Better-than-your-Picaddilly's Carrot Souffle

I don't know about you, but I grew up eating lunches and dinners with my family (especially when my Mee Maw and Pee Paw were around) at Picadilly Cafeteria.  In case you've never been to - or heard about - a Picadilly, it's essentially a cafeteria where you walk through the line and pick out your salad, entree, vegetable (or two...or three...in my case), bread, and dessert.  In case your interested, here's a sample of their menu selections.

When I was a kid, I ALWAYS picked out a Jell-O bowl (you know the kind cut into little squares) and carrot souffle.  The rest of my choices would vary from visit to visit, but I could NEVER go without picking up both of my favorite items.  Looking back, I don't really understand my fascination with the Jell-O bowls...maybe it was the combination of the whipped cream with the Jell-O, I'm not quite sure.  Regardless, the carrot souffle is a dish that I still dream about as an adult.  For a kid that didn't really enjoy cooked carrots growing up, Picadilly's carrot souffle was like heaven (and dessert) wrapped in the guise of a vegetable!

Although the official website describes the carrot souffle as "subtly sweet" and "one of Picadilly's most popular dishes," I can assure you that there is nothing subtly sweet about the cafeteria's version of the dish; and honestly, that's probably why it's one of their most popular dishes!  So, when I started looking into recreating the dish, I expected it to contain quite a bit of butter and sugar.  However, I DID NOT expect the traditional Picadilly recipe to have:

• 8T (yes, that's TABLESPOONS) of butter;
• 1C of white sugar; and
• 2T brown sugar.

WOWZA - that's quite the nutritional profile, isn't it?!

My version is just as delectable as my memory recalls, but with only 1T Smart Balance, 1/4C sugar-free maple syrup, and 1-3 packets of stevia, it is MUCH healthier.  Plus, my version includes the added protein of organic plain Greek yogurt, reduces the cholesterol by only using egg whites, adds a flavorful punch with nutmeg and ginger, and pumps up the nutrition with the addition of raisins and unsweetened coconut.

I'd say that's a home run on all accounts, wouldn't you?!

Better-than-your-Picadilly's Carrot Souffle
Serves 6

1 lb. carrots, peeled and diced
1/8C plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
2 egg whites
1T Smart Balance (or butter)
1/4C sugar-free maple syrup (or regular)
1-3 stevia packets (I only used one)
1/2tsp vanilla extract
1T all-purpose flour
1/2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp cinnamon
1/8tsp nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
pinch salt
1/3C raisins, soaked in boiling water to reconstitute
1/4C unsweetened, shredded coconut

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Boil the carrots until tender (6-8 minutes).
• Drain and place the carrots into a food processor.
• Pulse until lightly pulverized.
• Add the plain Greek yogurt, egg whites, Smart Balance, maple syrup, stevia packets, and vanilla extract.
• Process until smooth.
• Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
• Process until smooth.
• Add the reconstituted raisins and coconut.
• Pulse 2-3 times, just to incorporate.
• Pour into a non-stick baking dish.
• Bake for 45 minutes.
• Serve warm - as a side dish for dinner - or with a drizzle of maple syrup, and a dollop of vanilla ice cream, for dessert!

Oh hello Lola!

(See, I wasn't kidding when I said she was always around when food is being prepared!)

Question of the Day:

Did you eat at Picadilly (or a similar type of cafeteria) growing up?  What are your memories of eating there?
OR
Have you ever dared to make a souffle?!  If so, what kind?  Cheese?  Chocolate?  Carrot?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Cherry Pie Oats

On a whim - for no apparent reason other than it was on sale - I recently bought a can of Compton's No Sugar Added Cherry Pie Filling.

Well, that was almost a month ago.  

