Category Archives: Food Blog

Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal

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Being a fan of Baked Oatmeal like I am, I rarely eat anything else for breakfast, the need for variation is almost a necessity. For this dreamy baked oatmeal recipe I was inspired by the classic Peaches and cream combination, perfect with all the juicy ripe Peaches available now. Since I wanted to make it spectacular in taste I added creamy Ricotta, and a lot of vanilla. It’s so so good, it’s basically dessert.

The baked oatmeal ends up with an almost pudding-like center (due to the ricotta) , a crispy exterior and juicy peach in every single bite. I have to say, this is now my favourite Summer breakfast. It honestly tastes like a decadent dessert, drizzle with a little honey, add a spoonful of Greek yoghurt or more Ricotta and you have yourself a dreamy breakfast that is easy to prepare ahead of time and super healthy too.

So, about the ingredients…

Peaches – Use yellow Peaches if you can, since they have a more intense Peach flavour that their white cousins.

Eggs – Eggs give lift and give the oatmeal structure, it also adds a good amount of proteins and nutritional value. 

Honey – you can adjust the amount to taste, it gives the baked oatmeal a sweet flavor that goes perfect with the Peaches and the Vanilla.

Baking powder – also for a good lift, making the baked oatmeal more cake-like

Cinnamon and nutmeg – just a hint of these two spices is enough to give the Oatmeal that something extra

Vanilla extract – use real vanilla bean if you can, otherwise a good extract. Vanilla is a must. 

Salt – a pinch of salt is what keeps it from tasting bland.

Milk – Use any kind of milk you like, the fattier the milk, the creamier the baked oatmeal will be. Plant milk works too.  

Butter – Let’s be real, is there anything better than butter, even a few tablespoons can work a miracle, it adds a lot of flavour and improves texture.

Oats – quick cooking oats this time, since I wanted a creamier end-result. 

Ricotta – adds all the creaminess.

Prep time : 15 min

Cooking time : 30

Serves : 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tbsp. melted butter for baking dish
  • 4 to 5 Peaches, not too ripe
  • 4 cups/400 gr. quick cooking Oats
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. grated Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup/60 ml. melted butter
  • 1/3 cup/80 ml. Honey
  • scraping of one Vanilla bean or 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup/120 ml. full fat Greek Yoghurt
  • 1/2 cup/120 ml. milk of choice
  • 1/3 cup/120 ml. Ricotta

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease a 8 x 10 inch baking dish, or similar with the tablespoon of butter.
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients, the quick-cooking oats, the baking powder, baking soda, the cinnamon, the nutmeg and the salt. Stir to combine well. 
In another bowl beat the eggs, the melted butter, the honey, the vanilla, the yogurt, the milk and the Ricotta.

Peel the Peaches*, slice in half, remove the the stone by twisting the halves, then cut into wedges. Divide into two portions.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine. Pour half the oat mixture into the greased baking dish and layer half the Peaches over the oats, cover with the remaining oats and place the remaining Peaches on top in a decorative pattern. Brush the Peaches gently with a little oil or use a little cooking spray, this will prevent them from burning or going to dark. Bake for 30 minutes, serve with additional Honey if desired and more Cream or Yoghurt.

Enjoy!

  • *If you are having trouble peeling the Peaches, you can cut a small cross into the crown of the Peach, plunge them into a pot of (no longer) boiling water for one or two minutes, until the skin cracks open then remove them straight away into an ice bath, then proceed to peel.

If you make this recipe please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you.  And please don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!

Sticky Sweet Asian Spareribs

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These are easy and delicious. Sticky sweet Spare ribs are first simmered to tenderize and then grilled or barbequed to get crispy and sticky. So delicious, you won’t be able to stop eating them.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 65 minutes approx.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 pounds meaty spare ribs, sliced into individual ribs
  • 4 tablespoon dry white wine or Shaoxing
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar* See note below
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon chili paste/sauce such as Gochujang or Sambal Oelek
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
  • 1 “/2.5 cm peeled and grated ginger
  • 3/4 tsp. Chinese five spice
  • 6  tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch + 1/2 cup water 
  • Sesame seeds, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Season spareribs with salt and pepper. Add enough of the sparerib pieces to the pan, fat sides down, to fit in a single layer. Cook 10 minutes or until browned, turning once. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining pieces. Discard fat.
Meanwhile, in a large pot stir together wine, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, honey, chili paste, garlic, ginger, five spice and water until mixed.

Return all ribs to the pot with any juices. Bring to a simmer, stirring to coat ribs. Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 45 minutes or until ribs are just tender, stirring once or twice, adding a little water if necessary.

Pre heat oven to 450 F / 200 C . Remove ribs onto a oven safe rack/baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until dark , crunchy and sticky. Brush with additional marinade half way.

Meanwhile make a slurry with the cornstarch and water, add this to the pot and simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve alongside the spare ribs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. I like to serve this with some stir fried broccoli, with some chili and garlic. Enjoy!

  • *Vinegar is essential, as it tenderizes the meat and also renders out excessive fat.

