There is a little cafe in Old City Philadelphia that I absolutely love called Wedge and Fig. It’s essentially a cheese shop converted into a bistro, so they really know how to choose the best cheese for a particular dish. One of my absolute favorite dishes they serve on their brunch menu is a spinach and cheese strata “savory layers of egg, Cantal cheese, spinach, shallots and bread.” It’s absolutely fantastic.
This weekend, I kind of had an epiphany: strata is a great make ahead option! I decided to make a batch of my own ahead of a busy week, and then portioned it out into containers to bring into work.
Like Wedge and Fig’s version, I used Cantal cheese, spinach and shallots. Cantal is a farmhouse cheese from France that has a flavor somewhat similar to Cheddar — buttery and tangy. I added in some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese as well as some sourdough bread to bring a bit more tanginess to the dish.
Today is Good Friday, which means it’s about time I shared a recipe for Hot Cross Buns!
Hot Cross Buns are a sweet slightly spiced bun with dried fruit. A cross made of icing is piped on top. They are traditionally made and served on Good Friday as a way to break the fasting associated with Lent. There are a bunch of superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. My favorite is that gifting a hot cross bun on Good Friday guarantees friendship between the recipient and gift giver for the year.
Hot Cross Buns aren’t exactly the easiest recipe; it took me most of the day to make them because you need time to let the dough rise. But these tasty little guys are worth it.
Note: I was sent a Breakfast kit from Krusteaz in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
For the last couple of years, I have had the opportunity to work with Krusteaz to bring attention to a fun way to switch up your dinner routine in February.
February is National Hot Breakfast Month, so to celebrate, Krusteaz encourages you to have breakfast for dinner once a week. As someone who never gets a hot breakfast on weekdays, I’m all for this idea, and have made a couple of yummy breakfast-for-dinner recipes in the past, including Cheesy Corn Pancakes and Frog in a Hole.
To help you celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month, Krusteaz is giving away a Breakfast Night Kit to one reader!
The kit includes:
two boxes of the following breakfast mixes: Buttermilk Pancake Mix, Belgian Waffle Mix, Blueberry Pancake Mix, Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix, and Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake and Muffin Mix
Kitchen items including a whisk, a tote bag, and pancake batter pen
A selfie stick, to help capture the fun!
Further details will be after the recipe.
This year, I decided to have a sweeter breakfast for dinner option, in honor of upcoming Valentine’s Day: Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup.
This recipe uses Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix with a few additions to make Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes. I served them with a simple Strawberry Maple Syrup to top them off!
NOTE: I was sent some products from Bob’s Red Mill to make this post. All opinions are my own.
I have a busy week ahead of me, so I wanted to do some food prep this weekend.
Weekday breakfasts for me are typically on-the-go, if I have breakfast at all.
So when I have the chance to make breakfast ahead for the week, I try to make it a healthier option.
Bob’s Red Mill sent me a few of their products recently, including Almond Flour. I love the subtle flavor almond flour adds to baked goods.
Blueberries are a tasty complement to almonds so I decided to make Gluten-Free Blueberry Almond Flour Muffins for the week. They are topped with Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten-Free Rolled Oats to add some texture.
In the past, I’ve made Arugula Pizza with Poached Eggs, so I went a bit more traditional this time with a Mexican inspired Cheesy Skillet Eggs and Hash.
This recipe is easy to make but has a ton going on: potatoes, chorizo, eggs, cheese, salsa, and avocado all together to make a truly delicious breakfast (or breakfast for dinner)!
Ingredients:
3 russet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
~10 oz uncooked chorizo, cut into bite sized pieces (I used 3 chorizo)
Since I returned from my honeymoon in Ireland a few weeks ago, I have been craving Irish Brown Bread like crazy. Served typically with breakfast, Irish brown bread is made with a coarse whole wheat flour, resulting in a hearty bread different than anything I can easily find here in the U.S.
