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Tag Archive: Cinnamon

Maple Vanilla Oatmeal

Written on December 3, 2014 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

Some meals are too simple to ever justify paying for them; oats should be at the top of that category. In the corner restaurant near my apartment, cinnamon is considered a premium topping right next to blueberries and strawberries. Would you really pay extra for a finger-tip worth of cinnamon? Put that wallet away.

If you don’t have a go-to oatmeal recipe, Winter’s a good time to pick one up. It’s warm, hearty, and filling but quick and easy to put together for 1 or a crowd. You can dress this recipe up with walnuts, raisins, sliced apples, or any number of different mix-ins, but on its own it’s good, too.

The vanilla in this recipe adds a slightly savory and complex flavor to cut the sweetness of the maple, but if you’re making this for a picky palate you might want to leave it out.

Maple Vanilla Oatmeal

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 Servings):

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

Combine the oats, salt, and 2 3/4 cup water in a medium pot on the stove.
Bring the pot up to a boil over medium-high heat stirring occasionally. Leave uncovered.
As the water boils stir more constantly with a wooden spoon.
When the oats have cooked and stick together, turn off the heat. Add in the vanilla, syrup, salt, and cinnamon and continue stirring for 20 seconds.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before scooping into 2 bowls.
Serve warm with brown sugar and cinnamon on top.

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Gluten-Free Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Oatmeal

Written on December 5, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

Breakfast is always my laziest meal of the day. More often than not I won’t spend more than 5 minutes getting it ready and spend another 5 eating it.

When I had to go without a microwave for a couple weeks last month it forced me out of my instant-microwaved oatmeal rut. Even still most mornings I spent 5 minutes cooking plain oatmeal while throwing on shoes and packing lunch. But some mornings I played around and made more delicious bowls using flavors and spices.

If you grew up enjoying Quakers instant oatmeal pouches, then you’ll love this. The taste and feel is the same, but making it yourself adds a special satisfaction and makes the whole bowl more hearty. You can use instant oats instead of thick-cut, just reduce the water accordingly and cook for less time.

Gluten-Free Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Oatmeal

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 serving):

1/2 cup thick-cut gluten-free rolled oats
2 heaping Tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup water
1/2 Tablespoon butter
Brown sugar for garnish

Method:

Combine the oats, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and water in a pot and stir gently.
Bring the water to a slight boil. Stir constantly so that the bottom doesn’t burn.
Keep stirring until the oats are cooked and stick will stick to your spoon.
Add in the butter and stir until it has completely melted.
Move to a bowl and garnish with extra brown sugar before serving.

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Holiday Vanilla Chex Mix

Written on December 2, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Holiday, Snack

I don’t know about you but I usually don’t expect to like any cereal without “Chocolate” or “Reese’s” in its name—Those are just my personal preferences. But shockingly I’ve found a new favorite that doesn’t fit into either of those categories.

I got a box of Vanilla Chex back in September when they invited me to the Wine & Food festival. Skeptical, it took me a month or so to open it, but after I did I just kept eating it by the handful. The vanilla-coated Chex are surprisingly sweet and delicious. It’s impossible to stop after just one.

After I ate half the box, I felt like I should do something with the rest that’d be more exciting than handfuls of cereal. Since it’s (already) the holiday season, what better way to use it than make holiday Chex mix? The vanilla, cinnamon, almond, and chocolate flavors blend perfectly for an addictive and delicious party snack.

This recipe has you make your own cinnamon sugar almonds but you can cut out the cooking completely by buying flavored almonds at your specialty grocery store.

Holiday Vanilla Chex Mix

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups Vanilla Chex cereal
1 1/2 cups whole almonds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon oil
1 Tablespoon water
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup M&Ms

Method:

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
In a bowl, mix together the almonds, cinnamon, oil, sugar, and water until the almonds are covered and there’s no liquid on the bottom.
Pour the almonds in a single layer onto a non-stick baking tray and roast for 10 minutes or until the cinnamon sugar begins to clump on the almonds.
Remove the almonds from the oven and let them cool briefly.
In a clean bowl, combine the almonds, Chex cereal, and M&Ms and toss well before serving.
Keep in a sealed bag at room temperature when not enjoying.

