 

1/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp parmesan, grated

1 cup spinach (or a handful)

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the egg, cheese, and milk.  Add the spinach.  Pour into an oven-safe skillet on medium heat and cook until the top is barely runny, 10-12 minutes.  Place in the broiler and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the top browns.

Serve with vegetables or a salad.  

Breakfast Sandwich of Champions

The breakfast sandwich of champions.

That is exactly how I would describe this sandwich.

It's nothing new.  I think I saw it on Peanut Butter Fingers first and then it popped up on a few others blogs.  It wasn't long before it seemed like everyone was eating these sandwiches.  You know how the blogosphere works with certain food trends; it gets picked up on one and then all of a sudden everyone and their distant Aunt in Portland seem to be making it.

At first glance I said that there was no way that I would ever make it.  I mean, who puts jam on their eggs?  And use cheese that isn't cheddar?  No, thank you.

Well, I'm a sucker for a trend and after seeing it pop up on yet another blog I decided to give it a try.  I threw together the sandwich, added some canadian bacon for good measure (because canadian bacon makes everything better) and crossed my fingers.

The verdict?

I now eat this about four times a week and go through eggs and canadian bacon quicker than IHOP.

Breakfast Sandwich of Champions (aka Egg-Ham-Cheese-Jam sandwich)

Ingredients:


1 english muffin
1 egg, beat
1 slice canadian bacon
1 slice cheese (mozzarella, provolone, havarti, etc)
1 tbsp strawberry/raspberry jam


Directions:


Toast the english muffin.


Meanwhile, heat the saute pan and beat your egg.  Put the bacon in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove the bacon and add scramble the egg.  Assemble all ingredients on the english muffin and stuff-yo-face.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

The weather in Chicago has been absolutely bonkers lately.  This past weekend it was snowing and then yesterday the temperature was up in the 60s.  I'd like to the this indecisiveness means that spring is honest-to-goodness around the corner, but I know better than to think that Chicago will actually have a spring season.  Every good Chicagoan knows we practically jump from winter to summer with maybe one 70 degree day thrown in for good measure.

Anyhoo, I am going to enjoy this warmer weather while it lasts.  I made this smoothie a few weeks back, but it would be a nice little faux-spring treat.  It could even stand in place of a breakfast if you wanted to get really crazy!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

                             

1/2 cup pumpkin

1 frozen banana

2 tbsp dry oatmeal

1/2 cup milk 

dash cinnamon and nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Blend until combined.  

Frittata with Sage and Manchego

I bought sage last week for my pumpkin ravioli recipe and have been putting the extra in everything. I hate wasting herbs because they practically cost a kidney and I rather like my kidney so I've been doing my best to use it up. I put it in soup; in salads; on turkey sandwiches. The frittata was my last idea, prompted by a random block of manchego cheese I found in my refrigerator from when my family visited.

Hey family!!

I love frittatas in that you can really throw just about anything in it and it will taste good. It's like the garbage disposal of foods.

I just finished this yesterday and I already wish I had more. Looks like the parental units need to come up for another visit. Who else is going to buy me that fancy schmancy cheese?

Frittata with Sage and Manchego

1/4 cup sage, chopped

4 oz Manchego cheese, chopped

6 eggs

1 tbsp cream

salt

Directions:

Chop the sage and manchego cheese, set aside. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cream and salt. Pour in the sage and manchego, mix well. Pour into an oven-safe sautee pan coated with butter. Cook covered until the eggs are set but top still runny, about 5-6 minutes. Broil in oven for 2-3 minutes, until the top is browned.

Looks pretty good, right?

Right.

Jazzy Morning Waffles

I have watched 27 Dresses four times in the past week. I think I set a record for number of times someone can obsess over James Marsden and complain about how reality is unfair and she will never magically run into charming, albeit slightly cranky, journalists while taxi-hopping between weddings.

I also probably set the record for number of James Marsden pictures pinned on Pinterest in a ten minute period. I have mad pinning skills.

