Cookies for Breakfast!

Oats + Almond Flour

 So lately I've really been enjoying these super easy, delicious oatmeal cookies.They are mostly pretty healthy ingredients so if you feel like eating cookies for breakfast, I say go for it....it's better than sugar-puffs! 

 

Usually I bake them, but in the summer heat I discovered they are also good simply frozen instead. Since there are no eggs in the batter, it's safe to eat raw!


 This recipe is for a double batch, but feel free to half it.

It's a pretty forgiving recipe so if you want to experiment a bit it will most likely still taste good. Case in point: if you like a fluffier cookie, add 3 eggs to the batter (but don't eat raw then!).

I like to mix up the extracts for a fun variety of cookie flavor!

Ingredients  (for double batch)

• 4 cups of rolled oats (I use Trader Joe's Gluten Free Oats)
• 2 cups of almond meal/flour (Trader Joe's has some that isn't too expensive). You can also use another nut flour, rice flour, or whole wheat flour.
• 1 cup of shredded coconut (OPTIONAL)
• 2 tbs cinnamon
• dash of salt (about 1/4 teaspoon if you want to measure it out)
• 1 cup maple syrup (more or less to taste. Don't cut this too much though or the batter won't stick).
• 1 cup of coconut oil (or a light olive oil or sunflower oil)
• 2 tablespoons of extract. I like vanilla, almond, orange....feel free to mix and match here.
• 1 cup of walnuts (OPTIONAL)
• 1/2-1 cup of chocolate chips or raisins (OPTIONAL) 

Directions

1. In a large bowl mix dry ingredients, add in wet ingredients. Finally add in the nuts & chocolate chips or raisins. 

2. Put the batter in to the fridge for about 20minutes (this allows it to soften and hold together easier).

3. If baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

3. With your fingers or a melon-baller, roll batter into small balls. I like gum-ball sized cookies but you can make them larger if desired. 

4. Grease or line cookie tray with parchment paper. The double batch fills 2 cookie trays.

5. Either:

Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes until lightly brown around the edges. Cookies do not expand. You can't really under cook them but if you cook for too long they will dry out a bit so check often.

OR

Put cookie tray into freezer for about 3hours. Remove cookies and store in plastic bag or container.

Whole 30 - Day 7

Scrambled Eggs with Onions and Avocado

 Day 7 of Whole30 eating. 

 For breakfast I cooked red onions and garlic powder up with some coconut oil. Once they had started to caramelize (about 3 minutes over medium heat), I added 4 eggs and stirred until almost mostly cooked.  In the last minute I added 1/2 of a ripe avocado.
Served with 1/3 can of pineapple chunks. Drained the pineapple juice and squeezed some fresh lime into it.  Delicious and filling! 

Kiwi, carrot, nuts

Lunch today was a bit skimpy. I had planned to make something else, but forgot to cook it and got hungry first. Really more of a snack, but it filled me enough until dinner. 1 carrot, 1 kiwi, and about 1 cup mix of almonds, pistachios, and macadamia nuts.





 

For dinner, I cooked swordfish for the first time ever using this recipe: Swordfish with Avocado Salsa. The avocado that I had was starting to go bad, and I did not have much avocado to add so I also threw in the rest of the canned pineapple, really good!

I also made the most delicious creamed cauliflower ever.





CREAMY CAULIFLOWER

Take 1 head of cauliflower, broken into flourets and steam it until tender. Remove and throw into vitamix or blender. Add water or canned coconut milk as needed to blend. Blend with salt, pepper, and garlic power until creamy and smooth.

Brunch Philly 2013: Whole30 and more!

Welcome to 2013. With all the New Year's Resolutions and new starts going around, it seems like January is as good a time as any to experiment with new foods. Last year, I tried eating only raw foods for a week. You can read about it here: Brunch Philly's Raw Food Experiment 2012.

