Wallnut Stuffed Eggplant

Recipe from Vegetarian Magazine

3 medium eggplants 

2 Tbs olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

1 1/2 pt grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 c walnut pieces

2 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 c bread crumbs

2/3 c crumbled feta cheese

lemon wedges, optional

1. Halve eggplants lengthwise, and scoop out flesh, leaving 1/2 inch thick edges on eggplant shells. Cut scoops into 1/2 inch pieces and set in a colander. Sprinkle eggplant pieces and inside eggplant shells with salt. Let stand 25-30 minutes.
2. Bring large pot of water to a boil, drop eggplant shells in, simmer 5-8 minutes, until barely  tender. Drain, cool, pat dry.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet, saute onions 3 minutes. Add eggplant pieces, tomatoes, walnuts, cinn, oregano, and 1/4 c water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 8 minutes, stir often. Add breadcrumbs.
4. Preheat oven to 375. Divide bread crumb eggplant mixture into shells. Sprinkle with feta. Bake 15-20 minutes, until brown.

The Oatmeal Diaries, part I

Oatmeal is one of the most comforting, delicious, healthy and versatile meals you can make. I eat it for breakfast almost every morning, and those mornings I don't I usually end up regretting it. A hearty breakfast of oatmeal leaves your tummy satisfied all morning, the body warm, and taste buds tickled. Here is one morning's variation and my morning thoughts:

1/2 c Old fashion oats

1/2 c water

1 c milk

1 banana, sliced

combine all in a small saucepan, cook on high for ~5 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed and the banana slices are mushy. 

Granola topper:

2 c Old fashion oats

~1/2 c maple syrup

~1/4 c olive oil

1 TBS cinnamon

a little dash of clove if you like

1/2 c walnuts, or any other nuts you have

1/4 c coconut shavings 

combine all ingredients except fruit on a foil lined baking sheet. bake at 300 degrees F for about 10 minutes, stirring often. left cool. add fruit. top on oatmeal, yogurt, eat by the handful...

It's winter break so I can finally relax without worrying about deadlines, exams, readings, and all the other stresses of college life--or so I thought. I've found the time I usually spend being anxious about school work has been replaced by the the anxieties of job searching. Now I have 100% more time to focus on resume tweaking and job applications, which I think is almost worst than school stresses. This is the rest of my life we're talking about now, not just a class on my transcript.

I am on the cusp of closing the college chapter of life and beginning the adulthood chapter. Being in the state of transition is never easy; it's difficult to identify your title, your purpose, and your direction. Am I a student, a job seeker, or a poor unemployed soul? Should I focus my energy on my last semester of courses, the task of finding a decent job, enjoying the friendships that will soon be abridged after graduation, or enjoying my undergraduate family life? Should I continue school, find a job, stay local, or move somewhere I've always wanted to live? So many questions to ask and few places to find answers. Advice may be in abundance but no one knows exactly what the right thing for you to do is, other than yourself.

I got my favorite yogi tea bag quote this morning: "Don't let yourself down, anyone else down, or participate in a letdown". The first thing is to not left yourself down--if you are happy with yourself and the direction your life is going, all the other things will fall into place. I don't know what the future has in store for me but I know I have control over what will happen. I will always be able to push the breaks, or gas, or change directions whenever I need to. My friends and family will be there as the road to lead me along the journey. It snowed last night. I think I'll take my time going into work this morning. Have another cup of coffee, catch up on some reading....

creamy quinoa pudding

Recipe from The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook

3/4 c quinoa

2 c soy milk

1 1/2 TBS fine sugar

1 cardamom pod, lightly crushed

juice and finely grated zest of small orange

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cinnamon stick

2 TBS honey

1 pomegranate, seeds scraped out

1. rinse quinoa, place in saucepan with 2 c water, bring to boil, cover , lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. add soy milk, sugar, cardamon, orange zest, vanilla and cinnamon to quinoa. return to boil, then reduce to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes, until creamy and liquid almost absorbed. set aside.
3. place orange juice, honey and pomegranate seeds in a small saucepan and simmer 5-10 minutes until slightly reduced. 
4. serve warm drizzled with syrup.

If anyone know the secret to dissecting a pomegranate, I'd like to know!