New World Chili

I flipped the pages of Robin Robertson's "1,000 Vegan Recipes" to find a chili recipe that matches up with today's class subject: history. Here's what she says in her book about the chili:

"This chili incorporates ingredients that early explorers discovered in the New World from pinto beans and squash to corn, tomatoes, and lima beans. The chipotle chile adds a smoky heat."

How exciting! I started cooking as soon as I got home from biking after class.

New World Chili
makes 6-7 servings


1 small butternut squash, peeled, halved, and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion
3 cups mild tomato salsa, homemade or store-bought
3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen lima beans
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, minced
1 cup water
3 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut the squash into 1/4-inch dice and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and squash, cover, and cook, until softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the salsa, pinto beans, lima beans, corn, and chipotle chile. Stir in the water, allspice, sugar, and salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Uncover and simmer about 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

It was great! I highly suggest adjusting the level of spiciness to your preference instead of adding the entire can of chipotle peppers because they really kicked me in the mouth.. In fact, I kept a carton of almond milk by my side while eating the chili! (Rick is going to like this one, without a doubt). Despite all that, the spiciness really cleared up my stubborn sinuses. =)
For your information, the book says this chili serves 4 people. However, even though I halved the recipe for just me and Richard, it still yielded a lot of food. So I think it's reasonable that this recipe serves about 6 people instead.

Nutrition Facts per Serving
(1/6 of the recipe)

Calories: 270
Fat: 4g
Carbs: 51g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 14g

You know, history doesn't seem so bad after all.

Raw Blueberry Pudding

Oh, spring semester, how you occupy me so.
I apologize for not blogging for the past four days (I freak out over two days) but my classes, my job, yoga, and studying are carrying me over until midnight. Thankfully, it's a Friday and I have time!

Today I just wanted to share this yummy raw blueberry pudding recipe I found on this website. For the record, blueberries are on sale this week at Sprouts and I'm going manic over how to use them.

It's... to cute to eat!!! O_O

It's funny because even though I love blueberries so much, I never really know what to do with them even though I already know I can eat them one by one out of their plastic 6-oz container, put them in oatmeal, throw them in smoothies, and slather them atop morning waffles. And then when they go on sale I'm just as lazy to buy them as I am when they're not on sale. Perhaps I secretly hate blueberries for some reason..? Maybe the right word is "envy."

*uncomfortable*

(Enough with my banter!) Anyway, I thought this recipe was great. Because of the high carbohydrate content, it makes a lovely dessert or mid-morning/afternoon snack. Also, I honestly don't think the consistency turned out like that of pudding. Instead, it was dense like the texture of ice cream. Like, you can scoop it out with a spoon and the shape you made will stay intact. ...Yeah, I think you get the idea. =) Click here if you'd like this recipe.
Below are the estimated nutrition facts that I calculated.

Nutrition Facts per Serving
(serves 4 people, so a fourth of the entire recipe)

Calories: 370
Fat: 15g
Carbs: 63g
Protein: 7g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 38g (all from fruit)

It's delicious and I'll totally be making it again this week before the sale ends!
Blueberries are a great, low-calorie source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. Their dark blue color also indicates that they are high in antioxidants, as well.
Touching bases with my nonsense banter, I made the conclusion that if I'm going to be all love-hate relationship over blueberries then I might as well just buy them frozen!

Quick Indian-Spiced Tempeh Curry

The tempeh in my fridge has been sitting pretty, waiting for me to cook it.
And I've been waiting for a while for a good chance to cook it in this recipe.
But if my habit with not reading recipe directions beforehand would have snapped out of it sooner, I would have made this curry earlier this week because it's super easy to make!

A quick fix for hectic college days.

Yeah, I usually just look at a recipe, fixate on how yummy the food looks according to the photo, skim the ingredient list to see if I have everything, and that's the end of it. I hardly ever worry about the directions until I'm already cooking. Epic fail? Most times... but not tonight. =)

(What picture on the fridge? I don't know what you're talking about...)