Since that purchase, the large can of cherry pie filling has sat, ignored, in the back of our pantry.  Keep in mind, we don't have any pie crusts in our refrigerator or freezer.  For that matter, Bo and I don't really even like pie crust all that much.  Most of the time, on the few occasions that we have either ordered or baked a pie, we end up eating out all of the "innerds" (that's not a very nice word now is it?) and leaving the crust for the birds.

Seriously, what in the world was I thinking buying pie filling?!

It was simple.  

I was going to have to come up with another way to eat this pie filling.  

And that got me thinking...how else can one eat pie?  I mean let's be honest, who doesn't try to get away with eating dessert for breakfast every once in a while (Come on...what do you think cinnamon rolls, french toast, and scones really are?!)?  So why fight it?  Why not just embrace the concept of pie for breakfast, but turn it into something healthy, delicious, and fulfilling?  The truth is, there is not reason not to.

So that's exactly what I did.

Cherry Pie Oats
Serves 1

1/2 C oats
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 C Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1 C water
1/2 tsp butter extract (or 1T butter)
1 C Compton's No Sugar Added Cherry Pie Filling
1 T unsweetened, shredded coconut (optional, for garnish)

Directions:

• Add the oats, salt, and cinnamon to a medium saucepan.
• Pour in the almond milk, water, and butter extract.
• Bring to a low boil, immediately reduce heat, and simmer for 7-10 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
• Pour the oats into a large bowl, and mix-in the cherry pie filling.
• Garnish with the shredded coconut, and serve.

On the off chance that you aren't a fan of cherry pie (Really?  How is that even possible?!), here are nine other recipes from the ABC blog that are perfect for breakfast:

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

This is the PERFECT bowl of oats for fall weather.  Stock up on canned pumpkin so that you can enjoy this recipe all-year round!

Overnight PB&J Oats

Peanut butter, jelly, cream, and oats all in the same bowl.  

Enough said.

Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oats

This recipe takes a classic snack combination and turns it into something perfect for breakfast.  This bowl of oats will keep you fueled and full for hours!

Blueberry Cobbler Oatmeal

This is one of my personal favorites!  

Feel free to get creative with ANY herbal teas you have laying around!

Cranberry and "Dressing" Overnight Oats

Tradition with a twist, this oatmeal recipe will have you wistfully reflecting on Thanksgiving come and gone.  But don't wait until November to enjoy this any-time-of-year bowl of oats!  

Apple and Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Here's another classic snack combination turned into something marvelous and delicious for breakfast.  If bananas aren't your thing, this bowl of oats should fit the bill!

Biscoff Overnight Oats

What's Biscoff?  

Don't ask.

Just get into your car,

drive to the nearest grocery store, 

buy it, and

rush home to make this for breakfast tomorrow.

You can thank me later.

Spring Green Overnight Oats

Think you don't like green foods?  Well, this bowl of oats isn't your average sauteed spinach, boiled broccoli, or mushy asparagus.  Don't be scared, just go for it!

And again...thank me later.

Roasted Coco(nut) Oatmeal

Running out of fresh fruits and vegetables?  Don't despair...oatmeal is here!  Add a few tablespoons of pantry staples such as nuts and coconut and you are good to go for hours!

Question of the Day:


Do you like fruit pie?!  If so, what is your favorite flavor (i.e. cherry, apple, peach, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, etc.)?  

P.S. I have a can of Lucky Leaf's Sugar-Free Apple Pie Filling in my pantry as well.  Hmmm...I see another variation of "pie oats" coming your way in the near future!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Tofu Salad with Curry Veganaise Dressing & Coconut-Infused Israeli Couscous

Last Friday Bo and I went grocery shopping at Whole Foods.  I can't tell you how excited I was to learn that Jacksonville has a Whole Foods approximately 15 minutes from our home.  Like many people, and especially like many vegetarians/vegans, I LOVE Whole Foods.  Even if you don't buy anything, it is so much fun to walk around looking at their stock.  We found ourselves salivating over:

• a million different kinds of cheese (ok, only Bo salivated over that one!);
• wines from around the world;
• two dozen (or more!) kinds of nut butter;
• produce arranged in a beautiful spectrum of color; 
• freshly baked bread; and
• of course - one can't forget - the prepared foods bar!

