Easter Morning Favorite: Overnight Baked French Toast

March 4, 2013 By Sarah 3 Comments
French Toast BakeOvernight french toast is a standby at our family’s holiday brunches because it is easy to prepare ahead of time, and is completely delicious.  This recipe features beautiful summer peaches (it was originally posted in September 2011), but you can substitute any fresh fruit.  I have made this recipe with strawberries and blueberries before to rave reviews.
 
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Easter Morning Favorite: Overnight Baked French Toast

Ingredients

  • 1 small loaf challah bread (I prefer homemade, but store-bought is fine too)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk (any kind -- I used almond Milk)
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • For Topping:
  • 1-2 cups of sliced peaches
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Instructions

  1. In a large, buttered, glass baking dish (8x8 works well), arrange the bread slices so they are covering the entire bottom of the dish.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 3 tbsp brown sugar, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
  3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Arrange the peach slices on top, and sprinkle the additional 1/2 cup of brown sugar over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  4. The next day, bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until the top is browned and all the egg mixture is cooked. Serve hot and dig in!
Picture 6
A dollop of real whipped cream on the top is the perfect accompaniment.
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Brown Rice Bowl with Ginger Garlic Sauce: Cheap & Green in 2013 #8

February 5, 2013 By Sarah 1 Comment

brown rice bowl

Would you be shocked if I told you the inspiration for this recipe came from a box?

Specifically, an Amy’s Organic frozen meal box. :) I love those things. But they’re $4.79 per SERVING. I knew I could do better, price wise, but still use all organic ingredients.

Picture 7

You don’t have to resort to a box for a quick and healthful dinner. My version got raves from my husband (“you’re going to blog about this, right?”) and my children.

Total cost for the main ingredients? $7.00. That is $1.75 per serving — much better than $4.79 per serving. The sauce was made using ingredients I have on hand (and if you don’t always have fresh ginger — well, why not? It tastes great in SO many sweet and savory dishes, plus it’s great for the immune system!)

What’s SO convenient about my version is you can substitute pretty much anything you have in your cabinet. No brown basmati rice? Try quinoa, couscous, or white rice. No broccoli but you have green beans? Use those. No pinto beans but 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of black beans? Throw those in instead.

This takes just about 15 minutes to whip up, it’s gluten-free, and you could even make it in the slow cooker.  Plus, it’s darn tasty.  Try it and come back and let me know what you think.

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Brown Rice Bowl with Ginger Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Quick-Cook Brown Basmati Rice (uncooked)
  • 5 Cups Water
  • 2 Cups Chopped Organic Vegetables (I used frozen broccoli and fresh carrots)
  • 3 Slices Fresh Garlic
  • 1/3 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 1/3 cup Water
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free if desired)
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbs cilantro
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cans Organic Pinto Beans

Instructions

    For the Rice
  1. Cook Rice on the stove according to quick-cook directions, but add the sliced garlic to the rice water before you boil. After you've brought the rice and water to a boil, add the vegetables to the water, cover, and simmer on low for around 12-15 minutes.
    2. For the Sauce and Beans
  2. In a large sauce pan or wok, add the water, rice wine vinegar, grated ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.
  3. Simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
  4. Rinse the beans several times, then add to the sauce mixture.
  5. Add the cilantro, coriander, salt and pepper to taste.
  6. When the rice is done, and all the water is absorbed, add the rice and vegetables to the sauce and beans. Simmer and mix together for 5 minutes until everything is thoroughly combined. Serve in shallow bowls with an extra dusting of cilantro to garnish.

Cheap & Green in 2013 is a series of  frugal tips, DIY ideas , and nourishing recipes to encourage and inspire all of us throughout the year.

Have an idea to share? Please submit your super-fabulous ideas and posts here.

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DIY Gifts: Chocolate Toffee Coconut Bark

December 5, 2012 By Sarah Leave a Comment

There’s nothing like an edible gift. First, you can tailor it to the recipient’s tastes. Second, it doesn’t clutter up your house. And finally, if you don’t like it, someone else will ALWAYS take it.

I had the pleasure last week of helping my husband polish off a box of Caramel Delites Girl Scout cookies (if you’re old like me, you remember them as Samoas).

That yummy candy crunch paired with rich coconut and sweet chocolate was my inspiration for this bark – an easy yet impressive gift.