It was quite funny serving this with rice because tempeh is like rice in its cake-like, grainy self. Still, the brown rice was a healthy and filling addition to the meal. Below is an estimate on the nutritional info you'd get out of one serving, which is about a third of the recipe.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 165
Fat: 8g
Carbs: 17g
Protein: 8g
Fiber: 5g

As you can see, the curry itself is very low in calories. Personally, since I know pureed tomatoes contain a lot of water, I used an entire eight-ounce block of tempeh to add more bulk to the curry. This added not only more calories but more protein, as well. I also added spinach to the mix because, in all honesty, I really had to get rid of my spinach. =) Click here if you want the recipe. Does very well with college students. =D

Jelly-Filled Pie Pockets

Rick loves Pop-Tarts but the unfrosted vegan ones are tricky to find. Though they are yummy, they are also high in sugar, full of preservatives and artificial colors and flavors. (Um, toxins much?)
So, I looked online and found a simple and healthy recipe for jelly-filled pie pockets. Not exactly a Pop-Tart, but it's close enough. ^_^

Cheap, easy, and yummy, too!

Consider these pastries our new favorite snack. I used whole wheat pastry flour and soy-free Earth Balance butter for the dough. For the filling, I used 100% strawberry fruit jam from Crocker's (keep that in mind if you want to make these sugar-free). Click here for the recipe.

I think the hardest part of making these pastries is managing the dough because it takes a while. But it's fun, so it's all good. I'm sure you can fill the pockets with any sweets you'd like; chocolate, Tofutti Cream Cheese, fresh fruit with spices... I might even experiment with these ideas next time. =)

If you make four pastries, use whole wheat pastry flour, and 100% fruit jam, then the nutritional info below will be quite close. Contact me if you want me to estimate the servings based on what you used. =)

Nutrition Facts per Pastry

Calories: 260
Fat: 11.5g
Carbs: 35.5g
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 10g

Yum. You can also make little pie pockets with the dough, which I will probably do next time I make these. Also, any shape will do as long as the jam stays inside!

Sinful Macaroons

Sometimes it's hard to work in a grocery store, especially if you're in close proximity to the folks in the bakery department. Reason being: they were making macaroons today and the entire area smelled like sweet coconut! I had to bake a batch of vegan macaroons immediately!

Ta-daa!

Not long after I got home from work, my house matched the sweet aroma of the store's bakery department. Rick and I thought the macaroons were amazing; soft and fluffy inside but crusty on the outside. They totally fulfilled my craving.
The dough yields about 20 macaroons; here is the nutrition info for each cookie:

Nutrition Facts per Macaroon
Calories: 63
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 4g
Protein: 1g
Sugar: 2g

Can you see why I call them sinful? How can you possibly have one teenie cookie when 19 other ones are staring up at you? Personally, much more than one satisfied my craving and I'm not regretting a thing. *wink* You can get this recipe by clicking here.

Lord have mercy.

We had a friend over tonight who's not a fan of anything that contains coconut so he turned down the macaroons. I felt rejected. *sad face* But one of my friends liked them!

Kitty approved. =)

Don't worry, she didn't eat one. She just stole one from me before she could! Bad kitty. <3

Rick's Breakfast Sandwich

If Smart Bacon by Lightlife is on sale at Sprouts, you can expect Rick to be devouring this breakfast sandwich the very next morning.

Caution! Property of Richard.

I took a bite out of this high-protein sandwich one morning and it was great! Perhaps it's because I didn't grow up on sandwiches for breakfast but I'm personally more of an breakfast type of girl, so this one is all on Rick (and he has no problem with that whatsoever - more for him!). Also, strangely enough, I enjoy deconstructing sandwiches so I might as well eat the ingredients separate from each other to begin with. *total weirdo status!*
On to the topic at hand, shall we?

