Miso Butter Beans and Greens
The addition of miso to simple sautéed butter beans and greens with garlic and shallot creates a dish that’s so savory and flavorful! This mixture can be paired with a whole grain or served over toasted bread for an easy and nutritious meal.
There’s really no easier or more nourishing meal starter than some mixture of beans and greens.
As a longtime plant-based eater, I’ve come to rely on the duo for protein and a wide array of micronutrients: iron, zinc, and calcium among them.
I turn to beans and greens when I’m stumped about what to cook for dinner, or any other meal. When in doubt, beans and greens to the rescue.
In my home, they’re usually accompanied by a whole grain or some sort of bread-y thing.
A Grain, a Green, a Bean
A simple trinity of plant-based foods—grains, greens, and beans—will set you up to create an array of beautifully balanced and complete meals. Bring the beans and grains in your pantry to life with more than 80 wholesome recipes and a world of possibilities!
The trifecta of grains, beans, and greens never fails to deliver on satisfaction. (It’s dear enough to my heart that I’ve written a whole cookbook about it.)
On their own, beans and greens are a canvas for flavor. They can be very plain and will become as elaborately seasoned as you want them to be.
The miso butter beans and greens that I’m sharing today illustrate how a few bold flavors—in this case, white miso, garlic, and shallot—turn a humble duo of foods into a memorable dish.
Butter beans are having a (well-deserved) moment
Beans have been a dietary staple of mine for years; at any given moment, I’m likely to have cans of chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans in my pantry.
I’ve also always been a big fan of white beans, with their creamy texture and tremendous versatility. I make a pot of brothy white beans about once a month, or sometimes even more.
In the past several years, I’ve noticed one particular type of white bean finding its way into viral recipes on social media. Suddenly, butter beans are all the rage.
What are butter beans? You may actually know them as lima beans.
In the US, lima beans are often sold frozen. They have a pale green color, and they’re actually baby, or immature, lima beans.
Mature lima beans have a pale white or beige color and a wide, flat shape. They can be sold dried or cooked, in cans.
These are the beans that are used to make gigantes plaki, a classic Greek dish that I remember from growing up. Nowadays, I’m one of the many people who loves butter beans for their tender consistency, and satisfying, plump size.
I purchase butter beans canned, and there are options to choose from: Wegmans, Bush’s, and Goya all produce canned butter beans.
If you love to cook dried beans from scratch, then you can search for a bag of large white beans labeled as “lima” or “gigante.”
Miso butter beans and greens ingredients
Most of my go-to beans and greens recipes, including my cumin-spiced lentils and rice and beans and greens pasta, feature simple ingredient lists.
These miso butter beans and greens are no exception. You won’t need much to bring this meal to life.
The greens
I like to use kale as my dark, leafy green of choice here, and I’m especially partial to Tuscan, or lacinato, kale.
It’s fine to substitute another leafy green for kale. Spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli rabe, and bok choy are only some examples of greens that would work well here.
The beans
Much as I’ve come to love butter beans, they’re not your only choice of legume for the recipe. Other white beans, like cannellini or great northern, will work.
And if you don’t have either of those, you can try the recipe with kidney or pinto beans.
White miso
White miso is the type that I use most often in recipes because I like its mild, slightly sweet flavor profile. If you have a red or brown miso at home, then it’s fine to make a swap.
Keep in mind that white miso is generally less salty than other types. You may wish to decrease the amount of miso to three teaspoons, rather than four, if you use brown or red.
Broth
Vegetable broth is what I usually reach for at home, though I also keep vegan chicken-style broth around for soy curl chicken strips and chickpea noodle soup. It’s fine to use either style of broth for your miso beans and greens.
Shallot & garlic
I always keep shallots at home for making my simple champagne vinaigrette, but I also love to cook with them. Their flavor is a little sweeter and more mellow than that of onions.
Since shallots are small, they’re easy to chop and throw into quick and easy dishes.
If you don’t have a shallot at home, it’s fine to use a small white or yellow onion (or half of a large onion) in its place.
Meanwhile, the recipe calls for two cloves of garlic. I’m a supertaster and tend to be conservative with garlic, so feel free to increase the quantity to four or five cloves if you prefer more.
Lemon juice and zest
Lemon juice and zest give the beans and greens necessary brightness and acid. As with the garlic, you can increase or decrease the amount of lemon juice to taste.
Preparing miso butter beans and greens
Oh, the beauty of a quick and easy, one-skillet recipe.
This meal is sort of a shortcut version of my great big pot of braised beans and kale. They key differences are that you don’t have to cook beans from scratch and you have the option to use a roomy frying pan or skillet, rather than a big, heavy-bottomed pot.
Step 1: Sauté the shallot and garlic
Shallots tend to cook up quickly, so this should only take about two minutes.
Step 2: Add beans and broth to the skillet
Next, you’ll add your beans and broth (vegetable or chicken-style) to the skillet. Once the broth is simmering, use a ladle to remove a quarter cup from the skillet and transfer it to a heatproof bowl or measuring cup.
This broth will become part of your miso slurry.
Step 3: Add greens to the skillet
Add your chopped kale (or other leafy green) to the skillet in handfuls, stirring and wilting the greens down as you work.
Cover the skillet and allow the greens to simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until they’re tender.
Step 4: Create a miso slurry
Add your white miso to the reserved, warm broth and whisk together until you have a creamy miso slurry.
Once the greens are cooked, you’ll stir this slurry, along with the lemon zest and juice, into the beans and greens.
Step 5: Season and serve
Apply the golden rule of cooking here, and taste the miso beans and greens before you serve them. You can adjust salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lemon juice to your liking at this point.
Finally, serve the beans. I think they’re really great over a bowl of farro, rice, barley, or quinoa. But I probably eat them most often over toasted bread.
That bread could be a nice, big slice of your favorite sourdough or peasant bread. I also really like to pair this recipe with my easy vegan multigrain bread, and it’s excellent along with a few squares of the focaccia from The Vegan Week.
To make a vegan pasta recipe more protein-rich, you can easily stir in a scoop or two of the miso butter beans and greens.
No matter how you choose to serve them, I think the beans and greens are even better with an extra drizzle of olive oil. A squeeze of lemon or dash of red pepper flakes never hurt, either.
Storage and freezing
Another thing to love about this meal: it’s easy to store or freeze. You can keep leftover portions in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or freeze them for up to eight weeks.
