cravings

I'm pregnant. And not to be all overly-sentimental, but it really is magical to know that my body is making a person. I love each of my kids so much and I'd do anything for them. But, at least for me, with the miracle of pregnancy comes a couple of very unfortunate changes. Those changes are my sweet tooth and weight gain. Usually, I don't crave sweet things. I love my occasional chewy chocolate chip cookie or bright lemon tart, and let's not forget a super rich chocolate cake smothered in ganache. But, in general, I usually would prefer seconds on dinner over dessert. But once I get over the hurdle of the miserable first trimester morning sickness (which is a total misnomer! Whoever thought to make the world think that the nausea subsides in the afternoon was lying), and I finally have some energy again, I suddenly want chocolate. No, really, like all the time. It hurts.

And you're thinking, "pregnant lady, then just eat the darn chocolate." But I really shouldn't, right? Not every craving is telling me what my body needs. Some are just crazy pregnant lady pointless cravings. So what am I supposed to do? I can't go out and buy a box of double chocolate magnum bars every time it hits. As much as I want to.

This exact thing happened to me the other day. And I didn't even have cocoa powder in my pantry. I'm not sure how in the world that could have happened, but it did. And I panicked. My chocolate hankering was a need. I tried to distract myself with chores like doing the dishes, but then I magically got stopped by the pantry, and started digging around for chocolate. So I tried again to take my mind off of it by checking my email, and somehow I ended up on pinterest, searching for no bake cookie recipes. The amazing thing was that I found several nutritious versions which got my mind racing. Somehow, I was able to scrounge up some usable ingredients to experiment with, and I got to work right away. The cool thing is, it all came together in minutes and I was eating my "cookies" within the half hour. And I didn't even have to feel bad because they were good for me!

The trick to this recipe is the dates. They are the base of the whole cookie. They are the structure and the sweetness. The fabulous thing about dates, particularly the Medjool variety, is that they are not only sweet but have a caramel-like complexity to them. But not only that, they are really good for you! Dates are great at aiding in digestion due to their high fiber content. They also provide calcium, selenium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, potassium, and a whole bunch of other beneficial nutrients. What's not to love, right?

Along with the dates, we're using coconut flakes, coconut oil, nut or seed butter, and oats, with the optional cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips. All of which love your body with fiber, protein, all sorts of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and if you use the seed mix, you'll even get omega 3's and all sorts of other benefits.

... As far as quantity goes, we should probably be careful with these guys. They are addicting. Because even if they're made with good sugars and fats, they're sugars and fats. Too much is still too much. But go ahead and have a couple. It's definitely better than eating your traditional cookies. And you'd be surprised how tasty.

Nutritious no-bake, gluten-free, raw, vegan cookie bars

makes 16

18 Medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (vegan if needed) or 3 tablespoons cacao nibs

2 tablespoons nut or seed butter (raw if needed)

2 tablespoons coconut oil, plus more for greasing the pan

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

pinch of coarse sea salt

raw seeds, optional (I always have a jar in my fridge with equal parts chia seeds, flax seeds, black and brown sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, and sliced almonds to sprinkle on my yogurt or in my smoothies or whatever. I liked it in these cookies, but they're not necessary for flavor or structure)

1. Generously grease an 8x8 baking pan with coconut oil.
2. Pulse the dates in the food processor until coarsely chopped. You may need to stop and redistribute the contents because they tend to clump up a bit.
3. Add all of the rest of the ingredients and pulse until medium chopped and well mixed. Don't over process, you want a little texture to it.
4. Press the mixture into the prepared pan and freeze for 15 minutes or until firm. Cut into 16 squares. Put uneaten pieces back in the freezer for later.

< sweet way to wake up >

Happy Valentine's day, friends! I had these grand plans to make a special breakfast full of heart-shaped hand pies and and a creamy, pink smoothie for breakfast today, but our car started having problems and my sweetie had to take it in to the shop early before heading to school, so our morning plans were cut short. So I think the hand pies will have to wait until tomorrow. Instead, we had one of our favorite usual breakfasts: Chia seed pudding. And not just any chia seed pudding, but a creamy coconut pudding.