Rick's Breakfast Sandwich
serves one

2 slices of whole wheat bread, toasted
about 1/4 cup tofu scramble
a dash of Daiya cheddar cheese
2-3 slices of Lightlife Smart Bacon
ketchup, to drizzle on top

1. Assemble sandwich in the following way: bread, scramble, cheese, Smart Bacon, and ketchup.
2. Place in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until the cheese melts.
3. Let cool for a minute and enjoy!

Rick inhales this sandwich while playing Left 4 Dead (how does he do it?!). 

As you can see, this sandwich involves our favorite tofu scramble. The sandwich is great on the go if you make the scramble the day before. Oh, leftovers. We love you.
So the nutrition facts below are a very rough estimation. It depends on how you make the tofu scramble, what bread you're using, how much ketchup you want, etc. You can always let me know what you used and I can make a better estimation for you. =)

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 393
Fat: 13g
Carbs: 40g
Protein: 26g
Fiber: 9g (if you're not using white bread)

He's quite proud of this little creation. I'm sure lettuce, spinach leaves, and/or shredded carrots will be a nice addition to the sandwich. Who says we can't have veggies for breakfast? =)

Mashed Cauliflower

I don't know anyone who would say no to mashed potatoes.
There's nothing like that buttery, garlicky, creamy texture and taste... yeah, no. Can't pass that up.

But this recipe comes really close! If you are limiting calories or carbs in your diet, you may want to try this super easy, mashed potato-inspired side dish.

Deliciously paired with my favorite pasta dish.

If you are too hesitant to try mashed cauliflower head on (no pun intended), then maybe you can try adding cauliflower to mashed potatoes by a 1:1 ratio. The catch is that I never tried it that way, so I can't promise you great results. But it's worth a shot, don't you think? Cooking is fun anyways. ^_^

All right. On to the topic at hand:

Mashed Cauliflower
serve 2-4

1 large cauliflower head, cut into florets
2 tablespoons Earth Balance (dairy-free butter)
salt and black pepper, to taste
additional spices, to taste

1. Steam the cauliflower florets for about 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.
2. For a coarse texture:
Put the steamed cauliflower in a large bowl. Add butter. Mash with a fork or potato masher until all the florets are mashed.
For a creamy texture:
Place cauliflower and butter in a blender and blend on medium for 30 seconds, or until creamy. (DO NOT add any liquids!)
3. Season with salt, pepper, and any additional spices you prefer. Serve along with your main dish and enjoy!

The first time I made this, I used the mashing technique for a coarse texture. It's a great recipe so next time I make it I'll try the creamy version. Also, I used garlic salt in addition to black pepper to season the cauliflower. Good stuff!

As I mentioned above, I highly recommend you DO NOT use any liquids for the recipe because the cauliflower may turn into a watery disaster. Not worth it. Cauliflower is naturally higher in water than potatoes are, so no need for milk substitutes here. =)

Nutrition Facts
(per four servings)

Calories: 102
Fat: 6g
Carbs: 11g
Protein: 4g
Fiber: 5g


Cleaner and leaner than your average potato. *wink*
Cauliflower is a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, potassium, pantothenic acid, and manganese. Also, cauliflower is low in carbohydrates and high in fiber so your blood sugar won't be riding any crazy energy roller coasters. =)

Raw Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl

"I just ate two carrots and half a sweet potato in one sitting," I said to Rick one cozy evening.

