Cook Like Mad

I wrote a post a little while ago about using Pimms in turkey meatballs to avoid wasting it. Not surprisingly, it appears alcohol is not the only item in my cupboard that is in need of creative application! I opened a box of Kashi Go Lean cereal around the time I moved to DC two months ago and since I spend quite a bit of time at D’s place and also have breakfast provided at my office, its been sitting there, half full, since then…

Two month old cereal is not my idea of an appealing breakfast, no matter how hungry I am, but I’m disinclined to just chuck it- I mean, I had made those muffins with Smart Bran cereal a while back, and while that was fresh cereal, after it was soaked in milk, that couldn’t have made a big difference, right? So, I thought this Saturday morning, equipped with a fully stocked fridge, I’d make pancakes with my stale cereal. I figured, there is a similar preparation for both muffins and pancakes, so the cereal-soaking method could work nicely in my plan to use cereal in another warm preparation.

Before I go into the actual recipe, I must stay I did have trepidations about using Kashi Go Lean in the recipe rather than another cereal like cheerios or corn pops or anything less packed with fiber. I thought, isn’t this cereal going to make crunchy pancakes? That didn’t sound very appetizing… My goal was to make the cereal indistinguishable from the batter; to thicken it without standing out. Let me tell you, the food gods were behind me this morning. : )

The only evidence of cereal in this batter was the thickness it gave. As each pre-softened nugget of cereal melted into the batter as it was surrounded by the heat of the pan, it somehow retained its shape without adding any crunch, giving way to impossibly fluffy yet hearty pancakes! I added 1 fuji apple (diced) to sweeten the pancakes and add another dimension of flavor, but feel free to omit it. So now, I share with you my second cupboard-raiding recipe: cereal reincarnated. It’s not only a great use of another would-be wasted pantry item, but depending on which cereal you’ve neglected, it can also be a great way to sneak more fiber into your morning meal! Enjoy : )

Kashi Apple Pancakes
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups Kashi Go Lean cereal (or cereal of choice)

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder (baking soda is fine to substitute, though)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1 apple, diced (I prefer Fuji) -optional

Method:

1. Combine cereal and milk in a small bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

3. When the cereal has almost finished soaking, lightly beat the eggs in another separate bowl and whisk in the melted butter, sugar, and yogurt. Stir in the diced apples, if using.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix or the pancakes will be tough.

5. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls onto a medium-hot skillet and flip when the bubbles that appear on top of the pancakes begin to pop. Finish cooking on the other side and serve.

Such a chunky batter! I was sure these would never be light and tender, but thankfully I was wrong!

Mmm..almost ready…

D and I ate these with maple syrup and boysenberry jam (utterly delicious), but anyway you choose to serve these, enjoy!

-Maddy : )

Newton’s third law states that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,” so it comes as no surprise that the fast food industry is currently being attacked by a stronger-than-ever coalition of extremely vocal and well-supported food alarmists. Now don’t get upset, I’m no fast food junkie. However, I do believe in a consumer’s right to choose and that birthday parties should involve cake, Halloween should involve kids collecting candy, and schools should have the ability to offer students a dessert option with their lunch.

In this time of feuding non-profits, where organizations like the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Center for Consumer Freedom are butting heads over “issues” like if a child should be allowed to bring birthday cupcakes into school to share (!), or whether non-chain restaurants should disclose the nutritional information of their menus, I find myself inclined to back away from this battle and get back to the basics. I say ignore the food-focused fear-mongering and rely on a little personal responsibility. All you need to know to be healthy is what you already know, intrinsically:

1. Fruits and vegetables are good for you. Eat a lot of them. Period.
2. For proteins such as poultry, fish, and meat, a portion size is closer to the size of your fist than the size of your plate.

3. Carbohydrates are easy access energy for your body, since they are more easily broken down into elements your body can use than protein is, for example. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients than refined grains, but white bread isn’t evil. Neither are cupcakes. Moderation is key.

4. A little fat in the diet does the body good. Some nutrients are only fat-soluble, meaning that without the presence of fat in the body, we can’t break these vitamins and minerals down for our bodies to use. Also, our brain is made mostly of fat. Think about that! The unsaturated varieties are preferable, but when it comes to saturated fats, Coconut Oil is a good example of a healthy one. This doesn’t mean you should eat it by the spoonful, but try substituting it for canola oil once in a while.

5. Sugar, refined or not, is still just a carbohydrate and a little candy, chocolate, or cake should be a source of pleasure not anxiety.

So with that said, I have a great banana muffin recipe to share. Yes, it calls for refined all-purpose flour, real butter, and white sugar, but you can modify the recipe if that suits you.

A couple notes:

*For a more substantial muffin, try dropping peanut butter into the centers, or add jam also and make them pb&j muffins. Apple butter, or other fruit butters also make delicious additions, as does chopped fruit, such as apples or pears.

*To add a center to your muffin, fill up the muffin tin halfway with batter, drop in a teaspoonful of your filling, and cover with a thin layer of batter so the filling is hidden. I also love to crumble two of these into an ovensafe bowl, crack two eggs over it, and bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Sprinkle salt on the eggs and eat from the dish- the sweet muffins with the salty eggs is a great combination! Either way you choose to serve them, enjoy. And see…without even trying you’re getting a little of everything you need here: carbs, fiber, protein and a little fat, as well as added vitamins and minerals from the bananas. Here’s to not over-thinking our food.

Fool-Proof Banana Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large very ripe bananas (or 4 small), mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted (oil can be substituted)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat muffin tins with liners or cooking spray.

2. Mix all ingredients together except for the flour in a large bowl and carefully stir in flour at the end just until incorporated. Don’t over mix or your muffins will be tough.

3. Fill muffin tin 3/4 way full and place tin in hot oven. Bake 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of your muffin tin, until a cake tester comes out clean. Rotate tins halfway through cooking if the heat of your oven is uneven.

Enjoy!

-M : )