- Page 36 of 69 - Wholesome Recipes Made for Sharing

March 24, 2015

Muesli Pancakes

We’re now getting back to our normal routine after my daughter was sick with a fever last week and missed nearly the entire week of school. It wasn’t all bad since it gave us a chance for us to slow down a bit and get in lots of extra snuggle time. I made her homemade chicken noodle soup among some other favorite foods, but for about five days, she ate nothing besides smoothies and these muesli pancakes. Something about these pancakes worked for her in her sickness and I felt comforted that she would at least eat something. They are a variation of these blueberry oatcakes, which are also a favorite, except raisins and dried apples replace the blueberries and a combination of oats, barley, rye, and seeds replace the plain oats. This multi-grain muesli is such a wonderful mixture of grains, seeds, and fruit and I’ve been finding all sorts of uses for it. Note that the muesli does need to be soaked overnight in yogurt the evening before you make these so plan ahead accordingly. These pancakes are pleasantly hearty, soft and tender, and full of so many wholesome ingredients. Hope you enjoy!

Muesli Cakes

Ingredients

2 cups multi-grain muesli
2 cups plain yogurt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons honey
1 mashed banana, about ⅓ cup
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground flax
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Unsalted butter for frying

Instructions

The evening before, mix the muesli and yogurt together in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, add the eggs, honey, and mashed banana to the muesli and yogurt and mix together with a wooden spoon.
In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flour, flax, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until dry ingredients are just incorporated. Batter should be fairly thick.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or griddle. Ladle the oat batter into the pan, spreading batter if necessary to make circles about ⅓" thick. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the underside is golden brown and then flip to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden brown.
Serve warm along with maple syrup, if desired.

March 20, 2015

Pantry Linguini with Clam Sauce

As much as I try to cook with the freshest possible ingredients, there are days when a trip to the store is long overdue and the refrigerator is sparse. Those are the days that call for pantry pasta dinners and this linguini with clam sauce is my son’s favorite. I am his hero whenever I make this. (As you can see from the photo, I actually used spaghetti since I didn’t have any linguine on hand, but calling it “spaghetti with clam sauce” didn’t quite have the same ring as “linguine with clam sauce.” ) Sometimes I wonder why I bother making more complicated meals when my kids are totally content with simplicity. I always make sure to keep my pantry stocked with several cans of canned clams just for days when I need to throw together a quick dinner. While nothing really beats the flavor of fresh clams, canned clams are still delicious and so much more convenient. The wonderful thing about this pasta is that if you have canned clams, white wine, and fresh parsley, you probably have everything else on hand to pull this together. I would not recommend substituting dried parsley for the fresh as the fresh parsley really adds a brighter flavor and a sprinkle of color. From start to finish, this meal takes 15 minutes tops to prepare. So many things to love about this pasta!

Pantry Linguini with Clam Sauce

Ingredients

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 6.5-ounce cans chopped clams
⅓ cup white wine
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
12 ounces linguine or spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
squeeze fresh lemon juice
extra chopped parsley for garnishing

Instructions

In a large pot or saute pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add undrained clams and juice, wine, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parsley and simmer for an additional minute.
Add noodles and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Toss and cook until heated through. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve with additional chopped parsley and crushed red pepper, optional.

Notes

adapted from Southern Living

link

March 17, 2015

Kale Salad Tortillas with Za’atar Yogurt

I made lunch for just myself yesterday and was pleasantly surprised at the newfound freedom that went along with that. Cooking for only myself is something I rarely do these days so I found it refreshing not having to worry about pleasing anyone else’s palette besides my own. Don’t misunderstand, some of my greatest joys come from cooking for others and I love bringing people together to share a meal. It’s a privilege to be able to feed and nourish others. Lately though my kids have become frustratingly pickier eaters (Aren’t they supposed to become less picky as they grow older?!) and it’s interesting how my choices in food differ when it’s just me. These kale salad tortillas with za-atar yogurt… these are what my dreams are made of.

I mostly used the recipe for this kale salad, except this time I added thinly sliced fennel and substituted sunflower seeds and pepitas for the pine nuts. For the tortillas, I used sprouted multigrain, which I heated directly over an open flame on the stove. Carefully heating the tortillas this way achieves those beautiful charred edges without using a grill. I often find all-natural sprouted grain tortillas stiff and dry, but after a few minutes of heat, they become soft, pliable, and so much more toothsome.

Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that has lots of variations, but is usually a mixture of dried thyme, sumac, roasted sesame seeds, and salt. You can buy it pre-made in the spice aisle or make your own. The za’atar yogurt layered at the bottom and drizzled on top gives these tortillas that extra kick in flavor and creaminess. It adds a slight tang and complements the bright lemony kale salad perfectly. I ate all three of these for lunch.

And as it turns out, Ryan ended up giving these leftovers a thumbs up and my little girl willingly gave the salad a try, so there may be opportunities for me to make this again for the family after all.

Kale Salad Tortillas with Za'atar Yogurt

Serves: 12 6-inch tortillas

Ingredients

Kale Salad

1 bunch kale
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
¾ cup thinly sliced fennel (about ½ fennel bulb)
3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons toasted pepitas
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
dash of pepper
Za'atar Yogurt
1 cup plain whole milk or low fat yogurt
1 teaspoon za'atar
pinch of kosher salt
sprouted multigrain tortillas

Instructions

Kale Salad

Remove kale leaves from the tough stalks and thinly slice kale into shreds. Toss with the cabbage, carrots, fennel, and seeds.
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together. Pour over salad, tossing together until salad is evenly coated. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Allow salad to marinate in dressing for 15 minutes or so while preparing tortillas and za'atar yogurt.
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, za'atar, and salt. Set aside.
To prepare tortillas, turn a stove burner to medium high. Using tongs, carefully hold a tortilla over the open flame, about 2 minutes per side until tortilla becomes soft and pliable and edges begin to char. While tortilla is still warm, gently mold tortilla into a taco shape. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon za'atar yogurt on the bottom of the tortilla. Top with kale salad and an additional drizzle of yogurt. Serve immediately.