Your concoction for turning orange. =)

I found this recipe in a health newsletter from my workplace, though I forget the name of the newsletter. Besides being ridiculously high in vitamin A, this snack is low in calories and is a good source of fiber.
For starters, this does not taste like actual pumpkin pie, since the texture is not creamy, but the spice and color really helps this recipe to resemble the pie filling. If you want to feel that crust-like texture (my favorite!), I suggest sprinkling the top with chopped raw nuts, preferably almonds. The crunchiness helps to balance out the smoothness. Also, feel free to sprinkle cinnamon on top for a warm aroma and taste.
I highly recommend using homemade carrot juice for this recipe. Store-bought carrot juice is usually pasteurized, meaning it was heated at very high temperatures, meaning it's not raw. You get the picture. =)

I'm not going to lie; I don't like carrot juice. I don't even like to eat raw carrots alone. However, the raw pumpkin pie in a bowl is a great way for me to get the most nutrition out of those sweet, orange root vegetables!
Here's how to make it:

Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl
makes 5 1/2 cups (4 servings)

4 cups fresh carrot juice (blend about 4 medium carrots in 4 cups water)
1 cup raw sweet potato, peeled and cubed
4 medjool dates, pitted
1/2 avocado, pitted
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or to taste

Place all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy right away or store in an air-tight container and enjoy within 36 hours.

The mix was lukewarm the first time I made this but it tasted a lot better after chilling it for at least an hour. I also don't find the avocado to be a necessary ingredient, but you must have a fat source present when you consume vitamin A so that the vitamin absorbs well in your body. You can also add chopped raw walnuts or almonds atop your serving to add some healthy fats.

Nutrition Facts per Cup

Calories: 125
Fat: 3.1g
Carbs: 25.3g
Protein: 1.5g
Fiber: 4.6g

Very healthy snack. Again, I highly recommend chilling it first and using chopped almonds and cinnamon as a topping before gobbling it up. Make sure you share with others or you just might turn out looking like an Oompa Loompa.

Sweet & Sour Tempeh & Eggplant Stir-Fry

I like tempeh.
It's grainy, soft, and it's a good source of fiber and protein. However, I hardly make any meals that contain them. Also, Rick wants me to get him into eating tempeh so that he can be more versatile with recipes that call for it. Yes, sir.

He approves.

I found this stir-fry recipe from flipping the pages in Pat Crocker's " The Vegan Cook's Bible." It was easy on the money, as eggplants and tempeh were on sale at Sprouts this week. What had I to lose? =)

Sweet & Sour Tempeh & Eggplant Stir-Fry
serves 4-6

12 oz tempeh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup brown rice syrup or agave nectar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. In a bowl, combine tempeh, eggplant, orange juice, rice vinegar, tamari, rice syrup, garlic, and curry powder to taste. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or in the refrigerator overnight,
2. In a wok or large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil and onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until slightly colored. Increase heat to high. Using a slotted spoon, lift tempeh and eggplant from marinade and stir into onions. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until eggplant is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
3. Measure half of the marinade into a bowl and whisk in cornstarch. Set aside remaining marinade for another use. Add marinade mixture to wok. Reduce heat to medium-high and stir-fry for about 4 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

The recipe made plenty and we had leftovers to bring to work and to eat for another meal time. I served my share with brown rice and Ling-Lings on the side. Very filling!

I gotta say, however, that the marinade was definitely more sour than sweet. Perhaps the rice vinegar really outdid itself. I can always adjust the measurements next time I decide to make this again.
Please let me know what you think about this recipe if you prepare it any time soon!

For tips on making your own stir-fry from scratch, click here (and feel free to skip the old sob story).

Nutrition Facts per serving
(among six people):

Calories: 270
Fat: 13g
Carbs: 30g
Protein: 14g
Fiber: 6g

Eggplant is known to have good amounts of folate and manganese. Tempeh is also a good source of manganese, along with protein, fiber, copper, phosphorus, vitamin B2, and magnesium.

All right. Time to watch MXC and get all the giggles out of my system. =)

Better Batter Banana Bread

(Tongue twister much?)

I really do think this is the best banana bread I have ever made. All the other banana breads I have ever made always ended up turning out too doughy or too cooked on the outside and undercooked on the inside. They were satisfying, yes, but not perfect.

Biscotti has a rival.