This year, I've embarked on something much longer and personally bigger. But let me back up a minute. For health reasons, I've unfortunately had to eliminate gluten from my diet. It's not something that was easy to do and not something that I would be doing if I could avoid it. But after (finally) following my doctor's advice to remove gluten from my diet for 30 days, the results were obvious. I'm hoping that with enough time, someday I may be successfully able to incorporate it again.  But for the time being, I've been eating wheat-free since August.

This makes brunch a bit different, since my favorite brunch foods are the sweet ones: stuffed french toast, pancakes, crepes.... yet you may have noticed that in my most recent reviews I've ordered the eggs. But 2013 has brought an even bigger change.

Some additional health issues have lead me to a place where my body just doesn't feel like me. I needed a "reset" button. Through the wonder of the internet, I stumbled across Whole30. It's a fairly specific plan for 30 days that promises renewed energy levels, no more food cravings, and more.

Brunchmates can attest to my love of all things dark chocolate. The idea of removing it almost entirely from my diet for 30 days (with the except of baking cocoa to be used as a spice), was bittersweet. Cravings gone? Sign me up. Dealing with cravings until they're gone? No fun.

But the need for a reset was strong. So I signed up for Whole30 a week ago today.

I considered doing it as a vegetarian. I had been one for 9 years. But ultimately I decided that if I was going to do this, I was all in. So, yes, I've started eating some limited meat again. This has reminded me why I became vegetarian to begin with: I'm not really a fan. That said, I've decided to stick with it for 30 days and then reassess because so far my body is a lot happier.

This blog entry has gone on long enough, and without enough photos, but a few final things:

1. After the first 3 days of eating only foods approved on the Whole30 list, I am happy to report that indeed, food cravings are gone. And along with it the urge for late night snacking.   While I do really look forward to Day31 when I can eat some chocolate again, I'm already planning to include it on a much more limited basis.

2.  I will be updating Brunch Philly with photos & recipes that I'm trying. Similar to the Raw Foods Diet, one of the best things I find about these food experiments is that it challenges me to cook with new ingredients and expand my horizons in the kitchen. Take for instance tonight, I cooked swordfish for the first time ever along with an amazing creamed cauliflower dish and some homemade pineapple-avocado salsa! I promise that I'll be sharing recipes soon.

3. There are some much bigger things in the works for Brunch Philly. I cannot say more about it just yet, but we (yes, I've lured some brunchmates to join me in this project) have some pretty big things in store for 2013. So if all goes according to plan I'll have some pretty exciting news to share in a few months time.... Stay Tuned!

Cherry Chia Cereal

Cherry Chia Cereal

This cereal is super easy to make. The chia has a slightly nutty consistency to it. If Grape-Nuts and oatmeal had a baby, it might taste a little something like this. Well, this probably tastes better. But you get the idea.

Depending on the color of your chia seeds, your cereal may look be a different color, but the taste should be similar.

Ingredients

•  1/4 cup of raw chia seeds 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1 tablespoon of coconut butter. I used Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter 
• A handful of dried cherries
• other fruit & nuts as desired 
• raw honey as desired
• spices (sea salt, cinnamon) to taste 

Mix the chia seeds with the water and the coconut butter. Allow to sit for approximately 5minutes, stirring once or twice. Mix in the extras and enjoy! It's as simple as that. 

Oasis Living Cuisine, Frazer PA (Part II)

While the shop at Oasis Living Cuisine is quite simple, the products are unique and competitively priced. They offer everything from raw "ice creams" made from nut-milk, to honeycomb, maca powder, hemp-seed spreads, and chocolate-covered kale chips. They also have an array of books available about eating & living a raw lifestyle.



In addition to their eclectic selection from others, Oasis offers their own product line of flavored raw nuts (from cinnamon to ranch), nut-based crackers, sprouted granola, "cheese" and more.



Their dehydrated kale chips have an airy crunch to them. I tried the coconut curry flavor, which is a playful mix of sweet & spicy. The lingering aroma of curry mixed with a hint of apple cider vinegar, evokes an old world melting with new. I could could see these pairing nicely with a curry chicken or sagg paneer. Or perhaps as the base for a raw foods version of a classic Indian dish.



