Peachy Overnight Oats (vegan and gluten-free)

Recipe from Caitlin Shoemaker of From My Bowl
Tested (and adapted a bit) in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 3 servings

When it’s just too hot to cook and the peaches are especially lovely and perfectly ripe, make this easy and luscious breakfast to cool you off.

2 ripe peaches, pitted and chopped into bite-sized pieces, divided
2 cups non-dairy milk (I used soy milk.) 
1 Tablespoon grade A maple syrup, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon 
Pinch of flakey sea salt
1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free, if necessary
½ cup quick cooking oats
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
¼ cup non-dairy yogurt (I used Cocojune coconut yogurt.)

Instructions
Prep: Quarter one peach and finely dice the other. Add the quartered peach to a high-speed blender along with the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Blend on high for 45-60 seconds, until the peaches are finely blended into the milk.
Mix: Add the oats, chia seeds, and yogurt to a large bowl. Pour the peach milk into the bowl, then stir until everything is combined. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, to allow the oats and chia seeds to absorb some of the liquid. 
Store: transfer the oats to 2-3 jars or other containers.  Add the diced peaches on top of each jar of oats.  Cover and store in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. 
In the morning, remove the top from the jar and stir in the peaches. Add more milk to the mix if you like it more loose. 
These will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Lime and Mint Overnight Oats

Recipe from Julia Maiten

Adapted and tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 2 servings

What a refreshing, summery breakfast this makes!  One of my absolute favorite overnight oats recipes comes from Julia Maiten.  It’s Orange Spiced Overnight Oats.  I make it all the time.  This is basically the same recipe, but instead of oranges and the spices, this one uses fresh lime juice and zest plus the addition of fresh mint. You can top this one off with your favorite fruits and berries.  I had some ripe plums ready to go plus some grapes.  This was a delicious breakfast.

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

½ cup quick cooking oats

2 Tablespoons chia seeds

Zest from 1 lime

Juice from 1 lime

1½ cups soy milk

½ cup thick soy yogurt (I used Cocojune Coconut Yogurt, but I also like Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt.)

pinch of salt 

2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup 

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.  Chill in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, scoop out a portion and add the toppings.

Optional Toppings: fresh mint, blueberries, flakey salt

Other Toppings: tahini, grapes and fresh mint

Roasted Cauliflower and Edamame Nourish Bowl

Recipe from Tess Begg

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

I spent a pleasant time making the components of this dish and it paid off.  It can be eaten hot or at room temperature. Leftovers taste great the next day. This was good enough to serve guests.

Roasted Cauliflower & Edamame: 

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (approx. 3 cups) 

1 cup frozen edamame beans (thawed) 

Drizzle of olive oil 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

3 teaspoons ground paprika 

1 teaspoon ground coriander 

2 teaspoons garlic powder 

1 teaspoon chili flakes 

Generous pinch of salt and black pepper   

Parsley Salad: 

1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped (approx. 2-3 cups) 

1 small red onion, finely diced 

1 cucumber, finely diced 

1 medium tomato, finely diced (I used cherry tomatoes.)

Juice of 1 small lemon 

2 teaspoons olive oil 

Pinch of salt   

Creamy Tzatziki: 

¾ cup soy or coconut yogurt 

1 small cucumber, grated and juice squeezed out 

Juice of 1 small lemon 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill 

½ Tablespoon olive oil 

Pinch of salt and pepper   

Toppings: 

2 Tablespoon sesame seeds 

1/3 cup dried cranberries   

Instructions: 

Roast the Veggies: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Toss the cauliflower and edamame with the olive oil, cumin, paprika, coriander, garlic powder, chili flakes, salt, and pepper on a baking tray. Bake for about 35 minutes until crispy. 

Mix the Tzatziki: Combine all tzatziki ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. 

Toss the Salad: In a separate bowl, mix the parsley, red onion, cucumber, tomato, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. 