Yields: 4 servings
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra for finishing)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups cooked butter beans (2 15-ounce / 425g cans butter beans, drained and rinsed)
- 1 small bunch Tuscan or curly kale, stemmed and sliced into 1/2-inch / 1.3cm ribbons (about 2-3 packed cups / 30-45g)
- 1 1/2 cups vegan chicken-style or vegetable broth (360ml)
- 4 teaspoons mellow white miso (substitute 3 teaspoons brown or red miso)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Toasted bread or a cooked whole grain, for serving
-
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or medium-sized pot over medium low heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté the aromatics for 2 minutes, or until the shallot is translucent and the garlic is quite fragrant, stirring often.
-
Add the beans and broth to the skillet. Bring the broth to a simmer. Use a ladle to remove 1/4 cup / 60ml of the warm broth to a small bowl or measuring cup.
-
Add the greens to the skillet, wilting and stirring them as you go. Cover the skillet and allow the greens to simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until they’re tender. Uncover and stir every couple minutes.
-
While the greens cook, add the miso to the reserved, warm broth. Use a small whisk to stir it, dissolving the miso into a slurry.
-
Once the greens are cooked, add this slurry back to the skillet, along with the lemon zest and juice. Stir well, heating and mixing everything through. Taste the beans and greens and add black pepper and additional lemon juice as desired. Serve the mixture hot, over your favorite toast, pasta, or cooked whole grain. Finish with an added drizzle of olive oil, if you like.
-
The beans and greens will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days and can be frozen for up to eight weeks.
A friend of mine once described this kind of meal as “almost soup on toast.”
I had to laugh—it’s a perfect way of summing up a lot of my every day lunches, including my braised lentils on toast and this savory mixture.
I hope the meal will find its way into your heart and meal rotation, just as it’s snuck into mine.
xo
More and more older Americans want to know their Alzheimer’s status, survey finds : Shots
A survey of older Americans found that 79% would want to know if they were in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, and 92% said that if diagnosed, they would probably or definitely want to take a drug that could slow down the progression. The results may indicate a recent shift in openness toward testing and treatment.
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Older Americans want to know if they are in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and would happily take a blood test to find out, according to a national survey.
The survey of 1,700 people 45 and older, part of a report from the Alzheimer’s Association, found growing interest in testing, diagnosis and treatment for the deadly disease.
More than 7 million people in the United States are now living with Alzheimer’s, according to the report.
Among the survey’s key findings:
— Nearly 4 in 5 respondents (79%) would want to know they had the disease before symptoms began to interfere with their daily activities.
— 80% said they would ask a doctor to be tested, rather than waiting for a test to be offered.
— 91% said they’d want a blood biomarker test, or some other simple test, if one were available. (Most respondents did not know that several blood tests already on the market can indicate the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.)
— 92% said that if diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, they would probably or definitely want to take a drug that could slow down the disease’s progression. (Two recently approved drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, can do this for people in the earliest stages.)
— 58% said they would take an Alzheimer’s drug even if it had a moderate or high risk of side effects.
— 83% said that, if diagnosed, they would be open to participating in a clinical trial of an experimental treatment to slow or cure the disease.
— 81% expect that in the next decade, treatments will arrive that can halt the progression of Alzheimer’s.
— 44% say they are worried that insurance will not cover treatment and care if a test indicates they have the disease.
A shift in perspective
The responses show that people are becoming less afraid and more proactive about an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, says Elizabeth Edgerly, a clinical psychologist who directs community programs for the Alzheimer’s Association.
In the past, Edgerly says her clients would often say, “Well gosh, I wouldn’t want to know,” or “Why would I want to know?”
One reason for the change may be that it’s now easier to find out.
Just a few years ago, it took a PET scan or spinal tap to confirm the presence of sticky amyloid plaques in the brain, Edgerly says. Now, a simple blood test can often provide the answer.
Another factor is the arrival of drug treatment for people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, Edgerly says. That gives people another reason to get a diagnosis while they are still capable of making their own decisions.
While symptoms are still mild, Edgerly says, “they can articulate what they’d like for their future; they can decide whether they want to try treatments.”
The arrival of drug treatment has made people living with Alzheimer’s more optimistic, says Dr. Nathaniel Chin, a geriatrician at the University of Wisconsin who was not involved in the survey.
“Even if it doesn’t stop the disease in its tracks, it tells people that we’re making progress,” he says. “They want to know if they potentially could have this therapy or maybe the next therapy or two therapies down the road.”
The survey results reflect changes in the public’s attitude toward Alzheimer’s that Chin is seeing in his own practice.
“I don’t think people are as fearful as they have been in the past,” he says. “I think there’s a desire to know what’s happening to our bodies.”
Patient-driven change
Many doctors, though, remain skeptical about the benefits of testing. Chin says that’s in part because they see existing drugs as only marginally helpful.
“Some patients are ahead of their doctors in this regard,” he says. “They want this information and they are going to ask about it.”
Chin offers blood tests to his own patients with cognitive problems. And he expects the tests to become increasingly common.
But that is likely to bring some new challenges, he says. For example, many health professionals are not trained to counsel people who have just learned they have Alzheimer’s. And a positive test result in someone’s medical record has the potential to jeopardize their job or health insurance.
“There are protections for people who learn their genetic information,” he says, “but as of now there are not protections for people who are learning if you are cognitively unimpaired or cognitively healthy.”
Now that more people are finding out, he says, it’s up to groups including the Alzheimer’s Association to push for those protections.
The Work of the Black Mountain Beautification Committee
Hi GPODers!
Last week we saw another stunning submission from the always-beautiful garden of Gail Bromer, and she shared with us the story of her community in Black Mountain, North Carolina, coming together after the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene last fall. If you missed either of those posts, check them out here: The Light of Spring After a Dark Fall and Winter in North Carolina, Part 1 and Part 2.
Outside of her home gardens, Gail also tends to plantings in downtown Black Mountain as a volunteer for the Black Mountain Beautification Committee. While this work is appreciated by the residents and visitors of Black Mountain every year, their efforts feels extra vital this spring. Today she is sharing spring photos from the park they maintain in the center of town.
The Black Mountain Beautification Committee is a group of volunteers who plant and maintain over 50 flower boxes in downtown Black Mountain, NC, as well as nearly 30 different garden sites. One of those sites is a 1-acre park in the center of town. Like all gardens, it has evolved. Thanks to all the volunteers and their commitment, we work hard together and enjoy keeping our town beautiful.
For a mountain town like Black Mountain, a fancy fountain of sculpted stone would feel completely out of place. But this naturalistic waterfall with a sculpture of playing bear cubs alongside feels like the perfect addition to this park and a beautiful reflection of the landscape that surrounds downtown.
More boulders are placed throughout the beds, creating a smooth transition away from the water feature. Recently planted pansies are bringing in new color and life among hardy geraniums that are just starting to bloom.
