Oatmeal Banana Pancakes

I have recently discovered Clean Eating magazine, and love it! (What is eating clean? Look here and here for some tips.) There are some interesting articles and great recipes. I wouldn't say that I've completely converted to clean eating (since my husband still looooves Velveeta), but I've certainly made more of an effort to eat more fruits and vegetables, and make things from scratch so I can control the ingredients. This allows me to make changes such as using whole wheat (often, pastry) flour in place of white flour, and avoid a lot of preservatives and other such junk.


The latest issue of Clean Eating has a ton of recipes that looked great to me, and I decided to dive in over the weekend with oatmeal banana pancakes. Breakfast around here is usually eggs, oatmeal, or a protein bar, but every once in a while, we treat ourselves to pancakes. I was especially intrigued by this recipe because of the substitution for maple syrup. A combination of pomegranate juice and honey sounded delicious! Of course, I forgot to get the juice at the store, so we had to settle for cranberry juice in it's place.

These turned out delicious! The pancakes have a nice little bite from the whole oats, and a light banana flavor that isn't overwhelming. The fruit syrup is SO GOOD and we are definitely making these again!

Oatmeal Banana Pancakes
Source: Clean Eating magazine
Makes 10 to 12 five inch pancakes, or 20 four inch pancakes

For the syrup:
1 cup Pomegranate Juice
2 tablespoons of honey

For the pancakes:
3 medium bananas (I used frozen), plus 1 sliced banana for garnish
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats, ground to a course flour in food processor
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
Olive Oil cooking spray

Whisk juice and honey together in saucepot. Bring mixture to boil over medium high heat, then drop the heat to medium. Simmer mixture and reduce it to syrup, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let syrup cool before using. (Mine thickened as it cooled.)

To make pancakes, add bananas, milk and vanilla to blender and puree until smooth. In large mixing bowl, whisk together ground oats, rolled oats, flour, salt and baking powder. Fold banana puree into dry ingredients to a form a thick batter, taking care not to overwork it. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites into batter. Heat a large nonstick griddle coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Drop 1/4 cup batter for 5-inch pancakes onto griddle. Cook until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 per side. Serve with banana slices and a drizzle of pomegranate syrup.

Mojito Chicken

First, a thousand apologies for the blurry picture. We were hungry. I was lazy. :-)

I've had this Guy Fieri recipe bookmarked for probably well over a year. I am glad I finally got around to making it! We loved the flavors... until we got to the glaze. Admittedly, I over-thickened it. But the flavor was just.... eh. We added some of the juice from the chicken pan after it came out of the oven to loosen it up, and it turned out muuuuch better. In the end, we thought it was excellent. I'd love to grill it next time!


Mojito Chicken
Source: Guy Fieri

* 1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) chicken (we used a few boneless skinless chicken breasts)
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 2 tablespoons kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* Marinade, recipe follows
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* Mojito Glaze, recipe follows

Directions

Remove backbone of chicken with poultry shears; flatten chicken out by pressing firmly on skin part of chicken so it will sit evenly in a pan.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine all the dry spices and rub chicken with spice mixture, especially under the skin. Put into a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the marinade, then add chicken to marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove chicken from marinade and shake off excess marinade. In a large saute pan over medium to high heat, add 4 tablespoons of extra- virgin olive oil. When oil is hot, place chicken skin side down and sear.

When skin is golden brown flip chicken and add 1/2 cup of marinade into pan; place pan in oven and cook the chicken for 25 minutes or until chicken has internal temperature of 165 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer.

Remove the chicken from oven and brush with Mojito Glaze. Place chicken under broiler for 5 minutes. Remove from broiler, cut and serve immediately with more glaze on the side.

Marinade:

* 1 cup orange juice
* 2 limes, juiced
* 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 tablespoon sliced garlic
* 1/4 cup dark rum

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl.

Mojito Glaze:

* 1/2 cup dark rum
* 1/2 cup chicken broth
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons cold water
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In medium sauce pot, place rum, chicken broth and brown sugar. Reduce by 1/3 over high heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together water and cornstarch. When rum mixture is reduced, add cornstarch mixture slowly to simmering liquid and whisk for 3 minutes, until 50 percent thicker. Keep in mind that you might not need all of it. When glaze is at desired thickness, add mint leaves and transfer to small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spiced Cilantro Shrimp

I got this recipe from one of my favorite sources: Katie at Good Things Catered. I was going to hold off and try it later in the summer, but my husband really wanted to grill last weekend. It ended up being a perfect topping for a fresh salad, and was very easy and quick to put together and cook!