I wasn't much in the mood for cooking anyway, so I asked Bo if I could make my own "carry out" box of prepared foods for dinner.  After agonizing over my choices, I ended up with a random hodge-podge of different salads jammed into a cardboard box.  Everything was delicious, but one salad in particular really stood out on my taste buds.  This salad was a spin on the classic chicken salad, with a twist!  Instead of chicken, this salad had browned tofu in it, and was tossed in a creamy, yet spicy, dressing that made the whole dish mouthwateringly good.  

After two bites my decision was made.

I had to figure out how to recreate this recipe at home.

Three days later, I did just that, and it turned out wonderfully!

Comfort food with a twist, this salad takes some traditional ingredients and makes them extraordinary.  Don't be scared of the curry veganaise dressing...it makes the dish!  If you don't have raisins or almonds, feel free to substitute with craisins and/or pecans/walnuts.  Make this dish suite your own tastebuds, and at your next backyard barbeque, consider adding this salad into the mix!

Tofu Salad with Curry Veganaise
Serves 2

1 block of tofu, drained/diced/browned
1/3 C raisins
1/3 C sliced almonds
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 apple, diced
3 heaping T veganaise
1 T honey
1 T lemonjuice
1/2 tsp curry
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3-4 dashes tumeric

Directions:

• Add the raisins, almonds, celery, and apple into a large salad bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mix the veganaise, honey, lemonjuice, curry, cinnamon, and tumeric.
• Pour the dressing into the salad bowl and mix well.
• Add the tofu and toss to incorporate.
• Serve chilled, atop a bed of lettuce, and alongside Coconut-Infused Israeli Couscous.

To go with the tofu salad, I decided to whip up something other than rice, millet, or quinoa (my standard go-to's).  Israeli couscous to the rescue!  In case you don't know, Israeli couscous is larger than regular couscous, and is great at absorbing flavors.  I opted to play up the Indian twist from the curry dressing by adding coconut oil, shredded coconut, and coconut extract to the couscous.  It turned out great!  I can't wait to serve this dish alongside a short-cut Indian dinner soon!

Coconut-Infused Israeli Couscous
Serves 2

1/2 C Israeli couscous
1 C water
1 1/2 T coconut oil
3-4 T unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Place the couscous, water, and oil in a medium saucepan.
• Boil the water, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Stir in the shredded coconut, coconut extract, and cinnamon.
• Serve immediately.

Next up - 30 X 30 is officially on!  If you missed my BIG post about 3 Steps to a Better Style, feel free to catch up here.  Today was Day 1 of 30.  So stay tuned over the course of the next month for updates on this fashion experiment!  I can't wait to show you what I chose for my month of mixing and re-mixing!

Question of the Day:

Have you ever been inspired to recreate a recipe from a restaurant in your home?  If so, how did it turn out?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Roasted Coco(nut) Oatmeal

Recently, I have been trying to stretch out the time between visits to the grocery store.  By using up everything that we have before purchasing anything more, I find that my cooking is more creative AND we save a few dollars.

Just this week, ten days after the last grocery shopping trip, the pantry was pretty bare-bones.  During those ten days I fed myself and my mom (for five of those days).  Although I was planning to head to the grocery store later in the morning, I still needed to eat a breakfast that would give me enough energy to teach, and grocery shop before lunch.  At the very least, I needed a good five-six hours worth of energy packed into my morning meal!  After scouring the pantry shelves, I realized I didn't have much; but I did have one tried and true ingredient.

Oatmeal to the rescue!

Hardly anyone likes plain oatmeal, and I am no exception.  I almost always add mix-ins into my morning oats.  Usually it is some combination of fruit and/or nut butter or jelly.  Unfortunately I was out of all three of those...and butter.  So, as usual, I had to get creative!

