Mango & peach oatmeal bake

 

I’ve probably mentioned this to you before, at least once or twice, actually, come to think of it, I think I wrote an entire post on breakfast, but yes, food is what gets me up in the morning. And I don’t just mean it’s what gets me going. I literally mean, it’s what gets me out of bed…that, and a beautifully impatient 14 month old.

More often then not, I go to bed at night thinking about what I’m going to eat the next morning. And then I get all excited at the idea of having breakfast…as I’m getting ready for sleep!

This oatmeal bake is one of those breakfasts that I particularly can’t wait to eat. It’s creamy, rich, dense and oh so satisfying. And since it’s pretty easy to put together, it’s something you’ll get excited about too. And it’s very versatile… I chose mangos and peaches for this recipe because that’s what I had in my freezer (I pretty much always have mangos in my freezer and I’ll explain why in just a little bit…). But I’ve done it with blueberries and strawberries, pineapples and bananas… The combinations are deliciously endless! It’s only sweetened with just a little maple syrup as I like the natural sweetness of the fruits to shine through.

Now back to mangoes… One of the reasons I always have mangoes handy, other then for their obvious amazing taste and texture, is for their nutrition content. Mangoes are vitamin and mineral bombs and provide major health benefits including lowering blood sugar levels, boost brain and bone health, alleviate anemia and increase immunity, just to name a few.

Alleviating anemia is a very important factor for me, as it is for many people.  According to the World Health Organization:

  • 2 billion people are affected by anemia worldwide and 293 million of those affected are preschool age children;
  • 56 million pregnant women are anemic (41.8% prevalence globally);
  • 468 million non-pregnant women are anemic (30.2% prevalence globally)

Those numbers are scary, especially if you consider that iron deficiency (leading cause of anemia) is the most common nutritional deficit in the world.

Like many women, I suffered from anemia for years. I was told it was due to my vegetarian/vegan diet. I was continuously encouraged to eat red meat and calf liver to bring my iron levels back up… little did these people know about the power of plants!

Mangoes are just one of the plant foods that contain iron. If you think you have low iron levels (you can read on the signs and symptoms of low iron levels here), I would strongly suggest you get blood tests done and your results reviewed by a trusted and competent specialist.

Some other great plant foods that contain iron are:

  • spirulina (love this stuff!)
  • spinach, kale and swiss chard
  • dark chocolate
  • lentils
  • chickpeas and black beans
  • pumpkin, flax and hemp seeds

One important thing I learned when researching high iron plant foods, is that adding vitamin C when eating iron rich foods actually facilitates the absorption of the iron by the body. Hence, the peaches in my oatmeal bake. The vitamin C in peaches compliments the iron in the mangoes… Mind you, mangoes do hold quite a good amount of vitamin C on their own, but a little more, especially this tasty, doesn’t hurt!

I hope you guys enjoy this breakfast and leave a comment to let me know if you’ve ever suffered from anemia and what foods you include in your daily diet.

xx

This recipe was inspired by the amazing oatmeal bake from Cookie & Kate!

Mango & peach baked oatmeal
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 portions
This oatmeal bake takes no time at all to put together and while it cooks, you have time to get yourself or your kids, or both, ready for the day. Enjoy with a steaming cup of coffee or tea and top with some vegan yogurt or additional maple syrup, if you wake up with a sweet tooth!
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups rolled oats, (I use Quaker GF large rolled oats)
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine Himalayan pink salt
  • 2 Cups pea mylk (I use pea mylk for its high protein content but any mylk will do)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 Tbs chia seeds
  • 6 Tbs water
  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • 1 Tbs vanilla extract
  • 2 Cups frozen mangoes
  • 1 Cup frozen peaches
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
  3. Pour the frozen fruits in the dish and set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds and water. Stir and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, ginger, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine.
  6. In another mixing bowl, combine the mylk, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and chia mixture. Whisk until blended.
  7. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  8. Cover the frozen fruits with the oatmeal mixture and wiggle the dish a little.
  9. Bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
  10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a 10 minutes.

 

 

Pumpkin Polenta with Caramelized Peaches and Butternut Squash

 

Hello beautiful people,

Thanksgiving in Canada is just a short week away. I’m already excited for all the delicious food, the family, the ambiance of festivities… If you’re hosting, Thanksgiving can require quite a bit of cooking. I find that a little preparation and cooking a few days ahead goes a long way. It’s your best bet to not stressing out on the day of and to actually enjoy some of the celebrations. I love spending time in the kitchen, but when my entire family is over, I want to spend time with them, not in my kitchen, and enjoy some of the delicious food and great conversations.