The texture is more like the coconut milk tapioca "pudding" I grew up eating. Or use less liquid, and it'll be more like American tapioca pudding. Yum, right? Adding coconut has it's health benefits, too. Coconuts are high in fiber, vitamins C, E, and a bunch of the B's, magnesium (which most Americans are deficient in), and phospherus. The coconut milk doesn't have the fiber, so topping it with coconut is not only nice for your palate, the rest of your body will thank you for it, too.

So go ahead and make some coconut chia pudding and eat dessert for breakfast and feel good knowing you're doing some good for your body.

Coconut Chia Seed pudding with fruit
serves 6-8
I know this is a really large portion. We always have a little left over for a snack later in the day. I used to make half of this, and my kids were always asking for more. So if it works better for you, by all means halve this recipe. And use the rest of the coconut milk in curry for dinner, maybe? Or a smoothie! Yum!

1 can coconut milk*
enough almond milk (or other milk you want to use) to make 5 cups of liquid in combination with the coconut milk
2/3 cups chia seeds
raw honey or pure maple syrup to taste
coconut flakes to sprinkle on top (optional)
chopped fruit*

*notes: for the coconut milk, make sure you buy coconut milk, not cream of coconut. And don't go light on this. The fat in coconut milk is mostly lauric acid, which "is converted in the body into a highly beneficial compound called monolaurin, an antiviral and antibacterial that destroys a wide variety of disease causing organisms." So feel good about the fat you're eating. I don't believe in low fat anyway.
And today I served it with strawberries in the shape of hearts, but usually we like to eat it with fresh pineapple or oranges. But really, I think most fruit would be good in this. Ripe peaches in the middle peach season! Can you imagine?

1. In a large container (I use a half-gallon mason jar, but you can easily do 2 quart sized jars), combine the coconut milk, almond milk, chia seeds, and sweetener. If using a jar, put the lid on the shake until well combined. If using a bowl, stir until well combined. For the first 20 minutes, you'll want to give it another shake or stir a few times until it's thickened enough for the seeds to be evenly distributed and suspended in the liquid. Otherwise, you'll have a huge, extra thick clump on the bottom and a thin liquid on top. Once the seeds are suspended, it's ready for the fridge. Stick it in the fridge overnight, or at least 4 hours. Serve with fresh fruit and coconut flakes (and an extra drizzle of honey if you like it extra sweet).

< winter blues breakfast >

We've had a long Winter here in central Illinois. The never ending sub-zero temperatures, the snow, the wind. It's hard to get out of my warm and cozy bed sometimes. Especially to get up and make breakfast for my hungry little monsters because, well, we live in an old house. And the kitchen is the biggest room in the house. Awesome, right? Yes, except there's only one teeny tiny vent in that biggest room in the house, and that vent seems to be the last on the route for the warm air because the air coming out of it doesn't feel as warm as in other rooms. Could be my imagination, but I don't think it is. I usually have to add extra layers to go in there.

So on those bitter cold mornings, I have to have a plan to keep us warm. Some mornings that's making muffins or German pancakes just so I have an excuse to turn on the oven. But more likely is a hot bowl of oatmeal or multi-grain porridge. My kids love it, and I've learned to appreciate it. And it's a good heat you up from the inside, stick-to-your-ribs kind of breakfast.

See, I didn't grow up on sweet porridges. I grew up on savory breakfasts. I still don't like donuts or any other extremely sweet food first thing in the morning. I like my eggs and toast and hashbrowns or miso soup and rice and vegetables. But I have a serious sweet tooth husband who is the master pancake maker (mainly because early in our marriage he realized that if he wanted his beloved sweet pancakes for breakfast, he would have to learn to make them himself--and learn he did. They really are the best pancakes ever), and 3 little kids who have a little bit of both of us in them. And oatmeal is our happy compromise. It's nutritious and dense and hearty and can be customized however you want. I eat mine savory sometimes, while everyone else eats their sweet. And other times I join in on the fun.

