Madhu Knits and Cooks

Recipe, knitting, and sewing project notes

Tag: Cooking — Breakfast

  • Recipe Review Roundup – Lose Most, Win Some (Onion Frittata with Sherry Vinegar, Easy Pancakes)

    Welcome to the first post of the slimmed down Madhu Knits and Cooks – my recipe notes targeted to an audience of one, me.  Most of these recipe attempts resulted in fine-but-not-repeatable-dishes, but one was a true standout that I look forward to making again.

    Sichuan Broccoli 

    This isn't so much a recipe review, as a "I should follow the recipe more closely" note.  I improvised the seasonings a bit, though followed the cooking technique.  I should try to make again, the next time actually following the recipe proportions (my attempt seemed heavy on the rice vinegar flavor) and by toasting and finely grinding the Sichuan peppercorns beforehand instead of just mashing them to throw on top of the final dish (too grainy a preparation).

    Lentil and Asparagus Soup 

    Also a bit of an odd one – I substituted caviar lentils for the barley, resulting in a black soup.  The lemon flavor was pretty good, and it was a nice light soup, but the color and blandness overall means I probably won't make again even if I make it properly with barley for the lentils.

    Garbanzo and Spinach Stew

    Another bland soup.  I substituted smoked paprika for the pimenton, and made this more into a soup than a stew with more water (4 cups?).  I used fresh spinach instead of frozen, and threw the julienned pieces at the end of the cooking.  I used black garbanzos (approx. 3 cups cooked, 1 cup dry which I pre-cooked).

    Spring Minestrone

    Another bland soup.  Pesto or another strong herb bomb would have helped (I omitted).  

    Cabbage, Tofu, and Red Pepper

    Pretty good dish – strong flavors, and great textures from the bell pepper and cabbage, neither of which was overcooked and retained their natural flavors.

    I used some Trader Joe's high-protein tofu, which I seared pretty quickly without cornstarch.  I used 2 tbsp. water instead of broth, omitted the walnuts, and just put sesame oil at the end because I forgot during the cooking period.

    Excellent Onion Frittata with Sherry Vinegar Sauce

    The winner of the bunch – a tangy, relatively easy frittata.  Perfect for a brunch for 4 people, otherwise 2 meals for me and my husband.  I'd pair this with a salad.  I used dijon instead of whole grain mustard, which added more tanginess but still resulted in a great sauce.  I'd probably reduce the sauce ingredients by half because you don't need that much for serving.

    Easy Pancakes – Weekend Winner

    For some reason, I can't find my past pancake posts so ended up searching for a new simple recipe.  Enter America's Test Kitchen Easy Pancakes, which yes, were both very easy to make and delicious to consume.  Fluffy with a lightly sweet flavor, I will probably make these frequently on weekends.  I halved the recipe, which made the recipe appropriate for 2 adults and a toddler.

  • “Healthy” Banana Bread – probably not a recipe repeat but good in a pinch!

    Another post where the title says it all!  I tried this "Healthy Banana Bread" recipe after searching for ways to use up the two blackened bananas on my countertop, without having to buy more ingredients.

    Healthy Banana Bread

    The result was "fine" – pretty moist but with a relatively bland flavor. I will stick to more banana-rich/heavy preparations moving forward.

    My recipe modifications:

    • Slightly more almond milk (7-10 extra grams)
    • Added chocolate chips
    • Had to bake for additional time (approx. 63 min in total)
    • Forget to pre-mash the 2 bananas before adding them to the other ingredients, so had to do in in the bowl (did not measure the amount of banana that resulted from the 2 ripe bananas)
    • all-purpose flour and honey for the flour and sweetener, respectively

  • A Chia Pudding I Like! Overnight Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

    With a largely unconsumed bag of chia seeds taunting me with each opening of the pantry doors, I decided to give chia seed pudding another go after a disappointing experience a few years ago.

    I chose a Minimalist Baker recipe that fit the critical (only) requirement of adapting to ingredients I had at home.  The recipe included unsweetened cocoa, the bitterness of which I found particularly suited to the chia pudding texture.  No sure why, but it worked!

    Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

    I made a few modifications to their recipe:

    • Increased amount milk by 1/4 cup to 1.75 cups of unsweetened almond milk for 1/2 cup of chia seeds
    • No vanilla or cinnamon because I used vanilla maple syrup as the sweetener
    • I reduced the maple syrup to 2 tbsp
    • I stirred the mixture after 15 minutes before putting it in the fridge

    My husband found the bitter flavor to be akin to Mexican hot chocolate, so we are thinking about adding cinnamon or chile powder in the future to complete that flavor profile.

    Bag of chia seeds – you will be consumed!  

  • Loaf Cakes Continue – Moist and Sweet Banana Bread with Crispy Topping

    Once the baking dam had been broken, it was fully broken!  The day after my loaf cake, I threw myself back into the oven with a new banana bread recipe, courtesy of the New York Times.  

    I decided to try this recipe instead of some of my old favorites for the simple reason that it called for exactly the same number of bananas that I had in my freezer.  

    NYT Banana Bread Full

    The result was fantastic – moist, yet not studgy, and great textural contrasts from the sugar / cinnamon topping that crisped up the crust of the bread (which let's be honest, is more like a cake).  

    I made a few modifications to the recipe – I added maybe 1/2 tsp. of Vietnamese cinnamon, a few shakes of nutmeg, and a splash of vanilla to the dough.  I omitted the nuts because of my allergy.  For me, a baking time of 60 minutes was perfect to get an evenly baked loaf.  I will make this recipe again!

    NYT Banana Bread Side

  • First (Failed) Attempt to Recreate a Restaurant Favorite – Little Beet’s Quinoa Oatmeal

    Many years ago, I loved treating myself to the Little Beet's breakfast quinoa oatmeal.  A location (maybe their first?) opened in the midtown Manhattan building I worked in, and I quickly discovered that not only were their vegetable lunch options a delight, but also their breakfast contained a lot of surprises.  

    The breakfast quinoa in particular was outstanding – vegan, creamy, full of spices like cardamon, and filling.  One portion could often be two breakfasts or serve as both breakfast and lunch on a busy day.  

    Unfortunately though, with the passage of time, I both no longer live near any Little Beet locations, nor does the Little Beet appear to offer a breakfast menu anymore.  After many attempts to find a recipe or clues on the ingredients used, I recently decided to improvise my own breakfast quinoa oatmeal.  I drew some inspiration from other online recipes for breakfast quinoa, though none seemed to be based on, or that close to, the Little Beet version.

    NYT Breakfast Quinoa

    Here is what I did:

    • Combined 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa with 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/16 tsp. each of ground cloves and nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. each of ground Vietnamese cinnamon and ground ginger, and 2 pods of cardamon
    • Cooked above mixture in the Instant Pot for 1 minute under high pressure, and then did a natural release
    • Added 1/2 tsp. of vanilla maple syrup to the finished quinoa

    Here is what I found about this approach:

    • There was far too much clove in the recipe, and I should have rinsed the quinoa for longer to get rid of more of its bitterness.
    • In addition, I probably should have cooked the quinoa for longer – maybe 2 or 3 minutes to get more of a creamy oatmeal type texture versus just cooked quinoa.  Also, it might make sense to do a longer cook time on the stovetop instead of a pressure cook.
    • I think more sweetness would have helped – which also could have come from some fresh fruit (maybe bananas) and more agave or maple syrup on top, a la a photo I could find of the Little Beet version.  

    I'll report back if I get closer to my memory of this fantastic breakfast!

  • Narrowing in on a Winning Deviled Egg Recipe – NYT “Classic” Approach

    I'm so happy I am now inclined to finish up my expired eggs instead of sadly throwing them out en masse.  The mass egg preparation approach that has become my go-to is deviled eggs, which I made this summer for a party appetizer.  After experimenting with a few past recipes with varying success, I decided to try another new approach to narrow in on a winning consistent recipe.  