But this one was perfect! It baked completely in 45 minutes. It was just the right amount of sweet and the walnuts added a lovely texture. Given you're making this the day before, it's a great choice for getting breakfast on the run. Just reheat a slice or two in the microwave for 40 seconds, top with butter or jam and you're good to go. I know this from waking up for my opening shifts. *wink*

I got this recipe from a March 2008 issue of Yoga Journal magazine. In the article, it mentioned healthier sweeteners as oppose to using white sugar. These healthier white sugar alternatives included maple syrup, dates, dehydrated fruit sugar, fruit puree, brown rice syrup, and organic cane sugar. Getting a sweet tooth yet? =)

Better Batter Banana Bread
makes about 10 biscotti-like slices

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (I used raw)
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 or 3 should do)
1/4 cup light vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown rice syrup (I used raw agave)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (also used agave)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2/3 cup plain soy milk (I used almond milk)

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and walnuts.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk bananas, oil, syrups, vanilla, zest, and a few tablespoons of soy milk -enough to fully incorporate the ingredients into a batter. The softer the bananas, the less soy milk you'll need.
3. Add the wet ingredients to form a thick batter. Add more soy milk as needed.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 60 minutes in a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper and oiled on the sides. When done, turn loaf out of the pan and onto a rack to cool.

Cooling. =)

Cut into 10 slices and serve each slice with a light drizzle of agave and dashes of ground flax. It's also delicious with a glass of almond milk. Yum.

So, besides it being a well-known potassium source, what other nutrients do bananas have? They are a very good source of fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and manganese. In other words, they're wonderful for maintaining electrolyte levels in your body, giving you steady energy, and keeping your digestive system in check. Woot. ^_^

Nutrition Facts per slice

Calories: 214
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 29g
Protein: 4g
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 11g (remember that there's fruit in here!)

It's pretty hefty on the carbs due to sweeteners and the bananas themselves, which is why I suggest eating a slice in the morning for a steady flow of glucose to your body. Also, if you don't like walnuts, I'm sure the bread will turn out fine if you don't add them into the batter. It will also save you grams of fat and calories, too (but it may reduce fiber content, as well). But who am I to speak? After all, our taste buds are different. =)

Tomato Basil Cream Pasta

I think it's great to try vegetables even though you claim to hate them because there are endless ways to prepare and cook them. Throw them in smoothies, soups, stews, veggie pot pies, casseroles... The list goes on. Consider this:
Rick is not a fan of raw tomatoes but he loved last night's dinner, which was full of tomatoes. =)

 Can't say no to creamy pasta dishes.

Aside from being delicious, dinner was super easy to prepare and it doesn't ask for uncommon ingredients. It's great when paired with homemade garlic bread! The recipe is from VeganYumYum.com and you can get it by clicking here.

When I was shopping for the ingredients, my coworker asked me something like, "Doesn't the word 'creamy' usually refer to dairy foods, like milk or cheese?" It does. But raw cashews and tomato paste do the job here. What was real fun was that I got to use my nifty Vitamix to make the tomato cream. 

The original recipe suggests it serves two people but Rick and I had leftovers fit for another person. Therefore, I think three serving work best, not only for the volume of the recipe but for the sake of calorie intake. *wink*

Nutritional Info
(third of the recipe)
Calories: 390
Fat: 20g
Carbs: 52g
Protein: 12g
Fiber: 8g

You can either blame the cashews for the fat content, or love them for making the meal so tasty! The nuts are a good source of B vitamins, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. I choose to love the cashews. =)

All right, enough talking from me. Off to stuff my face with leftovers!

Black Beans & Wild Rice

"This is so beany... And ricey... And tomato-ey."

Yeah. Rick pretty much summed up the entirety of this simple but savory meal. I thought it was like a tomato soup combined with a bean and rice dish. Then again, my thoughts are very similar to Rick's...

