Instant Oatmeal Packets

Not all of Fly guy's hotels serve breakfast.  With his cooler already packed to the max, muffins and the like are not an option for his long trips.  The last few weeks I've been tossing in homemade 'instant oatmeal' packets.

These are so customizable. Just add some hot water from the hotel coffee pot and you are set.  Apparently he said hot tap water worked fine also.  I don't know, maybe sleep deprivation makes tap water oatmeal seem tasty? 

We like the texture of whole rolled oats, but if you like a finer texture you may try instant oats.  My kids ate this exact recipe for breakfast leaving them begging for seconds.  Begging for oatmeal?  Oh yes, super mom moment. 

Instant Oatmeal Packets
serves 1

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup mix ins (I chose dates and pecans)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
optional: 1-2 tsp brown sugar

Right before serving add in approximately 2/3 cups almost boiling water.  Let sit a few moments to allow the water to absorb.

Lentil Salad with Roasted Carrots

Here is my beef with salads. I can't handle mass amounts of raw veggies.  It just makes me feel like a gross bloated cow.  Except cows have like 7 stomachs to deal with the digestion part.  I prefer my veggies roasted.  Smooth, sweet and rich.  Something that feels like a meal and less like a starving person feasting on grass and bark.

Yesterday I packed a few of these lentil salads for Fly Guy.  The lentils give it some 'meat' the carrots add depth, the dressing is sweet and the arugula fresh and peppery.  For a more savory version cut down on the honey and add in some onion.

Lentil Salad With Roasted Carrots
Fills two pint jars when layered as directed

2/3 cups brown lentils picked through and rinsed
3 large peeled carrots
2 tsp honey
3 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil  plus extra for drizzling carrots
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper
a few handfuls of fresh aruguala

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Cut carrots in thin sticks or rounds of fairly even size.  Toss with a few teaspoons olive oil and a little salt.  Spread carrots evenly on a baking sheet and roast for approximately 8-15 minutes or until they start to caramelize a bit.

Meanwhile add the lentils to rapidly boiling pot of salted water or broth.  Cook 18-20 minutes or until soft yet still holding their shape.  Drain.

Whisk the honey, mustard, oil, and vinegar together and pour over cooked and drained lentils.Season with salt and pepper to taste.

If transporting for a lunch or picnic layer the lentils, then carrots followed by arugula on top in a pint size mason jar.  Serve room temperature or cold.

Three Bean Kale Salad

 

I've always been a fan of three bean salad but wanted to make it more of a... salad.  Unlike traditional salad greens, kale holds up very well to the moisture of dressing.  In fact, raw kale is tastier once it's been marinated in dressing and softens up a bit.  I had this in my fridge for three days and there was no slime factor going on.   This makes it a prime pick for travel.  Just toss together and transport it in a mason jar.

I've used baby kale for this recipe.  I suspect that regular dinosaur kale (aka Lainato or Tuscan) would work well also but I recommend destemming slicing it in thin ribbons first.


 

Three Bean Kale Salad

Ingredients

1 can kidney beans
1 can white beans
1-2 cups green beans steamed tender crisp and cut in bite size pieces*
2.5 oz torn baby kale greens**
3 TB Dijon mustard
3 TB red wine vinegar
3 TB extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

* I used frozen green beans from Trader Joes and steamed just enough to thaw but not make soggy. 
** 2.5 ounces doesn't sound like much but it was half of the pictured kale package.  I'd say about 3 large handfuls.

Directions

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, and olive oil in a bowl.  Drain and rinse the canned beans then add all the remaining ingredients.  Toss together and refrigerate giving the flavors time to mingle.

Healing Turmeric Yogurt Bowl with Ginger Granola

Ever cook with turmeric?  You should.  You really really should. 

The Huffington Post states that turmeric "has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities."

So your like "Whaa? How do I get some of THAT"  At least that's what I said.

My favorite current recipes with turmeric are

Cashew Corn Chowder by My New Roots
Spinach and Mung Bean Soup by K. Orahsoi
Chickpea Spinach Turmeric Curry by Fugal Cook
Calming Creamy Turmeric Tea by Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Dr. Gupta's tea is also known as Golden Milk and can be found on various food blogs that extoll it's healing properties and remissness about their mothers giving it to them when they had colds.

I love golden milk in the same way I love hot cocoa.  A late night way to top off the sleepiness and send you into dreamland.  Yet it does have a little grittiness.  The spices never quite meld with the milk.  Not to mention it's hard to pack in a lunch.

So I present Healing Turmeric Yogurt Bowls!  Which include all the other things I seek out when I don't feel good.  Coconut oil, ginger,cinnamon,  honey...  The sweet ingredients balance out the slight bitterness of the turmeric.  This would be good with fruit also.  Berries maybe?

 

Healing Turmeric Yogurt Bowl

Ingredients
(per person)

2/3 cup full fat unsweetened yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground turmeric*
honey for drizzling
ginger granola for sprinkling (recipe below)

* try 1/4 tsp if you are unsure of this new flavor and work your way up.

Stir the spices and honey into the yogurt in a circular pattern and pack the granola separate until time to serve.

Ginger Granola
makes 1 1/4 cups

1 cup regular rolled oats
2 TB ground flax seed
1 TB unsweetened applesauce
1 TB honey
1 TB molasses
1 TB coconut oil, melted
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Granola Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix all ingredient with a fork or hands.  Bake in the oven, stirring occasionally, for around 20 minutes or until it's starting to brown and crisp. It will continue to crisp as it cools.  Let cool completely then store in an airtight container.

Lunchbox Gazpacho

 
This year I'm making an effort to eat in season.  I took one look at my local Aldi ad and knew what cold soup was in store for this week's lunches!  There are many variations but I'm sticking with a basic recipe that is to be enjoyed cold or room temperature.  Maybe with an egg salad sandwich on the side?

Make sure your ingredients are ripe and tasty as there will be no cooking to mask undesirable quality.



Lunchbox Gazpacho
Fills approximately five Half Pint Jars

Ingredients 

1.5 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped*
1 red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TB red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 slice bread, crust removed
salt and pepper to taste

*The easiest way to peel the tomatoes is to cut a small X in the skin about an inch wide.  Place them in boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water.  The skin will slip right off!  Cut them in half width wise and gently squeeze out the seeds.

Directions 

Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  If your vegetables don't release enough moisture you can add a few tablespoons water. Garnish with cucumber, mint, cilantro, parsley, basil, or croutons.