Spiced Cilantro Shrimp Skewers
Source: Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
50 extra large shrimp, shelled and deveined
10 bamboo skewers
juice of 1 lime
juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp tequila
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp chili powder
large pinch of salt
freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, finely minced

Directions:
-Soak bamboo skewers for 1 hour
-Shake off bamboo skewers and skewer 5 shrimp onto each skewer.
-Place skewers into 9x13 baking dish and cover with remaining ingredients, except cilantro.
-Toss to combine and let marinate for 10 minutes.
-Preheat grill on high
-Toss skewers to combine again and let marinate for another 5 minutes.
-Bring shrimp to grill, turn grill down to medium and place skewers on racks to cook and get grill marks, about 4 minutes.
-Flip skewers and cook through, about 3 more minutes.
-Remove from grill, plate and sprinkle with fresh cilantro to serve.

Sesame Ginger Barbecued Chicken

This is another recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. We love the combination of sesame and ginger, so it was a no brainer for us. Even though I prepared it and added the chili sauce, I wasn't expecting it to be as spicy as it was. My husband doesn't mind, of course, and it was still a good alternative to plain barbecued chicken!


Sesame-Ginger Barbecued Chicken
Source: Better Homes and Garden: New Cookbook Bridal Edition
Serves 6

* 1/3 cup sweet and sour sauce (homemade recipe below)
* 1/4 cup water
* 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
* 1 clove garlic minced
* 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon chili sauce
* 6 small skinless boneless chicken breast halves


Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a small saucepan. Bring to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
2. Grill chicken 12-15 minutes until no longer pink, turning once and brushing with sauce during the last 5 minutes of grilling. Reheat and pass remaining sauce.

Sweet and Sour Sauce
Source: About.com
Yield: About 1/2 cup

* 1/3 cup rice vinegar
* 4 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon ketchup
* 1 teaspoon soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

Preparation:
Mix the vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce together and bring to a boil in a small pot. Mix together the cornstarch and water, add to the other ingredients and stir to thicken.

Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps

I saw a recipe for chicken satay skewers in my April issue of Everyday Food magazine, but after seeing them again at Pennies on a Platter, I knew I had to make them this weekend! I love the addition of cilantro and the increase in marinade in the adaptation. I also used natural peanut butter for the sauce and it was great. I decided to make lettuce wraps with the chicken, sauce, some romaine leaves, carrot and cucumber. Absolutely delicious!


Chicken Satay Lettuce Wraps
Source: Slightly adapted from Everyday Food Magazine, Bloomacious /Pennies on a Platter

boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced lengthwise to total about 1 pound
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, grated
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

For the sauce:
1/4 cup (natural) peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

For the wraps:
Leaves of romaine lettuce
carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
cucumber, cut into matchsticks


Directions:
1. In a bowl, toss chicken with sesame oil, soy sauce, cilantro, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Thread each chicken strip lengthwise onto a skewer.
2. Make dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and 2 to 3 tablespoons water.
3. Heat grill pan over high. Working in batches, brush pan with oil, and cook chicken until opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
4. Spread sauce in leaf of lettuce, add carrots and cucumber, then chicken. Enjoy!

Crispy Baked Chicken

I decided to take a chance and combine a few recipes to see if I could come up with a good coating for baked chicken. I wanted something that stayed nice and crisp on the the outside, held together well, and had a nice flavor. I think the combination of these two recipes worked out really well, and accomplished was I was looking for: crisp, intact coating. It's a very versatile technique, as the breading layer can be spiced any number of ways: spicy with chili powder, a simple Italian blend, even a simple garlic/onion/parmesan cheese as the original recipe. I simply chose some Herbs de Provence, which went really well with the potato gratin.




Crispy Baked Chicken
Inspired by Everyday Food Magazine, here and here.

boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1.5 pounds
2 egg whites
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence

Combine egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly. Combine wheat germ, breadcrumbs, flax seed and seasoning in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg whites, then in breading mixtures. Shake off excess breading and place on a baking sheet fitted with a rack (to keep chicken elevated when cooking). Lining the baking sheet with foil is optional for easy cleanup. Bake chicken at 400 degrees until center of thickest part registers 165 on an instant read thermometer.

Potato Artichoke Gratin

It seems the only way to get yukon gold potatoes in this town is to buy the giant bag of them. I much prefer to buy potatoes loose, because we eat them so infrequently. For one meal that includes some mashed potatoes, it's hard to have to buy the whole stinkin' bag, then try to figure out how to use up all the rest. This time, I not only had potatoes to use, but leftover cheese sauce and shredded gruyere from the fabulous croque monsieur.