I love to see the Black Mountain Beautification Committee incorporating some native plants into their designs, along with the annuals that add instant appeal. Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa, Zones 3–8) is native to the majority of Eastern North America, and these beautiful blooms will be followed by the dark, glossy berries that give it its name. This native can get pretty leggy and send out lots of shoots, but I’m sure it’s nothing the Beautification Committee can’t handle.
Creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera, Zones 4–8) creates lovely carpets of color, a classic sign that spring is well underway.
Another native with multiple seasons of interest and minimal work needed from the Beautification Committee, dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii, Zones 5–8) starts the growing season with these interesting blooms. When flowers fade, cool foliage will carry the fothergilla through summer until it puts on another show in fall, with foliage shifting to various shades of red, orange, and yellow.
It wouldn’t be spring in a public park without some cheerful bulbs! These double white daffodils are absolutely delightful.
An old root ball can be transformed into garden mulch, or it can be utilized as an interesting garden structure. In this scenario, it becomes a cool backdrop and additional support for a bright red-pink azalea to grow around.
Another kiss of red in the form of an impressive camellia covered in bright blooms—what a gorgeous park, where one can admire some much-needed spring color.
Thank you so much for sharing the incredible work of the Black Mountain Beautification Committee and continuing to inspire through your community efforts, Gail! The stories you have shared both this week and last epitomize the importance of coming together as a community and utilizing the healing powers of plants. I hope for more positive news from your corner of the world in future submissions.
I know that Gail is far from the only GPODer who is active in their community and volunteers for their town or local public garden. If you do any garden work as a volunteer, we’d love to learn about the organization or group that you work with and see photos of any projects you’ve helped complete. Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
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Ho-Mi Digger – Korean Triangle Blade
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Wagner’s 52003 Classic Blend Wild Bird Food, 6-Pound Bag
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Exploring the Link Between Nuts and Disease Prevention
by Caitlin H,
Aug 6, 2024
Nuts may be just the thing if you’re looking for a tasty, filling, crunchy snack. Nuts have been a source of nourishment for humans for thousands of years, from Nomadic foragers to the shiny snack packages lining grocery store shelves today.
Nuts also provide lean protein and may even help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a recent study. The study, published in Nutrients, found that overweight adults who ate nuts versus other snacks of the same calorie value had a reduction in diabetes risk factors.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin — a fitness guru, longtime radio host, and sports medicine doctor with more than 50 years of practice — explored this study and several others in a recent blog post.
He concluded that:
- “People who eat nuts frequently are at reduced risk for obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, and sudden death.
- Nut eaters may be protected because nuts help lower inflammation markers, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
- Nuts are not associated with weight gain, even though they are full of fat.”
If you’re on any of our meal plans and have room in your daily calorie budget for nuts, they may be an excellent addition to your diet.
With that in mind, we compiled a comprehensive guide exploring different nut varieties and their nutritional information, plus tips on cooking with and storing this delicious, wholesome food.
What Are Nuts?
Most nuts are hard-shelled, single-seed fruits that grow on trees, except peanuts, technically legumes. Nuts find their way into recipes of all kinds and are also a popular snack food. Nuts are also made into milk, providing a healthy option for people who want to avoid dairy milk.
How to Shop for Nuts
You can buy pre-packaged nuts that have already been deshelled and make for tasty snacks. For a fresher option, choose raw nuts still inside the shell. Be sure to look for shells without cracks or dents, and check for weightiness and uniform color.
Storing Nuts
You can store whole, raw nuts in an airtight container at room temperature. Shelled nuts will likely last two or more months, while unshelled will last about a month. Putting them in the refrigerator can help them last even longer. Some varieties, like pine and chestnuts, should always be refrigerated. For up to a year, you can freeze nuts, both shelled and unshelled.
Cooking with Nuts
The sky’s the limit regarding how you can enjoy nuts. Roasting is one popular way to enjoy nuts because it enhances and often improves their flavor, particularly with nuts always sold raw, like pine nuts.
In addition, countless recipes feature nuts, from baked goods to decadent meals. A simple Google search will yield you more recipes using nuts than you probably know what to do with, so we picked out some of our favorites below.
Top 4 Nuts for Good Health (+ Recipes!)
Almonds are among the best nuts to include in your diet. They contain an exceptionally high amount of vitamin E, which protects your cells and immune system. They’re also nutrient-dense and filling; some studies have shown they can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Best for:
- Snacking (raw or roasted)
- Ingredient substitute (flour, milk, and butter)
Our Favorite Recipes:
Walnuts equal copper — and copper equals energy boosts, immune and brain function, and healthy blood vessels. Walnuts are an excellent boon to your heart health, with studies showing they can help reduce bad cholesterol and lower blood pressure.
Best for:
- Baked goods
- Salads
- Oatmeal
Our Favorite Recipes:
Don’t let their mild flavor fool you: pecans are full of minerals and vitamins. They’re just the thing to enjoy regularly if you want to promote healthy growth in yourself or your family. They can also help your body repair wounds more efficiently and support immunity.
Best for:
- Cakes and pies
- Salads
- Candying
Our Favorite Recipes:
Pistachios’ bright green flavor makes them as fun to look at as they are to eat. Their lower calorie count than other nuts makes them one of the best nuts for snacking. With each one you pop in your mouth, you’re also helping improve your body’s anti-inflammatory systems and boost its metabolism.
Best for:
- Snacking
- Baking
- Yogurt
- Dips
- Fish and lean protein toppings
Our Favorite Recipes:
The Bottom Line
Nuts are a nutrient-dense food that makes a healthy addition to any diet. Their numerous vitamins and minerals offer a range of health benefits that impact nearly every part of your body. Use this guide to add them to your diet today!
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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager
Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.
Greek Chicken Bites – 10 Minute Meal
Greek chicken bites are a quick and easy way to make flavorful, juicy chicken for any meal. This chicken cooks in 10 minutes with 3 simple ingredients. Skillet Greek chicken can be used on salads, in wraps or pitas, with rice and veggies or with pasta. You are going to find so many ways to use these high protein chicken bites!
If you love this recipe, you should try my Italian Chicken Bites, Taco Chicken Bites or Asian Chicken Bites. All of these recipes cook up in just 10 minutes with simple ingredients.
Bites of Wellness was created to help you get a really flavorful meal on the table with little effort. Owning my own meal prep business really helped me understand how to make flavorful food in the least amount of time. We have over 50 chicken recipes that are easy to make that your whole family will love.
