(No offense to my daily-beloved oatmeal, banana and peanut butter powerhouse breakfast, but sometimes savory morning meals take the cake. Errr….”take the bacon”? I need a better analogy.)

Toasted Ciabatta with Gruyere Cheese topped with Seared Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus,  a Poached Egg and Truffle Oil (That little bottle of oil was the BEST investment I’ve ever made.)

Served with Ste. Michelle Sparkling Wine

Okay, fine. I have to admit that I didn’t ACTUALLY eat this meal for breakfast. It was my dinner…but only because having a glass of sparkling wine at 6am sounds unappetizing and would be frowned upon before going to work. However, in my idea of the perfect world I would make it a point to start my day with this deliciousness.

When the egg yolk ran into the crusty, toasted ciabatta my life was complete. Simplicity is bliss!

The perfect bite: Crusty Ciabatta with warm, nutty gruyere cheese, softened by a creamy egg yolk, topped with semi-soft asparagus rolled in crisp salty prosciutto and topped with a silky egg and pungent truffle oil. I almost cried…I’m not even joking.

I blanched asparagus and rolled them in proscuitto (this is 6 thin slices but if it is a wider piece 3 should be fine).

I dusted each side with black pepper, and pan-seared them in a skillet with a little bit of oilve oil over a medium flame until they had a nice crisp side.

I cut a ciabatta roll in half (and snacked on the other half), placed it under the broiler until it was nice and toasty and topped the warm bread with shavings of gruyere.

Bring salted water and vinegar to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Crack your egg into a small dish and carefully add it to the simmering water.

To assemble: top bread with cheese, proscuitto wrapped asparagus, a poached egg and a drizzle of truffle oil.

SO, who want’s to have brunch with me?

Yummy,

Nora

Belgian Waffles with Banana, Strawberry and Honey. Orange Juice.

YES. SO PERFECT! I might just move home forever. Just kidding. Culinary School awaits (SO EXCITED)!

Followed by cappuccinos! The secret to a perfect cap: WHOLE MILK! My dad has tried many different types of milk to perfect his signature drink. Skim milk yields too much foam, and does not give the espresso enough richness. 2% is better but still doesn’t do the espresso justice. Whole milk is just right. A little dusting of cinnamon and….

Chocolate Easter eggs!

A balanced breakfast, naturally.

Family Time,

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/04/24/easter-brunch-daddy-style/feed/ 0 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/04/09/half-half/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/04/09/half-half/#comments Sat, 09 Apr 2011 19:33:00 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=7359 I did something very silly…I traveled without my camera! I know, the horror! Half of my pictures from the past few days are sitting on the floor of my apartment and half of them are on my mom’s camera. So, Good News: I’ve been baking. Bad News: Recipes will be delayed. For now I leave you with Jamie Oliver’s “Sexy Swedish Buns”, Carrot Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting, and Rose, my parent’s cat. Just because she is fun to look at.

Breakfast: Jamie Oliver’s Sexy Swedish Buns and Dad’s Extra Foamy Cappuccinos

This picture is deceiving. It looks good, and had good flavor but it was  more dense than I like a sweet bread to be. I think the active yeast I used had been sitting in my cupboard for too long and the dough did not rise properly. I will be giving this recipe a try again soon with fresh yeast and a tad less flour than the recipe calls for.

Carrot Cupcakes with Walnuts & Golden Raisins topped with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

To make up for my wrong doings I baked some more. Well, I made these cupcakes yesterday but I sampled one today to make sure they were better than breakfast. I topped them with fresh homemade cream cheese frosting this afternoon. I am having dinner with my parents so I’m hoping this proves to be a delicious end to our meal. Fingers crossed.

Carrot Cupcakes remind me of spring. Where’s that Easter Bunny?

Nope…that’s my parent’s cat with her new best cat-nip friend. She is 16-years old, and my mom was proud that she was out playing again. Meow.

