"Today I will Live inThe Moment, Unless Its Unpleasant...In which case I will eat a cookie"- Cookie Monster

Being very pregnant, getting lots of fiber in my diet is super important to me right now.   One of my favorite ways to eat more fiber is incorporating lots of oats into my meals.  Oats contain more soluble fiber than any other grain. I use them in oatmeal, muffins, breads and is even a great binder in meatloaf to use instead of breadcrumbs.  If you're trying to lower your cholesterol consuming 2-3 servings of oats per day day can really help. I'm not saying eating 3 servings of cookies every day will help, but the extra fiber in your diet is always a good thing.

With the holiday season upon us, I've got baking on the brain...specifically cookies (as if you couldn't tell where I was going already with this post).  One thing that always bugs me is why do people add regular white flour to oatmeal cookies.  Why add something that doesn't really add nutritional value, when you can use the good stuff for no extra cost? I like to use all oats in my oatmeal cookies. its easy. Just take half of your oats and pulverize them in the food processor to make your own oat flour. As an added bonus, this makes these cookies naturally gluten free. 

16oz rolled oats toasted at 375 for 20 mins

Place half of toasted oats in food processor to make a flour. Once pulverized add 1tsp cinnamon and 1tsp aluminum free baking powder and a pinch of sea salt.

In a mixer, combine your wet ingredients on high speed:

10oz unsalted room temp butter, 6oz dark brown sugar, 3.5 oz organic cane sugar, and beat together to cream until smooth ( about 3 mins)

Slow mixer to low and add 1 large egg, & 1tsp vanilla extract.

Add flour mixture slowly into wet ingredients. Next add optional ingredients such as nuts, chocolate chips or raisins. Also add the other half of the rolled oats that weren't pulverized. Bake 375 12 minutes. If you use 1 tablespoon size drops of dough, this recipe makes about 4 dozen nibbler sized cookies. 

Note: if you have a gluten intolerance, make sure to buy certified Gluten Free rolled oats. Oats do not contain gluten but many brands are processed in the same plants as conventional flours/ I tend to trust Bob's Red Mill brand the most.  Also, if you are vegan or have a dairy intolerance, you can substitute Earth Balance Sticks for the butter. I find they do not alter the texture.

Now the hard part is keeping my husband out of the tins through the week so we have some left for when company comes over.  Hope you enjoy them! 

Sprouted Grains & MFM Recipe: Eggplant Lasagna

Happy Meat Free Monday all! In my post last night I mentioned I was having a sprouted grain bagel with almond butter for breakfast this morning. I did and I added some sliced banana on top and it was delicious!
But what is exactly the difference between a sprouted grain bagel and a regular one?

Until about a hundred years ago, humans harvested their grains, tied them into sheaves, and left them in the field until they were ready to thresh the grain. Inevitably, with this exposure to the weather, at least some of the grain would begin to sprout.

First, a quick primer on what sprouted bread is, and how it differs from white and whole-wheat bread:
Whole-wheat bread is made by grinding wheat kernels -- comprised of a vitamin-rich germ, a protein- and carbohydrate-dense endosperm and an outer shell called the bran -- into whole-wheat flour.
White bread is made by removing the wheat kernel's germ and bran, grinding up only the endosperm into flour.  Sprouted-grain breads are made from wheat kernels (often called wheat berries) that are allowed to sprout and then ground up and baked into bread. Because the kernels are not ground into flour, such breads are often referred to as "flourless." (Sprouted-grain breads do, however, contain gluten -- so they are no easier to metabolize for people who are unable to digest this wheat protein.)

Sprouted-grain breads made from an array of grains and legumes can provide a complete set of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins Sprouted-grain breads may also be slightly higher in protein because some carbohydrates are lost in the process of sprouting -- resulting in a final product in which protein represents a greater fraction of the sprout than it did in the germ.  Sprouting grains increases many of the grains' key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine. Sprouted grains may also be less allergenic to those with grain protein sensitivities.


So that is the cliff notes version of sprouted grains.  I was in a good mood and determined continue my healthy day but hadn't had time to pack lunch. Lunch out on meat free Monday is always a challenge but is still doable. Today I headed to Wegman's and raided their salad bar. I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of really good whole grain salads there today. I tried a barley & wild rice salad that had raisins and cranberries. I also tried a red quinoa salad that had some cranberries and blueberries, accompanied by some fresh spinach.  It was yummy, filling and I got in more whole grains and fruit for the day.

my yummy lunch

Dinner in our household on meatless days is always a challenge.... I eat just about everything, but my husband on the other hand, can be quite the picky eater. I settled on a meat free lasagna. I made it by layering eggplant that I had sliced thin, mozzarella cheese, fresh sauteed spinach, whole wheat fresh pasta and a ricotta filling. For the ricotta filling I used 1 egg, a quart of part skim organic ricotta, about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, and a bunch of dried Italian herbs. I tossed in a handful of Parmesan cheese and mixed everything together.

A note for you gluten free folks, The sliced eggplant can be used instead of lasagna noodles when making your layers. I learned to do this years ago while on a no carb diet and its really tasty. You won't even notice the pasta is missing.

In between my layers I used a spicy tomato sauce to give it a bit of a kick. It turned out really tasty and we'll be enjoying the leftovers in our lunches.  Lasagna really hits the spot for me on chilly nights.  Well that's it for tonight gang.  My next post will be about ways to pack a greener lunch. I'll also be continuing my breakfast experiments throughout the week. Until next time... Bon Appetito!