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Recipe highlights
- Cooks in 10 minutes
- 3 ingredients
- Versatile
- Great for meal prep
- High protein, low carb, gluten free, dairy free
- Great for weeknight meals
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken – use thighs, breast or tenders, all cut into cubes
- Greek dressing – use your favorite Greek dressing or try my marinade (below)
- Salt
- Garlic powder (optional)
How to make skillet greek chicken bites
Cut the chicken into cubes. Add to a bowl with the greek dressing, salt and optional garlic powder. Stir well.
Preheat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. When hot, add chicken and flatten down into a single layer. Cook 5 minutes without moving the chicken.
After 5 minutes, stir the chicken around in the pan and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until cooked through and browning. Stir regularly.
Serve with your favorite greek inspired meal.
Variations
- Spicy: Add some crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh herbs: After cooking, sprinkle with chopped italian parsley, mint, oregano, basil
What to serve with easy greek chicken
Common questions
What is the best chicken to use?
To make this recipe come together quickly, I recommend using chicken tenders, as they are the quickest to cut into cubes since they are already so small. I also really love this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they are so forgiving if you slightly overcook them (which can happen quickly when they are cut small like this).
What if you don’t have greek dressing?
If you don’t have Greek dressing on hand, you can make your own greek marinade by combining:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tablespoon dijon dressing
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
Can you make this for meal prep
Yes! However, I find that the chicken really needs to make contact with the hot skillet to get that brown crust and overcrowding the pan can make this hard. I would recommend only making 1- 2 pounds of chicken at a time in a very large skillet for best results.
More Greek chicken recipes
Greek Chicken and Vegetable Sheet Pan
★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
- 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken – thighs, breast or tenders
- 3 tablespoons greek dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat a large skillet over medium to medium high heat.
Cut the chicken into cubes. Add to a bowl with the greek dressing, salt and optional garlic powder. Stir well.
When hot, add chicken and flatten down into a single layer. Cook 5 minutes without moving the chicken.
After 5 minutes, stir the chicken around in the pan and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until cooked through and browning. Stir regularly.
Serve with your favorite greek inspired meal.
Tips:
-
- Cut the chicken with kitchen shears or use a knife and a plastic cutting board.
- To make this as quickly as possible, I recommend using chicken tenders. Since they are already so small, it takes almost no time to cut them into cubes.
- For more flavor, let the chicken marinate in the greek dressing for 20-60 minutes.
- To get a golden crust on the chicken, let it cook for 5 minutes in a hot pan before moving the chicken around (once it’s all in a single layer).
- If you don’t have greek dressing on hand, make your own or use Italian dressing.
- Fridge: Store leftover Greek chicken bites in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on a skillet over low heat until warmed through.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer safe bag or container up to 2 months. Defrost fully before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
Let others know by rating and leaving a comment below!
Citing N.I.H. Cuts, a Top Science Journal Stops Accepting Submissions
Environmental Health Perspectives, widely considered the premier environmental health journal, has announced that it would pause acceptance of new studies for publication, as federal cuts have left its future uncertain.
For more than 50 years, the journal has received funding from the National Institutes of Health to review studies on the health effects of environmental toxins — from “forever chemicals” to air pollution — and publish the research free of charge.
The editors made the decision to halt acceptance of studies because of a “lack of confidence” that contracts for critical expenses like copy-editing and editorial software would be renewed after their impending expiration dates, said Joel Kaufman, the journal’s top editor.
He declined to comment on the publication’s future prospects.
“If the journal is indeed lost, it is a huge loss,” said Jonathan Levy, chair of the department of environmental health at Boston University. “It’s reducing the ability for people to have good information that can be used to make good decisions.”
The editor of N.E.J.M. described the letter as “vaguely threatening.” On Tuesday, the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said that it had received such a letter.
Scientific journals have long been a target of top health officials in the Trump administration.
In a book published last year, Dr. Martin A. Makary, the new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, accused journal editorial boards of “gate-keeping” and publishing only information that supports a “groupthink narrative.”
In an interview with the “Dr. Hyman Show” podcast last year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is now secretary of health and human services, said he planned to prosecute medical journals under federal anti-corruption laws.
“I’m going to find a way to sue you unless you come up with a plan right now to show how you’re going to start publishing real science,” he said.
Still, the announcement regarding E.H.P. baffled researchers, who pointed out that the funding cuts seemed to conflict with the Trump administration’s stated priorities.
For instance, Mr. Kennedy has repeatedly emphasized the importance of studying the environment’s role in causing chronic diseases. The new administration has also expressed interest in the transparency and public accessibility of scientific journals, an area in which E.H.P. has been a trailblazer.
E.H.P. was one of the first “open-access” journals, allowing anyone to read without a subscription. And unlike many other open-access journals, which often charge researchers thousands of dollars to publish their work, E.H.P.’s federal support meant scientists from smaller universities could publish without worrying about a fee.
“There are multiple layers of irony here,” Dr. Levy said.
E.H.P. isn’t the only journal caught in the crossfire of funding cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services.
A draft budget for the department, obtained by The New York Times, proposes axing two journals published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Emerging Infectious Diseases and Preventing Chronic Disease. Both are published free of charge to authors and readers and are among the top journals in their fields.
Andrew Nixon, an H.H.S. spokesman, said “no final decision has been made” about the upcoming budget.
Emerging Infectious Diseases, published monthly, provides cutting-edge reports on infectious disease threats from around the world.
It has helped to shape preparedness and response to outbreaks, said Jason Kindrachuk, a virologist at the University of Manitoba who has published research on the Marburg and mpox viruses in the journal.
The news “is very disheartening,” he said.
How to Can Fresh Tomatoes the Right Way in Easy Steps?
Tomatoes are one of those garden favorites—sweet, juicy, and good in just about everything. But when the harvest hits full swing, it can feel like tomatoes are taking over your kitchen.
That’s where canning saves the day. It’s a classic way to preserve all that fresh flavor so you can enjoy it long after summer’s gone.
People can tomatoes for the amazing flavor—nothing beats the taste of homegrown, vine-ripened fruit. Canning locks in that goodness for winter meals without any weird additives or excess salt.
It’s also cost-effective; if you’ve got a productive garden, you’re saving big on store-bought jars. Plus, there’s something truly satisfying about filling your pantry with homemade jars. Canning connects you to your food and is a rewarding tradition that’s definitely worth the effort.
Brief Overview of Canning Methods
There are a few main ways to can tomatoes, and each has its own pros and cons:
- Water Bath Canning – A popular method for high-acid foods like tomatoes. Often requires adding lemon juice or citric acid to ensure safety.
- Pressure Canning – Ideal for low-acid tomato products like sauces with added vegetables. Uses high heat to eliminate bacteria.