Recipes To Come,

Nora

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/04/09/half-half/feed/ 1 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/02/05/the-oatmeal-diaries/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/02/05/the-oatmeal-diaries/#comments Sat, 05 Feb 2011 13:59:23 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=6519 I eat a LOT of oatmeal. Some might say that I have an oatmeal obsession. Every day I wake up early, at least an hour and a half before I have to leave for work, just so I can make, sit down and thoroughly enjoy a quiet bowl of oatmeal. A typical bowl includes rolled oats cooked stove top with spices and milk. I whip banana slices and chia seeds in when it is almost finished and top the fluffy warm goodness with my favorite crunchy peanut butter, raspberry Bonne Maman and honey. It is soul satisfying. I’m not sure I could start my day without it! Last weekend I had an epiphany while sharing a unique menu item, creme brulee oatmeal, with my parents.

(*OH MY GOODNESS! STILL DREAMING OF THIS!*)

I could stare at this picture all day…..Anyways, this dish reminded me of how different oats can be. The base was a slow cooked, steel cut oats. Hearty with a tender texture. It reminded me of a finely cooked risotto. I thought to myself, “This is how oatmeal is supposed to taste.” Every morning I take 10 minutes to cook rolled oats on the stove top. If I am in a rush and crank the heat it can be gummy, soupy or raw tasting. If I’m in a real time crunch in the morning, sometimes I make quick cooking oats in the microwave. Quick cooking oats remind me of the paste I used in kindergarten for arts and crafts.

So here we have it from left to right: Quick Cooking Oats (Glue), Rolled Oats (My daily staple), Steel Cut Oats (Be Still My Heart).

Quick Cooking Oats: After oat grains are harvested, they are cracked, rolled out and cut several times. Cutting the oats decreases the cooking time, and this are usually ready in 3 minutes!

Rolled Oats: Also called “old fashioned” oats, this is what oatmeal looks like after the grain is cracked and rolled out. These usually take between 10-15 minutes to cook. The end result has more texture,  and creaminess than instant oats.

Steel Cut Oats: The whole oat kernel is cut by steel, rather than rolled, resulting in broken pieces of the whole grain. These are hard little pieces and typically need about 30-45 minutes to simmer.

Now, while I may take 10-15 minutes to make breakfast in the morning during the week, 30-45 minutes is out of the question. I’m always rushing around to feed Truffle, get myself together, and find a clean pair of pants.

This morning finally had time to cook steel cut oats. I mad a single serving of steel cut oats in 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of vanilla soy milk, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. In the mean time, I cleaned my apartment, did the dishes and a load of laundry. It still looked like this after 20 minutes! I was tempted to crank the heat but I knew better. The texture and flavor of low and slow cooked oats is worth it. I continued to clean.

After about 40 minutes it started to look like real oatmeal. Hooray!

When it was nearly done I added banana, raisins and chia seeds.

And topped it all off with my favorites: crunchy peanut butter, raspberry jam and orange blossom honey. This is the definition of stick to your ribs. Each bite was creamy, chewy, sweet and satisfying. I think I might make a big pot on Sunday so I have leftovers for breakfast during the week. All I will have to do is add milk, rewarm and voila…a hearty bowl of steel cut oats ready in 2 minutes, not 45.

Oatmeal Lover,

Nora

If you like Fig Newtons I think you would enjoy these.

I had the good fortune of eating this along side a bowl of Greek yogurt with banana, walnuts, honey and raspberry jam. After a few bites of the sugary, delicious top, I realized that the center NEEDED to be topped with my yogurt. The flavor was spot on, however; the texture was too dry . I reviewed the recipe after and think I should have added a bit more oil and next time I think I will use oat bran instead of wheat bran. I hate when my baking doesn’t come out quite the way I imagined it, but that is a learning experience. It was a fairly easy recipe so I think I will make a few tweaks and try again soon. As for now, if you have any suggestions for this recipe, I’d love to hear. I’m not an expert muffin-woman by any means.

Chop 1/4 cup of pecans and 1 cup of black mission figs (remember to remove the stems!).

Whisk together 1 cup white whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup wheat bran (using oat bran next time), 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt.

Whisk 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 veg oil until combined. Add 1 1/4 cup butter milk, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup honey, 1 TBS vanilla extract and the zest of 1 orange.

Mix in dry ingredients and chopped figs. Spoon batter into 14 prepared muffin tins (buttered or lined).

.

Make the topping with 1/4 cup pecans, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 2 TBS brown sugar. Sprinkle each muffin with topping and bake at 400 for ~ 18 minutes (turn the pan after 9 for even baking).