Oasis also has a wide-array of raw chocolates. Some are sweetened with honey, others with agave. All of the chocolates are dark. It is clear that they use a high quality cocoa source that produces a decent consistency & flavor. That said, the texture is not as smooth as what you would find in a traditionally-made high quality dark chocolate.



Many of the truffles that I tasted had an almost crumbly texture, resulting from the combination of honey and nut fillings. I was underwhelmed by the fruit flavors (cherry, raspberry), but the coconut, mint, and ginger truly shined.







With Valentine's Day just around the corner, vegan & raw food chocoholics will be delighted to know that Oasis will have holiday themed, hand-crafted, raw, vegan chocolate truffles.






Their 2012 Valentine Truffle Collection includes flavors such as raspberry, blackberry, mint-to-be, burnin' love, and coconut cream--all crafted into beautiful hearts of different shapes. I especially like the blackberry: a beautifully dusted, oblong purple heart with a tart bite to it.




If you go:

• 134 Lancaster Ave, Frazer PA 19355
• Phone: (610) 647-9797
• They accept credit cards.
• Oasis Chocolate
• Oasis Online Store
  

Oasis Living Cuisine, Frazer PA (Part I)

In a classic case of "you can't tell a book by its cover," Oasis Living Cuisine is located in an older looking stretch of shops across from an empty field in Frazer, PA. Its neon 'open' sign and plastic seating does not scream "healthy brunch here," but it is in fact a mecca for raw foodies.




Oasis Living Cuisine offers a selection of raw pizzas, shakes, salads, desserts, organic juices and both raw & traditional wraps. Additionally they have a small shop of raw items that are difficult to find elsewhere (including indulgent raw chocolate truffles!).

On a recent visit I tried the Stuffed Avocado, with carrots, Brazil nut pate, and cashew sauce ($5.75).



A subtle hint of spice, creamy nut sauce, and perfectly ripe avocados make for a delicious mix of flavor and texture.


My brunchmate ordered a traditional Cheddar Avocado Wrap, with cheddar cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and hummus spread on your choice of wrap (including a gluten-free option) and choice of chips or carrot sticks ($7.50). The wrap was quite tasty, and nicely complemented by the crunch of chips, but unfortunately it lacked avocado in one half.



On another visit, I tried the Avocado Flax Wrap ($7.50), which is very similar to the traditional wrap except for the cheese & wrap itself. The flax wrap has a chewy texture to it, with an intense "flaxy" flavor.




While its a bit of an acquired taste, it is a welcome option for creating wraps for both raw food and gluten-free diners alike. Oasis Living Cuisine also sells the wraps to go in their shop.





The Chocolate Banana Shake is made with nutmilk, raw cocoa powder, banana, and agave ($5.75). The shake has a good consistency with a strong banana flavor and an understated touch of chocolate.



In my next post I will explore the shop at Oasis Living Cuisine as well as their raw chocolates. Stay Tuned!

If you go:

• 134 Lancaster Ave, Frazer, PA 19355
• Phone: (610) 647-9797
• They accept credit cards
• Open Mon-Sat
  
• Oasis Living Cuisine

Vedge Restaurant, Philadelphia PA

When husband/wife team Richard Landau and Kate Jacoby decided to close Horizons last July, Philadelphia lost a vegan dining treasure. Delicious food, slightly upscale yet affordable, Horizons was a place that both omnivores and vegans alike enjoyed.

Rumor has it Landau & Jacoby received an offer on the building that they could not refuse, so they closed shop and moved to 13th and Locust. Moving is not something new for this team. Horizons was originally located in Willow Grove, PA. But Landau & Jacoby decided it was time to end Horizons and reconceptualize their menu and focus more on a vegetable-based, locally sourced menu. And so, Vedge was born.

First things first, Vedge is NOT Horizons. If you go with the expectation that it is, you will be disappointed. One look at the menu and you realize that Vedge is a place for foodies. Menu words such as roasted maitake, farro, gochujang tofu, kohlrabi, carpaccio, and kimchee crema will enthrall foodies while confusing everyone else.