The difference is really in the flour. To get the right consistency, you’d need to purchase a wholemeal flour, sometimes labeled as “Irish-Style,” which can be somewhat difficult to find (although it is available online.)
So when I was offered the chance to try out the Mockmill, a grain mill attachment for the KitchenAid Mixer, I jumped at the chance. I can make my OWN Irish-Style flour!
Besides my very specific reason for wanting to mill my own flour, there are a bunch of other benefits to using a grain mill. Grinding from whole wheat berries at home means that the bran and germ stay in your flour. A bunch of the “good stuff” is found in the bran and germ: fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants. However, the germ is removed from commercial flour because it reduces its shelf life; the oil in germ can turn rancid, so home milled flour should be used in 1-2 weeks, or stored in the freezer.
The Mockmill, designed by Wolfgang Mock, is nicely compact. (As a city dweller, I very much appreciate this.) I love that it attaches right to my stand mixer; it’s really simple to set up and begin using right away.
source: Mockmill
You adjust the coarseness of the grind by twisting the front of the mill. The mill uses self-sharpening ceramic-bonded corundum grinding stones, which can produce a very fine flour if needed.
The Mockmill grinds flour directly into the mixing bowl, really convenient if you’re using it immediately like I am!
Cleaning the Mockmill is also a breeze; the mill can be separated easily and rinsed to clean any minimal residue left from milling.
Mockmill is offering I Can Cook That readers a really sweet deal, available until August 31:$80 off (that’s over 30% off!) two different package options through this link if you use the code icancookthat.
The packages come with everything you need to begin milling at home: the Mockmill Grain Milling Attachment for Stand Mixers, a variety of whole grain berries to get you started, plus “Flour Power” by Marleeta Basey, a comprehensive introduction to the benefits of home milling! Be sure to check them out here.
Note: the price listed is the original price. Add the code icancookthat at checkout to receive $80 off. The sets of books, grains, and Mockmills are being especially made for this promotion so delivery times may vary.
To test out the mill (and make me some oh so yummy brown bread,) I decided to start with a relatively simple version of Irish bread, a yeasted version from the Ballymaloe House in County Cork, Ireland. This version of their recipe comes from David Lebovitz, and is super easy to make.
My fiance is obsessed with leftovers. For whatever reason, he seems to think that most food tastes better the second time around. So I typically make a few more servings than we need so that he has his beloved leftovers the next day.
OXO makes cooking and storing food/leftovers super simple with their new 14 Piece Glass Bake, Serve & Store Set (paid link). The set is awesome to prepare foods beforehand, or to easily refrigerate/freeze any leftovers. It includes a Glass 3 Qt Baking Dish with Lid, Glass 2 Qt Baking Dish with Lid, Glass Loaf Pan, Glass Pie Plate, 1 Cup Round SNAP Container, 2 Cup Round SNAP Container, and 4 Cup Round SNAP Container.
For make ahead recipes, this glass bakeware is a huge time saver: they are made of thermal shock-resistant borosilicate glass, which allows dishes to be taken directly from the freezer to the oven or microwave — no need to fully thaw. The glass can withstand up to 250 degrees F of temperature change! Generous handles make removing dishes from the oven super easy, even when wearing oven mitts.
This set is perfect for recipes on the go as well; the baking dishes and SNAP containers come with raised slosh-proof lids for easy transportation. The SNAP Glass Food Storage is also microwave safe for reheating leftovers (just undo the tabs of the lid first), and provides a leak-proof seal, so it’s great for lunches to take to work!
I made this recipe for Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole recently for dinner using OXO’s 3 quart baking dish (9×13). Chilaquiles are actually typically a breakfast recipe, using lightly fried tortillas and salsa. This version is a casserole take on the traditional, and uses grilled corn tortillas baked with a quick homemade tomatillo salsa, rotisserie chicken, and cheese.