Orange-Fin Bran Muffins with Pecan Topping (in the works)

Makes 14 muffins

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup wheat bran (oat next time!)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 tsp for topping
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar + 2 TBS for topping
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 TBS vanilla
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 1 cup dried black mission figs, chopped
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 and line 14 muffin tins with paper muffin liners or butter.
2. Whisk all of the dry ingredients, set aside.
3. Whisk brown sugar and oil until light and combined.
4. Whisk in buttermilk, eggs, honey, vanilla and orange zest.
5. Mix dry ingredients + figs into the wet mix.
6. Fill muffin tins.
7. In a small bowl mix together pecans, 2 TBS brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon for topping. Spoon topping on each muffin.
8. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes. Turn the tray half way through baking process for even baking. A tooth pick should come out clean when inserted into the muffin.

More Recipe Configurations,

Nora

Crunchy Granola for my Inner Hippie

• 3 cups Rolled Oats
• 3 TBS Unsweetened Coconut
• 3 TBS Whole Blanched Almonds
• 3 TBS Slivered Almonds
• 3 TBS Raw Cashews
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Sunflower Seeds
• 3 TBS Sesame Seeds
• 2 TBS Milled Chia Seeds (or flax)
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• Pinch of Kosher Salt
• 6 TBS Honey
• 2 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl mix oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, salt and cinnamon together.
3. In a separate bowl whisk honey, oil and vanilla.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and coat well.
5. Spread an even layer onto the baking sheet, and bake for 30-40 minuted until the mixture is lightly golden, stirring every 10 minutes.
6. When the mixture is finished, remove from oven and mix in cranberries to the pan. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Crunching & Munching,

Nora

I always have such a peaceful night of sleep from Saturday to Sunday. I know that I don’t have anything pressing to do when I wake up. In fact I rarely even set an alarm. I just let it flow. Naturally, I still woke up around 7:30am today and played with Truffle for a few moments before making my way into the kitchen. It was cold and snowy out. I was looking forward to taking my sweet time to make some whipped banana-chia oats on the stove top. They always taste better on Sunday when I take my time to make and eat them.

After breakfast I did some work around my apartment and decided it was time to end my juicer’s dry spell.Yesterday I got into an intense cleaning spree and realized that I had not taken my Breville out of it’s box since graduating college in May! I also had a ton of parsley on hand and thought this was a good ways to use it up. 1 apple, 2 stalks of celery, 1 lemon, bunch of parsley, handful of cilantro and a few stalks of kale.

That’s a lot of produce!Would you believe that all of that only makes about 16 oz? I packaged it up in my favorite to-go cup for after yoga. I always CRAVE juice or a smoothie after class. There is something about yoga that makes you want a refreshing and healthy treat. This was super tangy and I liked it .Arugula, Roasted Fennel, Roasted Beet, Tangerine Salad with Basil Oil and Chocolate Balsamic. Walnut-Wheat Toast with Goat Cheese, Dried Black Mission Fig and Orange Blossom Honey.1/2 cup Chobani Greek Yogurt, Strawberry Jam, Roasted Almonds and Cinnamon.

I was STARVING when I got home. I threw together a very easy and satisfying lunch. I think my bread tasted even better today! I cut a thick slice off of the loaf, toasted it to perfection and while it was still warm spread on  chevre, sliced dried figs and a drizzle of orange blossom honey.DECISION: This is my favorite way to eat walnut bread. Heaven help me!

I have an extra special dinner planned for tonight! I’m already excited about this post stay tuned!

Sunday Special,

Nora

1/3 cup rolled oats (last of my container ) cooked in 1/3 cup vanilla soy milk, 2/3 cup water, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. 1 TBS Chia seeds and 1/2 banana whipped in at the end. Topped with crunchy peanut butter, strawberry jam, blackberries, local orange blossom honey and Mini Magoo’s Funstuff.