The second notable difference, and a bit of a surprise, are the portion sizes. As our server described, "I'd recommend ordering 2-3 items to get up to an appetizer or main course serving size. All of the plates are just slightly larger than tapas."

For my first dish, I ordered the fancy radishes, roasted & marinated, smoked tamari, nori, avocado, shishito ($8). It was very pretty to look at. The avocado was decorated with toasted sesame seeds and the strips of nori were quite playful. Radishes are not something I normally eat or enjoy, which is why I decided to try it. The marinated radishes were really good. The others were palatable, which is more than I can say for most radishes I've tasted in my life, but I feel like the price of this dish reflected the presentation more than substance. As my brunch-mate put it: "I like to go to restaurants to eat food, not look at food. This seems to be a restaurant where you're supposed to look at the food."

My brunch-mate ordered the portabella carpaccio, salsa rustica, arugula crema, olive oil, crostini ($9). The portabella was very nicely sliced, but would not have hurt from a bit more seasoning. The tiny bit of arugula crema I tasted had a nice sharp flavor that worked well with the dish, but I was not a fan of the salsa rustica.

My next course was a winner. Whipped turnips and sunchokes topped with roasted maitake mushrooms ($6). The creamy hot dish was similar to mashed potatoes in consistency, but with a hint of sweetness. And the maitakes gave it a satisfying crunch to each bite. Comfort food you can feel good about eating, and a dish with more than one bite of food.



I ordered this off of the "dirt list," which is a list of vegetable sides that changes daily, so who knows what the chances are that it will be available again. I do know that I will be doing my best to recreate this tasty side. If it's on the menu, order it!



My brunch-mate next tried the roasted maitake, creamy celery root, seared turnip, truffle, red wine($14). Given the amount of food on the plate, this is most certainly a dish that you are paying to look at. The creamy celery root was quite similar to mashed potatoes in texture and taste. The maitake was nicely prepared, but not memorable.


For dessert I ordered the "Choco-Taco," hazelnut tuile, mole ganache, burnt wood ice cream, and charred pineapple salsa ($9).
The hazelnut tuile was good but could have used a dash of salt to balance out its sweetness. The mole ganach was a nice dark bitter chocolate, but there was not enough of it for my liking. I was not a fan of the burnt wood ice cream or the charred pineapple salsa. Change those two items and we could be talking. The taco was topped with coconut whipped cream, which was nice and fluffy but left a strong coconut aftertaste.


I will be very curious to see how Vedge grows and if there is enough of a market to support the upscale vegan tapas vibe they have going. Right now the menu is a bit of a hit or miss (unlike Horizons where everything was a hit or a smashing success), but hopefully with a bit of time they will refine the menu and portion sizes. Will I dine here again for dinner? Probably not anytime soon. Will I go here for happy hour or late-night drinks & appetizers? Absolutely.


If you go:

• 1221 Locust Street
  Philadelphia, PA 19107
• Phone: 215.320.7500
• They accept credit cards.
• Vedge Restaurant

2012 Raw Foods Challenge: Retrospective

Eating raw this week was a lot easier than I expected it to be. A lot more enjoyable too. And I feel really good. No food comas, or mid-afternoon slumps. No extreme cravings or that feeling of hunger that inexplicably remains sometimes after consuming a high calorie meal.



Yesterday I ate a brownie bite that looked fantastic, but after a week of eating unprocessed raw foods it tasted gross. I almost spit it out because of the super-sugary-preservative-flavor it delivered. I did not intend to stay on a totally raw diet, and I haven't, but in the two days since the challenge ended I chose to eat totally raw for both breakfast & lunch. And I have a feeling that I may continue to keep that up. If you've ever considered eating a diet of simply raw foods, I encourage you to try it (I'm not a doctor or dietitian, so you may want to talk with yours first). Even if you're not up for a radical change, try eating raw for one meal a day. You may be surprised at how energized you feel.

One of the best things I discovered about trying a raw diet is how many vegetables, fruits and nuts I've overlooked. For instance, I discovered that burdock root isn't half bad when chopped up with carrot sticks & served with dip (pictured above). And I've also discovered that eating raw doesn't have to be super complicated and you don't need to run out and buy any special kitchen gadgets to do it.



