The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Oatmeal with Frothed Milk, Jaggery, Raisins, and Hazelnuts

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I tend to be very opinionated about things most people consider inconsequential. Oatmeal is one of them. After many disillusioning attempts at following package directions and different recipes from the internet, I finally realized I like to make my oatmeal with WAY more water than is usually called for. I also like to put the oats and water in at the same time for a creamier texture, and they must soak for a bit before the flame is turned on. Finally, I don’t really enjoy oatmeal when it’s piping hot. The texture and flavor are so much more satisfying when it’s served warm.

Since discovering my surprisingly strong oatmeal preferences a few years ago, I’ve developed my own oatmeal making method, and haven’t looked back. I’ll also share it with anyone who will listen, because…you know…passion about inconsequential matters is hard to shake! Recently, however, I discovered something new: the wonders of adding frothed milk to oatmeal. This happened because of something else I’m overly passionate about, of course: the proper ratio of frothed milk to espresso. While I enjoy a cappuccino now and again, I can’t stand it when too much milk waters down the boldness of the coffee. One day, I accidentally frothed more than I needed, and not wanting it to go to waste, I decided to pour it into my oatmeal. The results were quite incredible.

It sounds simple, but the interplay of textures – the creaminess of the oatmeal and the fluffiness of the milk – took my oatmeal to a whole new level. The addition of frothed milk may even turn some oatmeal agnostics into oatmeal believers. The stickiness that some find off-putting is mellowed by the frothy texture and it also serves to make your bowl of oatmeal much more visually appealing! My favorite way to enjoy it is with a sprinkle of jaggery – an unrefined sugar common in Indian cuisines that has incredible molasses-y notes – a few raisins and maybe some toasted hazelnuts for good measure. What a breakfast!

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Unbelievable Salted Caramel Almond Shake (Vegan, Sugar-Free)

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If you were to blindfold me and give me something to eat or drink, I’m fairly confident in my ability to tell you what it is and what’s in it. Similarly, when I whip up this concoction or that one, I don’t usually run into too many surprises when it comes to the final product. It generally tastes about how I expected it would – sometimes a little bit better, of course, and sometimes a little bit worse. But when I took my first sip of this shake, I was shocked. Like, actually shocked. It may sound hyperbolic, but I believe this is one of the best shakes I’ve ever had and I was expecting it to be one of the worst. I’m calling it “unbelievable” because I definitely wouldn’t believe you if you gave me a glass of this and then told me the ingredient list.

Why would I purposefully create a shake that I thought would be mediocre? Pure laziness. My blender was in the fridge because I had made a miso-sesame dressing and was still working on using up the leftovers. And I wanted a banana shake. The thought of scraping all that dressing out, cleaning the blender, making the shake, and then re-cleaning the blender was, shall we say, a bit too much. But I really wanted that shake.

Now, I do know that culinary creations like miso caramel – even miso ice-cream – exist and are enjoyed. But this dressing also contained capers, black pepper, and olive oil. There was no way it would work in a shake. I resigned myself to maybe having some kind of half sweet, half savory concoction because that sounded better than cleaning the blender. In went 1 1/2 very ripe, frozen bananas, a dollop of salted almond butter (oh god, did I really want to add more salt?) and a hefty dose of unsweetened almond milk. I whirred it all up, anxiously awaiting what I was fairly certain would be a regrettable decision. And then I took a sip.

It was….it was…it was like going to one of those super gourmet, trendy ice-cream parlors that always have lines out the door and it actually meeting all the hype. I mean, it tasted like a dairy-laden, sugar-laden, salted caramel ice-cream shake with a hint of sesame and almond! And it was actually just bananas, a very healthy hippy-style miso dressing, and almond milk. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? The almond butter and sesame flavors played perfectly with the front-and-center caramel flavor, and the whole thing was just the best sweet, cold, creamy, nutty, nuanced concoction I’ve had the pleasure of tasting in a while.

Ironically, I was originally going to post the miso-sesame dressing, but then figured – eh. Everyone and their mother has a miso dressing. Sure, it’s an enjoyable way to eat a salad, a lettuce wrap, or a grain bowl. But is it blog-worthy? Meh. This shake, however, (which requires first making the standard miso-dressing) is most assuredly blog worthy. And drinking worthy. My enjoyment of it was a little bit tinged by anxiety about whether I would be able to recreate it – after all, I just used a blender containing some dressing – I didn’t measure amounts at all! I’m happy to report, however, that I was. The recipe is below. Be prepared to be shocked.

