Update: Blogger Secret Ingredient — Dates

Remember that today is the last day to submit your recipes! You must email either your recipe + photos OR the link to your BSI post to talesofexpansion@gmail.com by midnight tonight. I will judge the entries tomorrow based on creativity and potential deliciousness. The winner of the contest will receive:

– TWO boxes of Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea

– one dozen Earl Grey Biscotti Bites

– plus a couple more little mystery prizes

Here are the submissions I have received so far:

• Submitted 1/27 by ttfn300 at Tri to Cook: Butternut Squash & Date Puree
• Submitted 1/28 by Meghann at The Inner Workings of a College Graduate: Perfectly Portioned for One Roasted Eggplant, Date, & Kale Curry
• Submitted 1/29 by Denise at Denise’s Kitchen: Pork Candy (aka Stuffed Dates with Goat Cheese & Prosciutto
• Submitted 1/31 by Brandi at Bran Appétit: Barley Date Pudding
• Submitted 2/1 by Kate: Mystery Date Muffins
• Submitted 2/1 by Emily at Sheila Moon/Big Swingin’ Cycles Team: Powdered Sugar Coated Date, Walnut, & Butter Balls
• Submitted 2/1 by Vani at Fit for Free: Whole-Wheat Coffee Cake Muffins with Date-Nut Streusel
• Submitted 2/1 by Victoria at The Idle Loaf: Banana Date Coffee Cake
• Submitted 2/1 by Kath at Kath Eats Real Food: Blue Cheese, Date, & Pecan Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
• Submitted 2/1 by Tina at Carrots ‘N’ Cake: Oatmeal Date Cookies
• Submitted 2/1 by Biz at Biggest Diabetic Loser: Date Wontons
• Submitted 2/1 by Andrea at Bella Eats: Peanut Butter Date Blondies
• Submitted 2/1 by my mom: Date, Feta, & Toasted Nut Stuffed Butternut Squash

Think you can top those?? Send your recipe to me TODAY!

Breakfast

I could think of nothing but oats when I got up this morning. I got my laundry going at the laundromat and then raced back to start preparing this week’s edition of crockpot oats: gingerbread spice oats! I had to run to the store for eggs and ginger root (and cheese samples!), bringing this week’s grocery tally to $31. The oats are gurgling away in the slowcooker as I write. Can’t wait to eat them tomorrow! This batch includes:

– 1 cup steel-cut oats

– 1 cup unsweetened Silk Soymilk

– 1 cup water

– 3 eggs

– 1 tsp vanilla

-4 small shredded apples

– 1/2 bag fresh cranberries

– 1 inch grated fresh ginger root

– 1/2 tbsp powdered ginger

– 1 tsp coarsely chopped whole cloves

– 1 tbsp molasses

Since I got such an early start, I decided to do the authentic slow-cooking five-hour method.

For today’s breakfast, I made a batch of stove-top Strawberry-Banana Cardamom Oatmeal with 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats, 1/4 cup unsweetened Silk, 1/4 cup water, 3 chopped strawberries, 1/3 mashed banana, coarsely chopped seeds of 3 cardamom pods, tsp vanilla, dash sea salt. I mixed in 1/4 cup plain yogurt and topped the oatmeal with 1 chopped almond toasted in dry skillet, cinnamon, and unsweetened coconut:

So creamy!

So laundry’s done, gingerbread spice oats are cooking in the crockpot, belly’s satisfied, and now it’s time to move on to studying. Be back later!