I woke up this morning for a bowl of warmth and comfort. I don’t always blog about my oatmeal, that would be boring, however; this breakfast was filled with goodies. I was going to elaborate on how fresh Running Food’s chia seeds were (the awesome packaging is key!). I was going to tell you how “fun” the big flakes of coconut from Mini Magoos’s Funstuff were once they melted into my oats.  And lastly, for the millionth time I was going to profess my love for my crunchy organic peanut butter, local orange blossom honey and beautiful blackberries. But then I remembered I had something more important to share with you this morning, a recipe from Sheldrake Point Vineyard and Simply Red Bistro for Chai Spiced Honey Cake.Chai Spiced Honey Cake with Vanilla Been Custard Sauce

During the Holiday Shopping Spree on the Cayuga Wine Trail, my mom and I received recipe cards and wine pairing suggestions at each winery we visited. When I tasted the Chai Spiced Honey Cake at Sheldrake Point, I knew I had to make it for New Years Eve. Chef Samantha Izzo and her staff have amazing food at Simply Red. Last time I was there I had a local cheese board with Hudson Valley Camembert and Chilled Pea Soup with Orzo Lobster Salad. My parents had equally delicious meals and we still dream about their menu.

ANYWAYS–last night when I was sipping tea, eating truffles and playing with my kitten (ironically named Truffle) I had the Foodnetwork on my TV. The show Chopped was on and CHEF SAMANTHA WAS ON IT! I dropped everything I was doing. The poor girl had goat brains and fish heads in her baskets! She did an amazing job and I can’t wait to go back to Simply Red this summer and enjoy more of her food .

Chai Spiced Honey Cake from Chef Samantha Izzo

(serves 8 )

• 8oz brown sugar
• 2oz white sugar
• 7oz all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 2oz egg yolk
• 8oz liquid brewed chai
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 oz buckwheat or dark honey
• 5 oz unsalted melted butter
• 8 oz liquid buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 375
2. Sift together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. (**Note: Allow the butter to cool slightly before adding so you don’t risk the chance of cooking your eggs!)
4. Add the liquid to the dry and mix well. (Note: I lightly used a large whisk to avoid clumping.)
5. Pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes
6. CHEF IZZO RECOMMENDS: serve with caramelized pears and whipped cream

Any recipe that I can use Bigelow Spiced Chai is fine by me!

GREAT JOB CHEF SAMANTHA IZZO!!

Local Pride,

Nora

What are your favorite ways to cook with tea?

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/05/chef-izzos-chai-spiced-honey-cake/feed/ 1 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/02/new-year-new-foods/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/02/new-year-new-foods/#comments Sun, 02 Jan 2011 20:22:45 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=5980 New Year’s celebrations left me feeling exhausted yesterday. I’m one of those people that does not function well without sleep. After 8+ hours of rest last night, I felt renewed. I woke up this morning, slid my fuzzy slippers on and made my way to the kitchen to whip up a batch of chia-banana oatmeal on the stove top. I haven’t had chia seeds in my oats for almost a week now and I’ve missed them dearly. They add lots of texture to my oats, making them even creamier and giving each bite a nice crunch.  It also doesn’t hurt that they happen to be good for you . Today I had the pleasure of opening a sample I have had for a while now from Running Food. I was excited to try this brand because buying local (based in Skaneateles, NY)  is something I want to do more of in the coming year. What a great way to kick off 2011!1/2 cup rolled oats cooked in 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk, 3/4 cup water, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. 1/2 banana and 1 TBS chia whipped in at the end. Topped with 1 TBS crunchy peanut butter, strawberry jam and local orange blossom honey.Awesome keep fresh packaging! I keep my chia in the refrigerator for a better shelf life.Little morsels of crunchy goodness.