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Savory Cinnamon Rice and Chickpeas

Written on November 11, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

I love cinnamon in just about any dessert this time of year, or sprinkled on top of coffee or into yogurt. But it’s not used as much in savory dishes as it should be.

Just a little bit of cinnamon and nutmeg make simple rice into a perfect seasonally spiced rice pilaf. You’ll be surprised how much this rice smells like a snickerdoodle cookie but tastes earthy and subtle.

If you want to take this recipe to the next level, roast the chickpeas while the rice is cooking to add a chewier texture and garnish the dish with salted pumpkin or sunflower seeds on top of extra sour cream.

Savory Cinnamon Rice and Chickpeas

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked brown rice
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon sour cream or butter
2 15oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Method:

In a rice cooker or over the stove, combine the brown rice and vegetable stock and boil until the rice has cooked.
add the rest of the ingredients in with the cooked rice and mix well.
Season with extra salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

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Blueberry Pancake Syrup

Written on July 22, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

Fresh fruit in the Summer is great. It really is. But turning that fruit into a maple pancake syrup is just a little bit better.

After I made homemade strawberry syrup, I couldn’t eat it fast enough. It’s a great sweetener for pancakes, ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal—just about anything. After giving it a try I can say that making the recipe with blueberries is just as good.

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this recipe—it doesn’t make a difference. Unlike the strawberry version, you need to strain the syrup once it’s cooked to get the skins out. Don’t waste the solids though! They’re full of sugar and make a great jam-like spread for toast or mixing into yogurt.

Blueberry Pancake Syrup

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1 1/2 cups):

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

In a small pot over a burner, combine the sugar and water and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Boil the water until the simple syrup reduces to about half of its original volume.
While the water is boiling, puree the blueberries and maple syrup in a blender or food processor until they make a smooth sauce.
Off of the heat, combine the blueberry puree and simple syrup and whisk together. Whisk in the vanilla and cinnamon as well.
Put the pot back onto the stove and continue boiling until the syrup reduces to about half of its volume again. Don’t over-reduce the syrup to be quite as thick as maple syrup because once it cools off of the heat it will thicken.
Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the blueberry skins.
Store any extra sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator when not enjoying.

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Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

Written on July 4, 2013 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

Brown sugar is an ingredient I don’t use enough. When I find it in the pantry, I could eat it by the spoonful. It reminds me of cinnamon rolls and apple crumbles, and so does this simple granola recipe.

I usually like to add some sort of healthy fat like almonds or peanut butter to my granola but wanted to try something different. There’s only 2 Tablespoons of oil in the entire batch and no nuts. If you’re looking for a leaner breakfast, this will definitely fit the bill.

You can add more spices to suit your favorite flavors. Swapping in pumpkin pie spice or adding your own nutmeg and allspice will give it a slightly nuttier flavor. Make sure to use gluten-free oats if dealing with a gluten allergy.

Low-Fat Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, oil, water, cinnamon, and salt until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are evenly mixed.
Pour the oats out onto a non-stick baking surface and spread them out into a thin layer.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the oats are crisp and turn golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Add the raisins into the granola and mix well.
Store in a sealed container at room temperature when not enjoying.

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Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip

Written on October 8, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

Greek yogurt is one of those foods I always keep on hand. I was so excited when Stonyfield asked me to be a part of their Clean Plate Club to make and submit recipes using their yogurts. Substituting yogurt in dips or baked goods for fattier dairy products is a great and easy way to make recipes healthier.

When I’m busy I’d much rather have a meal or snack that I can eat with my hands and don’t have to worry about it getting cold. Dips and spread are great for that. I made this dip and it lasted me over a few days of snacking and went with just about everything.