Ingredients:
meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (~3 cups)
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 (26 oz) can whole tomatillos, drained
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup finely chopped Monterey Jack cheese, divided
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MySmoothie #CollectiveBias
My weekends have become so busy lately as my wedding gets closer. We are now just 2 months from the big day, and every weekend I feel like I have something wedding related I have to attend to. Because I am always on the go, it has become kind of difficult to get a good breakfast in on weekends, so my go-to breakfast of choice are smoothies, like this Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie!
I love smoothies, but some smoothies don’t keep me full long enough to really be worth making them. So I’ve amped up this smoothie with a few ingredients I picked up at Walmart to keep me full longer.
The base of this smoothie is Oikos Vanilla Triple Zero Greek Nonfat Yogurt, which has 15 grams of protein per 5.3oz which helps me stay full longer. The yogurt also has 0 fat, 0 added sugar,* and 0 artificial sweeteners.
I’m a firm believer that peanut butter makes smoothies taste so much better, so I also used Jif™ Peanut Powder to add peanut buttery goodness. The Peanut Powder has 85% less fat that traditional peanut butter and no sugar added.
Note: right now there is an Ibotta offer for $1.50 cash back on the combination of Jif Peanut Powder and Oikos (Vanilla) Triple Zero Greek Yogurt OR $1.50 cash back on the combination of Jif Creamy Peanut Butter and Dannon Vanilla Yogurt
*not a low calorie food
I also added in old fashioned oats, a banana, and some milk to make a super tasty and filling smoothie that I can take on the go!
Ingredients (serves 2):
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup skim milk or almond milk
1/2 cup Oikos Vanilla Triple Zero Greek Nonfat Yogurt
“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign withPollinate Media Group® , The J.M.Smucker Company, White Wave, and Truvia Natural Sweetener, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #CoffeeRoutine https://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV”
No day of mine begins without a cup (or two) of coffee. My fiance and I are both early risers to get to work, so we tend to rush through the coffee drinking process during our commute. But on weekends, we get to finally sit down and truly enjoy our coffee and each other’s company.
Saturday and Sunday mornings are “reserved” for my fiance and I to catch up on each other’s weeks, and (unfortunately for him,) to discuss what is next on our wedding checklist. (We are just 100 days away from the big day. It’s getting REAL. Eep.)
We clearly have very deep, intelligent conversations over our coffee
Because coffee is always a priority, we both work together to get caffeine into us as soon as possible. This weekend, my fiance manned the Keurig, making us two piping hot cups of Dunkin Donuts Original Blend with one packet of Truvia Natural Sweetener while I heated up some International Delight French Vanilla Coffee Creamer in a small pot on the stove.
(Weekends are for relaxing and feeling fake-fancy, so I like to use an aerator/milk frother for my creamer. It makes me feel like we are in our own little coffee shop.)
This weekend was my bridal shower, so our Sunday morning coffee routine was a bit more festive than usual.
I took home one of the flower arrangements to add some color to our apartment, and we enjoyed our coffee while snacking on cooking-themed sugar cookies made by one of my fiance’s parent’s neighbors; aren’t they beautiful?? Cookies and coffee, a match made in heaven!
Although our weekend mornings aren’t usually filled with cookies and pretty bouquets (although they should be), “coffee time” is always a constant. It gives us a moment to catch up and recharge before beginning our day and week.
My perfect cup of coffee (frothed International Delight French Vanilla Creamer, one Truvia Natural Sweetener packet, and a healthy serving of Dunkin Donuts Original Blend) can all be purchased at ShopRite. Right now, ShopRite is having a pretty snazzy deal so you can continue your own coffee routine: Buy 2 participating coffee products and 1 participating creamer and get a free box of Truvia Natural Sweetener 40ct now through 3/12, while supplies last.
