Curried Cauliflower Steaks with White Bean Puree

I've been wanting to make cauliflower "steaks" for some time, and today the inspiration finally struck! Suddenly and uncontrollably  - as it often does. 

I love the feeling of a spontaneous dinner done well. I'm such a planner in other aspects of my life, that it does me good to witness the benefits of spontaneity. Furthermore, cooking doesn't have to be this complicated thing that takes hours of planning. If you stock your kitchen with vegetables, canned or dry staples, and maybe some fresh herbs, you should have all you need to throw together a delicious dinner.

On to the recipe (click here)! It may come as a shock, but I actually didn't change anything about this recipe! How unusual! The only minor tweak I did was to add some salt and pepper to the cauliflower before roasting (but that shouldn't count).

The cauliflower is cut into 1-1.5 inch steaks. This part is actually a bit tricky, and the one steak I photographed is the only one that came out so pretty. Then again, I had a relatively small cauliflower. So get the biggest one you can find if you want to make pretty steaks. I ended up with 3 steaks, 2 of which were decent but no works of art. I seasoned them with curry powder and then left them to roast.

The White Bean Puree comes together quite quickly. Simply blend up your white beans, cilantro, curry powder, olive oil, vegetable broth, lemon juice, and garlic! 

One note: it says 2 cloves of garlic, but I'd recommend only doing 2 quite small cloves. I did 2 large cloves and it had an intense raw garlic flavor. I macgyvered myself a solution (ok - maybe that's a bit dramatic) and cooked it longer on the stove, which helped mellow out the flavor. 

And that's all there is to it! I roasted a few mushrooms and tomatoes as well, which paired really nicely with the puree.  If the oven's already on, you might as well roast whatever veggies are in the fridge. All in all it makes a satisfying meal with a small side salad. Enjoy!

Breakfast Fruit Crisp for One

Tired of the same boring breakfast every day? I've definitely had that feeling. I want something filling, nutritious, and exciting to set the tone for an incredible day! This Crisp recipe that is equally good as a dessert or as breakfast definitely fits the bill. Dessert for breakfast - Amazing!

As usual, I have made some modifications to make this 100% guilt free for breakfast. This can be made with any fruit - simply substitute ~3/4 cup fruit of your choice. I love adding blueberries in, they release so much sweet flavor when cooked!

The original recipe called for both honey and brown sugar, but I wanted to stick to natural sweetness. The fruit is already so sweet that you don't need to be adding more. So instead of these sweeteners, I used all fruit jelly instead. This is the kind of jelly I buy anyways - it's made entirely of fruit with no added sugar. Apricot works well for its mild flavor - but any kind will do.

There are two parts to this recipe: the filling and the topping.

Filling:  1 chopped peach (or fruit of choice) mixed with 1 tsp jelly or jam.

Topping:  Mix together 2 T oats (the recipe calls for quick cook but rolled oats work great), 2 T granola (choose your favorite!), 1 T ground flaxseed, 2 tsp jelly, and 1 T yogurt (I use unsweetened low fat greek)

Lightly grease your ramekin (or oven safe bowl or mug) and then scoop in the filling and then the topping. It bakes for 12-15 minutes in the toaster oven at 350. I'd suggest putting a lid or some tinfoil on for the first half if you make it in the toaster oven so it doesn't burn. Make sure to keep an eye on it.

Finally spoon more yogurt on top and add some cinnamon if you like! The end result is so decadent.  The fruit cooks and releases its sweet juices. The topping gets nice and toasted.  The cool creaminess of the yogurt cuts the heat. Tastes like eating a rich dessert but it is packed with nutrition! The perfect way to start any day off right!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Waffles

Ignore the slightly deformed hearts ;)

WAFFLES! Just saying the word makes me smile. There is such a childlike joy that comes from making and eating waffles, and yet our waffle maker has sat sadly collecting dust for years. 

Well not anymore! Now that I've found this one incredible recipe, I know that I'm going to be seeing a lot more waffle in my life.

These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Waffles  from The Healthy Maven are so healthy, so delicious, and so easy to make!

Here is the wholesome ingredient list:

Oats or oat flour, Coconut flour, Mashed Banana, Coconut Oil, Egg, Unsweetened Almond Milk, Chocolate Chips, Vanilla, Baking Powder, Salt.

Check out those nutrient rich ingredients ~ hearty oats and healthy fats from coconut oil. And all the sweetness comes from the banana and chocolate chips (minis work great to for even distribution). And all you need for this recipe is a food processor (to turn your oats into oat flour) and a couple bowls. 

I will admit that this is the first time I have successfully used coconut flour. Previous attempts to make baked goods with only coconut flour resulted in devastating failures. However, when coconut flour is mixed with other flours, it is perfect! Just adds a subtle coconut sweetness. Make sure to let the whole mixture sit, as this is when the coconut flour absorbs the liquid and expands. I ended up adding the extra 1/4 c almond milk, as the batter did become quite thick.

I used a normal waffle iron (albeit heart shaped). This resulted in a very thin waffle with a lot of crispy exterior. I made 5 waffles this way (cooked 4 minutes) - and they were incredible. But in her pictures they look thicker so I'd be excited to try using the Belgian waffle iron as well (you'd probably need more than her recommended 1/3c batter). Just make sure to cook them long enough so the center isn't raw. Let me know if you try them this way - I'm excited to hear how they are! 

I topped my waffles with fresh berries and they didn't even need any syrup. You can also try almond butter on top for a heartier breakfast. 

I am very tempted to make a batch of these and freeze them for a quick and delicious breakfast - I know those oats can get me through the day!