Assemble: Spread the creamy tzatziki at the bottom of the bowls, top with the fresh parsley salad, and pile the crispy roasted cauliflower and edamame on top. Finish by sprinkling with sesame seeds and cranberries. 

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Vegan)

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from PlantYou 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

These baked oats are sooooo delicious.  Make a batch tonight so that you’ll have a great breakfast to look forward to all week.  I serve mine topped with Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt and whatever fruit/berries are in season.  

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

¾ cup oat flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1½ tsp baking powder

1½ cups grated carrot

2 cups unsweetened cashew milk or other plant milk (I use soy milk.)

½ cup unsweetened vegan yogurt 

⅓ cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup crushed walnuts or pecans plus more for topping, if desired

Cashew Cream Cheese Icing (Optional) I just topped mine with plain yogurt each morning.

1 cup cashews unsalted

1 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt

½  lemon, zested and juiced

¼  cup maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F and grease or line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper.

Add all of the dry ingredients apart from the walnuts to the baking dish, including the oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger. Mix. Then add the wet ingredients, including the carrot, yogurt, maple syrup, plant milk and vanilla. Stir until fully combined.

Top with crushed walnuts if desired, and place in the oven for 50 to 55 minutes until cooked through.

While the baked oatmeal cooks, you can make the optional cashew cream cheese icing by adding all listed ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Combine until smooth, and ice the top of the oatmeal once cooled. Store the oatmeal in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Notes

If you don't have oat flour, you make your own in a food processor or coffee grinder. Simply grind some oats until you get a fine flour.

For a nut-free version, you can use sunflower or pumpkin seeds. As for the frosting, you can blend up some plain tofu instead of the cashews.

It's possible to make a similar baked oatmeal dish using zucchini. Bear in mind, zucchini has a higher water content, so you will need to squeeze the moisture out before adding zucchini into the pan. 

Nutrition

Calories: 353.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.1g | Protein: 9.7g | Fat: 13.4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.3g | Sodium: 190.8mg | Potassium: 392.2mg | Fiber: 5.3g | Sugar: 19.3g | Vitamin A: 4014.7IU | Vitamin C: 14.3mg | Calcium: 243.9mg | Iron: 2.8mg

Orange Spiced Overnight Oats

Recipe from Julia Maiten
Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 generous servings

I’m loving Julia Maiten’s recipes.  This one is especially nice with fragrant hints of orange, fennel and cardamom.  The recipe makes a large batch* that can be stored in the fridge and portioned out in the morning and topped with all sorts of fruits, berries and/or nuts and seeds. Julia is in her early 20’s and a runner.  Her recipe states that this makes 2 portions*, but since I’m well past my 20’s and I prefer walking, this makes breakfast for me for several days. 

1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 pods of cardamom
1 cup (110g) rolled oats
½ cup (55g) quick-cooking oats
2 Tablespoons chia seeds
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of Kosher or sea salt
Zest from 1 orange
Juice from 1 orange 
1½ cups (375ml) soy milk
14 oz. (400g) plant based yogurt (I used Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt.)
Maple syrup, to taste

Topping Ideas: fresh or dried apricots, fresh or frozen blueberries, toasted macadamias or walnuts, flakey sea salt, extra plant-based milk, fresh chopped apple, maple syrup, sliced banana

Directions: Add the fennel seeds and shelled cardamom seeds into a small dry skillet and toast until fragrant. 
Grind using a mortar & pestle or spice grinder.
Into a large bowl, add the spices along with the remaining ingredients and mix well. 
Allow to chill for at least 1 hour.  
When ready to serve, portion out into bowls and add toppings as desired.

Vegan Tzatziki

 

Servings: 8 to 10
Recipe from Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life 

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

I was testing out  what turned out to be a really delicious Tofu Souvlakia.  The recipe called for vegan tzatziki, but no recipe was included.  So, I went to my go-to vegan recipe source, Rainbow Plant Life and found this one.  It’s absolutely scrumptious.  I had fresh mint, but no dill, so I used that.  In the photo, you’ll see this sauce beneath the Tofu Souvlakia.  I didn’t have traditional pita, so I used whole wheat lavash.  I sprinkled a bit of fresh lemon juice and kosher salt over the arugula and tossed for some green freshness. This was so dang good.

