Brown Rice Pilaf with pecans and dried cranberries

Have you already started planning your side dishes for Thanksgiving?  Do you have set standards or are you an adventuresome type?  I like to try different side dishes every Thanksgiving.  I have my set favorite, my mom's stuffing, but I'm even going to mix that up this year and try to make it healthier in consideration for a diabetic in the family who is coming to dinner.

I made this Brown Rice Pilaf with pecans and dried cranberries to accompany the turkey made for my review of the Charbroil Big Easy.  I adapted it from a recipe by Lorna Sass in her cookbook, Whole Grains:  Every Day, Every Way.  I really liked the nuttiness and the whole grains, but I think when I make it again, I will cut out the butter.  The recipe calls for 3 Tbls. of butter which I used because it was my first time making the recipe, but it really didn't need it.  I think the butter made the dish taste a little heavy, especially since we already had all of the heavy aromas around the house from the turkey.  Either way you make it though, it could be your solution on what to make to accompany your Thanksgiving turkey this year!

Brown rice pilaf with pecans and dried cranberries by Joie de vivre.  Adapted from Whole Grains:  Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 Tbls. unsalted butter (I'm going to omit this the next time I make it)
3/4  tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c. chopped pecans
3 c. freshly cooked long grain brown rice (I made this in my rice cooker while the turkey was cooking)
3 Tbls. sweet sherry
2 Tbls. dried cranberries
3/4 tsp. grated orange zest
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Heat the butter in a large skillet until melted and foamy.  Add the salt, pumpkin pie spice, and the chopped pecans.  Stir for 2-3 minutes until the pecans are slightly toasted.
2.  Add the rice and stir until combined.  Next, add the cranberries, sherry and orange zest.  Stir until combined.
3.  Remove from heat and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Review of Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Chocolates

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I was recently sent some samples of Ghirardelli Luxe Milk Chocolates to try.  (I know, it's a hard job, but someone has to do it!)  Fortunately for me, they came the day before I was to set out on a relaxing weekend at a women's retreat.  What better place or time to try some new chocolates than on a weekend retreat?

Saturday morning dawned warmish and beautiful.  The forecast called for rain all weekend so I was delighted to find a sunny spot all to myself where I could ready my book and try these new chocolates.

I settled into a nice adirondack chair which was bathed in sunlight, beautiful Lake Coeur d'Alene (in Idaho) shimmered in the distance, popped my iPod buds into my ears, took a deep, relaxing sigh, and tried these chocolates.

For milk chocolate, these were surprisingly good.  I am really a dark chocolate fan, the darker the better, so I'm not the best person to be reviewing these, but I did enjoy them.  The milk chocolate was extremely smooth and actually melted on my tongue unlike some milk chocolates that don't melt and leave a waxy coating in your mouth.  The nut flavors, almond and hazelnut, were also very good.  They had nice pieces of nut in them that actually tasted nutty and complemented the chocolate nicely.  Another bonus, small sizes make for instant portion control.

If you are a fan of milk chocolate, go ahead and give these a try, I think you'll like them.

Pumpkin Buckwheat Breakfast

I got a bee in my bonnet this week for eating pumpkin for breakfast after reading a post by Josie at The Skinny Way of Life where she put pumpkin in her oatmeal.  I had never even thought of eating pumpkin in this way before, but the idea of adding it to whole grains for breakfast really resonated with me.  I started rifling through my grains and came across a neglected bag of raw buckwheat groats.  Why has it been neglected you ask?  I am not a fan of buckwheat, it is just a little too earthy for me.  However, I thought if I add pumpkin to it, perhaps it would mask the earthy smell!  I soaked the buckwheat groats overnight in a saucepan and in the morning, they were ready to eat after cooking for a short 10 minutes.  After adding the pumpkin, a little honey, and some pumpkin pie spice, my breakfast was good to go.  Pouring nonfat milk over the top made the whole dish creamy and yummy.  It was like eating pumpkin pie for breakfast!  My new favorite way to eat whole grains for breakfast.

Pumpkin Buckwheat Breakfast by Joie de vivre
(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

1/4 c. raw buckwheat groats
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. honey
1 c. nonfat milk
1 tsp. flaxseed oil (optional)

Directions:

1.  Soak the buckwheat groats in the water overnight in a small saucepan with a lid.
2.  In the morning, remove the lid and place the saucepan over high heat.  Bring the water to a boil, then place the lid on the pan and lower the heat to low.  Gently simmer for 10 minutes.
3.  After 10 minutes, remove the pan from the heat.  Check to see that all of the water has been absorbed by the groats.  If not, put over low heat until the water has been absorbed.  Leave the lid on the pot so the groats can steam while you get the other ingredients put together.
4.  Into your breakfast cereal bowl, add 1/2 pumpkin.  Add the pumpkin pie spice and the honey and mix together.  If desired, add the flaxseed oil.

5.  Mix the pumpkin, honey and flaxseed oil together and then add the cooked buckwheat.

6.  Mix the buckwheat and the pumpkin mixture together and pour milk over it as desired.  Enjoy.