Cooking Through “The Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook” – Ann’s Oats With Grapes

Ann’s Oats With Grapes from page 43

Well, I was bound to come across another recipe that I didn’t like from The Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook. This one was it.

Simple enough….rolled oats, grapes and ground chia or flax seed. The recipe has the option to add other fruit, such as banana or berries, but I was at work when I ate this and didn’t have any of those items on hand. Ann also gives an option to squeeze the juice from a grapefruit into the oats for a more wet cereal, but again, I did not have that one hand.

Yuck…this was so dry, I couldn’t get past the first spoonful. While the grapes tasted fine with the oats and definitely added enough sweetness, the grapes did not add enough moisture.

Luckily for me, I keep unsweetened almond milk at work. I just added some and let my oats sit for a few minutes. At least this way I didn’t waste any food and I still had something for breakfast. I don’t normally cook my oats anyway (unless they are steel cut), so this worked out fine for me.

No prep time at all for this one. Literally putting the oats and seeds in a bowl (in my case a coffee mug) and halving the grapes.

NOTES:

• Just not a winner in my book.
• If you decide to try this, be sure to have liquid on hand in case you need it.

Everyday Happy Herbivore – Spinach & Artichoke Frittata

Spinach & Artichoke Frittata from page 32

If you are not familiar with Happy Herbivore, you do not know what you are missing. I currently have three of the HH cookbooks in my repertoire. Happy Herbivore, Everyday Happy Herbivore, and Happy Herbivore Abroad. All of Lindsay’s recipes are low fat vegan, have easy to find ingredients, come together in a snap, and are, of course, absolutely delish.  She has a great website that she graciously shares her insight and her wonderful recipes.  Click here to pay her a visit.

This frittata has become a staple in our home. I had tried several different recipes that I had found for tofu frittatas, but they always fell short somehow. This one was absolutely perfect. Once you learn how to make this frittata, you can swap out the veggies very easily.

We do prefer this recipe once it has had a chance to set up in the fridge overnight. But even if we decide one morning that we want it, I can have this on the table in about 75 minutes flat. It only takes about 15 minutes to blend up the tofu mixture, chop up the veggies, sauté the leek and 50-60 minutes to cook. We like it a bit browned on top, so I usually cook it for the full 60 minutes.

At first, you are not quite sure how everything is going taste all together. But, one bite and you thing, Hmmm…this is pretty good. The combination just works. Second bite, and you are in vegan breakfast bliss. You know that this is going to come out of you kitchen many times in the future. The tofu is creamy and flavorful, the artichokes work nicely alongside the spinach…everything is right in the world. You realize that this is not just for breakfast. This can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

NOTES:

• I always add sautéed leek. We love leek in this recipe.
• As always, greens are interchangeable. Use what you like.
• I usually add more greens than the recipe calls for.
• We serve this frittata with Sriracha for a little kick. After all, what is a vegan kitchen without Sriracha?
• We get 4 servings out of this as the recipe states. Your mileage may vary.

Cooking Through “The Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook” – Savory Smoky Oats

Savory Smoky Oats from page 54

Just let me say this. Forget EVERYTHING you know about oats…even anything you think you know. This dish takes oats to a whole new level. A new universe!

Now, I am not new to savory oats. Sure, I like my oats sweetened…most of the time with fruit. But I also like to eat them alongside some greens sautéed in garlic…HEY, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It’s very macrobiotic.

This dish uses steel cut oats, which are more dense and chewy than old fashioned oats. I like them both and each one has its place in a healthy diet.

Also in this recipe is tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, spices, nooch and liquid smoke. It sounds strange, right? We thought so. But you know what? We have had it three times since we tried it. I had to use up the veggies I had, right? I’ll tell you, we did have this for breakfast, but it really could be for any meal.

If you are looking for something different for breakfast, this could be the dish for you.

We give it 4 stars and it has already become part of our regular meals.

NOTES:

• Use diced tomatoes with green chili for a spicy dish. Muir Glenn makes a nice one.
• Definitely up the spinach in this. I easily doubled or even tripled the amount.
• Would be wonderful with different greens. Greens are all interchangeable in my book.
• If you use different greens, you may need to add them earlier to allow them to cook.
• The recipe doesn’t seem like the cooking time is long enough. Let the oats sit in the covered saucepan for a few minutes. This will help thicken the oats as well as finish the cooking. If you like your oats less chewy, you may need to add a few minutes to the cooktime.
• Don’t leave out the liquid smoke. Only a small amount is used, but it really makes the dish. It is called Savory Smoky Oats, after all.