Ingredients
10 ounces plain-flavored thick and tart vegan yogurt*
8 ounces English or Persian cucumber, unpeeled 
3 Tablespoons minced fresh dill or fresh mint
2 fat garlic cloves, grated or crushed in a press
2 teaspoons good-quality red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 to 1½ Tablespoons good-quality extra virgin olive oil

Instructions
Use the wide holes on a box grater to grate the cucumber. Add the grated cucumber to a thin dish towel, nut milk bag, or cheesecloth. Squeeze or wrap it tightly, and wring out as much water as you can. Add the yogurt to a medium bowl. Add in the grated cucumber, dill, garlic, 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt, vinegar, or olive oil as needed. If possible, rest in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes (or for several hours) to allow the flavors to marry. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Notes
*Note 1: A thick yogurt is essential because it will be watery otherwise. Also, a naturally tangy/tart yogurt helps, as naturally sweet varieties taste a bit strange in savory dip like this. Nisha’s preferred yogurt brands for this recipe are Culina (favorite), CocoJune (favorite), GT’s CocoYo, Anita’s coconut yogurt, or Kite Hill Greek-style almond milk yogurt.  However, I didn’t have any of the above yogurts in the fridge, so I used my Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt and it tasted just fine and dandy.
Note 2: Nisha prefers English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers, as they’re sweeter and seedless, but you can use a regular cucumber if needed (the skin is a little tough, so you may want to peel it).

Nutritional Information: Calories: 69kcal; Carbohydrates: 5g; Protein: 1g; Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 0.3g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Sodium: 131mg; Potassium: 46mg; Fiber: 0.3g; Sugar: 2g; Vitamin A: 41IU; Vitamin C: 6mg; Calcium: 53mg; Iron: 0.1mg

Toffee Banana Breakfast Bread (Vegan)

Recipe from Instagram @sophiethenutritionist
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 8-10 slices

I just love breakfast and my day is made when I eat a really good one.  I saw this on Julie Maiten’s YouTube channel (one of my faves) and she said she found the recipe on Instagram.  So I gave it a try.  Though it looks decadent, it’s wholesome, filling and very satisfying with a hot cup of Joe.  It’s sweetened not with sugar, but with dates and bananas. To gild the lily, just top it off with yogurt and drizzle with mixture of tahini and maple syrup.  Sprinkle on some toasted pecans for a lovely crunch. This one is a new breakfast for us all to have on repeat.

Ingredients for the Bread:
5 pitted medjool dates
Scant 2 cups (320g) mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
¼ cup (80g) vegan yogurt (I used Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (80 ml) milk of choice (I used soy milk.)
(180g) whole wheat flour
¾ cup (80g) old fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoon ground flax seed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of kosher salt 

Topping Ingredients for Two Slices:
Vegan Yogurt (I used Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt.)
1 Tablespoon tahini
½ Tablespoon maple syrup
Splash of plant milk, to thin, if needed

Toasted pecans* or other nuts, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a 9” X 5” loaf pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes/until soft. 
Add the milk, vanilla, yogurt and bananas to a high speed blend.  Add the pitted, soaked and drained dates.  Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Measure the flour, oats, soda, powder, flax meal, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl.  Whisk until completely mixed.
Add the date milk mixture to the dry mixture.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.
Put the batter into the lined loaf pan.  
Bake for 45-60 mins at 350F (180C) or until nice and golden on the top. Wait until the loaf is completely cool before cutting. Cut into 8 to 10 slices.
You can freeze the sliced loaf with baking paper between each slice.  Reheat in a toaster, oven or microwave. 

*To toast pecans in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F (180C), spread the pecans evenly on a baking sheet, and bake for 5-8 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they become fragrant and slightly darker brown in color; be sure to watch them closely as they can burn quickly. 

