Oatmeal and Dark Chocolate Syrup

Dark Chocolate Syrup Oatmeal

Like I said many a time before keep it simple, and make it taste great.

In this oatmeal I simply added dark chocolate syrup over the top of my oatmeal. I chose dark chocolate for it's low sugar and health benefits. For those of you who have a sweat tooth use regular chocolate syrup. Cook your oatmeal as usual and simply top with syrup.

Now this is not one of my favorites, as I am not a chocolate fanatic, but as a kid I do remember looking for anything to make my oatmeal taste better. I also remember trying to come up with a good excuse as to why the chocolate syrup mysteriously disappeared and why I had chocolate all over my face. As an adult I don't have to make excuses, I just have to decide is it healthy, and does it taste great.

    I hope my readers understand that my main goal is to make healthy food like oatmeal taste great.

I look forword to hearing your constructive comments and ideas.

Make it simple, make it taste great.

Bacon and Eggs Oatmeal Breakfast

Egg Oatmeal Breakfast

This is a no sugar oatmeal breakfast and I have been told that it is a good breakfast for diabetics. The added proteins from the egg gives it a little extra pick me up and is good for brain function.

(1) Start with a half a cup or more of quick oats. Add boiling water and let set for a few seconds. Add a tablespoon of butter for a more flavorful and creamy texture (coconut oil may be substituted). Stir until melted. Then add one egg and stir in thoroughly.

(2) Add an 1/8 cup of chopped nuts or sunflower seeds, raw or roasted .

(3) Add some alfalfa sprouts or finely chopped carrots and onions, about 1/4 cup.

 (4) Add garlic powder, pepper or season to taste. I sometimes add bacon bits to give it a eggs and bacon flavor. The nuts and vegetables can be left out if they are not to your liking.

As we say in Nevada, dig in and enjoy

Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Delight

Oatmeal Breakfast Delight

"There is nothing like oatmeal to get you through the day.", my father would say. Growing up we had oatmeal for breakfast every day and that can get pretty old pretty fast when your a kid. My sister would say that the reason he cooked it every day was because that was the only thing he knew how to cook. But my guess is my father growing up in the Depression considered this to be a very good meal as opposed to nothing. 

Eating plain oatmeal everyday seemed like torture, but now that I'm older I see the importance of having a nutritional meal to start the day, and oatmeal is a good way to help lower your cholesterol. But that doesn't mean you have to eat the same old oatmeal day in and day out as I did. So here's one of the ways that I jazz up my oatmeal. I start with a half cup to a cup of quick oats and add boiling water. I add just enough hot water to thicken the oatmeal and let stand for a minute.

I then stir in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (optional). Stir until coconut oil is completely melted. This makes the oatmeal more creamy. Some research indicates that coconut oil can help fight off Alzheimer's disease and improves brain function. I then add 1 tablespoon or less of brown sugar. With the addition of raisins not a lot of brown sugar is needed. I add 1/4 cup or less of raisins for additional flavor and sweetening. I then add 1/8 cup of dry roasted sunflower seeds or chopped dry roasted peanuts. This gives the oatmeal a bit of a crunch and added protein. Put in milk or almond milk to help cool it down and add flavor. Add a hot cup of black tea and maybe some toast or juice and breakfast is ready in less than 5 min. It is also healthier and cheaper than any prepackaged oatmeal breakfast.

peanut barbecue chicken breast

Peanut Barbecue Chicken Breast 

Chopped peanut barbecue chicken breast with french fries or Rice with organic raspberry salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Start with a 12 x 12 baking pan or larger, line with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil. Four large boneless skinless chicken breasts liberally drizzled with with your favorite barbecue sauce and sprinkle liberally with 1/2 cup chopped peanuts. Bake at 425°F for 30 min., 45 min if using frozen chicken breasts, check periodically by cutting into the breast to make sure chicken breasts are thoroughly cooked.(cooking times may vary based on altitude and how frozen meat is.) Be sure to use safe cooking practices when handling meat products, meat should be white all the way through. barbecue sauce that is spilled over onto the pan may be burnt and can be discarded. Serve with buttered broccoli or your favorite vegetable and your favorite rice dish.

    Chicken breast may also be cut up and added to a garden salad with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Remember to keep it simple and never be afraid to try new flavor combinations. 

Chicken hearts and gizzards with rice

Chicken gizzard and rice

a

modern-day peasant dish

 





   

Chicken gizzards and rice is a dish that I have come to love in good times and bad. For some it is an acquired taste, but as a kid I came to love the taste and  chewie texture. Unlike in those days of only getting one set of giblets per chicken, modern times have made it available at most grocery stores in large packages. Although hearts and gizzards (how most are packaged these days) are the toughest part of the bird, they're also one of the lowest in fat content and one of the cheapest.

1.       Chicken gizzards …………………………………………… about $1.50

2.       brown rice………….…………………………………………………... $2.00

3.       one can cream of condensed mushroom soup…….…. $1.50

4.       salad of your choice including dressing …………………… $3.00

5.       in season fruit …………………………………………………………. $2.00

                                                                 4 Servings total: $10.00

Should feed a family of four for about $2.50 per person add grated cheese for an additional $.50 per person for a total of $3 per person. Prices may fluctuate depending on your location and seasonal fruit.

Cooking the rice

The first thing I cook is 2 cups of quick rice according to the instructions on the packaging. Use a pot large enough to allow you to add the gizzards and a can of condensed mushroom soup when rice is finished cooking. (About a two or 3 quart pan )This will take about 15 min. if you're using quick rice, if your using regular rice about 45 min. While rice is cooking I prepare the hearts and gizzards.

preparing the package of hearts & gizzards

Most chicken hearts and gizzards, come out of the package looking like this. Their machine processed and as a result most times are not a finished product. The yellow lining on the gizzards must be removed or your whole meal will come out tasting very bad and the meat will be unpalatable.



Using your fingernail scrape and peel any yellow lining you find on any of the gizzards and discard.  You can trim any additional fat that you find at this time but I usually find so little it's not worth the effort.

 

 

 

 

Once you have your gizzards peeled and meat washed their ready for cooking. I usually use a microwave oven and a casserole dish with lid. Place the gizzards and hearts in the casserole dish and season with pepper and salt and a dash of garlic powder. Cook in the microwave oven for about 7 to 8 min.  Be sure and use a lid as they will pop as they are cooking.

When done your hearts and gizzards should be a nice brown color all the way through with no blood. There may be some grease left at the bottom of the dish. This can be drained off and discarded or saved for soup stock.

When your rice is finished cooking add the hearts and gizzards along with one can of condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup. 

(Note: put hearts and gizzards through food processor prior to mixing with rice for smaller bite sizes and less chewy meat.) 

Mix thoroughly.

You can add a half cup of your favorite shredded cheese to the mix or just use as a garnish as I have here.

Peel , core and slice a fresh pair and add your favorite  salad and there you have your high-protein, low-fat dinner on a low-budget.

 From the sandy beaches of Fallon, Nevada.

Enjoy!