Breakfast Night inspiration including sample Breakfast Night recipes
Krusteaz is also offering one I Can Cook That reader the same starter kit listed above! Details after the recipe. Krusteaz currently also has a coupon for $0.50 off any one pancake or waffle mix.
My fiance loves breakfast for dinner, so I decided to make a savory pancake topped with sunny side up eggs to celebrate National Pancake Day!
Krusteaz’s Buttermilk Pancake Mix makes this recipe a cinch to prepare! Just add some additional ingredients and you have a delicious dinner ready in minutes!
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelightfulMoments #CollectiveBias
It’s no secret that I love all things Pumpkin. I have over 20 posts on my blog including pumpkin/pumpkin spice, but haven’t posted a pumpkin-themed recipe yet this year, what an oversight!
To make up for my lack of pumpkin posts, I’ve got a pret-ty awesome recipe for you today that can be used as a super decadent breakfast (perfect for snow days or holiday mornings with family!) or a really delicious dessert.
This recipe for Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Spice French Toast Casserole is flavored with International Delight’s Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer, which I picked up at my local Walmart. (It can be found in refrigerated bins near the milk, or at the end of an aisle in a refrigerated case.) The creamer adds a swirl of seasonal spice flavors into your coffee (and recipes), inspired by pumpkin pie. Yum!
This recipe pairs wonderfully with a cup of hot coffee flavored with International Delight’s Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer; Walmart also sells single creamers as well. I picked up some of the French Vanilla Single Creamers, which I added to my coffee to enjoy with this breakfast.
As family gathers for the holidays, this recipe is the perfect addition to breakfast or brunch. It’s simple to make and uses the slow cooker to keep your oven and stove free for preparing the main holiday meal!
International Delight wants to hear about your holiday spirit by sharing a video, photo or story through their website. You can win a $5,000 holiday brunch with all your favorite International Delight products! Learn more here.
Ingredients:
French Toast Casserole:
1 lb challah bread, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 cups almond milk (or regular milk)
1 cup International Delight Pumpkin Pie Spice Creamer
1 (8 oz) can pumpkin puree
Crumble:
3 tablespoons unsalted margarine or butter, melted
Shakshuka (or shakshouka) is an Israeli breakfast dish of eggs poached in a chunky tomato sauce with spices. It’s a favorite of mine, and easily works as a “breakfast for dinner” option for a busy weeknight.
This recipe can be easily customized to suit your tastes. My version below, adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, has a bit of a Middle Eastern take to it, but could also be made more Mediterranean by adding in olives and fresh basil.
Shakshuka is awesome on it’s own, but is even better with pita or crusty bread, or spooned over rice to soak up the flavors of the dish.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 yellow or orange bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 (29 oz can) tomato puree
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
a few drops hot sauce, or to taste
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese (omit to make dairy free)
2 cups prepared white rice (optional)
pita or crusty bread for dipping (optional)
(note: this recipe is gluten free if served with rice rather than bread)
Note: I received products to use in this recipe from Just Hemp Foods. All opinions are my own.
Today is the last day of #Choctoberfest! If you haven’t already, be sure to go enter the giveaway now!
Because it’s Sunday, I have my mind on the week ahead. I really struggle to have an on-the-go breakfast option that actually tastes good and doesn’t load on the calories. I love making homemade muffins because then breakfast is set for the week, but it’s kind of tough to justify much nutritional value in most muffins.
But these little guys are amped up with Just Hemp 50% Protein Powder, which is a plant-based protein powder with essential amino acids vitamins and minerals. The powder is gluten-free, soy-free, and lactose-free, and can be added to just about anything! Each 4 tbsp serving contains 0.7g omega-3’s, 2g omega-6’s, and 6g of fiber.
Hemp protein powder is a great substitute for some of the flour in a baked good, up to 25%. I also happened to have some overripe bananas on hand, and still have some dark chocolate chips leftover from my #Choctoberfest baking, so I made these yummy gluten free banana chocolate chip hemp muffins for my fiance and me to enjoy all week! (This recipe can be made with normal flour instead of almond meal as well, it just won’t be gluten free.)