Lemon Blueberry Baked Oats (Vegan)

Here's my breakfast: 
Lemon Blueberry Baked Oats
 served with a Honeycrisp Apple
sprinkled with Cinnamon & Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Recipe from The Conscientious Eater

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 1 serving

This was a very nice breakfast change for me.  I loved the lemony blueberry combo in these oats.  I like to prepare my breakfast in advance, so here’s how I did these.  I measured out the dry ingredients and all the wet ingredients except the lemon zest/juice and berries.  I stored the dry and wet ingredients separately in the fridge overnight.  In the morning, while the oven preheated, I put on my coffee, zested and juiced the lemon and stirred everything together. By the time my coffee had percolated and I had sliced an apple to go on the side, the oats were ready to go. This delicious breakfast lasted me all morning.

¼ cup non-dairy yogurt 

3 Tablespoons non-dairy milk 

1 Tablespoon maple syrup 

1 Tablespoon lemon juice 

½ teaspoon lemon zest 

½ teaspoon vanilla 

½ cup oats (I used old fashioned rolled oats.)

½ teaspoon baking powder 

Pinch of salt 

1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

Handful of fresh OR frozen blueberries (about ¼ cup)

Spray a 2-cup oven safe dish with oil OR line the dish with parchment paper.  Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Pour the batter into a greased ramekin and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. (The time in the oven will depend upon your oven and/or how you like your baked oats.  If you like them more moist, check on the oats at the 20 minute mark.  If you like them on the dryer side, allow them to bake at 25 minutes or even a few minutes more.  You can always add milk to the oats once they come out of the oven if they are too dry for you.) 

x

Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Yogurt Using the Instant Pot

Recipe from https://www.healthyalyona.com/recipe/plant-based-cashew-yogurt/

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes about 2 cups

I'm really enjoying making my own plant based yogurt.  This one takes just a few minutes of easy prep and then after spending some time in the Instant Pot, it's done!  I will say that the yogurt isn't very thick, but it's absolutely delish! You can leave it plain after it has fermented so that you can make sauces for savory dishes or you can add a Tablespoon of maple syrup and a teaspoon of vanilla to make it sweet.  We love it served with fresh fruit/berries and Homemade Coconut-Buckwheat Granola.  I love to use it when I make Homemade Breakfast Birchler or any dish requiring yogurt.

**Update Notes:  

• I've tested this cashew yogurt in my Instant Pot Mini.  Just press the yogurt button and set it for 14 hours.  I usually make 4 (pint) jars at a time in the 6-quart Duo Evo Plus.  You can make 2 (pint) jars in the Instant Pot Mini.  
• I make this yogurt once a week.  I usually buy a big container of Plain Unsweetened Kitehill Greek Style Plant Based Yogurt made with Almond Milk & Soy.  I freeze the yogurt in ice cube trays and then once the yogurt is frozen, I pop the cubes out of the trays and into an airtight glass container for storing in the freezer.  Then I thaw the cubes (4 cubes because I make 4 batches) in the fridge in advance and add them to the high speed blender, pulsing until blended in, after the cashews and water have blended to a very smooth consistency. 

1 cup raw cashews (unsoaked)

1 cup filtered water

1 pinch sea salt

1 Tablespoon plant based yogurt with live active cultures OR powder from 2 capsules of vegan probiotics (I used Plain Unsweetened Kitehill Greek Style Plant Based Yogurt made with Almond Milk & Soy.) 

(I have two Instant Pots.  One is the 6-quart Duo Evo Plus and the other is the Instant Pot Mini.  This recipe works in both.)

To have yogurt ready in the morning, begin at 5:00 p.m. the night before.  

Rinse the cashews in water and drain.  

Place the rinsed cashews in a high speed blender (Like a Vitamix.)  

Add the filtered water and salt.  

Blend at high speed until very smooth.  

Pour the mixture into a medium bowl or Mason jar. 

Add 1 Tablespoon plant based yogurt.  

Stir really well.  

Pour the mixture into a heat proof bowl or jar (Pyrex or Mason jar).  

