Oatmeal Whole Wheat Bread

March 8, 2011 by Aliesha

I found this recipe over at Amy’s and I have to say it is one of the easiest bread recipes I’ve made (except for Artisan Bread, of course)! It’s a quick bread, so there is no kneading involved. It’s very healthy too, since it’s loaded with good things like whole wheat flour, oats, coconut oil, and honey. It is hearty and delicious and is perfect by itself or as a complement to a nice soup.

1 cup oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I added more too)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. oil (I used coconut oil*)
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Process oats in a food processor, mill, or blender. Combine with the other dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix the honey, oil, and milk together and then add to the dry ingredients. Stir; add more flour if needed (I added another 1/2 cup). Form into a moist ball of dough and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional oats if desired. Bake for 20 minutes or until loaf sounds “hollow” when thumped (yep, that’s the technical terminology).
*Coconut oil is a solid under 77 degrees, so you will need to melt it in the microwave before using it in this recipe.

Enjoy!

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As Good as Takeout Chinese Sesame Chicken (and Green Beans)

February 22, 2011 by Aliesha

I know you won’t believe me when I say that this recipe tastes as good as real Chinese takeout, but it does! I’m not trying to pass this off as a healthy recipe, but I’m sure it’s healthier than what you’d get at the Chinese place around the corner (no MSG, preservatives, additives, etc.). Next time you have a craving for Chinese takeout, whip up this much more affordable version in your own kitchen with ingredients you probably already have on hand!

Chinese Sesame Chicken

1 lb. chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
olive oil
1 cup water
1 cup sugar (sucanat works and is better for you)
1/4 cup vinegar
4 Tbsp. soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
brown or white rice

In a small bowl, combine flour and 2 Tbsp. cornstarch. Transfer half of this mixture to a shallow dish and coat half of the chicken pieces with it. Add remaining flour mixture and coat remaining chicken. Fry in a skillet in a small amount of oil. Remove from heat.

In a small amount of oil, fry sesame seeds. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch to form a sauce. Add sauce to cooked chicken and return skillet to heat. Add sesame seeds and cook until sauce is thickened.

Prepare rice as desired. Serve Chinese Sesame Chicken over rice with Chinese Green Beans (see below).

Serves 3-4.

Chinese Green Beans

green beans, fresh (trimmed) or frozen
1 Tbsp. butter
soy sauce
sesame seeds

In a skillet over medium heat, saute green beans in butter until slightly softened but still crisp. Add soy sauce to taste and saute an additional minute or so. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

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Roasted Garlic Hummus

February 15, 2011 by Aliesha

I made this awesome (easy to make!) hummus last weekend, and I’m so happy with how it turned out! I combined a couple of recipes to get this one, and I think it’s a keeper. I will definitely be making this often, especially since there is no tahini in it, so it’s pretty affordable to make. It’s perfect served with fresh veggies, tortilla chips, or pita bread. I can’t vouch for this personally, but I hear that hummus is really good as a sandwich spread. Anyone want to share any creative ways to eat hummus?

Roasted Garlic Hummus

1 small head of garlic (about 8 cloves)
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained (liquid reserved)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
a few grinds of black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice off the top (pointed end) of the head of garlic. Place a square of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and set the garlic head on it. Wrap the foil around the garlic, leaving an opening at the top. Drizzle with 1 tsp. olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt. Close foil around garlic head, and place in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until garlic is soft and fragrant.

Into the bowl of a food processor, dump drained chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Add roasted garlic by squeezing out each clove from the head. Pulse everything in the food processor until well blended, stopping to stir as needed. If not thin enough, add reserved bean liquid (or water), 1 Tbsp. at a time, until desired consistency has been achieved. (We like ours a little chunkier, but you can make it smoother if you want.)