This post is sponsored by Equal. All opinions are my own.
I love coffee. No, I need coffee. And in the summer, I crave iced coffee, but don’t want to have to go to a coffee shop every time I have a hankering (that can really add up!)
Really solid iced coffee is made strong enough to stand up to the ice as it melts. I also prefer a really strong brew so that I can add sweetener and half and half to make the perfect iced beverage. So overnight iced coffee is a simple and awesome option, plus it’s ready for you in the morning!
Overnight iced coffee is cold brewed; the ground coffee “brews” in the water overnight to give a rich deep flavor, and is really easy to make. I was sent a summer beverage kit from Equal to get ready for all the delicious drinks of summer and thought this would be the perfect time to try out an overnight coffee using the kit and Equal 0-calorie sweetener!
Equal 0-Calorie Sweetener pairs wonderfully with a strong brewed iced coffee. Equal packets are concentrated (1 packet = the sweetness of 2 teaspoons sugar) while Equal Spoonful measures cup for cup. Equal is a great option to sweeten recipes without adding calories! (For more recipes using Equal, check out their recipe page.)
Cool Peach Iced Tea Recipe Card from The Diabetic Chef® Chef Chris Smith
Equal® Recipe Guide Booklet
Equal® iPad holder
I decided to use the Takeya Flash Chill Tea Maker to make the overnight iced coffee and sweetened my coffee with Equal Spoonful. The Tea Maker has a built in Tea Infuser which also works great to hold the coffee grounds. (Equal is also providing one reader with a kit of their own! Details after the recipe…)
A while back, I was contacted by a healthy snack company based out of Britain called Natural Balance Foods. Their Eat Nakd Bars are snack bars made from natural ingredients including fruits and nuts and are gluten free, wheat free, and dairy free with no added sugars.
The company was kind enough to send me a bunch of the Nakd Bars to try, including their Cashew Cookie and Berry Delight Bars, which were my two favorites.
I brought a bunch of the Nakd Bars hiking and they were the perfect portable treat for the day. (I actually ended up spraining my ankle and spent most of my day at the base of the mountain, but hey, sprains work up an appetite as well!)
These little bars don’t skimp on flavor and are a great on the go snack for busy days.
So, what sets Eat Nakd apart from the rest?
A typical cereal bar can contain as many as 30 ingredients, many of which I can’t really pronounce.
It only takes 35 minutes to make an Eat Nakd bar, from start to finish, while a baked cereal bar can take almost 4 hours to process.
The lack of sugars doesn’t result in a cardboard tasting bar, however. The bars typically are made with dates, which adds natural sweetness to the other flavors. Eat Nakd currently has nine different bars, so it’s worth trying them all to find your favorite!
The company also has Eat Nākd Crunch bars which are are dairy, wheat and gluten free, packed with soya crunchies for extra protein to keep you feeling fuller for longer, and are completely vegan friendly. Flavors include Banana, Strawberry, Apple and Cocoa.
I enjoyed these bars so much that I want you to be able to try them too! One I Can Cook That Reader will will an Eat Nakd Sampler Box! The Sampler Box includes one of each of their yummy bars —
One of each 9 Eat Nakd fruit and nut bar flavors; Rhubarb & Custard, Caffe Mocha, Cocoa Orange, Cashew Cookie, Pecan Pie, Berry Delight, Cocoa Mint, Ginger Bread and Cocoa Delight (9x 35g bars)
One of each 4 Eat Nakd Crunch bars: Apple Crunch, Strawberry Crunch, Banana Crunch and Cocoa Crunch (4x 30g bars)
Use the widget below to enter. Also, be sure to check out their website and pick up some of the bars for yourself — because Natural Balance Foods is relatively new to the U.S., they are currently offering free shipping on all U.S. orders!