Place the bowl/jar directly into the bottom of the Instant Pot.  (No need to add the lids to the jar(s) until after the yogurt is done.)

Do not add water to the pot.  

Place a glass lid on the Instant Pot.  (You will not be pressure cooking so no need to use the lid that came with the pot. You just want to have a lid over the pot to keep the contents at a constant temperature.  It isn’t necessary to pasteurize plant-based milk.)  

Choose Ferment setting for 14 hours at High temperature.  

The yogurt will be done fermenting by 7:00 a.m.  (If you wish your yogurt to be more tart, you can ferment for up to 16 hours.) 

Place a lid on each bowl/jar and pop them in the fridge for a couple of hours.  

Add maple syrup or jam and fresh berries to the yogurt if you wish after it’s been chilled.  

According to my calculations, one ¼-cup serving equals between 90-100 calories.  

Homemade Fudge Pops

Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 10 (2 oz.) popsicles

 

It’s just too darn hot right now to bake a summer berry pie. No need to fret though.  We can still have dessert that doesn’t heat up the kitchen or the cook to make.  These Homemade Fudge Pops are delicious and refreshingly cool.  All that is needed are a few ingredients, a whisk, and popsicle molds.

 

2/3 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used the “special dark” variety.)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup + 1 Tablespoon plain yogurt or Greek yogurt

1¼ cups milk or unsweetened almond milk

 

In a medium bowl with a lip (for easy pouring), whisk together the syrup, cocoa powder, and vanilla until thoroughly combined and no clumps are left.  Slowly whisk in the yogurt and milk.  Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, add a popsicle stick, and freeze.  When you are ready to eat them, run a little warm water on the outside of the molds to loosen them up so the popsicles come out easily. 

 

Nutritional Information: (One (2 oz.) Fudge Pop) 104 calories; 18 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 6 mg cholesterol; 27 mg sodium; 192 potassium; 20 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 16 g sugars; 3 g protein; 75 IU vitamin A; 0.1 mg vitamin C; 93 mg calcium; 0.6 mg iron

 

Cocoa Banana Overnight Oats

Recipe from Ciara at My Fussy Eater

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 2

You can start your day off with a chocolate fix without the guilt when you take a few minutes the night before to prepare this yummy breakfast.  If you use a really ripe banana (a banana that is almost black) you can skip sweetening the oats with honey or maple syrup.  I like to top this with an unsweetened/unsalted mixture of raisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and whole almonds for a little crunch.  Add fresh berries when they are in season.

2 cups rolled oats

1½ cups milk

½ cup plain yogurt

1 banana (mashed, chopped or sliced)

1-2 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1 Tablespoon (or less) honey or real maple syrup (Optional)

Toppings of your choice (Nuts, Raisins, Seeds and/or Other Fruits or Berries)

Mix all the ingredients (except toppings) together in a bowl or jar and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, remove from the fridge and add the toppings of your choice.

The oats can be eaten cold or heated in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. They will also keep in the fridge covered for 2-3 days.

Hearty Fruit and Oat Smoothie

Just put the ingredients in the blender pitcher
and leave it in the fridge overnight.
Next morning, blend it up for a quick breakfast.

Serves 2 very generous servings
Recipe from Everyday Food

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When you need breakfast in a hurry, this is the smoothie to make.  Before you go to bed, put the ingredients in the blender and store the pitcher in the fridge. When you wake up, put the pitcher of good-for-you ingredients on the blender base and turn it on. This smoothie is quite thick enough to eat with a spoon. If you prefer a thinner smoothie, just add some ice or a little milk.

1 cup plain yogurt

¼ teaspoon vanilla

1-2 teaspoons real maple syrup (If the banana is quite ripe, you won't need to add the maple syrup because the smoothie will be sweet enough.)

1 cup quartered strawberries or other berries (frozen berries will work when strawberries are not in season)

1 sliced banana

¼ cup raw almonds

½ cup old-fashioned oats

Toss into blender and allow to blend for about 2 minutes or until smooth.