- Raw Pack vs. Hot Pack – Tomatoes can be packed raw or pre-cooked before sealing. Raw pack is quicker, but hot pack tends to yield better results.
- Whole, Diced, Crushed, or Sauced – You can preserve tomatoes in a variety of forms depending on your future use: whole peeled, diced, crushed, or even as a purée or sauce.
How to Can Fresh Tomatoes in a Water Bath Canner?
Water bath canning is one of the simplest and most accessible methods for preserving tomatoes.
It’s especially suited to beginners because it doesn’t require the specialized equipment that pressure canning does. Plus, tomatoes — being a high-acid food (with added lemon juice or citric acid) — are ideal for this method.
By canning tomatoes in a water bath, you preserve their rich flavor and texture, making them perfect for sauces, stews, soups, and casseroles all year long. And when done correctly, water bath canning offers a shelf life of 12 to 18 months with excellent quality.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Water bath canner (or a deep stockpot with a canning rack)
- Canning jars (pints or quarts)
- Two-piece canning lids (new lids, reusable rings)
- Jar lifter
- Bubble remover (plastic spatula or chopstick)
- Wide-mouth funnel
- Large stockpot for blanching and cooking tomatoes
- Slotted spoon
- Ladle
- Bowl of ice water
- Clean kitchen towels
Ingredients
- Fresh, ripe tomatoes (Roma, San Marzano, or other paste types are best)
- Bottled lemon juice or citric acid
- Canning salt (optional, for flavor only)
- Boiling water or tomato juice (for hot-packing)
Step-by-Step: Water Bath Canning Tomatoes
This guide focuses on peeled whole or halved tomatoes packed in water or juice, using the hot-pack method — which yields better quality and fewer issues with floating or siphoning.
1. Select and Prepare Tomatoes
Choose firm, ripe tomatoes that are free from blemishes or bruises. Roma and paste types are ideal because they have more flesh and less water.
- Wash tomatoes thoroughly.
- Remove stems and cut a small “X” on the bottom of each tomato.
2. Blanch and Peel the Tomatoes
Blanching loosens the skin for easy removal.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Drop tomatoes in for 30–60 seconds, just until the skins start to split.
- Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking.
- Slip off the skins by hand.
- Remove cores and halve or leave whole, as you prefer.
3. Heat the Tomatoes (Hot Pack)
Although raw-pack is an option, hot-packing (briefly cooking the tomatoes before canning) improves texture, reduces floating, and helps prevent jars from leaking during processing.
- Place peeled tomatoes into a large pot.
- Bring to a simmer and heat for about 5–10 minutes, stirring gently.
- Do not boil them into sauce — just warm them through.
4. Prepare Jars and Lids
- Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water.
- Keep jars hot until ready to use (place in warm water or oven at 170–180°F).
- Keep lids in a pan of hot water, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Add Acid to the Jars
To ensure food safety, all tomatoes must be acidified — even if they taste acidic. Modern tomatoes may not have enough acid for safe water bath canning without this step.
- For quart jars: add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon citric acid
- For pint jars: add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid
Do this before filling the jars.
6. Pack Tomatoes Into Jars
- Use a wide-mouth funnel to fill the jars with hot tomatoes.
- Gently press down to release trapped air.
- Add boiling water or tomato juice to cover the tomatoes, maintaining ½-inch headspace.
- Optional: Add ½ teaspoon canning salt per pint (or 1 tsp per quart) for flavor.
- Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic tool (plastic spatula or bubble remover).
- Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth.
- Apply lids and screw bands on fingertip-tight.
7. Process in a Water Bath Canner
- Fill your water bath canner halfway with hot water and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Place filled jars into the canner using a jar lifter.
- Ensure jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water above the lids.
- Cover and bring to a rolling boil.
Processing Times:
- Pints: 35 minutes
- Quarts: 45 minutes
Important: Adjust processing time for elevation.
- 1,001–3,000 ft: add 5 minutes
- 3,001–6,000 ft: add 10 minutes
- Above 6,000 ft: add 15 minutes
Maintain a rolling boil for the entire time. Do not reduce the heat once the boil starts.
8. Remove and Cool Jars
- After processing, turn off the heat and remove the lid.
- Let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing.
- Use a jar lifter to carefully transfer jars to a towel-lined surface.
- Let them cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
Do not tilt or shake jars during cooling — this could compromise the seal.
9. Check Seals and Store
- Once jars are cool, check the seals:
- Lids should be concave (slightly dipped).
- They should not flex up and down when pressed in the center.
- If sealed properly, remove the screw bands.
- Label each jar with the contents and date.
- Store in a cool, dark, and dry place.
Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within a week, or reprocessed with a new lid.
Note: Leave enough space in jars and always acidify with bottled lemon juice or citric acid for safety. Label each jar with the date and tomato type for easy tracking and use.
How to Can Tomatoes with a Pressure Canner?
Canning tomatoes is one of the best ways to capture the essence of summer and stock your pantry with something homemade and flavorful.
While water bath canning is popular for its simplicity, pressure canning offers unmatched safety and flexibility — especially when you want to make more than just plain tomatoes.
Why pressure can? Because not all tomato-based recipes are safe for water bath canning. Modern tomato varieties often have lower acidity, and when you start adding vegetables like onions, garlic, peppers, or herbs to your sauces or soups, the acidity drops even more.
This makes pressure canning essential — it reaches temperatures of 240°F or higher, killing dangerous bacteria, including Clostridium botulinum, the one that causes botulism.
Pressure canning is the method of choice for:
- Tomato sauces with vegetables
- Tomato soup bases
- Salsa recipes not tested for water bath safety
- Stewed tomatoes
- Tomatoes without added acid
Let’s walk through the complete process of pressure canning tomatoes, focusing on a basic tomato sauce recipe that’s safe, tasty, and versatile.
Step-by-Step Guide: Pressure Canning Tomatoes
This method is for a basic tomato sauce — plain or lightly seasoned. For more complex recipes (like salsa, spaghetti sauce with meat, or thick purées), always use tested recipes and follow USDA or Extension Service guidelines.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Pressure canner (dial gauge or weighted gauge)
- Canning jars (pint or quart)
- Two-piece lids (new lids and rings)
- Jar lifter
- Large stockpot or saucepot
- Food mill or sieve (optional but recommended)
- Funnel, ladle, bubble remover
- Clean kitchen towels
Ingredients
- 20 lbs fresh, ripe tomatoes (Roma/paste types are ideal)
- 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or ½ tsp citric acid per quart jar (1 Tbsp or ¼ tsp per pint) – optional but recommended
- 1–2 teaspoons salt per quart (optional, for flavor only)
- Optional herbs: bay leaf, basil, oregano (use fresh or dried, sparingly)
1. Choose and Prepare Tomatoes
Pick high-quality, fully ripe tomatoes. Roma, San Marzano, or other paste varieties are preferred because they have fewer seeds and lower water content, which makes a thicker, more flavorful sauce.