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Spiced Cacao Breakfast Pudding

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There’s definitely no shortage of breakfast puddings and porridges on this site. While these types of warming breakfasts always make me feel the best, I have a compulsion for variety and I simply can’t just eat plain old oatmeal every morning. In fact, I often use the thrill of an exciting breakfast the next morning as a bargaining tool to prevent myself from late-night eating.

If I go to sleep now, I’ll feel refreshed in the morning and have time to make my golden porridge…or 5-spice+turmeric breakfast pudding…or 3-ingredient creamy coconut porridge…or (my newest addition to the breakfast porridge rotations) –  this spiced cacao breakfast pudding. 

When morning comes, the promise of an already-decided-upon breakfast also helps get me out of bed! (There is nothing worse than getting up and realizing you don’t have anything appetizing to eat for breakfast.) In addition to being a great incentive for starting the day, here’s what I like about this spiced cacao breakfast pudding, which is made by simmering teff flour on the stove:

-Easy to prepare

-Nutrient-rich (Teff is high in protein, iron, and calcium!)

-Contains raw cacao powder, for a chocolaty boost of energy

-Is delicately spiced, light, and warming – the perfect food to eat early in the morning!

Oh, and you can top it with salted-maple pecans if you like!

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Easy Chocolate-Teff Pudding (Vegan & Low-Fodmap)

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Chocolate pudding has to be one of the all-time best comfort foods. Especially the type that comes in the little individual cups at the grocery store. While I never ate the really commercial kind, I have been known to buy the Zen brand  (made with almond milk) on occasion, and it sure does hit the spot. It’s not where I go when I want something super rich or decadent, but rather a nice, comforting reminder of childhood.

I’ve also made my own dairy-free pudding on occasion, since it’s not too difficult to make and I get to eat a lot more than what comes in the tiny little cup. However, the recipe I usually use calls for egg yolks to thicken the custard, and I wanted a completely vegan version. I also wanted something that was super quick and easy to make, which means I shouldn’t have to separate any eggs or labor over the stove while it thickens.

Enter teff flour, a high-protein gluten-free flour that should definitely be a pantry staple. (For more teff flour recipes, check out my maple-teff muffins, savory waffles, or pumped-up jam bites).  How did I come up with using teff flour in chocolate pudding? Well, I recently added sorghum flour porridge to my breakfast rotation, which is made by whisking a sorghum flour paste into boiling water until thick. Out of sorghum one morning, I discovered it’s just as good – if not better – made with teff. In fact, since teff has a chocolatey-flavor anyway, I ended up throwing in some cocoa powder and cinnamon to spice things up and the flavor was surprisingly close to chocolate pudding. And it thickened so quickly.

My curiosity was piqued. While this teff-chocolate breakfast pudding was more teffy than chocolatey – and far too grainy to be a sub for my imitation Zen brand pudding – perhaps one could use teff flour to thicken an actual chocolate pudding. In case you haven’t guessed already, one definitely can! And there are some definite advantages:

Advantages of using teff flour in chocolate pudding:

  • More protein, which is always good when you’re eating sugar
  • Thickens in minutes
  • No starch
  • Nutty flavor that pairs well with chocolate
  • You can let the pudding simmer/boil without worrying about ruination (NOT true if you use eggs to thicken)

Advantages of this recipe:

  • All of the above, plus:
  • Vegan, gluten-free, and Low-FODMAP (it’s difficult to find desserts that are all of these things)

Oh, and don’t worry about the coconut milk: there is absolutely no detectable coconut flavor to this pudding.

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Imitation Horchata

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Horchata is a delicious, creamy beverage that originates in Valencia and is popular in many parts of Latin America. The version I’m familiar with is served in Mexican restaurants and usually made from rice, but this “imitation” version uses boxed almond milk for simplicity’s sake. In fact, I almost didn’t want to post this recipe, since it’s laughably easy! However, I realized that if I was making it all the time, maybe others would want to do the same – especially since drinking something cold, sweet, and creamy on a summer day just can’t be beat. Boy does it hit the spot! So I decided to share.

All you need is some unsweetened almond milk, maple syrup, and a light sprinkle of spices. Mix it all together and it tastes like…well…horchata! So easy!

This drink is a perfect afternoon pick-me-up, especially if you’ve been out in the sun all day. It’s also fantastic as a dessert craving quencher or the sweet ending to a spicy meal. You’ll be amazed how something so easy can taste so delicious.

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