Huckleberry, Nectarine, Orange Gourmet Overnight Oatmeal

Adapted from The Yummy Life's Peach Melba Refrigerator Oatmeal
I make four days' worth of the same variety in one large glass snap-lock storage dish.  Four days' breakfast made in under 15 minutes, no cooking involved.

Ingredients
1/4 c. uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
1/3 c. skim milk
1/4 c. low-fat Greek yogurt
1.5 t. dried chia seeds
1/4 t. vanilla extract
1/8 t. orange extract
sprinkle powdered lemon peel or 1/8 t. orange zest
1 t. orange liqueur
1 t. brown sugar
1/4 c. frozen or fresh huckleberries and/or diced nectarine

Directions
In a half pint (1 cup) jar, add everything except the fruit. Put lid on jar and shake until well combined. Remove lid, add fruit and stir until mixed throughout (or add fresh nectarines and fresh or frozen huckleberries in the morning). Return lid to jar and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. Eat chilled or warmed up in the microwave.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0

Amount Per Serving
calories 277
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6 g	10 %
Saturated Fat 2 g	11 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 19 mg	6 %
Sodium 113 mg	5 %
Potassium 163 mg	5 %
Total Carbohydrate 35 g	12 %
Dietary Fiber 5 g	19 %
Sugars 11 g
Protein 17 g	35 %
Vitamin A	16 %
Vitamin C	16 %
Calcium	40 %
Iron	11 %

Stevia-Sweetened Cranberry Lemonade or Limeade, Plain or Sparkling

Ingredients
1 T. stevia powder
1/2 T. lemon or lime juice
1 T. unsweetened pure cranberry juice
14-16 oz. ice cold water or plain seltzer

Directions
Add stevia and juice to a pint glass.  Stir vigorously and add enough water to make a pint.

Concentrated Option
Add 1/2 c. stevia powder, 1/4 c. lemon or lime juice, and 1/2 c. cranberry juice with enough cold water to fill a pint jar.  Mix 1:8 concentrate:water in a glass to drink.  Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0

Amount Per Serving
calories 12
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0 g	0 %
Saturated Fat 0 g	0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 1 mg	0 %
Potassium 16 mg	0 %
Total Carbohydrate 2 g	1 %
Dietary Fiber 0 g	0 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 0 g	0 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	6 %
Calcium	0 %
Iron	0 %

DIY "Lemonade Vitamin Water Zero" a.k.a., Stevia-Sweetened Lemonade or Limeade, Plain or Sparkling

Ingredients
1/2 T. stevia powder
2 T. lemon or lime juice
ice cold water or plain seltzer

Directions
Add stevia and juice to a pint glass.  Stir vigorously and add enough water to make a pint.

Concentrated Option
Add 2 T. stevia powder and 1/2 c. lemon or lime juice with enough cold water to fill a pint jar.  Mix 1:4 concentrate:water in a glass to drink.  Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0

Amount Per Serving
calories 8
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0 g	0 %
Saturated Fat 0 g	0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0 %
Sodium 0 mg	0 %
Potassium 31 mg	1 %
Total Carbohydrate 2 g	1 %
Dietary Fiber 0 g	0 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 0 g	0 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	20 %
Calcium	0 %
Iron	0 %

Chocolate Orange Whey Protein Smoothie

Ingredients
1/2 c. skim or whole milk
3/4 c. 2% Greek yogurt, plain
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 t. chia seeds
1 t. stevia powder
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. instant espresso powder
1/4 t. orange extract
tiniest pinch of ground cayenne
sprinkle of ground cinnamon
1-2 scoops whey protein powder, enough to add 20g protein

Directions
Blend and enjoy!

DIY Smoothie Pack Directions
Blend everything except the milk and protein powder and freeze in silicon 1 oz. ice cube trays. 6 cubes + protein powder in a zipper bag.  Freeze.  Empty the bag into a blender.  Add 1/2 c. liquid and you have frozen yogurt / soft serve you have to eat with a spoon!  Let the smoothie pack contents thaw before blending if you have an older blender, or want a less thick smoothie.  Adding the protein powder thickens and "bulks" the smoothie and I haven't measured how it changes the volume in my DIY smoothie cubes.  

Nutrition Facts

Servings 1.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 362
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6 g	9 %
Saturated Fat 3 g	16 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 21 mg	7 %
Sodium 145 mg	6 %
Potassium 757 mg	22 %
Total Carbohydrate 35 g	12 %
Dietary Fiber 9 g	37 %
Sugars 25 g
Protein 44 g	88 %
Vitamin A	8 %
Vitamin C	82 %
Calcium	62 %
Iron	10 %

The Few Specifically Preferred Products

I rarely endorse specific products.  However, when I discover a distinct combination of quality, positive characteristics, and value, I do like to share the results of my time and energy with my friends and family, to save them the efforts.  I am not compensated in any way by any person, entity, or company for my preferences, or for this blog as a whole.


1 oz. Silicon Ice Cube Trays (for DIY smoothie packs).  I believe I chose these based on Amazon reviews.  I don't remember.  I link this for a visual aid only; I have not tried others. 