At the end of the day, moderation in any food choices seems to make the most sense. And perhaps that's what I liked about eating raw, it encouraged me to incorporate new foods and expand my diet.


Almost Raw Salad

Ingredients
3-4 cups of spinach
1-2 leaves of swiss chard
handful of raspberries
1oz soft herb goat cheese
1 cup adzuki beans
1/4 cup of mango chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup pomegranates
juice of 1/2 a lime


Rise & dry greens. Break cheese into small pieces & coat the greens. Mix together all the other ingredients and squeeze lime juice over everything.

2012 Raw Foods Challenge, Day 7

Raw Foods Challenge, day 7.

Today is the last day of the challenge. If it had been the first, I probably would have put off eating raw so I'm glad it was the last.




I met brunch mates for breakfast at a diner. I planned ahead and had a delicious smoothie with fruits, greens, and coconut water. At the diner I decided that I would eat non-raw if I wanted to, but instead decided to order grapefruit.


For lunch I had some nuts, honey, raw cheese, and fruit. I've found this to be such an easy lunch and does not get old because it is easy to vary the type of nuts & fruit (and to a lesser extent the raw cheese). Usually after lunch I usually crave something sweet, but the honey is sweet enough to satisfy that desire.


For dinner I had Brad's Raw Sun Dried Tomato Chips with Awesome Food's Egg-less Salad and a Citrus Kombucha. The salad has a nice crunch of celery and great mix of spices. It tastes great with the chips, I only wish that raw prepared foods were not so expensive. The combined retail price of these three items cost $16.07. Fine for a treat, but not an everyday meal.

Later in the day, I bought some raw mango slices to snack on. I've had mango slices before. Neither liked or dislike them, just neutral. But today they taste amazing. Not sure if my taste-buds have opened up or if I just got an especially good batch. I am thinking it is the former.

Overall I've really enjoyed experiencing a raw foods diet. Trying it for a week is a challenge that while difficult at first, is not impossible by any means. This experience has made me more conscious about foods and how they make me feel. I already was what most people would consider a healthy eater, but eating raw has opened my eyes to a whole new perspective on food.

2012 Raw Foods Challenge, Day 6

Day 6. I had a smoothie with fruit & greens for breakfast. Raw trek mix, fruit & honey for lunch, and raw guacamole with Brad's Sun Dried Tomato Chips. I don't really like these chips on their own, but with the right pairing the flavor explodes. They are really good with guacamole.




Raw Guacamole

Ingredients
1 avocado
juice from 1/2 fresh lime
lemon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped onion (optional)
dash of sea salt (optional)

Mash everything together until smooth & creamy. Serves 1-2.

2012 Raw Foods Challenge, Day 5

Day 5. I was not very hungry today. Not sure why. But I felt satisfied by all that I did eat, and when I broke down the nutritional information for today, I was a little low on protein but otherwise good.

Breakfast was kombucha and some clementines.






For lunch, I ate this:



For dinner I had leftover salad, some Go Raw Trek Mix, a bit more cheese & honey, and this smoothie:


Ingredients
1 banana
handful of frozen strawberries
handful of frozen blueberries
1 cup of spinach
1 container of TJ's mango puree
1 tbs. of ground flaxseed
coconut water (less water='soft serve style' more water='drinkable')
pomegranate seeds

Blend everything except for the pomegranate seeds. Pour into glass & sprinkle seeds on top.

2012 Raw Foods Challenge, Day 4

Day four started with oatmeal. Soaked oats are not at all like cooked oatmeal that's cold. When you eat cooked oatmeal when it's cold, it's usually a solid lump. Raw soaked oatmeal's texture is much more like hot oatmeal. But you need to plan ahead on this one for it to turn out right.



Ingredients:

1/4 cup of oatmeal
1/2 cup of water
dash of cinnamon
raw honey to taste
fresh or dried berries


1 day before you want to eat it, mix the oatmeal, water and cinnamon. When blended, put into the fridge. Give it a stir once or twice over the next 24 hours. The next morning add the berries & eat!


