Apple Muesli

Apple Muesli

1 tart apple, grated

1 cup oats

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 chopped dates

1 cup blueberries or other fresh fruit

Yogurt, for serving

Add oats, dates, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, and salt to food processor.  Pulse a few times, then stir the apples and blueberries in.  Serve a scoop of the muesli over plain yogurt for breakfast.  If you like a sweeter breakfast, the muesli is lovely with a couple tablespoons of fruit or maple syrup swirled in with the fruit.

Thai Steak and Noodle Salad

Thai Steak and Noodle Salad

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Sauce and Marinade:

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons fish sauce

1/3 cup lime juice

3 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon sriracha

Salad:

1 pound flat iron steak (flank steak works nicely too)

3 tablespoons avocado oil (or vegetable oil)

8 ounce package thin rice noodles

1 pound green beans (I like the package of haricot vert they sell at Trader Joe's)

8 ounces halved cherry tomatoes

4 thinly sliced Persian cucumbers

1/2 cup cleaned chopped herbs (cilantro and mint)

Whisk together sauce ingredients, minus the oil.  Marinate steak in 1/3 of the sauce, a freezer bag makes this very easy, for at least an hour but no more than a day.    Whisk oil into remaining sauce to create the salad dressing. 

Blanch green beans in salted boiling water for approximately 2 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of ice water.  Drain and dry.  Use the same water to cook noodles according to package directions.  Set aside -- if noodles are sticky, you can rinse with cold water or stir in some oil.

Remove steak from marinade and grill on high heat to your desired doneness.  After resting the meat, thinly slice it for the salads.  Pile everything on top of a bed of noodles and spoon dressing over the top.

Thai Tofu Rice Bowl

Thai Tofu Rice Bowl

dressing adapted from Everyday Maven

Dressing:

1/2 cup water

1/8 cup fish sauce

1/8 cup rice vinegar

Juice from 1/2 a lime

3 tablespoons sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes

Quick Pickled Carrots:

Shredded carrots

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Enough rice wine vinegar and water to cover in equal amounts

Rice Bowl:

Brown rice

Baked tofu

Cilantro, torn

Basil, torn

Shredded cabbage

Persian cucumber, peeled and sliced in rounds

avocado, sliced

Bell pepper, cut in strips

Cover shredded carrots with vinegar and water - stir in sugar and sat and let come to a boil.  Boil carrots for 1 minute, stirring, then pour into another bowl and let cool.  Let pickle in fridge for at least 30 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Let them drip dry a bit before using.

To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well.  May be made a couple days ahead (in fact, this lets the flavors mellow and marry).

Lay down a bed of brown rice in a bowl - layer in all the vegetables and tofu.  Pour dressing over the tofu and enjoy.  This is an excellent lunch, but pack your rice separately so you can heat it up before serving with the vegetables.

Apple Oatmeal Waffles

Apple Oatmeal Waffles

adapted from Mr. Breakfast.com

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 Granny Smith apples grated

Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl.  Beat eggs in separate bowl; add wet ingredients and sugar, stir.  Fold in grated apple.  Cover and let sit for 1 hour

Preheat waffle iron and use as machine directs you - each waffle should take about 5 minutes.

Weeknight Turkey Tacos

Weeknight Turkey Tacos

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Beef Tacos

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 diced onion

3 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup chicken broth 

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Heat up oil in skillet on medium heat.  Add onions and sautee until softened, 5-10 minutes.  In last 30 seconds, add garlic and sautee.  Add ground turkey and break up into pieces, cooking until no longer pink.   Add all spices and cook until fragrant, 30 more seconds.  Stir in tomato paste, broth, vinegar and sugar.  Cook 5-10 minutes more, until thickened to consistency you like.

Serve in tortillas with whatever garnishes you prefer -- salsa, cilantro, cabbage, cheese, guacamole, avocado etc.