Just three ingredients:

Milk Chocolate Chips, Toasted Coconut (I like unsweetened organic), and Health Toffee Bits. Heat a bag of chocolate chips in a sauce pan on the stove until it’s melted, then slather it in a thin layer onto a silpat on a baking sheet. Seriously, how did I live before my Silpat??

Quickly, while the chocolate is still very warm, sprinkle the coconut and toffee chips very liberally all over the chocolate. You can press it in with a piece of wax paper so it sticks in the chocolate better.

Stick the whole sheet in the freezer for 12 hours or overnight. The next day, break off the chocolate in large chips, and either eat right there standing up in the kitchen (it’s not just me, right?), or store in the freezer for hostess gifts.

Looking for more DIY holiday gifts? Check out my Homemade Holiday Pinterest Board! You can also check out more holiday recipes including my favorite peppermint bark.

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Dairy Free Lactation Cookies

October 30, 2012 By Sarah 1 Comment

Lactation Cookies are one of the best gifts to bring a nursing mother.

In fact, they’re healthy for anyone:  1. high in B vitamins (yeast) and 2. vegan protein (oats, flax) 3. digestive aids (fenugreek – which tastes like maple syrup!).

Many new moms are dairy-free, as dairy is a common infant allergy. Here’s a nice reduced allergen recipe that is safe for people with dairy allergies or sensitivities.

Lactation Cookies (Adapted from LLL of East Lansing Michigan)

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Dairy Free Lactation Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup coconut oil or canola
  • 1 ½ cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Black Strap Molasses
  • ¼ cup flax seed meal
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups white flour
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon clove
  • 3 cups oats
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ cup craisins (or dates)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons brewer’s yeast

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
  3. Beat oil, sugar, and molasses well.
  4. Add eggs and mix well.
  5. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.
  6. Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, spices and salt.
  7. Add dry ingredients to oil mix.
  8. Stir in oats and fruit.
  9. Scoop onto a parchement lined baking sheet.
  10. Bake for 12 minutes.
  11. Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.
  12. 8. Stir in oats and fruit.
  13. 9. Scoop onto a parchement lined baking sheet.
  14. 10. Bake for 12 minutes.
  15. 11. Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

 

Don’t forget to pin it!

Thanks so much to my friend Rita for sharing her recipe!

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Healthy Snacks, Gastroparesis, and Naturebox: A Love Story

July 24, 2012 By Sarah 8 Comments

I have something to confess: I have a weird stomach. Not weird looking, but in terms of functionality, it’s kind of a wild card.  I mean,on a regular basis it just doesn’t behave like it’s supposed to.  If you want specific details, we can have a whole discussion about ulcerative colitis, gastroparesis, surgery, and other fun stuff. But let’s don’t.

What it amounts to is that working out —  which I have made a commitment to do as part of the Go Green Get Fit Challenge —  can be a hazard for my stomach: eat one bite too much, and I’m overfull and feel like hurling. Don’t eat enough, then I get light-headed and on the verge of falling off my yoga mat.

So it’s always a challenge for me not to simply find time to work out, but to find the right time when I won’t feel nauseus or faint.  It’s tricky, to say the least. I’m always looking for the perfect pre-exercise snack — enough to sustain my energy, but not so much that my stomach feels heavy.

Which is why I was really excited when I found out I was having a NatureBox shipped to me. Naturebox  is really easy to use: you just sign up, and for $19.95 per month, you will have shipped to you a box of 4-6 natural and healthy snacks. Unlike other subcription services, you can cancel, pause, or restart your subscription at any time so you don’t need to worry about being locked in to a commitment.

The snacks that were sent to me were:

  • Sun-Ripened White Peaches
  • Apple Rings
  • Harvest Fruit Granola
  • Organic Mighty Mix
  • Citrus Kick Almonds

I loved everything but my favorite were the Sun-ripened peaches. Even though they were dried, they tasted so fresh and sweet. Plus, since the snacks are carefully selected with the help of a nutritionist, they were perfect for giving me energy to fuel my workout without bothering my stomach.

Do you want to try Naturebox? You can get your first box for only $10! Use code SNACKHEALTHY at checkout. This is a great value, since comparable products at the health store would cost much more.

Interested in learning more about NatureBox? Visit their website, check out their facebook, and follow them on twitter.

 

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Food Rules by Michael Pollen Just $9.99!

June 18, 2012 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollen is one of my all-time favorite books about the relationship between food and health.

The Kindle Edition is being offered for only $9.99 today!

This book completely changed the way I think about food, personal health, and the health of our planet.  I reference this often when making food-related decisions.

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