    • Mexican Flavor Cubes

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    For lack of a beter name, Mexican flavor cubes is what I have named these little cubes. Concentrated Mexican “mole-like” flavor packed into little cubes to be added to any sauce or dish that needs a little “oomph”. These little cubes are full of Mexican flavor and really pack a punch. Lots of flavor in minutes without all the hassle.
    I have these as part of my standard frozen staples. I’m a true believer in a well-stocked kitchen pantry/freezer as this will ensure you’re prepared, even if you don’t have time for a last minute shopping trip , so that you can make your favourite recipes and always have the basics at hand.
    There are a ton of standard items in my freezer, that I make again and again as soon as they, or almost, run out. Such items are home made chicken stock, Napolitana sauce, and a roast pepper Napolitana version for myself, Pizza bases, Bread, Bagels etc… and of course these Mexican flavor cubes.
    Let me explain how and why. We eat a lot of Mexican inspired dishes at home and I say inspired because I don’t want to offend anyone, I’m sure they are far from authentic, but they’re very tasty and that’s what it all about, for us. So basically what I do is, I soak some Mexican peppers that I buy online, add spices, cooked onion, garlic and some other flavourings, then blend it all up and freeze it in an ice cube tray. I happen to have a very large ice cube tray, that makes ¼ cup cubes, perfect for us but you can freeze it how it would work best for you. Don’t be put off by the long ingredient list, you’ll have most of the spices in your cupboard already, and it actually comes together very quickly.

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 3 dried Ancho peppers ( aka dried Poblano peppers) Scoville scale: 1,000 to 2,000 shu
    • 3 Chipotles peppers (smoke-dried Jalapeño peppers) Scoville scale: 2,500 to 8,000 shu
    • 3 Guajillo peppers (aka dried Mirasol peppers) Scoville scale : 2,500–5,000 shu
    • 2 tbsp. neutral oil
    • 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and grated or crushed
    • 2 roast peppers from a jar
    • 2 chicken or beef stock cube
    • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
    • 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
    • 2 tsp. ground cumin
    • 1 tsp. cinnamon
    • ½ tsp. ground cloves
    • ½ tsp. all spice
    • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 tsp. sugar or more to taste

    INSTRUCTIONS:

    Put a large frying pan on medium high heat, place your peppers in the dry pan and toast gently all over until they begin to soften and change color. Remove from heat.
    Add the oil to the pan and add the onion and garlic, cook gently while you clean the peppers.
    Cut the peppers open with scissors and remove stems and seeds, place in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of very hot water (not boiling) and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
    Once the onion is soft and golden add the smoked paprika, oregano, the ground cumin, cinnamon, ground cloves, all spice, salt and freshly ground pepper, just a few twists. Stir and let it become fragrant, turn of the heat after one or two minutes.
    Once everything has cooled, place the hydrated peppers with liquid in the blender, with the onion-spice mixture, add the peppers from a jar, add the stock cubes, cocoa powder and sugar. Blend everything until you have a dark smooth puree, taste and season if necessary.
    Pour into ice cube tray or other small containers and freeze.
    I use these cubes to make fajitas, chili, enchiladas and all sorts of Mexican dishes. It gives everything a really authentic flavor without hours of cooking. Just make your regular recipes, and then add one of these cubes for a flavor explosion.
    Enjoy.

    Greek Salad Bowl with Tempeh

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    With summer on it’s way and plenty of seasonal veggies available, salads become more than just a green side dish. A complete meal that is nutritious and delicious, a colorful, bountiful platter full of goodness. This Greek salad bowl with Tempeh is a complete meal, with fresh grilled veggies, quinoa, feta, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, tempeh and more. And an amazing Lemony garlic Dressing with lots of fresh herbs to drizzle over the top. Basically a Greek Super Salad.

    We eat this Salad for lunch or dinner as a complete meal since It’s really filling and delicious. You can serve this Greek Salad with some grilled Pita bread or even French bread. It also keeps quite well for a few hours, so you can put it in a Tupperware and take it along on a Picknick.
    There’s a little prep involved but not more that you would usually have for dinner. This is after all a complete meal. Perfect for Spring and Summer.

    Prep time : 10 minutes
    Cooking time : 30 minutes
    Serves : 4


    INGREDIENTS:
    • 1 cup dry quinoa
    • 1 eggplant, cut into cubes
    • 2 red peppers, cut into cubes
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tsp. dried thyme or a few sprig of fresh thyme
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 cup cubed cooked (left-over) Tempeh*
    • Salad leafs of all kinds and as much as you want
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, yellow and red
    • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
    • 1 large cucumber, peeled and cubed
    • 2 red onions, peeled and sliced*
    • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata black olives
    • 4 ounces Greek Feta cheese torn into pieces
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs like parsley, chives, basil
    LEMON FOR SERVING
    • Soak the red onions in lemon juice for about 15 minutes so they loose their sharpness if you prefer.

    DRESSING:

    • 1 juice of one Lemon
    • 1 tsp. mustard
    • 1 tsp. honey
    • 1/2 cup (Greek) extra virgin Olive oil,
    • 1 small Garlic clove minced or grated
    • 1 tbsp. fresh Basil, chopped
    • 1 tbsp. fresh Dill, chopped
    • 1 tbsp. fresh Parsley
    • 1/2 tsp. Onion powder
    • 1 tsp. Oregano, dried
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    *If you don’t like tempeh sub for canned tuna or cooked chicken or even hard boiled eggs.

    DIRECTIONS:
    To make the Dressing, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, honey and mustard. Whisk in the olive oil. Add the remaining seasoning and garlic. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary, set aside. 
    Preheat oven to 220° C/425° F.
    Cook Quinoa according to package instructions; set aside.
    Place eggplant and pepper in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil and thyme, season with salt and pepper. Gently toss to combine.
    Place into oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until tender. Give it a stir around once during cooking.
    Place a bed of lettuce leafs in each bowl.
    Divide the quinoa over each bowl, Top with eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, red peppers, olives, your choice of protein (tempeh, tuna, chicken). Place the Feta in the middle of the salad and top with some more red onion.
    Sprinkle with fresh herbs and lemon wedges. Pour over the dressing and serve immediately. If you want to take the salad with you, put the dressing in a jar and pour over just before serving. 
    ENJOY!