This past week has still been remarkably productive despite my 27 Dresses binge. I managed to cook; attend class; send out law applications. There even was a shower somewhere in there. I think the key to my productivity is a solid breakfast.

I really wish this could be one of those posts where I wax and wane about how I grew up shunning breakfast until I had a sudden moment of clarity and found that all of my troubles could be solved with a bowl of Wheaties. This isn't one of those posts. I've never eaten Wheaties in my life.

I've always been a breakfast eater; it's actually my favorite meal of the day. I can't work out in the morning, purely because I cannot imagine pushing breakfast back an hour. I'm dedicated like that. My go-to breakfast is overnight oats. I love that I can literally roll out of bed and have breakfast made. All I need to do is make coffee (non-negotiable) and I'm ready to go. Occasionally, though, I like to jazz things up. Give my toaster some action.

Please note the awesome pumpkin my Mom gave me. There was also a matching scarecrow. Be jealous.

I bought these waffles from Whole Foods and they have changed my life. Or just my mornings. I have come out of my oatmeal-haze and discovered all the delicious options to choose from. This one ranks pretty high, if I do say so myself!

Jazzy Morning Waffles

1 waffle

1 tbsp nut butter

1 banana, sliced

coconut flakes

Directions

Toast the waffle. Melt peanut butter in a small microwave bowl and then spread on toasted waffle. Layer half of the banana slices on the waffle, leaving the rest on the side. Sprinkle with coconut flakes.

I don't know about you, but these tend to make my mornings a little brighter. And if all else fails, there's always my James Marsden pinboard.

******

Social media spam! Tip Top Shape is all over the interwebs--and I'd love for you all to follow, like, and pin along with me!

Get Yo' Protein

If you all are anything like me when it comes to breakfast, I always, ALWAYS crave something sweet. I am never exactly the one to crave savory dishes for breakfast unless it is accompanied with something sweet to balance it out.

So clearly you can see where this is going.

As of late I have been loving breakfasts with a little kick of extra protein. In this case...protein waffles. Simple, delicious and the toppings and add-in options are endless!



Basic ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder
2 egg whites
Cinnamon to taste
Vanilla extract approx 1 tsp
Stevia if needed
2 tbs soy milk
1/2 mashed banana

My favorite add ins/toppings:
Blueberries or strawberries
Nuts
Fruit preserves
Nut butters
Nutella

Mix together the basics, add whatever you want and then pour into a waffle iron or make 'em into pancakes :) Top with whatever fits your fancy and enjoy!

21

Bring on the vodka.

Bring on the beer.

This girl is finally 21!!!

I turned 21 on Sunday, and had the greatest birthday that I could have ever imagined. It started off with some of Angela's amazing pancakes. I drifted away from the recipe a bit (apparently out of my eighteen different flours, whole wheat is not one of them) but they still turned out wonderfully.

Then there was some church. Some eating. Some brother-sister drinking.

The big event of the day, though, was dinner with my friends at this little Italian restaurant called Francescas. This could be my favorite restaurant. Everything is made to order and they have a constantly changing seasonal menu (!!!). It's a winner.

My first legal drink there was a chocolate martini. Oh my word, that baby was gooooodddd!!! Seriously, I could have had several. And then be picked up off the floor because they were strong, lol. But really, it was fan-freaking-tastic.

Chocolate Martini, let's make babies.

Ironically enough, I didn't get carded for the drink. I was a little sad at that. Isn't it a rite of passage to proudly show your ID on your birthday? Anyhoo, the restaurant made up for it with a birthday profiterole that my slightly sloshed self had no interest in.

After shutting down the restaurant (we literally were the last people there) we all headed back to my house for some presents and True Blood.

Yes, that is a Gone With The Wind blanket. It has a matching tin box, too.

All in all, it was a pretty wonderful birthday!! I got to spend it with my family, my best friends, and that wonderful chocolate martini. I couldn't have asked for anything more!

Except maybe that.

