Tag Archives: Food

Go-To Granola

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Hi guys! How are you? It’s been awhile since we’ve last talked. 

Did you have a good weekend? I had such a good weekend.

My mom and dad came to Philly for a visit! We spent Friday evening eating, drinking and enjoying a perfect summer evening.

On Thursday evening, Greg and I picked up our brand new charcoal grill! Can you believe it? It was a generous and perfect gift from Greg’s mom and stepdad. I can barely get over the fact that we now have a grill and we definitely took great advantage of it Friday evening. Burgers for my mom and dad, and sweet potato burgers for Greg and I. We also got a veggie rack and grilled whole cremini mushrooms and onions. We added pasta salad, hummus and guacamole and called it a meal. 

Saturday, the four of us went to nearby Peddler’s Village. It was so much fun! Definitely recommended for locals/visitors!

I unfortunately took zero photos over the weekend, although I would have had some very good ones to share with you. The comment/joke of the weekend was everyone saying to me “This would have been a good photo, Jess.” 🙂 Oops! 

Anyway, let’s now talk about granola.

You need to look no further. This is your new go-to granola recipe.

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Whether you’re looking for a healthy snack, a hearty breakfast or a homemade gift, this recipe has got you covered. 

granola

I’ve always loved granola but I don’t eat it that often. That’s mostly because I can’t find a granola that I’m really in love with. 

Usually store-bought granola tastes too sweet. Or is too crumbly. Or just tastes plain stale. 

But, this recipe changes it all.

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I’ve been wanting to make my own for awhile now. I wanted something that is healthy. That has a simple list of ingredients, things I know. I didn’t want it to be oily. Or crumbly. I wanted there to be large chunks of granola. I didn’t want it to be overly sweet or sugary. I wanted to control what went in.

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So, I did it. I’m in love with this you guys. I knew what I wanted going in, but I didn’t know I’d come out being addicted. Does what I described above sound good to you? Prepare to be addicted. 

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Let’s talk about the goodness of this granola.

1) It has a short list of ingredients:

Oats
Pecans
Sunflower seeds
Unsweetened coconut
Cinnamon
Salt
Coconut oil
Egg white
Pure maple syrup

2) You won’t be left still feeling hungry after eating it. Yep, it fills you up!

3) You won’t feel a sugar rush or like you just ate dessert after eating this granola. It is just slightly sweetened with pure maple syrup and perfectly cinnamon-y. The cinnamon just warms me up.

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4) This granola is crunchy and sticks together in large clumps.

5) It takes one bowl to prepare. Yep, one bowl, one spoon and one pan. Maybe some measuring cups. It’s simple and easy, you guys.

6) It is customizable. Make it your own. Use this as a base and be creative. Add what you like and leave out what you don’t!

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I’m telling you. Once you start on this granola, you won’t be able to stop. But really, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. 🙂

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Go-To Granola
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Ingredients
  1. 3 cups rolled oats
  2. 1 cup pecans, lightly chopped
  3. 1 cup sunflower seeds
  4. 1 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
  5. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  6. 3/4 teaspoon salt
  7. 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  8. Scant 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
  9. 1 egg white
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300*.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, coconut, cinnamon and salt. Mix well.
  3. Add the melted coconut oil and maple syrup.
  4. Crack the egg white into a bowl and whisk very well, until it becomes a bit foamy.
  5. Add the egg white to the rest of the ingredients.
  6. Stir everything together very well, so that the dry ingredients are completely wet and everything is well mixed.
  7. Place the granola on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the granola is slightly browned and hardened.
  8. Let the granola cool for about 10-20 minutes, or until it is hard and can be broken into pieces.
  9. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Curry Stuffed Peppers with Chickpeas + Carrots

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I know, I know.

peas

 

carrots

Another curry recipe.

peppers

I told you I’m obsessed. 🙂

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I really, truly can’t get enough curry lately. 

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This recipe is it. I am down right obsessed. This recipe has turned me into a stuffed pepper person.

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I never have been. Stuffed peppers have never been something I have desired. They always just seemed sort of bland, sort of boring. Is anyone with me on that?

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But these. These peppers are full of flavor. They are bursting with it. They could not be stuffed enough. There could not be enough rice in the world to satisfy my craving for these. I want to eat them forever and ever. 

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If you like curry + rice, you have got to try these. They are super easy too!

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Just make some rice. Make a simple curry sauce with coconut milk, curry paste, some lime juice and fish sauce. Oh, and don’t leave out the lime juice and fish sauce! They are essential to the taste, I promise!

Add some beans + veggies. I did chickpeas + carrots. You can do what you’d like, really. Add the beans + veggies that you like.