- Wash tomatoes thoroughly under cool running water.
- Remove stems, core the tops, and cut into quarters.
2. Cook and Soften Tomatoes
Place your cut tomatoes in a large saucepot. As they begin to soften, crush them with a spoon or potato masher to release juice and prevent sticking. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove Skins and Seeds (Optional but Recommended)
For a smooth sauce:
- Run the softened tomatoes through a food mill or fine mesh strainer to remove skins and most seeds.
- Return the purée to the pot.
If you don’t mind a rustic, chunky texture, you can skip this and proceed with a coarser sauce.
4. Simmer and Thicken
Simmer the sauce uncovered until it reduces to your preferred thickness. This may take 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on how watery the tomatoes are and how thick you want your sauce. Stir frequently to avoid scorching, especially as it thickens.
Avoid adding oil, dairy, or meat — these are not safe for pressure canning unless following a tested, approved recipe.
5. Acidify the Sauce (Optional but Safer)
Even though you’re pressure canning, it’s recommended to add acid for extra safety and flavor preservation:
- Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon citric acid per quart.
- Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid per pint.
This ensures consistent acidity even in less-acidic modern tomatoes.
6. Prepare Jars and Lids
- Wash jars, lids, and bands in warm soapy water.
- Rinse well and keep jars warm (in hot water or the oven).
- Prepare your lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
7. Fill the Jars
- Using a funnel, ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Optional: Add ½–1 tsp of salt per jar for flavor.
- Use a bubble remover or plastic spatula to release air bubbles.
- Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth.
- Place lids on jars and screw bands on fingertip-tight.
8. Load the Pressure Canner
- Add 2–3 inches of water to the bottom of the canner (check your model’s instructions).
- Place filled jars on the rack inside the canner.
- Lock the lid and heat on high until steam flows steadily from the vent.
- Let it vent for 10 minutes to remove air.
9. Pressurize and Process
Once vented, close the vent and let the pressure build. Follow these guidelines:
Process pint jars at 10 PSI (weighted) or 11 PSI (dial) for 20 minutes; quarts for 25 minutes. Always adjust for altitude if needed.
Altitude Adjustments:
- For over 1,000 ft, increase pressure: use 15 PSI weighted gauge or consult altitude chart for dial gauge.
Keep a steady pressure for the entire time. Adjust heat to maintain pressure — do not let it drop, or you’ll have to start timing all over again.
10. Depressurize and Cool
- Once time is up, turn off the heat and let pressure return to zero naturally.
- Do not open the vent or force-cool the canner.
- Once depressurized, open the lid carefully, facing it away from you.
- Let jars sit in the canner for 5–10 minutes before removing.
11. Remove, Cool, and Store Jars
- Using a jar lifter, transfer jars to a towel-covered surface.
- Let cool undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
- Check seals: lids should be flat or slightly concave.
- Label jars with the date.
- Store in a cool, dark place for up to 12–18 months.
If a jar didn’t seal, refrigerate it and use within a week or reprocess with a new lid.
Conclusion
Pressure canning tomatoes offers more versatility than water bath canning, allowing you to make rich sauces, add herbs, or even mix in vegetables.
While it requires more equipment and attention to detail, it ensures your canned goods are safe, shelf-stable, and free of preservatives.
This method is perfect for storing big batches of tomato sauce for dishes like chili, lasagna, and pizza, all with the fresh taste of homegrown tomatoes. Once you master it, you’ll never go back to store-bought!
Khaja Moinuddin, a computer science graduate, finds joy in gardening and homesteading. Join him on this blog as he shares his experiences in homesteading, gardening, and composting
Smoked Salmon Toast with Smashed Edamame
Packed with omega-3s, this smoked salmon toast is made with smashed edamame for a fun, nourishing twist. Topped with pickled onions, microgreens, hot honey and chia seeds, this savory toast recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack.
This blog post is sponsored by Terry Naturally®. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible. As always, opinions are my own.
Why I love this recipe!
Smoked salmon toast might sound basic but the smashed edamame takes it to a whole other level.
The edamame spread is super easy to make in a food processor or high-speed blender – it’s got fresh basil, lemon, garlic, and tahini for mouth-watering flavor.
For even more flavor, I love adding pickled onions for tanginess and hot honey as toppings for a little sweet and heat combo.
As a registered dietitian who happens to be pregnant right now with baby #2, I’m making sure I get enough omega-3s in my day which are helpful in supporting baby brain development.* And the ingredients in this recipe like smoked salmon, edamame and chia seeds are all packed with omega-3s!
Other easy, omega-packed salmon recipes that are in rotation right now at our house are my canned salmon salad and 30-minute sheet pan salmon fajitas.
I love this smashed edamame toast for an easy nourishing breakfast or quick lunch! Savory toast recipes are awesome because you can customize them for your liking too. Omit or add whichever toppings you want!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Notes on Ingredients:
smoked salmon: I prefer cold-smoked salmon for its strong flavor and soft texture but it’s generally not recommended for pregnant folks like me right now (similar to deli meat) because the potential risk of listeria infection. The good news is hot smoked salmon, which is brine cured and smoked at a higher temperature, is a safer alternative! Hot smoked salmon will have a firm, flaky texture and smoky flavor.
multigrain bread: I’m opting for multigrain bread here for a little more nutty flavor and fiber to help keep you full longer but you can use your preferred bread of choice!
edamame: I use shelled refrigerated edamame but you could use frozen shelled edamame too – just be sure to defrost it before using.
basil: I add this fresh herb to add a balance of sweet and savory flavor to the edamame spread.
lemon: I include lemon juice and zest to add bright flavor to the smashed edamame.
tahini: This sesame paste helps bind the smashed edamame and adds a rich nutty flavor.
pickled onions: You can find pickled onions at some grocery stores or specialty food stores but I used a quick pickled onion recipe from Bon Appetit.
microgreens: Young vegetable greens falling somewhere in-between a sprout and a baby green. They add texture, flavor and visual appeal to meals and contain more concentrated nutrient content.
hot honey: Adds the perfect combo of sweet and spicy!
chia seeds: Adds a little crunch and extra omega-3 boost!
Omega-3 Packed Toast Recipe!
If you’re looking to bump up your omega-3 intake, this recipe is IT. Multiple ingredients are high in omegas like the salmon, edamame, and chia seeds.
Omega-3s are essential fatty acids because we don’t produce them in our body naturally – we need to get them from food sources and/or supplements.