Allspice Crumb Muffins

People tell me I have a white thumb, not to be confused with a white nose which I believe has a quite different connotation.

I'm assuming it's because I'm always baking. Constantly. It's my go-to for dinner parties. My no-brainer for last minute gifts (shame on me, I know). It's what I do when I'm sad. When I'm happy. When I'm craving chocolate and all things salty, with a heating pad pressed against my belly.

It really is my cure-all, and it has never failed me.

I always find it amusing when others talk about my baking. And believe it or not-it happens alarmingly often. I have one friend who brings up these scones I made whenever introducing me to others.

"Man, I'm telling you these scones were ridiculous!"

I usually just nod my head and think that he is giving me way too much credit. The scones were good, though. Also not my own recipe.

My grandparents like to talk about it at their senior club meetings and tell everyone how I will make a good wife. I know this happens because I have had the pleasure (or perhaps the pain) of being present during one such conversation. I almost think they use it as subtle advertising targeted toward the other seniors' grandsons.

Any twenty something future doctors there?

Any takers?

She makes a mean chocolate chip cookie!

As much as my cheeks color when others talk about my baking this or that, I can't say that I don't enjoy it. It makes me feel a bit silly, but at least they aren't saying bad things. Much rather them talking about the cupcakes I made last week then knocking my outfit.

So, in closing (to the longest post ever, I think)...

Let's give them something to talk about.

Allspice Crumb Muffins

Streusel Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp all spice

5 tbsp cold butter

Muffin Ingredients:

2 cups flour

8 tbsp butter, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp all spice

1/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the streusel, cut the butter into chunks and add to the flour and sugar mixture. Using your hands, mix all ingredients together until it forms a coarse meal with irregular chunks of butter. Refrigerate until use.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, allspice, and baking powder. Add the brown sugar, making sure to work out all the lumps. In a separate bowl, combine the liquids. Add to the dry ingredients, mixing well. The batter will be lumpy.

Pour into prepared muffin tin (12-cup). Next, take the streusel topping from the refrigerator and sprinkle atop the muffins, pressing it down slightly into the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Source: Annie's Eats

Caramelized Leek and Goat Cheese Frittata

I don't eat a lot of animal products, but every once in a while I go a little crazy at Whole Foods and end up coming back with cartons of eggs, cheese, and cream. This usually accompanies a week of heavy baking or copious readings of Julia Child's Mastering The Art of French Cooking.

This week I found myself with a fridge stocked with food hailing from one of my Whole-Foods-shopping-blackouts. There also were some leeks that I had bought for a forgotten risotto recipe chilling in my vegetable crisper.

Thinking cap perched on my head, I got to cooking.

Caramelized Leek and Goat Cheese Frittata

4 trimmed leeks

1/2 cup goat cheese

6 eggs

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

Clean the leeks and slice in half. Chop the leeks and put to the side.

Heat a nonstick oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and add the brown sugar and leeks. Reduce heat and let the onions caramelize, roughly 2o minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, pepper, salt, and goat cheese.

You know you're a college student when you whisk eggs in red SOLO cups

Pour over the skillet and cover. Cook until the eggs are set but still slightly liquidy, roughly 15 minutes.

Put the skillet in the broiler (turned on, of course) and cook until the eggs are completely set, roughly 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and slice into four large portions.

Sweet Basil Smoothie

Things I've learned studying in my library's Silent Reading Room:

1) I chew loudly.

2) I fidget.

3) I can never find my pen in my purse.

4) My phone's silent buzzer is in fact not silent.

5) People get irritated when you chew loudly, fidget, can't find your pen, and have a noisy phone.

6) I probably should not study in the Silent Reading Room.

7) Or blog about basil smoothies when the tapping of my keyboard garners glares.

Sweet Basil Smoothie

1 cup greek yogurt

1 cup basil

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp sugar

Ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender until well blended. Garnish with basil leaf.

Btw- you should all follow me on Twitter. I occasionally say amusing things and fangirl over assorted television shows. Good times.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Group project.