Creamy and smooth with the addition of the applesauce, this sweet and savory oatmeal will keep you full for up to six hours!  Don't skip the step that instructs you to roast the coconut and mixed nuts.  This oatmeal wouldn't be the same without its signature roasted flavor.

Roasted Coconut Oatmeal
Serves 1

1/2 C oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
1 1/2 C water
1/2 C applesauce
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 T soy creamer (for garnish)
2 T shredded unsweetened coconut, roasted (for garnish)
2 T mixed nuts, chopped and roasted (for garnish)

Directions:

• Preheat oven (or toaster oven, which is what I used) to 400 degrees.
• Add oats, cinnamon, salt, water, applesauce, and vanilla extract into a medium saucepan.
• Cook on medium for 8-10 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
• Meanwhile, place the coconut and nuts on a packing sheet.
• Roast for 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees, watching very carefully.  You want the coconut to brown, but NOT burn!
• Pour oatmeal into a large bowl.
• Add creamer on top, and stir to incorporate.
• Top with coconut and nuts.
• Enjoy immediately!

As I have mentioned in previous posts, roasting really does make everything better!  So many times we think of roasting savory foods (i.e. red bell peppers, broccoli, tofu, and root vegetables) that we forget that we can also roast sweet foods like coconut and fruit!

So the next time your pantry is running low, embrace the challenge!  Take a look at what you've got on hand, and get creative.  You will be surprised that you can make something delicious and filling!

Question of the Day:

Do you like coconut?  


I find that it is one of those "love it or hate it" ingredients.  As for me, I fall in the "love it" category, obviously! :)

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Apple Coconut Barley

First things first, thank you(!) for your warm reception to Bo's post about getting his wings.  It really was a milestone that took years to accomplish, and I could not have felt more proud of him that day than I did.  We know that many of you wished that you could have been present with us for the ceremony and all its festivities; but truthfully, you were all there with us in spirit.  Once again, we are thankful for "the ABC blog" for keeping us all connected!

Moving on to today's post, I have a yummy savory/sweet recipe for you that uses whole grains!  I am having to get pretty creative with my recipe making this week, because Bo and I are headed out of town on a cruise this Sunday (I am getting SO excited!!!).  As many of you know, Bo and I never got a honeymoon.  So, with our move to Jacksonville coming up, and with the unexpected awaiting us in our new home (and Lola!), we figured we better take a trip while we can.  Until then, we are trying to use up the food that we have...it's already starting to be a challenge, but I have to say that I was pretty impressed with last night's creation.

If you tend to get stuck in the rice/quinoa rut, give this barley recipe a try!  Slightly sweetened with apple, raisins, and coconut, and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, this recipe is the perfect side-dish to roasted vegetables!

Apple Coconut Barley
Serves 2-4

3/4 dry barley
1 apple, diced
1/4 C raisins
3 T shredded coconut
2 T coconut oil, divided
1 1/2 C water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
1 stevia packet
1/2 tsp coconut extract

Directions:

1. Place the barley, water, 1 T coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, stevia, and coconut extract in a medium to large pot.
2. Boil the mixture, and then simmer for 20 minutes (or until 90% of the water has been absorbed).
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 T coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
4. Add the apple and saute for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the raisins and shredded coconut to the apple mixture, and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Once 90% of the water has been absorbed from the barley, mix in the apple mixture.
7. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until heated throughout.
8. Serve immediately.

As you can see, I served the Apple Coconut Barley alongside roasted broccoli (and ground turkey for Bo).  We both left the dinner table feeling full, but not stuffed, and agreed that this recipe is a good one to keep in our grain rotation.

Up next - an oatmeal recipe that leaves you feeling satisfied for hours!

Question of the Day:

Other than rice, what other whole grains to you enjoy eating?

Blessings,
Ally and Bo