For lunch I had almonds, clementines, honeycomb, and cheese.
And for dinner I made a salad:


Ingredients:
about 2 cups of spinach
lemon-cashew dressing (See: the "pasta sauce" recipe from Day 3's dinner)
handful of raspberries
handful of blueberries
carrot
grape tomatoes


Toss everything together & coat with the lemon-cashew dressing.

2012 Raw Foods Challenge, Day 3

Day 3. I honestly was not sure I would make it this far, and I thought it would be a bit more difficult than it has been. I don't plan on keeping a totally raw diet after this, but it has been an interesting undertaking so far & I haven't really felt cravings, hunger, or lack of energy like I thought I might.



Breakfast was clementines, apple slices, raw cheddar cheese, honeycomb and almonds. Super easy & a delicious sweet start to the day.





For lunch I had leftover salad & raspberry chia kombucha. If you've never had kombucha, it is definitely an acquired taste. The first time I bought a bottle I thought it had gone bad. However, it grew on me when I was under the weather once & discovered how quickly I felt better after drinking some--it's filled with B vitamins & probiotics.





For a mid-afternoon snack I had some raw dark chocolate & leafy kale chips.



For dinner I made some raw "creamy pasta."



Ingredients:

1 carrot
1 zucchini
a handful of grape tomatoes
about 1 cup of raw cashews
Juice of 1 lemon
about 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
water as needed
lemon pepper
chipotle pepper



Combine the cashews with nutritional yeast, lemon juice & water. Blend until smooth.
Add lemon pepper to taste.
Grate the carrot & the zucchini into strips.
Pour the sauce over it & top with tomatoes & chipolte pepper.

2012 Raw Foods Challenge, Day 2

Day 2 of the Raw Foods Challenge. I started the day with a delicious smoothie. I combined 1 cara cara orange, some frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, ground flaxseeds, a handful of spinach, and some coconut water. I was pleasantly surprised at how filling it was, not to mention yummy.








For lunch I had a raw pumpkin bar & some Brad's Raw Kale (the addictive snack that lead me to this challenge to begin with). The pumpkin bar was only so-so but handy to eat on the go.






For dinner I made a Berry Spinach Salad. I really love putting fruit into my salads. This one turned out rather well.


Ingredients:

About 4 cups of spinach
1/4 cup of Trader Joe's Go Raw Trek Mix
1 clementine
a handful of raspberries
a handful of blueberries
a handful of pomegranate seeds
leftover tomato-avocado salad (or just some avocado & some tomatoes)
Idiazabal cheese, made from raw sheep's milk





Mix everything together & eat!

2012 Raw Foods Challenge, Day 1

Happy New Year! I decided to start this year with a challenge.

Specifically, Brad's Raw Chips 7 Day Raw Foods Challenge .

I always figured that if I would ever try a raw foods diet it would be in the middle of summer, but today marks day one of the seven day challenge. Each day I'm going to be writing about the experience and posting recipes and photos.





Today I started breakfast with a delicious fresh grapefruit, something I love in the mornings anyway so it was hardly a challenge. Preparing it is super easy with a grapefruit knife.









For lunch, I had an apple, a handful of steam-pasteurized almonds, a slice of Amish raw milk cheddar cheese with microbial rennet, and a piece of somewhat local raw honeycomb.







Despite what you might think, honeycomb is totally edible and quite tasty when paired with nuts, fruit & cheese!




For dinner I'm making one of my summer favorites, Tomato Avocado salad (with the onion and fresh squeezed lemon pictured below). However, I think I may have messed up a little bit. My recipe includes balsamic vinegar, which I thought was raw, but after a quick search on the internet it seems most (if not all) are not. Oops! Hopefully that won't disqualify me, but all in all this has been a pretty raw day.



Another new thing for Brunch Philly this year, I'm going to be posting occasional recipe videos. The first one will appear later today and is for tonight's dinner, Tomato Avocado Salad. Stay tuned!