A Girl's Reflections

Happiness is colorful cauliflower. Just looking at them fills me with joy and makes me want to gorge myself on their multicolor goodness.

They are not just pretty to look at they, are also pack full of nutrients. I like the white cauliflower a lot they are a weekly steeple that provides me with a healthy dose of vitamin K, vitamin C, foliate and fiber. However, I love, love the colorful cauliflower.

The purple cauliflower has all the nutrients of its white sibling plus antioxidant anthocyanin which are also found in blueberries and wine.

The orange/yellow cauliflower has high levels of beta-carotene and also contains 25 times the amount of vitamin A found in its white sibling.

Then there is the green one which is a cauliflower broccoli hybrid a broccoflower. It packs a lot of protein along with high levels of vitamin A and vitamin C.

My favorite way of preparing them is sprinkled with salt, pepper and drizzles with olive oil. Then I roast them in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes.

They are yummy all by themselves or tossed with other things to make a meal. Like this roasted cauliflower with Israeli couscous

I had espresso tea and digestive biscuits for dinner, some fresh strawberries and whipped coconut milk for dessert.

It was yummy…

I brew my rooibos tea in an espresso stove-top maker making it espresso tea. It tastes smoother and richer, and is brewed just as you will brew coffee.

Directions

1. Fill the bottom chamber with cold water up to the steam release valve
2. Insert the funnel filter and fill with loose rooibos tea-leaves
3. Screw the top on
4. Put on stove-top and heat (it is ready when you hear it gurgling)
5. Remove from heat and allow it to sit for 30 seconds before serving.

I served my espresso tea with a splash of coconut milk.

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I grew up thinking the adults in my life were cruel especially when it came to food. They often made me eat things I disliked.

Eating was punishment most days.

I did not comprehend why they simply would not let me eat what I wanted. It would have made my life and certainly their lives easier. I told myself I will eat ice cream and cake or deserts for every meal when I grow up.

Well as an adult I know that is unreasonable and unhealthy so imagine my delight when my sister made this baked fruits and oats. It is so scrumptious it is literally like having desert for breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup turbinado sugar (plus a teaspoon)
• 1 large apple cored and diced (we used jazz apple)
• ½ cup blueberries
• ¼ cup cranberries
• ¼ cup raisins
• 2 cups almond milk (plus more, depending on your preference)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F / 176C, butter a baking dish and set aside
2. In a bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, apples, blueberries, cranberries, and raisins and salt
3. Add the milk, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and baking powder, and mix well
4. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over the top of the mixture
5. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
7. Add toppings and serve warm with more milk

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“Quality ingredients make quality food”

In the last few years this phrase has been repeated so many times that it is beginning to sound like a myth.

But it is true and this simple olive and rosemary focaccia proved it. It was moist and super tasty, we paired it with fresh homemade salsa.

INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ cups warm water
¼ cup olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons rosemary (dried or fresh, chopped), divided
1 tablespoon sugar (I use turbinado)
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ to 2 cups brine-cured black olives, pitted
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon large flaked sea salt or kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Place the water, half of the olive oil, half of the rosemary, sugar, flour, yeast and salt into the pan of the bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer
Choose the Dough cycle, and Start
When the cycle ends, let the dough rest covered in the bread machine pan for up to an hour or until it doubles in size
Meanwhile, Grease a 9 x 9 inches square baking sheet and set aside
Punch dough down and transfer to the pan, press and stretch to fill the square pan
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes and drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over dough
Press and arrange the olives on the dough evenly and sprinkle the rest of the rosemary and salt over it
Let the dough rise uncovered in a warm area for about 25 minutes, until puffy
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and crusty
Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack
Serve warm or at room temperature
Enjoy!

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We came across Doria Bucaneve cookies a while ago at our local Italian store. We love them, they are sweet and delicate and crispy, best enjoyed soaked in milk like cereal. They are also beautiful, my sister posted about them on her blog.

Last Christmas we came across Doria Melodie Ai Cereali, we thought we should try them.

These cookies are delicious they are made with cereal grains. It has 7.5grams of carbohydrate per cookie and 1gram of dietary fiber. Like their Bucaneve cookies, Melodie Ai Cereali did not disappoint.

I love them crushed in plain Greek yogurt with fresh blueberries.

Unfortunately the store no longer carry them or they might be a seasonal item. A store attendant I spoke to told me he loved them too and gave me his “secret” recipe for Mueslis made with Doria Melodie Ai Cereali.

His recipe sounds delicious I really hope they carry them again.

Doria Melodie Ai Cereali – Mueslis Recipe

Ingredients: – Doria Melodie Ai Cereali, an apple, walnuts or hazelnuts, raisins, chocolate chips, honey, lemon juice, milk.

Crush the cookies (Doria Melodie Ai Cereali) in a bowl combine the apple, cut into small pieces and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add the other ingredients and pour warm milk over it.

I was told it is best enjoyed with warm milk.

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