Well, today I decided I never have to worry about too many yukon gold potatoes ever again. My husband and I both loved this dish to pieces. Next time mashed potatoes are on the menu, that giant bag of potatoes will happily go in my cart with a block of gruyere!


I made individual gratins in 16 oz ramekins, but this could easily be combined into a larger casserole dish if desired.

Potato Artichoke Gratin
Serves: 4

4 large yukon gold potatoes, peeled and rinsed, then sliced thin
1 can quartered artichokes
1.5 cup cheese sauce, recipe follows
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper

Spray four 16 ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. Starting with the first ramekin, place a layer of potato slices in the bottom. Top with 1/8th of the artichoke quarters. Layer with 3 tablespoons cheese sauce, 1/8 teaspoon thyme, and a dash of salt and pepper. Repeat layers, then top with 1 tablespoon parmesan. Repeat for remaining three ramekins. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Cover with foil if cheese is getting too brown.

Cheese sauce
Source: Adapted from Barefoot in Paris, by Ina Garten

* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 cup hot milk
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch nutmeg
* 3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and gruyere.

Molasses Spice Cookies

Recently I've seen a few good recipes calling for molasses, which is something I've not yet worked with. Unfortunately I couldn't find it at my normal grocery store, but a trip to another store last weekend was successful! I turned to all my recipe sources (excel spreadsheet, Google Reader, bookmarks), and found Katie's pictures of molasses spice cookies. All it took was one look! I couldn't resist. I had to make them.



Oh my goodness. I can see why these would be a fall favorite. They smell fantastic while baking up! They were pretty easy to throw together, though rolling them up is more time consuming than a regular scoop'n'go cookie recipe. I disliked that I could only bake one sheet at a time, especially as I happened to make a double batch of these. It took quite a while to get them all done. In the end, the taste and texture made it all worth it. Perfectly crisp outside, encasing a perfectly soft interior. And how can you resist the crackled top?! Delicious.

Now, eat up!


Molasses Spice Cookies
Source: Baking Illustrated, seen on Good Things Catered

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup (11 1/4 ounces) lower-protein unbleached all-purpose flour (like Gold Medal or Pillsbury)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) granulated sugar, plus 1/2 c. for rolling
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup molasses

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined; set aside.
3. Either by hand or with electric mixer, beat the butter with brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar at medium high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 min.) Reduce speed to medium low and add yolk and vanilla, increase speed and beat until incorporated (about 20 seconds). Reduce speed and add molasses beat until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping the bottom and sides once with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to lowest setting and add flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, scraping the bowl once. Give the dough a final stir by hand to ensure no flour pockets at bottom. The dough will be soft.
4. Place 1/2 cup sugar in shallow bowl for rolling. Fill small bowl with cold tap water. Dip hands in water and roll heaping tablespoon of dough into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 in ball; drop ball in sugar and roll to coat. Set on prepared baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
5. Bake,ONE sheet at a time, until the cookies are browned, still puffy, and the edges have begun to set, but the centers are still soft (the cookies will look raw between the cracks and seem underdone), about 11 minutes. Do not over-bake.
6. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack; cool the cookies to room temperature.

Pineapple Rum Cocktail

A refreshing drink, great for the start of spring and summer weather. Enjoy!



Pineapple Rum Cocktail
Source: Everyday Food Magazine

46 ounces pineapple juice
2 cups spiced rum
1/2 cup lime juice

Combine in a large pitcher, chill and serve over ice. Garnish with lime slice.

BB: Croque Monsieur

I have to admit, upon reading the title of the second Barefoot Bloggers recipe for April, I had noooo idea what it was. The lack of a photo was not helping my cause. A simple read through the directions revealed that croque monsieur is simply the devil, in ham-and-oh-so-much-cheese-sandwich form. Given we are a no ham house-sold, I decided these would have to be glorified grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato. YUM.


This definitely falls under the category of "decadent." Let's see: bread, layered with cheese, layered with more bread, slathered with cheese sauce, layered with MORE cheese.


Though I now know that I mistakenly left out the parmesan, I thought the cheese sauce itself was a little bland. Maybe I just under-seasoned it.(No worries, I added the parmesan after the final layer of gruyere - it was not left out!) I could have done without the mustard, but I get why it's there given the original concept of ham being present. We used sourdough bread, which gave it a great additional flavor. Overall, you can't go wrong with lots of cheese and bread! Very delicious!

Croque Monsieur
Chosen by Kathy of All Food Considered
Source: Barefoot in Paris on page 48

* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups hot milk
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch nutmeg
* 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
* Dijon mustard
* 8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin (I substituted tomato slices)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.