    NYT Simple Deviled Eggs

    This NYT recipe featured dijon mustard to offset the mayonnaise – which generally is not to my liking in deviled eggs – and some dashes of Tabasco and chives for additional flavor.  Following some recommendations in the comments, and to further reduce the flavor of mayonnaise, I made a few modifications – added a dash of vegan Worcestershire sauce, reduced the mayonnaise to 2 tbsp., and added 1/2 tbsp. of softened butter.  I also forgot to buy chives at the store, so inadvertently omitted those.

    NYT Simple Deviled Eggs Close Up

    The final result was good, but not outstanding,  The flavor was subtle, certainly "classic," with not too much mayonnaise thankfully.  I think adding the chives and perhaps increasing the dijon will help punch these up a bit more.  

    That being said, as prepared, these were a hit at the party I brought them to and I should have made more!

  • Solid Classic Egg Salad

    Egg salad, egg salad – how you have entered our lives!  Building on the success of my first homemade egg salad, I decided to try a more traditional, mayonnaise-based egg salad from the Cook's Illustrated team.   

    Classic Egg Salad Served

    This egg salad was pretty good – the eggs cooked better this time (less dry) and the inclusion of mayonnaise didn't result in too bland of a flavor.  Instead, the herb, red onion, and celery flavors came through pretty well.  I added some leftover tarragon to this recipe as well. 

    And while the dijon mustard added a nice tang, I think a slash of champagne vinegar would have also helped add more diversity of flavors to this otherwise tasty egg salad.  I look forward to making this recipe again! 

  • Herby Irish Ale Bread – Full of Flavor, But Likely Not a Recipe Repeat

    I'm not sure what drew me to this Milk Street Irish Ale Bread with Caraway and Herbs, but perhaps it was my recent bounty of dill? 

    This recipe otherwise wouldn't be a draw unless perhaps I was preparing a brunch in which an entire flavored loaf would be likely to be consumed.  Generally our bread loaves get recycled into multiple uses – grilled cheese, toast, croutons – into which a highly flavored loaf won't easily convert.  

    Ale Bread Whole

    Unfortunately, this recipe didn't in turn convert me to a flavored bread enthusiast.  There were a lot of sweet, salty, and fresh flavors from the herbs, caraway seeds, honey, and beer, but I don't really know if they really came together into a compelling way.  Combined with a slightly stodgy texture,  this recipe will go into the "tried it" category. 

  • Eggs, Eggs, Eggs! Herbed Deviled Eggs – Likely Not a Recipe Repeat

    Inspired by my deliciously herby egg salad, I decided to try some Herbed Deviled Eggs.  Unfortunately, as it turns out, chopped herbs aren't as wonderful in deviled eggs.

    Herbed Deviled Eggs - Front

    I found their texture to be displeasing in the otherwise smooth filling.  And unfortunately, I also found the mayonnaise in this recipe to be too overwhelming, and it also washed out the flavor of the herbs.  So not great texture and not great flavor. 

    Granted, I didn't have sour cream on hand to cut the mayonnaise flavor, and I also didn't bring the eggs to a boil on high enough heat, so the yolks were also overcooked.  Combination of user error and a recipe that didn't match my tastes.  On to the next!

    Herbed Deviled Eggs - Close Up

  • Chia Seed Smoothies – A More Personally Palatable Method for Chia Seed Consumption

    With a big bag of chia seeds in our pantry, and a dislike for the textures of chia seed pudding, I decided to try blending chia seeds for consumption instead.  It worked!  

    Chia Seed Smoothie

    Upon consulting the internet, I decided the best approach would be a simple chia seed smoothie. 

    I would made a 1-to-4 chia to oat/almond milk pudding, put in the fridge overnight or for a few days, and then blend the pudding with frozen fruit and more non-dairy milk for a breakfast smoothie. 

    Even with my non-Vitamix blender, the chia chunks smoothed out and the result was a yogurt-like smoothie.  The fruit flavor remained the star attraction, and no additional sugars were needed. 

    I am now separately on the fence about blending fruit for smoothies because eating whole fruit is much healthier, but at least I have temporarily solved what to do with our chia seeds!