But sorry to say, I still don't like your standard rolled oats porridge. It's a little too gluey for my palate. Maybe it's the foreigner in me. Yes, let's blame it on that. But I do really like steel cut oats. It has a sturdier mouthfeel that is so much more pleasing to me. But who wants to stand over a stove, stirring for over 30 minutes just for a your usual weekday morning meal? As I've mentioned before, I'm not a morning person. So my answer would definitely be: not me. And I know there are a lot of slow-cooker methods out there for overnight oats, but the ones I've tried all end up with crusty edges that you can't use or more complicated water baths and such. If any of you have experienced the frustrations that I have, hopefully this method will help. And you know the awesome part? If you have leftovers, pop them in the fridge and reheat when you want to eat them. They don't get gluey-er, they just get creamier.

So here is the basic overnight oatmeal recipe and a multi-grain porridge variation for you to try. You'll never go back.

Stove top overnight steel cut oatmeal (and multi-grain porridge variation)
makes about 6 servings (depending on how much you consider to be 1 serving)
adapted from the kitchn's overnight steel cut oats

2 cups steel cut oats
6 cups water
large pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (omit if serving savory)

1. In a medium or large sauce pan, heat the water, oats, and salt over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat, put the lid on it, and let it sit over night. Reheat in the morning. You may need to add milk or water to loosen it up depending on desired thickness. Top with your favorite oatmeal toppings.

Multi-grain porridge variation:

1 cup steel cut oats

1/3 cup mixed whole grain or brown rice, rinsed thoroughly

1/3 cup millet

1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly

6 cups water

large pinch of salt

Follow the instructions above for the standard steel cut oats.

< most important meal of the day >

When I was in high school, I attended and early morning scripture study class. I had to get up at 5 am and had to leave the house by 5:45. And somehow my mom woke up every morning when I did, and while I was in the shower, she managed to get a hot breakfast ready for me. It was usually a bowl of rice with a Japanese style omelet, and a bowl of miso soup. Or sometimes a fried egg, some vegetables, and toast. Whatever it was, I think I kind of took it for granted because that's just what Japanese moms do. They show their love through the food they make. And I think a part of me has adapted that, thank goodness, but I also think I'm a little more laid back (translated: lazy) than most Japanese moms, and I also have a very kind and understanding husband who lets his sometimes sleep-deprived and exhausted, not-a-morning-person wife sleep in. And for mornings like that, I need to have quick things prepared for him to grab and go in the pantry.

Cereal, you ask? Go ahead and roll your eyes at me because I don't buy cold cereal like most people, but instead I make my own. But let me defend myself here before you all think I'm some sort of pretentious snob. Yes, I try to avoid processed foods. And yes, I try to use more whole, nutritious foods. But that's not news to anybody, right? And guess what? It's just cheaper to make it yourself. And it's not a whole lot of work. Stir the ingredients together, toss it on a baking sheet, put it in the oven, set the timer, and walk away. Then pull it out of the oven, let it cool, put it in an airtight container to use all week. Not bad, right? Hands on time, maybe 10 minutes. Maybe. We all have 10 minutes, don't we? And I feel good about what I'm feeding my family, which is the best part. So give it a shot, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Homemade cold cereal
Makes about 8 cups of cereal
adapted from whole living's recipe for toasted muesli by Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle et Vanille

boiling water (enough to cover millet)
1/2 cup millet
2 cups rolled oats (make sure and get certified gluten-free oats if it needs to be gluten-free)
1 cup almonds (or any other nut or seed of choice) chopped small
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or scrape out 1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar, (optional, see note)
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 oz (or however much or little you want) freeze dried strawberries (see note)

note: the brown sugar isn't a must. The cane sugar helps to encourage the dry ingredients to "clump" together. If you omit it, the resulting cereal will have a looser consistency. I prefer the clumps, but it's a matter of personal preference, really. Also, you can replace the strawberries with any freeze-dried or dried fruit, or even chocolate chips for a more decadent treat. Totally customizable.

1. In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the millet and let sit for 30 minutes to soften.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the millet in a fine mesh strainer. In a large bowl, combine the millet, oats, almonds (or other nuts or seeds), flax seeds, coconut flakes, and vanilla.
3. In a small sauce pan, heat the honey, salt, coconut oil, and brown sugar until melted and sugar and salt are dissolved. Pour over the oat mixture and stir well to combine.
4. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and pat down so that it's an even, thin layer. Place in the oven, tossing once, until golden brown. 20-30 minutes. Let col completely.
5. Once cooled, add the freeze dried strawberries, and place in an airtight container for up to two weeks.