Jamaican Steel Cut Oats

I can't believe the 4th of July has come and gone and summer is in full swing!  I've made my first batch of Lemongrass Tea and I am loving all the yummy summer foods.  We move in two weeks and I've been going through piles left and right.  I came across some old food magazines I saved with recipes I wanted to try.  One of them looked so good I tried it the next morning and have since made it three times. The last recipe I posted had coconut in it and the next recipe I plan to post (get excited for it!) has coconut in it as well.  Therefore, I must share what I always think of when I use coconut. Pina Coladas you ask?  Nope.  A Kenny Chesney song?  Negative.  Me in Hawaii wearing a coconut bra and hula dancing?  That's a scary thought for numerous reasons. 

I'll give you a hint...

"I don't like coconuts."

 

"You don't like coconuts?"

 

"Say, brainless, don't you know where coconuts come from?"

 

"Look here... from Tahiti, Fiji Islands, the Coral Sea!"

 

 

If you aren't sure what I'm quoting, here's a ginormous hint via two still shots from the movie.

 

 

 



 

I mean, I even put the quotes in red and green to help you out!  If you STILL don't know what I think of by now when I cook with coconut you need to quit reading my blog.  You should not return to my blog until you go watch only the greatest Christmas movie of all time: It's a Wonderful Life.  George is scooping Mary some ice cream in the second picture and they share this conversation about coconuts.  Kind of ridiculous that I always think of this scene, but hey, if it reminds me of Christmas in the summertime I'll take it!  Oh, and in case you're wondering, 15 more days until Christmas in July and 167 days until Christmas!

 

Yes, yes, I know, get to the recipe.  I love oatmeal, particularly, steel cut oats.  I love making pumpkin steel cut oats and actually made that recipe a month or so ago even though it's not pumpkin season.  Yes, I live dangerously like that.  This recipe fits into summertime much better than pumpkin and is pretty easy to assemble.  (Especially if you cook the steel cut oats the night before)

 

 

Jamaican Steel Cut Oats

6 servings (or 4 large ones) :)

 

Ingredients

1 C. steel cut oats

4 T. maple sugar flakes* (or 100% pure maple syrup to taste)

6 T. milk, warmed (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)

1/2 C. banana, chopped

1/2 C. fresh pineapple, diced

1/3 C. unsweetened shredded coconut

2 T. sliced almonds, toasted

 

Bake oats according to package directions.  Stir in maple sugar flakes or syrup and milk.  Add banana and pineapple and stir.  Place in serving bowls and top with coconut and almonds. 

 

If you are not serving several people and plan to have leftovers I recommend only placing bananas, pineapple, coconut and almonds on what you plan to eat.

 

 

 

*Maple sugar flakes...don't feel like you need to go buy them just for this recipe.  Why do I have them?  I found a recipe a few years ago I wanted to try that called for some.  Naturally, I thought it was appropriate to spend THIRTEEN dollars for an ingredient like this in a new recipe.  (What was I thinking?!)  Anyway, that recipe was horrible and it's been sitting in my spice cabinet untouched since that failed recipe.  I'm sure the reason I flagged the Jamaican Steel Cut Oats recipe in the magazine was to make myself feel better by using some more of the maple flakes.  If you do want to buy some I saw them on Amazon.com and Williams Sonoma.  However, if you use maple syrup, which I did one time and used 4 T., it tastes almost the same!

 

Enjoy!

 



Chia Pudding

I'd like to introduce you to the latest menu item that is a constant in my fridge this summer.  Say hello to chia "pudding".

I love it because I snack in between each meal.  That's no problem as long as I snack healthy and I'm always looking for new foods to fill me up.  This fits that criteria perfectly.  It's great for breakfast too...actually, I think that's what it was designed for and I've certainly used it as my breakfast.  Then, I eat it again that afternoon.  It's a win-win!

I first became extremely interested in chia seeds after watching a documentary.  Truthfully, I can't remember which one, but I think it was Hungry for Change.  Before I watched it, I had chia seeds in my pantry and would use them in different things, but I never fully understood the benefits.  Beyond the fact they are full on yummy stuff for our bodies, Hungry for Change gave this lovely visual of how chia seeds, when added to moisture, get sticky.  (You'll notice that if you make this recipe) Therefore, as they move through your intestines/colon they cleanse you out because they can "grab" on to the walls of your insides and help clean you out.  Now, with that picture in your head you're ready to make this and eat, right?  
 

I saw this the other day online and thought it would help tell you more about chia seeds:

As always, I think Trader Joe's is the cheapest and best place to buy chia seeds.  

However, you should be able to find them at any health store.  I ran out of my Trader Joe's bag and found some in Wichita at one of our health food stores, Natural Grocers.  I got a large bag (about double the size of the TJ's one) for $9 and it will last a long time, so they are pretty cheap.

As for the coconut milk, you can find that at the grocery store.  I found mine at Dillon's in the health food section by the almond milk.  (Not the refrigerated kind, although I think now they are starting to make refrigerated coconut milk as well.) 

                                               

 

 

Don't forget to make sure you get unsweetened coconut milk so there's no added sugar.  Also, check for organic and the blue NON GMO on the box as well.

As for the coconut, the recipe calls for sweetened, but I keep unsweetened at my house because once again, sweetened means they add sugar to it.  It tastes just fine!  One of these days, I'm going to buy some liquid stevia because I find so many recipes that call for it.  However, I used honey and I've enjoyed this breakfast/snack tremendously so why change it? 

Mango Coconut Chia "Pudding" 
Recipe from: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/06/mango-coconut-chia-pudding.html

 Ingredients:

1/2 cup lite coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (I always have vanilla flavor and that was perfect for this)
3/4 cup fresh ripe champagne mango, diced
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp sweetened shredded coconut (I say UNSWEETENED) 
4-6 drops Nu-Naturals liquid stevia (or sugar/honey to taste) I added 1 1/2-2 T. of honey.

Mix all ingredients together, place in a container with a lid, and store in refrigerator 5-6 hours or overnight.

*I have found it works best to put it in a smaller container with a lid.  It will expand a little as it thickens, but not too much.  I put it it in a large bowl with a lid once and it was too thin and spread out so it did not get very thick. 

Hope you like this delicious, healthy, perfect for summer dish!  Enjoy!