As a dietitian, I like having all my bases covered when it comes to different nutrients which is why I also take an omega-3 supplement. I really like Terry Naturally’s Vectomega ® because it’s the only fish-based (derived from North Atlantic salmon) omega-3 bound to phospholipids, with naturally occurring peptides, which helps support better absorption and digestion, meaning no fish burps!*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
How to Make Smoked Salmon Toast with Smashed Edamame
- Make your edamame spread! In a food processor, combine edamame, basil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and tahini and blend until combined.
- Toast your bread! According to your desired level of toasted!
- Assemble your toast! Spread smashed edamame over two slices of toast and layer with toppings: smoked salmon, pickled onions, microgreens, hot honey and chia seeds.
Equipment You’ll Need
Food Processor or high-speed blender
Expert Tips
- I like using sourdough or multigrain bread for this recipe but you can use whatever bread you prefer!
- You can use store-bought pickled onions or whip up some quick-pickled onions at home that will last in the fridge for up to three weeks! All you need is apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and water. I used Bon Appetit’s recipe for quick-pickled onions.
Preparation and Storage
Smashed edamame spread can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.
Recipes that Pair Well
For more salmon inspiration, check out my other recipes below!
Greek Marinated Salmon Gyros with Tzatziki
Blackened Salmon Tacos with Corn Avocado Salsa
30-Minute Sheet Pan Salmon Fajitas
Air Fryer Salmon (Fresh or Frozen)
If you like this recipe, please be sure to comment and give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on Instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!
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Description
Packed with omega-3s, this smoked salmon toast is made with smashed edamame for a fun, nourishing twist. Topped with pickled onions, microgreens, hot honey and chia seeds, this savory toast recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack.
- 1 1/2 cups shelled edamame
- ¼ cup packed basil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from one lemon)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from one lemon)
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup tahini
- Salt, to taste
- 2 slices bread of choice
- 2 ounces smoked salmon
- 1 tablespoon pickled onions
- ½ cup microgreens
- 1 teaspoon hot honey
- ½ teaspoon chia seeds
- In a food processor (or high speed blender), add edamame, basil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, and tahini and blend until combined, about 60 seconds. Scrape down sides and blend again until smooth and creamy, about 60 seconds. Season with salt, to taste.
- Toast your bread until slightly browned and crispy.
- Spread about ¼ cup edamame spread over two slices of toast.
- Layer toppings on toast: smoked salmon, pickled onions, microgreens, hot honey, and chia seeds.
Notes
- You can buy pickled onions at the store or make quick-pickled onions at home using apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and water. I used Bon Appetit’s recipe for reference.
- I like using sourdough, multigrain, or fresh bakery bread for this recipe but you can use whichever variety of bread you prefer!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Toaster
- Cuisine: American
Vegan Blended Baked Oats with Dark Chocolate Chips
These vegan blended baked oats with dark chocolate chips are based off of a viral recipe, yet I promise that they deserve an enduring place in your breakfast routine! Freshly made, the oats have a tender, soufflé-like texture that’s irresistable. Featuring rolled oats, nut or seed butter, banana, plant milk, and dark chocolate chips, the recipe is a wholesome morning treat. I give two options for preparation: oven or air fryer.
Blended baked oats—usually served in ramekins or other single-serve dishes—became a viral trend on Tik Tok in around 2021.
I’m here, three years later, to report that the recipe is as fun and tasty as ever. And in spite of its formerly viral status, it’s worthy of a longterm spot in your breakfast repertoire.
One of the sweet parts of working as a dietitian is that I see a fair number of teens and twenty-somethings in my practice.
These thoughtful, incisive, humorous young folks keep me up-to-date on social media trends, acronyms, and recipes.
One of my clients told me about the blended baked oat trend back when it was first popular. It sounded like a cool idea, blending the oats prior to baking them. Yet the part of me that’s quick to dismiss a fad was reluctant to try them.
I’m not too proud to admit when I’ve been wrong about a recipe, and I was definitely wrong about this one!
Now that I’ve made baked oatmeal this way, better late than never, I can tell you that it’s a fun method with tasty results. As I’ve realized so many times over in my life and career, it’s good to keep an open mind.
What are blended baked oats, exactly?
This isn’t my first time trying, or writing about, baked oatmeal. In fact, oatmeal bakes are one of my go-to vegan meal prep breakfasts.
The baked oatmeal variations that I’m accustomed to making involve mixing rolled oats with some sort of liquid, then baking them in the oven.
The resulting mixture is dense and hearty, with plenty of texture from the rolled oats.
Some of my favorite examples are my vegan blueberry banana oat bake, vegan pumpkin chocolate chip baked oatmeal, and maple brown sugar baked oatmeal.
The vegan blended baked oats that I’m sharing today are different, in a good way. Rather than baking the oats whole, you’ll blend them with plant milk, nut or seed butter (I like tahini), some baking powder, and a pinch of cinnamon.
Then, you’ll pour this “batter” into individual dishes and bake or air fry them till they’re puffy and set.
The result is something that’s much more like cake than baked oats. In fact, when I made it, I kept thinking to myself that it had an almost soufflé-like texture.
After the blended baked oats have been out of the oven or air fryer for a few minutes, they’ll lose some of their height, which is what’s reflected in the photos here.
But they really are impressively domed and fluffy at first. Even once they’ve been stored, they retain a lovely, tender texture.
Key ingredients
Making blended baked oats is more of a cooking method than a specific recipe. I’ve chosen the ingredients that speak to me, but there’s room for variation.
I’ll offer some substitutes that I know can work. As I continue to make this recipe, which I know that I will, I’ll update the recipe card with more options.
Rolled oats
I love all types of oatmeal: steel cut, rolled, and quick oats. But the variety that I cook with most often is probably rolled oats.
Rolled oats are what end up in my favorite protein-rich vegan overnight oats, my savory turmeric chickpea oats, and most of my baked oatmeal recipes.
You can use either rolled oats or quick oats here. I don’t recommend steel cut oats for this particular recipe.
If you have celiac disease or don’t do well with gluten, be sure to use rolled oats that are certified gluten-free.
Nut or seed butter
Adding nut or seed butter to the vegan blended baked oats achieves a few things. It serves as an egg replacer, it makes the oats tender and flavorful, and it adds healthful fats to the recipe.
The latter is a win when it comes to staying satiated.
I’ve tested the recipe with almond, peanut, cashew, and sunflower seed butter, along with tahini.
All of these nut and seed butters add their own distinctive flavor. As you can imagine, the PB version is really peanutty, and so on.