Mmm. ^_^

This meal is a wonderful dinner idea for cold nights and snuggling while watching Netflix. =) Here is the recipe, straight from the book:

Black Beans & Wild Rice
(I got this recipe from Robin Robertson's "1,000 Vegan Recipes.")
makes 4 servings

3/4 cup wild rice
3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried majoram
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups fresh baby spinach

1. Combine the wild rice in a large saucepan with 3 cups of salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until tender. Add the beans, tomatoes, marjoram, salt, and pepper.
2. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are well combined, about 15 minutes, adding a splash of water if too dry.
3. Stir in the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes. Taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately.

Confession: we ate everything.

Nutrition Facts per serving
(the book says it serves four people but I personally think it makes a lot of food, good enough for six servings. Not only that, but the nutrition facts seem more reasonable when split six ways)

Calories: 278
Fat: 1g
Carbs: 52g
Protein: 17g
Fiber: 14g

Ready to hear the nutritional goods about this meal? (Don't hold your breath.):
Wild rice is a good source of fiber, protein, B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and copper. Black beans, like just about all beans, are high in fiber, protein, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc. Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, manganese, and lycopene. Spinach is a powerhouse for vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, and manganese. Whew! Good stuff!

Want to kick up the flavor? Add a few dashes of Daiya pepper jack cheese and Tapatio while the dish is still warm. Just saying. =)

Pan Fried Tofu, Kale, & Stir-Fried Noodles

Remember when I said I prefer garbanzo beans over soy beans? This recipe totally changed my perspective...

...at least for tonight. =)

I got this dinner idea from VeganYumYum.com, a fellow vegan blog that is probably, and unfortunately, no longer being updated but the meals I prepared from the site are amazingly good. And, aside from being crazy delicious, guess what else this recipe is awesome for? It calls for soy sauce, which means we used Bragg's Liquid Aminos. In one of my posts, I mentioned that I couldn't stand that stuff, but this recipe actually made me like it! Now I know where and how to use that soy sauce alternative. *wink* Click here for this recipe.

*drools on keyboard*

The marinade, the tofu, the kale, the noodles... I can't even begin to describe how awesome this meal was, texture, taste, and all. Maybe this will sum everything up: we stuffed our faces and wanted more afterwards, even with full bellies. =)
This recipe serves two people, so I suggest grabbing your partner and prepare this meal together for a stay-at-home date night. *wink* Rick and I watched Netflix afterwards. Winning.

Nutrition Facts per Serving
Calories: 633
Fat: 19g
Carbs: 79g
Protein: 37g
Fiber: 5g

Yeah, about the calories and carbohydrates... I apologize for not telling you to brace yourself but trust me; it's all worth it and you know there are worse calorie-bombs out there! This meal is a rich source of soy protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and potassium. Pretty great!
Guess who's planning on preparing this meal again? =)

Vanilla-Pear Breakfast Cobbler

Happy New Year, everybody!

In case you are wondering, I did not have any party ideas in mind before yesterday night so I prepared no appetizers to hold my family up until the countdown. Shame on me. But everyone was happy and Rick and I ate (Indian food!) before we arrived to my parents' house. I got my lovely midnight kiss and that's all that matters. *wink*
I did make an awesome meal today though. I jump-started my morning with an epic and delicious breakfast.

Breakfast cobbler!

I found the recipe from Chocolate-Covered Katie's blog a couple of days ago. It was so full of flavor and a variety of different textures, from crunchy to soft and creamy. A good use of pears! Next time I make this again I'll use apples and probably amp up the cinnamon. =) You can get this delicious recipe by clicking here.

More, please. =)

It definitely made a very hearty meal. Pears alone, however, are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, and lutein (a good component for eye health). They are also a very watery fruit so they can aid in balancing your body's electrolyte and water levels. So eat up!

I will not be giving nutritional information because it all depends on what cereal you are using and how you are tweaking the recipe (like whether or not you're adding butter instead of applesauce, or oil instead of butter, etc.).
How did your New Year's Eve party go?