Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

This cinnamon, berry and pecan oatmeal will fill your house with the smell of toasting nuts and maple.

Even if you don’t usually like oatmeal (I don’t) you should give baked oatmeal a try. The edges are crispy, almost like the topping on a crumble, and the middle is custardy. It doesn't have the same texture as a bowl of porridge--and to me, that's a plus. Baked oatmeal is almost like a breakfast cake (one you can feel good about) and it's super adaptable: you can add pretty much anything that suits your fancy, like bananas, peanut butter, or even chocolate chips. This version calls for pecans, which are one of my favorite nuts when toasted. Here, they add little bites of crunch between bursts of berry.

The full recipe serves about eight, six if the crowd is really hungry.

I would say this is a brunch recipe, good for any holiday, but I made it on Monday morning. What away to start the week! We topped to each slice with a dollop of Greek yogurt, but for a special occasion, whip cream sure would dress it up nice. The mint leaf on top is optional, but I love how it freshens it up.

Cinnamon, Berry + Pecan Baked Oatmeal

Published March 27, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cup rolled oats
• 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (I used blueberries and blackberries)
• 1/2 cup pecans
• To serve: yogurt & a spring of mint

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, maple syrup, milk, yogurt, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
3. Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt to bowl, and stir until a loose batter forms.
4. Fold in 1/3 cup of pecans (reserving the rest for the next step) and 1 cup berries. Stir as briefly as possible — the berries may turn batter purple if over mixed.
5. Scrape batter into a 9 inch x 9 inch glass baking dish and smooth into even layer. Arrange remaining pecans on the top of the oatmeal.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, until edges are set and top is golden. Center will still be soft. Allow to cool 5 minutes, then serve on plates with a dollop of yogurt and mint leaves.

Grapefruit, Pomegranate & Ginger Smoothie

The day you read this, it will be the fourth day of 2018, and I will be headed to Monterey, California, but as I write it's only a few days after Christmas.

My office closes for the holiday, and I have the entire week to do whatever I want. A week ago I had tried to corral friends into organizing a trip to Red Rock Canyon (we went last year, and it was so so beautiful), but I had been late to the punch and it seemed everyone already had other things going on. Still, I didn't give up on my wanderlust: even early on Christmas eve, and I pieced together a half-baked plan to go to Santa Fe. Drive time, a place to stay, and a list of possible climbing spots. And of course, swooning over images of turquoise doors, cliff dwellings, and desert sun. 

I could almost feel the heat, even there sitting at my computer. But instead of warming in the sun, hot air was blasting from the vents as our thermostat worked to combat the dropping temperatures outside. Wanderlust had me riveted, and begged me to go. Visions of a simpler time, when I was ten or so, floated through my mind: I had dreamed of being a National Geographic photographer, but at some point convinced myself that it wouldn't work. I liked traveling, sure, but I like being home too. I knew I would tire of being on the move. Plus, adults had bills to pay, and art wasn't stable...even my overly mature ten-year old self knew this. But right then, looking at images of Santa Fe, regret poured over me. I wanted--no, needed- to go. 

My bubble deflated as the coffee set in and I came down from the clouds: a six-and-a-half hour drive on icy roads and in a foot of snow? "Fun" isn't the right word for a road trip like that. And I had been craving snow, fiercely. So instead we bundled up (long under wear, wool socks, snow pants, down coats, snow boots, gloves, and hats) and made our way through the white winter wonderland just outside our door, to hike through the foothills. 

The cold preserved individual snowflakes, creating the fluffiest snow possible: not a spot of slush or sludge. Overcome with a childlike happiness, wanderlust momentarily forgotten, I wanted to plunge straight into the snow and make snow angels. Frozen pine needles glowing in the winter light; sparkling hills; the smell of winter in the air. Such beautiful things, right here under my nose. Besides, in just one short week I'd be in the California sunshine. 

This smoothie takes the freshest, brightest flavors of winter and throws them all into a jar. The result is a gradient of pinks and magentas--a bold spot of color on a winter morning. When you're stuck looking at images of exotic places, or find yourself wishing for some adventure, try this smoothie. It's a rejuvenating splash of bright and bold that reminds you that there's no where better to be than in the now. 

Grapefruit, Pomegranate & Ginger Smoothie

Published January 4, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 2   |    Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 banana, frozen
• 1 grapefruit, peeled, plus two grapefruit wedges of garnish (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated on microplane
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup 100% pomegranate juice

Directions:

1. Combine first four ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Divide evenly among serving glasses.
2. Slowly pour half of the pomegranate juice into each glass. It will sink to the bottom, creating a gradient effect.
3. Garnish with grapefruit wedges and serve immediately.

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Feta & Red Onion

Happy New Year, everyone! 

Cheese and potatoes is nothing new, but it is dreamy nonetheless. This cheese-and-potatoes combo is a bit different from the usual, as the star of the show is caramelized sweet potatoes and the savory, cheesy goodness comes from feta crumbles.

The duo is dynamic. Warm, starchy sweet potatoes have been slow cooked to bring out their natural sweetness, so they have a more complex flavor than just regular old sweet potatoes. They stand up against salty feta cheese. Each brings out the best in the other, as an good pair would. 

Breakfast, lunch or dinner side, there's no stopping this dish from working it's way into every meal. It seems to fit in everywhere: it would even make a nice potluck dish (just make a double batch so everyone can get some!!). 

And while this dish may be akin to regular old potatoes and cheese, it's also good fuel: orange fleshed sweet potatoes are high in beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C. So eat up! Those vitamins will keep you feeling strong through the rest of winter. Bonus: research shows that you'll absorb both the beta carotene and vitamin A better when your meal includes a source of fat (read: don't skip the cheese!!) 🧀❤️🍠

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Feta & Red Onion

Published January 2, 2018 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 3   |    Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, washed and peeled
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup 
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles 
• 1/4 cup minced parsley for garnish 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Dice sweet potatoes to 1/2-inch cubes, and place in large bowl. Add minced red onion. Pour butter and honey into bowl, and stir until all sweet potatoes are coated. Transfer to baking sheet and spread into a single layer, and then sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are cooked through and sweet.
4. Transfer sweet potatoes to serving bowl. Top with feta cheese crumbles and minced parsley. Serve.