So here’s a few tips I’ve gathered over the years of hosting (and this applies to any gathering or party or festivity you are hosting and that is more labour intensive than a potluck – although potlucks can be labour intensive…but that’s for another post!):

  1. Write down you’re entire menu, down to the very last bite of food. A cute little tradition we have in our family is that my dad will have my menu printed out on decorative cards and placed on each person’s plate. It makes for a nice little souvenir of the celebration and serves as a great memory card for me, the day of!
  2. Make sure there’s something for everyone on your menu. If someone you invited has a food allergy, intolerance or is on a special diet, don’t make them feel left out, have something on your menu they can enjoy. For example, in my family, a few people are gluten-free. So I make sure there’s a few dishes for them to enjoy. They are always very thankful for the kind gesture and everyone else get to enjoy the dishes as well…
  3. Also, make sure your menu contains items that can be prepared ahead of time and that freeze well. See item 6.
  4. Once your menu is written down, prepare the non-food related chores like decorating the house and setting the table. You can even go over your music playlist to make sure you have all your favourite tunes are lined up.
  5. As you write down your menu, write your grocery list. You don’t want to waste time going back and forth to the store because you keep forgetting something. Leave only the items that need to be “same day” fresh for last minute purchases like french baguette.
  6. Start cooking the freezable items on your menu, a few of days ahead. I always make a soup on Thanksgiving. Mainly because everyone in my family loves soup but also because it’s such a nice warming way to start a big meal. And it just feels very Fall-ish. And it’s easy to freeze. I also make my dessert a few days ahead like the crust to my pumpkin pie or my carrot cake. All that’s left for me to do on the big day is either fill my crust or ice my cake.
  7. Don’t stress out! Hosting a big gathering can be stressful but remember why you’re hosting and the reason for the celebration. And if everything is not perfect, that’s ok, nothing ever is!

For the longest time, in our family, Thanksgiving has been a brunch celebration. I can’t even remember the last time we had a Thanksgiving dinner, per se. But I’m perfectly fine with that even though it cuts my kitchen time quite a bit, the day of. I love the fact that everyone gathers early in the day so we can enjoy the entire day together.

This creamy Pumpkin Polenta with Caramelized Peaches and Butternut Squash is exactly the type of dish I’ll be making for Thanksgiving. It’s gluten free so it’ll please many members of my family, but it’s also creamy without being heavy and the caramelized peaches and butternut squash give it just the right amount of sweetness and decadence.

Hope you enjoy this dish and let me know some of your tips and tricks for hosting a big event by leaving me a comment!

xx

Pumpkin Polenta with Caramelized Peaches and Butternut Squash
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
This creamy polenta will make everyone at the table happy, from the gluten free adepts to the picky toddlers. If you want to make your polenta a little less rich, skip the coconut milk and simply add more water. It won’t change much of the texture but it will save a few calories.
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup peaches, diced
  • 1 Cup butternut squash, diced (I saved time by purchasing pre-cut frozen butternut squash)
  • 1 Tbs coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbs vegan butter
  • 2 1/2 Cups water
  • 2 Cups lite coconut milk
  • 1 Cup medium cornmeal / polenta
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 ginger
  • 1/4 all spice
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, add the peaches, butternut squash and coconut sugar.
  2. Stir with a wooden spoon to coat evenly. Set aside.
  3. In a saucepan, add water, coconut milk and spices and set over high heat.
  4. Sprinkle the cornmeal and whisk at the same time. This will prevent clumping.
  5. When the mixture starts to boil, continue whisking and reduce to medium-low heat.
  6. The polenta will start thickening. Keep stirring frequently to prevent burning at the bottom of the saucepan and the polenta from clumping.
  7. Cook the polenta approximately 30 minutes to get a nice creamy texture.
  8. While the polenta is cooking, add your butter to a saucepan and set on high heat.
  9. Once the butter is melted, add the peaches and butternut squash mixture. Stir then allow the fruity mixture to caramelize, stirring only occasionally but keeping a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn, about 5 minutes.
  10. Once your polenta is nice and creamy, pour into a serving dish and top with the caramelized peaches and butternut squash.