Balsamic Vinegar 

• Kirkland Signature, the best I've yet found at a reasonable price.  I like this one so much, I usually drink a spoonful when I cook with it.  It's thick and mildly sweet, robust, not just "acidic and vinegary," which is also why I'm effectively making my own hot sauce with the chipotle, adobo, and balsamic. 

Bouillon Paste

• Better Than Bouillon means I can make near-instant soup without going to the trouble and time to make stock, or carrying cartons and cartons of what's essentially water home from the grocery run, and it tastes like homemade, unlike the dry cube kinds.  Costco carries 16 oz. jars of Beef and Chicken for well under $10.

Bread

• I like Dave's Killer Bread Sprouted Whole Grain Bread because it's tasty and it doesn't upset my stomach.  Also every little bit of protein and fiber helps.

Espresso, Instant

• I like Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso Coffee for its intense and relatively smooth coffee flavor, used in recipes.  I've never made a cup of coffee to drink from this.

Herbs, Freeze-Dried

• Litehouse Instantly Fresh Herb Blends (Salad and Poultry are the only ones I've tried) are expensive and somewhat difficult to find, but they're the only herb blends I've ever tried that I don't I can make better.  Cheaper yes, so one day I will refine my own blends.

Teas

• Stash's Double Bergamot Earl Grey Black Tea is simply the most fragrant and enticing Early Grey, as my great-grandmother called it. 

• Trader Joe's Mango & Chile Black Tea is absolutely delicious, even if I do have to add a little of  their Scorpion Dried Chile Flakes to spice it up a bit.  It helps with headaches and congestion.

Whey Protein Powder  I looked at third-party testing to aid my choice.  I wanted the best value per gram of protein, the least contaminants, and the least additives--I want to buy one powder and I can flavor it many ways myself.

• NOW Foods Whey Protein Isolate, Natural Unflavored (1 scant scoop = 20g protein):  I chose this one because it scored well when third-party tested for quality and value, and it was available on Amazon when the previous option was discontinued.  This has less of a 'cooked milk flavor' and works better in smoothies.

• Integrated Supplements Whey Isolate Protein, Natural (2 scoops = 20g protein):  I chose this one because it scored well when third-party tested for quality and value, and it was available on Amazon, however it was soon discontinued.

Sinful Dark Chocolate Pots de Creme

Adapted from Land o' Lakes Milk Chocolate Pots de Creme

Ingredients
1/6 c. extra dark Guittard chocolate chips or 1 oz. chopped Trader Joe's 72% Dark Chocolate Pound Plus
scant 1/2c. (or 2/5c.) whole milk
1 egg yolk
1/4 t. vanilla
1/8 t. orange extract
1 t. instant espresso powder
dash each cinnamon, cayenne, salt, fresh ground nutmeg

Directions
Melt chocolate with milk together in a saucepan on med. heat. Remove from heat. Whisk smooth and blend in spices and extracts. Whisk yolk in separate bowl, and temper chocolate in. Return to pan and heat, whisk gently until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and chill or serve warm.

Nutrition
Servings 1.0

Amount Per Serving
calories 250
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 17 g	26 %
Saturated Fat 9 g	46 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 184 mg	61 %
Sodium 296 mg	12 %
Potassium 20 mg	1 %
Total Carbohydrate 17 g	6 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	17 %
Sugars 9 g
Protein 5 g	10 %
Vitamin A	6 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	2 %
Iron	36 %

 

Orange Butter Cake with Chocolate 'Sour Cream' Yogurt Ganache

Adapted from the Joy of Baking's Yellow Butter Cake

Ingredients
3 1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. raw sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 c. whole milk
1 c. chopped Trader Joe's 72% Pound Plus Dark Chocolate
2 t. vanilla extract
orange extract, to taste
3 c. AP flour
1/2 t. salt
3/8 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/8 c. 2% Greek yogurt, divided
1-2 T. whole milk
Vanilla extract, orange extract, instant espresso, cayenne, cinnamon, to taste (to increase the complexity of the chocolate)

Directions
Cake
In a bowl, sift or whisk the flour with the baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft and creamy (about 1-2 minutes). Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add beaten egg yolks and yogurt, in two batches, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and orange extracts and beat until combined.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (in three additions), and milk (in two additions), beginning and ending with the flour.  

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops with an offset spatula or back of a spoon. Bake 22 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake just comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.  

Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool, in their pans, for about 10 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto a greased rack. To prevent cracks, re-invert cakes so that tops are right side up. Cool completely before frosting.

Ganache 

Put the chopped chocolate, the chocolate 'amplifiers', and a few tablespoons of whole milk in a microwave safe dish.  Microwave on high for 15-30 second intervals, stirring each time.  Whisk in the remaining 1 c. of yogurt.  Let cool to room temperature.

Assemble: Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread with about 3/4 cup (180 ml) of frosting. Place the other cake layer on top of the frosting and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. 

Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) layer cake.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 12.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 289
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	15 %
Saturated Fat 5 g	27 %
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 111 mg	37 %
Sodium 125 mg	5 %
Potassium 187 mg	5 %
Total Carbohydrate 43 g	14 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	4 %
Sugars 19 g
Protein 9 g	18 %
Vitamin A	7 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	13 %
Iron	5 %

One-Pot Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe

Adapted from Green Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes
Yield: Serves 4-6

Trader Joe's Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese is the first one I've really liked, so I decided to try my own.

Ingredients

2 c. shaped pasta (I used casarecce from the Costco six-pack of pastas)
2 qts. water

2 T. salt
2 c. of whole milk
3 T. unsalted butter
3 T. flour
1/4 lb. (1 c., packed) shredded Tillamook pepperjack cheese
1/4 lb. (1 c., packed) shredded Tillamook vintage extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 12 oz. jar Trader Joe's Hatch Green Chile Salsa* (see linked recipe if roasting fresh chiles)
1 T. lime juice
sprinkle of Trader Joe's Ghost Chile Flakes
1/3 c. panko breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Pasta (Adapted from Alton Brown's Cold Water Pasta Method)
Combine pasta, water, and salt in a 4 qt. or larger pot, covered, on med-high heat.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for 2-3 minutes, so the pasta is underdone.  Drain, and rinse with cold water.

Roux (Adapted from Alton Brown's White Roux)

In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium high heat. Add flour all at once whisking vigorously. When mixture thins and starts to bubble, reduce heat to low and cut back on the whisking. Cook until you smell a toasty aroma then cook 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Slowly whisk in milk, adding it a little at a time, stirring constantly to keep the roux smooth.  Add grated cheeses one third at a time, stirring to incorporate.  

Add pasta, lime juice, chiles, and corn to the sauce.  Stir until well combined.  Top with breadcrumbs and bake uncovered 25-30 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before serving.

Optional: add diced sautéed chicken, sweet onion, or drained canned black beans with the chiles and corn.

Easy Baked Pineapple-Teriyaki Chicken

Adapted from http://www.theironyou.com/2016/02/easy-baked-honey-teriyaki-chicken.html#more
Serves 4-8
 
Ingredients
Rice
3 c. water
1.5 c. brown jasmine rice
1 T. butter

Chicken
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
1 c. Soy Vey or Trader Joe's Soyaki, reduced by half
½ t. freshly grated ginger
1 T. red crushed pepper
A few handfuls of Trader Joe's frozen pineapple tidbits

Vegetables
2 T. sunflower oil
1/2-1 large thinly slivered sweet onion
2 carrots, julienned
1 stalk celery, julienned
1 small head broccoli, stalk peeled and julienned, crown cut into 1/2" florets
1-2 bell peppers, red, yellow, or orange, julienned
Finely sliced savoy or napa cabbage
Several cloves garlic, minced

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and place a rack in the middle. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish and set aside. 
In a large pot, boil water with butter.  Rinse the rice.  When the water boils, add the rice and cook according to package directions, ~40 minutes.
Place chicken in the prepared baking dish. Mix the sauce, ginger, and red crushed pepper.  Coat the chicken.  Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile heat a wok or large pan on medium high heat.  Add the sunflower oil to coat.  Add the vegetables and stir fry, adding the garlic at the end.
Remove foil, baste with juices and more sauce and bake uncovered for for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through (the temperature should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.) 
Cooking time depends on how big the chicken pieces are and how hot your oven is; what matters most is that the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Once cooked, stir in the pineapple tidbits and let the chicken rest for two minutes.
Slice the chicken, pour juices over it, sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and serve.

Microwave Flourless Chocolate Mug Cakes

Adapted from Microwave Flourless Chocolate Mug Cakes
Serves 2

Ingredients
4 squares Trader Joe's Pound Plus 72% Dark Chocolate
2 T. unsalted butter
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. instant espresso
pinch cinnamon
sprinkle cayenne
1/8 t. orange extract
1 large egg
1 1/2 t. raw sugar
1/8 t. salt
1 1/2 t. Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder
Confectioners' sugar and fresh berries, for garnish

Directions

Melt the chocolate and butter with the extracts, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne in the microwave in 30-second intervals for 1-2 minutes or until it's almost melted, stirring at each interval.  Let it cool slightly.
 

Whisk egg, then gradually add in sugar and whisk until it becomes thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Fold in cooled chocolate mixture, then sift cocoa powder over top. Gently fold mixtures together until no streaks remain. 

Divide batter between 2 mugs. Microwave until tops are just firm to touch and centers are gooey when pierced with toothpick, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove mugs from the microwave (use a towel or oven mitt).  Dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve warm with berries. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings 2.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 310
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24 g	37 %
Saturated Fat 14 g	71 %
Monounsaturated Fat 4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 124 mg	41 %
Sodium 39 mg	2 %
Potassium 40 mg	1 %
Total Carbohydrate 17 g	6 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	15 %
Sugars 10 g
Protein 6 g	11 %
Vitamin A	10 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	2 %
Iron	33 %