After breakfast I decided to make good on my New Year’s goals and did a 60 minute Vinyasa Yoga Class on yogadownload.com. It was hard to motivate myself to do the whole class. I prefer practicing yoga with a group and instructor,  plus I didn’t realize how out of shape I was. I could barely touch my hands to the floor when I bent over, and my hamstrings were incredibly tight. WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!? I’m not giving up that easily though. I will be Gumbie (remember that flexible cartoon character?) by 2012.I had to run a few errands in the afternoon and go grocery shopping. One can only live on oatmeal and ancient freezer meals for so long. Hunger struck while I was shopping and I could not wait until I got home to eat. I snacked on a gigantic crispin apple and splurged on salmon and avocado sushi. For some reason I have been CRAVING smoked salmon. It is almost $8 for 4 oz in the seafood department so I am hesitant to buy a package. I might need to go out for a bagel and lox very soon. When I got home I needed a snack and was excited to dig into Mini Magoo’s Funstuff that Alexia sent me from the UK!At the grocery store I bought a big package of grapefruits and plain keifer milk. My cravings clearly got the best of me while I was shopping. These are not things I normally buy. I was looking for something a little different from my usual yogurt and milk. Keifer is perfect and a welcome change. I chopped up a grapefruit, poured about a cup of the probiotic yogurt drink over it and topped it with funstuff. It was a refreshing afternoon snack .I loved this “funstuff”. I seriously want to put it on everything and everything, and I think I will. It would be a great thing to throw on a salad, into plain rice, into oatmeal, on a smoothie…I could go on.  It is an all natural mix of coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, linseeds, cinnamon and raw agave. This mix made the yogurt very satisfying. I loved that the coconut flakes became soft and the hallow hemp seeds hold a surprising bite. Thank you Alexia, this was a great treat .

I still have lots of unpacking and organizing to do before Monday. I think it is going to be a busy week so I want to make sure to get it done. I’m hoping to cook up something warm and cozy tonight .

Crunchy,

Nora

What are your favorite ‘add-ins’ to add flavor and texture to plain foods?

]]> http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2011/01/02/new-year-new-foods/feed/ 3 http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2010/12/31/best-breakfasts-of-2010/ http://www.livelifeeatright.com/2010/12/31/best-breakfasts-of-2010/#comments Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:57:45 +0000 Nora http://www.livelifeeatright.com/?p=5891 Happy New Year’s Eve! Where did the year go? I’ve been taking time to reflect on this past year, with hopes of an even better 2011. I’ve had a lot of great foods this past year and want to thank you all for your encouragement and support. Going through my photos, I realized that I could not incorporate all of my favorites into a single post. I will be spreading them out into a few posts as 2010 comes to a close. Like any good day, I decided to start my tribute with breakfast.

Ah, breakfast. The most important meal of the day. I have a complete sit down breakfast every single day. Call me crazy, but I really do feel lost and confused without a solid breakfast. While I usually eat some messy bowl of oatmeal, yogurt, peanut butter, jam and banana with a cup of coffee, there have been a few more outstanding meals this past year.Dad’s Waffles with Strawberries, Banana, Cinnamon and Honey.

My dad’s “claim to fame” breakfast is omelets of many varieties, however; these Belgian Waffles were AWESOME!Pecan-Raisin Sourdough French Toast

Also awesome was the French toast he made me out of Pecan-Raisin Sourdough bread from our Farmer’s Market, served with local blueberries, cherries, honey and Greek yogurt.Pumpkin Custard French Toast

I tried to recreate this with my Pumpkin Custard French Toast with Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce and Toasted Pecans. Close, but still not quite as good.Pancakes with Real Maple Syrup.

Dad also makes some killer fluffy pancakes that are always topped with real maple syrup.Blueberry-Walnut Pancakes with Lemon Zest Greek Yogurt and Local Honey.

Again, my Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes didn’t quite live up to his but this was the best I could do.

Alas, we can not forget his extra foamy cappuccinos. Vanilla Almond Biscotti Dipped in Dark Chocolate

Which I would rather like with one of the Vanilla Almond Biscotti I made during my 12 Holiday Cookie Recipes.

I made a lot of baked goods this past year and I really wouldn’t mind eating Monkey Bread for breakfast everyday.Or maybe these Apple-Cinnamon Muffins with Pecan Topping.Banana Bread with Walnuts and Chocolate Chips.

On second thought, I’d like to have one of everything with a slice of my favorite Banana Bread with Walnuts and Mini Chocolate Chips.Mushroom and Leek Tart with Gryuere

Although I first made this Mushroom and Leek Tart with Gryuere for dinner, I think it would be my favorite savory breakfast.Basil, Goat Cheese and Basil Omelet with Whole Wheat Toast, Strawberries, Cinnamon and Honey.

That is of course, unless I am home with my parents. Nothing and I really mean NOTHING will every trump a daddy omelet.

I’ve had a lot of good mornings in 2010! See you at lunch!

Nora