Mix the sauce with the rice and stuff that into some peppers. Yep, that’s it. Just add some baking time, during which you should pour yourself a glass of wine, and then you get to enjoy these plump, delicious beauties! 

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Yes, you will want to lick your plate. I did.

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This may be my only recipe this week, you guys, but it’s one I stand behind with my entire heart. It’s extra special.

Hope you enjoy!

 

Curry Stuffed Peppers with Chickpeas + Carrots
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Ingredients
  1. 4-6 bell peppers
  2. 1 cup rice
  3. 2 cups water
  4. Olive oil
  5. Salt
  6. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  7. 4 small shallots, sliced
  8. 2 - 15 ounce cans coconut milk
  9. 5 tablespoons red curry paste
  10. 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  11. Juice from 1/2 lime
  12. 4 medium carrots, chopped
  13. 1 - 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400*.
  2. Get the rice started. I used 1 cup dry jasmine rice and 2 cups of water and cooked it for about 30 minutes. Follow your rice package cooking instructions.
  3. While the rice is cooking, start the curry sauce.
  4. Add a small drizzle of olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat.
  5. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and sliced shallots, and cook for several minutes, until softened and slightly brown.
  6. Add the coconut milk to the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
  7. Once simmering, add the red curry paste and whisk until fully incorporated.
  8. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and salt to taste and stir well.
  9. Before adding the veggies, reserve about 1 cup of the sauce in a separate bowl for topping the peppers.
  10. Add the chopped carrots and chickpeas to the sauce and stir well.
  11. Let the sauce cook over low heat for several minutes, to slightly soften the carrots.
  12. While you are cooking the sauce, cut off the top of each bell pepper. Scoop out the inside flesh and seeds and rinse them well. Set aside.
  13. Add the cooked rice to the curry sauce and mix well.
  14. Spoon the curry/rice mixture into the hollowed out peppers.
  15. Spoon some of the reserved curry sauce on the bottom of a baking pan.
  16. Place the peppers on top of the sauce and spoon some more sauce on top of the peppers.
  17. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until peppers are soft.
  18. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Curry Eggplant Pizza

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I’ve made a pizza for you.

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Let me tell you about it.

It has eggplant. And curry hummus. And caramelized onions. And goat cheese. And toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. 

Would you like some?

eggplatn1

I have been CRAZY about curry lately. I’ve loved the flavor since I first tried it. But lately, I can’t get it out of my mind.

There is a Thai place close to us that has the best curry dishes. My favorite (one I literally think about every single day) is a yellow curry. It is creamy and slightly spicy, and on top of a bowl of rice, heavenly. 

And, I’ve been eating curried egg salad lately. I will hard boil some eggs, chop them up and mix with a dab of mayo (this one), a pinch of salt and pepper and a healthy dose of curry powder. I am in love with that.

seeds

So, we have had all of this beautiful eggplant from Three Springs and I have been thinking about curry-ing it for a bit now. I wasn’t sure how I wanted to do it, but this pizza is the end result. 

pizza2

I made some simple hummus: chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and then: the curry. Yes, this hummus is packed with curry flavor. So, so good. 

pizza1

The hummus acts as the sauce on this pizza. I like this idea because I am always looking for unique alternatives to traditional red sauce pizza. It is a delicious and healthy alternative. I look forward to trying more hummus pizzas! 

pizza5

Also, let’s talk about the extras on this pizza. The toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. Not the main ingredients but equally as important as anything else. The toasted sesame seeds add flavor + crunch and the cilantro adds the most amazing, fresh flavor. These toppings are necessities for this pizza. 

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I hope that everyone has a wonderful Friday night and maybe enjoys some curry eggplant pizza with it!

pizza7

Curry Eggplant Pizza
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Ingredients
  1. One pizza crust (your favorite!)
  2. 1 large eggplant
  3. Olive oil
  4. 1 medium red onion, sliced
  5. 3-4 ounces goat cheese
  6. 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  7. Large bunch of cilantro
For the curry hummus
  1. 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
  2. 1/4 cup sesame tahini
  3. 1 garlic clove, minced
  4. Juice from 1/2 a lemon
  5. Salt and pepper
  6. 1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
  7. 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
  1. For the toasted sesame seeds: preheat the oven to 400*. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Set aside.
  2. To make the curry hummus, add the chickpeas, tahini, minced garlic, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper and the curry powder to a food processor.
  3. Process for several minutes, slowly drizzling in the olive oil.
  4. Process until smooth.
  5. Taste, and add more salt, pepper and curry powder to your taste. Set aside.
  6. Slice the eggplant very thin. I found that the thinner the slice, the better it was on the pizza.
  7. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat.
  8. Once the oil is hot, add the eggplant, in batches, until all eggplant is cooked. It should be cooked on higher heat the entire time so it gets a bit crispy.
  9. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a small pan over medium-high heat.
  10. Add the sliced onion, and cook until golden brown and a bit caramelized.
  11. Spread a layer of hummus over the prepared pizza crust. Top with onions, then cheese, then eggplant.
  12. Cook according to your crusts instructions. Mine was an unbaked pizza crust, so I baked it for about 18 minutes.
  13. Once baked, top the pizza with the toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro.
  14. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. Make sure to slice the eggplant thin and cook it over high heat in the pan to get it crispy, sort of like an eggplant "chip."
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