All college students shudder collectively at those two words.

I have a secret weapon for them, though. And it comes out of my oven.

Try bringing some chocolate chip muffins to meetings and not getting along with your group-mates. Impossible!

I believe this trick should work for business groups, as well. Co-workers. Cohorts. So bring some to your next meeting! You won't regret it :D

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup milk

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in each of the eggs separately, scraping down the sides. Add the vanilla and mix.

Add half of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add the milk and mix, then add the rest of the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 21-23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let rest in tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones

I am not a kneader.

I can cream. I can mix. I can fold. Kneading, though, not so much. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my dough always loves to stick. And I hate getting my hands all doughy.

Well, friends, for this recipe I kneaded my little heart out. And you know what? I kinda liked it.

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

6 tbsp cold butter

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp buttermilk

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in the upper third of oven.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut the butter into the flour mixture, using two knives. When the butter is nearly incorporated, use your fingertips to mix into a coarse meal. In a separate bowl mix together the egg and buttermilk. Add to the flour mixture and mix with a spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips.

On a floured surface knead the dough about 15 times. Using your hands, pat into a 1-inch thick disk.

Cut into either 4 or 6 squares and put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 13-15 minutes until the tops are golden.

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

Finals are over.

I made some bread.

Minus a possible ulcer, I would say I came out ahead.

Vegan Pumpkin-Banana Bread

I think the definition of Monday should just read: blah. I don't even have class until late afternoon on Mondays but it still gets me every week.

And this morning I had to do my laundry, which just put me in a splendid mood. The funny thing is, I put off laundry all weekend so I knew I had to do it this morning, yet when I looked at my full hamper I still went: Really?!

That is why this pumpkin-banana bread is necessary. It is necessary because laundry is stupid. And Mondays are icky. And my vocabulary has become that of a five year old.

Vegan Pumpkin-Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (which I never seem to have)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup canola oil

4 very ripe bananas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the first set of ingredients (flour to pumpkin pie spice) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the second set of ingredients (brown sugar to the canola oil) and then add to the flour mixture. Combine with an electric mixer until the batter is smooth. Next, add the bananas and mix. Make sure not to overcombine because you want to see some chunks of banana.

Bake for one hour, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Or if you are like me and lack proper baking items like toothpicks, take out after an hour, wish for the best, and be very (extremely) happy that the lack of eggs means no possible salmonella.

Source: The Weekly Bite

Polenta Pancakes

Good Morning!

Last night my friend Chrissy stayed for the night. We met wwwayyy back in high school but have still managed to keep in touch.

Chrissy and I: Behold the bangs. I kind of miss them.

Chrissy stayed over in order for us to watch the VMAs and consume an endless amount of sugar-laden snacks. There were pop tarts. There were cookies. And there was a particularly yummy Greek chocolate bar that I pretty much ate half of. Enough about my "lost night", though.

This morning I figured that we needed something a bit more wholesome so I whipped out my Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan and similarly whipped up a batch of the polenta pancakes.

It was my first time making these and while I have to point out that the preparations are a bit messy, they really are easy to make and turned out wonderfully. Even early in the morning with my eyes still bleary from sleep (and my fears that the olive oil I was using would make the pancakes all funky) they came out edible. And dare I say, delicious?

Polenta Pancakes

1 tube of prepared polenta

cinnamon/sugar

canola oil (I used olive oil)

Maple syrup

Directions

Start off by unwrapping the polenta and taking a vegetable peeler to peel away the waxier outer layer of the polenta. Next, slice the polenta into 1/4 inch discs. In a small bowl mix together the cinnamon and sugar and dredge the polenta slices in it.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the polenta slices (you will have to do two flights of them) and cook the first side for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Remove the polenta and sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon and sugar.

Serving with maple syrup is optional BUT I think it really made a difference in the taste.

** Dreena Burton recommends serving these with sliced bananas which I think is pretty much a rad idea. If you are like me, though, and are going through a banana-dry-spell, don't fret. They are just as good without them.