My favorite option so far is tahini. I think it creates the most silky-textured baked oats. And while tahini is known for being a little bitter, that bitterness mellows with baking. Your finished oats will have a light toasted flavor, and the chocolate will shine through.
Banana
Ripe banana—half for a single portion, a whole one for a double portion—also functions as an egg replacer.
In addition, it ensures that the oats are fluffy and moist, and it adds a little naturally occurring sweetness to the recipe. (The only other source of sweetness in the recipe is the dark chocolate chips.)
I know that I have some readers who really don’t care for banana, so I have two suggested alternatives: pumpkin purée and applesauce. A quarter cup of either of these can work in the recipe.
So far, I like the banana + tahini + dark chocolate chip combo best, but it’s good to have options!
Dark chocolate chips
Your favorite vegan chocolate chips are welcome here, as is finely chopped dark chocolate. I like to use mini chips when I make the recipe.
Vegan milk chocolate, which is usually made with oat milk, is also an option and increasingly easy to find. While I enjoy it for snacking or dessert, I find it a little too sweet for the blended baked oats.
If you’re not in the mood for chocolate at breakfast, then it’s fine to replace the chips with chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts. Shelled pumpkin seeds are also a nice option.
If you want the crunch of nuts with a little added sweetness, I think that my crispy baked candied walnuts or crispy baked vegan candied pecans would be a great addition.
Plant milk
You won’t need a lot of plant milk to make the recipe (1/4 cup / 60ml per serving). Soy milk is my plant milk of choice, but you can also use oat, almond, cashew, or light coconut milk.
How to make vegan blended baked oats
A few things to keep in mind about the recipe:
- As written, it makes two servings, but I’ve successfully halved the recipe to make a single serving, and you can do the same if you like.
- The blended baked oats will be at their most impressively fluffy and high right after baking. They’ll collapse a little as they cool, but they’ll still be delicious.
- You can prepare reheat the oats in either the oven or your air fryer—I’m giving instructions for both methods!
- Since the recipe takes 15-25 minutes to cook, plus prep/blending time, it’s a weekend breakfast for me. But it’s really not difficult to prepare.
Step 1: Get set up
First, preheat your oven or air fryer. I don’t always pre-heat my air fryer before using it, but I do when I’m converting a baking recipe.
Then, lightly oil two small ramekins. I use ones that are 3-inch / 7.5cm in diameter and 1 1/2-inch / 4cm high.
If you don’t have smaller baking vessels like these, you could bake the two servings together in something a little bigger. You could also divide the recipe into four muffin cups (two muffin portions per person).
Step 2: Blend
If you happen to have a personal-sized blender, or a high-speed blender that also has a personal-sized blending attachment, that’s ideal for this recipe. It can be tricky to blend smaller quantities in a large blender.
Depending on the shape of the blender you have, however, it may not be a hassle. If you try blending the oats and have trouble, even with a tamper, you can try doubling the recipe and sharing it with others. Or, use it as an excuse to meal prep and get four portions out of the recipe.
In any case, add your banana, oats, plant milk, a little ground flaxseed, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and your nut or seed butter to the blender.
The oats should blend up easily within 1-2 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in half of the dark chocolate chips (or chopped nuts)
While the batter is still in the blender, use a small spatula to stir in half of the dark chocolate chips, so that they’re evenly mixed through the batter.
Step 4: Pour the batter into ramekins and top with remaining chocolate chips
Once that’s done, pour the batter into your two prepared ramekins, dividing it up evenly.
Finally, sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of chocolate chips over the tops of your divided and portioned oats.
Step 5: Bake or air fry
If baking, you’ll need to give the oats 22-25 minutes in the oven. After baking, the tops will be golden, domed, and set.
If you’re air frying, the oats will need 15-18 minutes in order to achieve that same effect. I have an air-fryer with a 4L basket, which is roomy, but not roomy enough to fit both ramekins comfortably.
I hold one of the baked oat portions in the fridge while the other air fries, and then I make the second portion directly after.
Step 6: Serve, with or without some fun accompaniments
The vegan blended baked oats are really delicious enough to serve on their own; thanks to the chocolate chips, there’s plenty of flavor, and you won’t need a garnish.
However, a little extra nut or seed butter can be nice for drizzling, if you like.
As far as accompaniments go, a glass of soy milk for plant protein, a vegan yogurt with berries, additional banana, a cup of some sort of smoothie that you like, or some crunchy nuts are all nice ideas.
Storage & reheating
Again, I’m partial to this recipe when it’s freshly baked. But if you’re making a few portions and wish to store them, that’s also great. Future breakfast cake for future you!
Cover the ramekins with reusable silicone covers or Saran wrap, then transfer them to the fridge. You can keep them there for up to three days.
Air fry or re-heat in the oven (at 300°F / 150°C) for five minutes, or until nicely warm, before enjoying them again.
Vegan Blended Baked Oats with Dark Chocolate Chips (Air Fryer Option)
Author –
Yields: 2 servings
- 2/3 cup rolled oats (65g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy, oat, almond or cashew milk (120ml)
- 1 medium ripe banana*
- 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons nut or seed butter (I prefer tahini; almond, cashew, almond, sunflower, and peanut butter will all work)
- 2 tablespoons vegan mini or regular chocolate chips (30g)
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Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C or an air fryer to 325°F / 165°C. Lightly oil two small (3-inch / 7.5cm in diameter and 1 1/2-inch / 4cm high) ramekins.
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Place the oats, non-dairy milk, banana, flaxseed, salt, baking powder, vanilla extract, and tahini or nut butter in a blender and blend till smooth, about 1 1/2-2 minutes. This recipe works especially well in a personal-sized blender.
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Stir one tablespoon / 15g of the mini chocolate chips into the resulting batter. Divide it between the two ramekins.
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Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of mini chocolate chips over the tops of the oat mixture in the two ramekins.
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Transfer the ramekins to the oven or air fryer. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the baked oats are puffy, the tops are golden brown, and both look a little like mini-soufflés. Alternatively, air fry the oats for 15-18 minutes, until you achieve a similar appearance and doneness.
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The oats are best eaten immediately. However, you can cover them and store in the fridge overnight. Air fry or re-heat in the oven(at 300°F / 150°C) for five minutes before enjoying.
*Substitute 1/4 cup pumpkin purée or applesauce.
With time, I default more and more to tried-and-true recipes, meals that evoke nostalgia, and classic preparation methods.
Yet I have to remind myself that a willingness to try new things is what drove so much of my development when I was learning to cook vegan food.
I’m glad that I woke up one Saturday morning with the desire to try something fun, and different, and I made vegan blended baked oats. They’re a nice little treat, and I hope you’ll enjoy them, too.
xo