Chai Muffins with Pistachios + White Chocolate

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Happy Tuesday, everyone!

I hope you had yesterday off, and I hope you enjoyed it!

Let’s talk muffins. And life. Let’s talk muffins and life. 

Life: So as you know, I have been on a much less frequent posting schedule lately. I’ve explained in the past few weeks that moving was happening and food making was not. Then I told you about my job. And while I am not working full-time, I am still trying to find my footing. I’m still figuring out when is the best time to make things to share with you.

And, I want to say thank you, to you, because even with less-than-usual posting, August was the best month ever for The Dreaming Foodie! I’ve had more views in August than in any other month before. Every single person – thank you so very much for reading! 

I’m proud of August. The recipes I’ve shared with you this month are some of the best ever, in my opinion. There were only seven. Yes, seven recipes this entire month, but I’m totally in love with every single one. The month started with super simple and delicious homemade almond joys. With a recipe like that to start, I should have known that this would be a good month. Also, if you missed any from this month, check out:

Corn Soup
Barbecue Lentil Burgers
Spinach + Feta Braid
Cacio e Pepe with Roasted Butternut Squash
Smoked Salmon Quiche
One Pot Fajita Pasta

So, from here I am going to try to continue to bring you recipes to be totally in love with. I’m going for 100% quality over quantity, even if it means only posting twice a week. 

Like I’ve said before, thank you for bearing with me. 🙂

Now, onto muffins!

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I could not be happier to start this month with these muffins!

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I tested, tested, tested this recipe to get it just right. After one too many muffin fails in the past months, I wanted to go into this one completely prepared and set up for success. 

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Let me tell you about it. I saw a little girl at market one day with a pistachio muffin. I was instantly intrigued. I love pistachios. And, I love pistachio ice cream. Since I was working and unable to get a muffin of my own, I knew I wanted to try my hand at pistachio muffins. 

bowl

I started brainstorming and searching the internet and saw that Cooking Light did a pistachio-chai muffin. Okay, that was my new plan. Chai muffins with pistachios. And then I decided to add white chocolate. Because chocolate is never a bad idea. 

crumb

Okay, so I had my flavors. Chai, pistachio, white chocolate. I then moved on to making the muffin itself the best it could be.

before

I researched. I made decisions. I didn’t want my muffin to be overly sweet, so decided to use minimal sugar. I figured out baking soda/powder amounts that would produce a good rise/neutralize the acid in my muffin. I decided to use buttermilk instead of regular since I love the taste of buttermilk. I decided to use butter as my fat over oil (never go wrong with butter!). I decided to pulse some oats and add them to the dry part of the batter to add some texture.

done

I took notes. I researched more. I wrote down tips: a thick/lumpy batter is what you’re looking for, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. And I finally had a recipe. My first trial turned out pretty darn good. I was so excited. The work I put into the recipe paid off, it was not another added to the list of muffin disasters. 

d2

I tasted the muffin, I took notes on what I wanted to improve. And I preformed trial 2. Then trial 3. Trial 3 is what you see in the photos and the recipe I’m sharing with you today. 

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This muffin is lightly spiced with chai tea bags. Chai is a flavor combo of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black pepper and cloves. Most people are familiar with chai lattes. Chai works just as well in baked goods. In addition to having wonderful flavor, these muffins are soft and fluffy. 