You can serve this with chopped up fruit or cut up french toast and waffles for breakfast or with some gingersnaps and snickerdoodle cookies for a fun dessert. It keeps well in the refrigerator so it’s easy to

Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Dip

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1/2 cup):

2 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup plain Oikos greek yogurt

Method:

In a small bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until there aren’t any clumps(you may want to use a whisk or hand mixer).
Serve with fruit, waffles, french toast, or any other dippable breakfasts.

And in case you were wondering, Van’s gluten-free french toast sticks are excellent, especially when you’re sure the last time you had french toast sticks was at least 10 years ago.

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White Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Truffles

Written on March 17, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Gluten-free baking is a crapshoot. Before I came out with a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies that looked halfway decent, I had a big tray of cookies that spread too much and wouldn’t hold together. That’s what you get for trying new recipes.

I couldn’t bring myself to throw away the crumbs since they tasted delicious, so I needed to think of a new way to use them up. Cake pops are fun and delicious but these are cookies and needed something slightly different. Why not cookie truffles?

I think the white chocolate compliments the flavors of the oatmeal, raisins, and cinnamon more than a dark or milk chocolate would, but you could use whichever is your favorite. Follow the directions and use only as much liquid as necessary.

White Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Truffles

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 dozen soft oatmeal cookies
1-2 Tablespoons milk*
1lb white chocolate

*Depending on how fresh your cookies are, you might not need any liquid. Follow the directions and adjust accordingly.

Method:

Either by hand or in a food processor, mash the cookies into crumbs. If your cookies are dry, slowly add milk until the dough is moist and sticks to itself.
Melt the white chocolate carefully in a microwave or over a double boiler making sure not to burn it.
Break off cookie dough by the ounce and roll it into a ball in your hands. With a spoon, dip the truffle into the chocolate and move it around to cover all sides. Lift out of the chocolate and place on a non-stick surface.
Repeat until all the dough and chocolate is used up.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Next time I might try adding cinnamon into the white chocolate coating; you can never have too much cinnamon.

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Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Written on March 15, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I really love oatmeal raisin cookies. It always surprises me to learn that so many people hate them, and hate even more biting into one of them thinking it’s chocolate chip only to find out it’s oatmeal raisin. I actually think I prefer oatmeal raisin to chocolate chip any day; they’re just better.

I love the cinnamon in the dough, the saltiness complimenting the sweet fruit, and the chewiness of the oats. I don’t make gluten-free cookie recipes often since they can be a hassle and a disaster, but these seemed worth it.

Make sure the oats you buy are tested gluten-free if serving these to someone with allergies.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 1/2 dozen):

1 1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats
1/2 cups raisins
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk or water

Method:

Mix together the brown rice flour, oats, raisins, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
Mix in the eggs, butter, and liquid and mix completely.
Refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes until it sticks to itself.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Spoon about an ounce of dough into a small mound on a non-stick baking tray leaving about 3-inches apart for the cookies to spread. Repeat with all the dough.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until the centers of the cookies are form. Remove from the oven and let cool before lifting off the tray.

When these first came out of the oven, they were a little cakey but once they cooled the texture got chewier.

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Cinnamon Honey Butter

Written on November 28, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

This week is all about Thanksgiving recipes. In some respects that was poor planning on my part, since Thanksgiving won’t come around again for another 51 weeks; but I hope some of these recipes you’ll be able to work in and enjoy for Christmas or other times during the year, like this one.

This was so simple to make it almost didn’t feel like a recipe at all. And yet despite how easy it is, the flavor is rich and complex. You could easily make this to keep around for breakfast on toast or dinner on squash. It’s kind of addicting; before you know it you’ll be slathering this on anything.

This recipe calls for unsalted butter; I think it’s always best to keep that in stock since you can always add salt later on. If all you have is salted butter, just omit the added salt in the recipe and it will still taste great.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 Tablespoons honey
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

In a small bowl, work all of the ingredients together until completely mixed together.
Scoop the butter onto a piece of Saran wrap. Roll the butter into a log and place it in the refrigerator to solidify.
Unwrap the butter and put it on a butter dish to serve.

When I made this, I licked the bowl I mixed it in. It was simultaneously the grossest and best part of my day. The end.

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