Apple Pie Irish Oatmeal

I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Closet Cooking, and couldn't wait to try it out. Not only did it sound incredibly easy (it is), but who doesn't like apple pie for breakfast? Even though I generally prefer a more protein-laden breakfast (read: eggs, turkey bacon, Greek yogurt), every once in a while I like to go with a good ol' bowl of comfort like oatmeal. I first tried steel-cut oats (also labeled Irish oatmeal) a couple of years ago and really liked the nutty, chewy texture which differs quite a bit from the softer texture of the more common rolled oats. However, you can't beat the convenience of quick cooking rolled oats because steel-cut oats take a good 30-45 minutes to simmer on the stove top and that's not exactly conducive to a fast breakfast. So. That's the other thing that struck me about this recipe: it's made in the slow-cooker so you can set the timer and have the oatmeal waiting on YOU when you wake up!

Apple Pie Irish Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1 cup steel-cut oats
2 cups of water (or apple juice as per the original recipe, but I just used water)
2 cups of milk (I used plain soy milk, but you could use whatever you want)
2-3 small apples, diced (I used 3 granny smith apples that were a little past the point of eating whole)
2-4 Tbs. of brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like things, you can use more or less- I prefer to use a little less)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt (I used fine sea salt- this wasn't in the original recipe, but I think you really need the salt to offset the sweet)
1/4 cup dried fruit (recommended: raisins or dried cranberries- I used cranberries)
1/4 cup nuts, chopped (recommended: walnuts or pecans- I used walnuts)
2 Tbs. milled flaxseeds

Directions:
Dump everything in your slow-cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Easy, right? ;)

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Tofu Chili & Cornbread

Vegetarian Tofu Chili

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion, diced (preferably vidalia)
1 bell pepper, diced (preferably red, yellow, or orange)
3 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes (with or without green chilies or jalapenos... dealer's choice)
3 (15.5 ounce) cans of beans (light or dark kidney, black, cannelini, navy... dealer's choice)
1 (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
1 Tbs. sugar
3 Tbs. chili powder
3 Tbs. cumin, divided
1 Tbs. paprika (sweet or smoked)
1 Tbs. red pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of oregano
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. cilantro
salt & pepper, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
1 (14 ounce) package of extra firm tofu, drained, crumbled, and patted dry

Directions: (The method I use is stupidly simple and beyond easy.)
*Step one: Plug in a large crock pot.
*Step two: Dump in all ingredients except the tofu and 1 Tbs. of the cumin.
*Step three: Set crock pot to LOW for 6 to 8 hours and forget about it. This is best when done overnight.
*Step four: When the chili has been cooking for at least 6 hours, take the drained/dried tofu and spread it out on a baking sheet (lightly sprayed with cooking spray), sprinkle on the remaining 1 Tbs. of cumin, and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Why do this extra step? The texture of the tofu changes and becomes "meatier" which holds up better in the chili. After the tofu has baked to desired texture, stir into chili base and unplug the crock pot. Let the chili set for at least an hour (though longer is better) to allow the tofu to fully absorb the spicy goodness.

Not-So-Crumbly Cornbread

Ingredients:
2 (8.5 ounce) boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup of milk
1 (14.7 ounce) can of cream style sweet corn

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a lightly greased/buttered baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!