Soft Tacos

I've decided that soft tacos are going to be my food of the summer for 2012.  Flexible, healthy and oven-free, they are the perfect hot-weather food (not that I've had to worry about that . . . yet).

Tacos can be as light or as decadent as you wish, making them a winner for someone counting their Weight Watchers points.  They are also the ideal food for picky eaters and parties as everyone can pick and choose to suit their own dietary needs.

My current favourite combo:

* 3 (30 gram) corn tortillas - 5 points
* 45 grams baked pinto beans with onions and spices - 1 point
* 30 grams Greek yogurt - 1 point
* 80 grams roasted sweet potato cubes - 2 points
* 1 mango - 0 points
* A handful of cilantro - 0 points

A delicious, filling meal.  All for 9 points.

My other favourite toppings include: shredded chicken, Pico de Gallo and cheese but, really, the options are endless.  

Hazelnut Milk and Oatmeal Muffins

I have made my own almond milk for years. I like it in cereal and baking, but it is pretty thin so it does not suffice for coffee. Recently, however, I discovered this recipe for cashew milk. It is delicious and creamy. I omit the agave and reduce the oats to 2 tablespoons (otherwise it will thicken in hot beverages, as I learned the hard way). It is the best milk substitute I have found to drink with espresso.

But, I thought I could improve it even more.

I like hazelnut syrup in coffees, why not just make hazelnut milk?

So, I did.

I soaked 1.5 cups roasted (skins removed) hazelnuts in water over night. The next day, I powdered 2 tablespoons of oats in the blender, dumped in the hazelnuts, a tablespoon of maple syrup and three cups of water. I then liquified the mixture for 3-4 minutes and strained through cheese cloth (x 2).

It was delicious.

And a bit grainy.

I was not able to achieve the smooth and creamy texture of the cashew milk. So, it's a no-go for coffee. But, it is delicious in cereal and I used both the milk and the remaining hazelnut grounds/puree to make Oatmeal Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Muffins. I used this recipe and replaced the cow's milk with hazelnut milk and the pecans with the hazelnut mash without any further modifications.

Perfection!

My "Spa at Home" Weekend

I took five days off for the Easter weekend.  I didn't have anything special planned, but felt like I needed a "breather" from work.  As a single girl with only a cat for distraction, I find that work plays too heavy of a role in my life.   So, as I do not have the funds for a vacation or trip to the spa, I decided to treat myself right this weekend with lots of sleeping, yoga, walks on the beach and healthy eating. My weekend wasn't quiet as relaxing as I'd hoped (it never is), but I did do lots of sleeping and followed my "cleansing" eating plan.  I am already a vegetarian, but I also omitted flour, sugar, dairy and eggs from my diet over the long weekend and plan to do so for a few more days.  Here is a sampling of what I made (and ate!).

I started off each morning with a bowl of oatmeal and berries, but replaced my usual brown sugar with agave nectar.  Mmmm.

My first new recipe was Vegveeta Cheese Dip.  Despite the name and colour, this dip has a very small resemblance to cheese although it is a nice warm and creamy dip.  

For a treat, I made Peanut Butter Granola Bars.  I replaced the butter this recipe called for with coconut oil and replaced the marshmallows with extra peanut butter and some honey.  They are very dense and much more crumbly than regular granola bars, but still delicious!

                                   

Another meal I made was Warm Potato Spinach Salad with Pine Nut Dressing.  I omitted the olives and peppers this recipe called for and added strawberries instead.  This recipe is wonderful and I will be adding it to my repertoire.  

                                  

I also made one of my favourites, Creamy Broccoli Soup.  I originally got this recipe from O Magazine, but now just make it from memory (I think!).  All it contains is an onion, a potato, broccoli and vegetable stock.  I sprinkled toasted sesame seeds on top.  

I am most proud of my final recipe for the weekend.  This is my own "recipe" so I will call them "Granola Girl Muffins".  Now, I rarely use a recipe when baking muffins so I will probably never be able to replicate these, but considering that I thought I would end up with sugar-dairy-wheat-egg free rocks, I think they are fantastic.  I used a combination of oat bran and spelt flour for the "flour", honey for "sugar", arrowroot powder and a banana for the "egg" and soy milk as the liquid.  They also contain peanut butter and a cup of crumbles left over from my granola bars (above).  They turned out moist and delicious!

My long weekend of "relaxation" has now come to an end.  I wish I could have another 5 days off, but rather than dwell on that, I am off to take a bubble bath!