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The pistachio and white chocolate flavors work wonderfully with the chai. They add a crunch and sweetness that will be hard to resist.

bite1

These muffins are layered: chai batter, pistachio/white chocolate mixture, and then repeated. The layering is a great way to incorporate texture/flavor though the entire muffin. 

bite

Although this is not a completely traditional muffin, I hope that you give it a try. 🙂 

Chai Muffins with Pistachios + White Chocolate
Yields 9
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
  2. 1/2 cups oats
  3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  4. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  6. 1 1/2 chai tea bags
  7. 5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
  8. 1/2 cup sugar
  9. 2 egg whites, at room temperature
  10. 3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  11. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  12. 1/3 cup pistachios, shelled
  13. 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
  14. Small drizzle coconut oil or water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375*. Prepare a muffin pan with 9 muffins liners, lightly sprayed.
  2. Start by prepping some of the ingredients. Add the 1/2 cup oats to a food processor and pulse until the oats are a coarse meal (see photo above). Remove from the processor and set aside.
  3. Add the pistachios and white chocolate chips to the food processor. Process, with a small drizzle of oil or water, until they have become a coarse meal (see photo above). Remove from processor and set aside.
  4. In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, processed oats, baking powder, soda, salt and chai tea. Mix with a whisk. Set aside.
  5. In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg whites and mix well, until pale and creamy. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and mix until just incorporated.
  6. Add the wet ingredient mixture to the dry one and using a spoon, mix until just combined.
  7. Using a mini ice cream scoop (or a spoon), place one scoop of batter into each prepared muffin liner.
  8. Layer one heaping teaspoon of the pistachio/white chocolate mixture on top of the batter.
  9. Top that with one more scoop of batter, followed by a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of the pistachio/white chocolate mixture.
  10. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  11. Enjoy!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/

One Pot Fajita Pasta

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Do you like fajitas?

peppers

 

spices

Do you like pasta?

noodles

So…how about fajita pasta?

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Are you on board?

Am I crazy?

pot

I know. This is different. Maybe crossing a couple of culinary lines. 

pasta

But I was thinking one day. I love the flavor of fajitas. I love the veggies involved. Peppers, onions and tomatoes with a smoky, slightly spicy flavor. I love them. And, I love noodles. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with spaghetti noodles. 

So, I thought, why not bring the amazingness of fajita flavor to some noodles. It’ll make those noodles happy. 

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Here’s what I told a maybe slightly skeptical Greg: a noodle is really just a vehicle for flavor. Yes, it may be that we’re used to that flavor being tomato sauce and cheese or white sauce and veggies, but why can’t we put any flavor on those noodles! 

So, that’s just what I did. And! Even better, I went with this new one pot method.

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I first saw the idea on Pinterest. I love the idea. Then Pami, of A Crust Eaten, made the pasta, and I was inspired. I decided then that I wanted to make it, too. 

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I think her version with tomato, garlic and basil sounds sooo good. I would like to try that soon. You should definitely check it out, too.

But, I just thought this fajita idea would work. I just wanted to taste fajitas on noodles. 

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For anyone reading this who doesn’t know about the one pot pasta method it is this: Place all pasta ingredients (noodles, water, veggies, seasoning) into a pot, bring to a boil, cover and turn down heat, wait 15 minutes, and you have a complete pasta dish! Everything cooks together, making a yummy, creamy sauce from the starch that’s released from the noodles. How much better can that get?

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One pot pasta is big. The flavor possibilities are endless. I’m loving this fajita version. But I want to make more! 

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I will say, this version won’t be for everyone. It is a bit spicy. The spice in my recipe comes from the cumin and the poblano pepper. If you want to try this, but don’t want the spice, leave out some or all of the cumin. If you do leave it out, I would try using one of those fajita spice packets instead, or whatever seasoning you usually use for fajitas. You could also leave out the poblano pepper and use all sweet peppers. 

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So, what do you guys think? I hope that you try this. I’ve eaten it three days in a row and can’t get enough. Share your thoughts! 

 

One Pot Fajita Pasta
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Ingredients
  1. 1 package spaghetti noodles
  2. 1 green bell pepper
  3. 1 poblano pepper
  4. 1-2 red bell peppers
  5. 1 medium onion
  6. 1 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  7. 1/2 - 1 tablespoon cumin
  8. 1 teaspoon black pepper
  9. 1 teaspoon onion powder
  10. 1 teaspoon salt
  11. Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  12. 4 1/2 cups water
Instructions
  1. Thinly slice the peppers and onion.
  2. Place all ingredients into a large pot over high heat.
  3. Bring to a boil.
  4. Once boiling, give it a stir, turn down heat and cover.
  5. Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 12-15 minutes, or until noodles are cooked through and water is absorbed.
  6. Taste, and season more accordingly.
  7. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. If you don't want this to be overly spicy, leave out the poblano pepper and use less or no cumin.
  2. If you don't use cumin, maybe try one of the fajita seasoning packets instead!
  3. After the pasta is done, it may need more seasoning according to your taste. Add until you get it where you like it. It's easier to add seasoning than to take it away!
The Dreaming Foodie https://www.thedreamingfoodie.com/