Tag: Breakfast

Chia Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

NOTE: I was sent a container of BetterBody Foods Organic Chia Seeds in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone. 

Breakfast cookies. Those should totally be a thing, right? I was recently sent Organic Chia Seeds from BetterBody Foods, and I wanted to try to use them in a way I haven’t already, so Breakfast Pudding, Chocolate Pudding, Jam, and Muffins were out. But for whatever reason, I tend to think of Chia Seeds as a breakfast food, so I started thinking about some of my other favorite breakfast ingredients, and these Chia Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies were born!

Chia Seeds also can be used as an egg substitute when baking, so I decided to make these cookies both vegan and gluten free.

These little guys have a ton of flavor and are surprisingly filling! Chia seeds have a ton of fiber; when eaten with peanut butter and oats, it’s a great way to help feel fuller longer.

Ingredients (makes about 3 dozen cookies):

  • 4 tablespoons chia seeds, divided (I used BetterBody Foods Organic Chia Seeds)
  •  1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (check the label to make sure they are gluten free)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (check the label to make sure they are vegan)

Continue reading Chia Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Bacon Egg Bites

Note: I was sent a copy of The Dirty, Lazy, Keto Cookbook in order to write this review. Opinions are mine alone.

January is the time of year where many set goals for themselves for the next 12 months, with a lot of those goals centered around diet and exercise. I am not a registered dietician, and am not here to tell you what’s best for you to eat, but I do hope to offer a range of recipes for you to peruse.

Adding to my repertoire, this recipe is adapted from a Keto-inspired cookbook called The Dirty, Lazy, Keto Cookbook. The cookbook is written by Stephanie Laska, who lost more than half her body weight be adjusting the traditional keto diet into something she could stick with without using expensive, hard-to-find ingredients and without adhering to so many strict rules.

The general gist of the keto diet is based on a low-carb, high fat, adequate-protein diet that forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates for weight loss. These Bacon Egg Bites have very few carbs per serving, but will keep you full through a busy morning. The addition of multiple types of dairy make for fluffy, creamy eggs that can be transported to work or eaten quickly before heading out the door, a perfect breakfast for busy mornings!

What I really like about this recipe is it’s completely adaptable to what you might have on hand. I used this as a bit of a fridge cleaner, so feel free to substitute ingredients as you see fit!

Note: this recipe is adapted from The Dirty, Lazy, Keto Cookbook’s recipe for Starbucks Egg Bites

Ingredients:

  • 4 strips no-sugar added bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup shredded cheese of your choice (I used manchego)
  • 1 (8 oz bar) full-fat cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup baby arugula (or whatever greens you have on hand – kale or spinach would also work)

Continue reading Bacon Egg Bites

Slow Cooker Paleo Frittata Jars

Note: I was sent a copy of Slow Cooked Paleo by Bailey Fischer. Opinions are mine alone.

On weekends, I do my best to prepare some meals for the week. Typically, that means dinners, but every now and then I’ll bake muffins to have for breakfast. My husband is much more of a “savory” than a “sweet” breakfast eater, so he was thrilled when I was saw this recipe for Slow Cooker Paleo Frittata Jars in Bailey Fischer’s Slow Cooker Paleo Cookbook.

This cookbook is filled with awesome and easy slow cooker meals that are also Paleo, taking out much of the effort of maintaining a paleo diet. Some other delicious recipes include Coconut-Lime Poached Halibut, Simmering Hawaiian Fajitas, and Pumpkin-Maple Pudding.

The concept of these jars is brilliant and can easily be adapted to include whatever you want (perfect opportunity for a “fridge cleaning” breakfast).

Ingredients:

  • 2 2/3 cups thawed hash browns (~2/3 cup per jar)
  • 1 1/3 cups diced butternut squash (~1/3 cup per jar)
  • 1 1/3 cups diced green bell peppers (~1/3 cup per jar)
  • 12 eggs
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 handful baby spinach leaves

Continue reading Slow Cooker Paleo Frittata Jars

Cranberry Pistachio Zucchini Bread

I haven’t the faintest idea who decided to put zucchini into bread (and the internet really wasn’t much help), but I’m happy they did. At first blush, it seems like an odd choice. But the zucchini in the batter makes for a wonderfully moist bread!

Zucchini is one of my favorite summer produce items, and we have been experiencing some truly lovely summer-like weather in Philadelphia. So, even though zucchini season is a month or so away (July through September), I couldn’t resist buying a bunch of zucchini recently.  When I realized over the weekend that I had yet to use them, zucchini bread immediately popped into my mind!

This Cranberry Pistachio Zucchini Bread uses one of my favorite flavor combinations – pistachio and cranberry – but is really versatile. Feel free to experiment with different nuts and dried fruits, or omit them altogether.

Ingredients:

  • cooking spray
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups freshly grated zucchini (~1-2 zucchini)
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped pistachios
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Continue reading Cranberry Pistachio Zucchini Bread

Breakfast Guacamole

Note: This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. All opinions are mine alone.

Eggs are a big part of my cooking repertoire: they are a great source of healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals, all for a fairly affordable price. My husband is a huge fan of eggs, especially post-run. So I’m always trying to find new fun brunch recipes that star eggs as the main ingredient, like in this fun recipe for Breakfast Guacamole!

So when Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs contacted me about highlighting the health benefits of eggs for National Egg Month (May), I knew it would be a great opportunity to find a new yummy way to enjoy eggs!

source: peteandgerrys.com

Pete and Gerry’s Farm Free Eggs are organic and free range. The eggs are also certified humane, non-GMO, and have no added hormones and are antibiotic and pesticide-free. Eggs have 5 grams of fat, primarily from polyunsaturated and monounsatured fats, helping to fill you up and control blood sugar. Each egg has less than 8% of your daily value of saturated fats, or 1.5 grams. Eggs also have 6 grams of protein, high amounts of antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, along with vitamins D, B12, A, K, and riboflavin.

Despite all of the benefits of eggs, the current FDA definition of “healthy” stipulates that foods must be very low in fat (3 grams of less per serving) to meet the definition of healthy. This means that foods high in good fats, such as eggs and nuts, cannot technically be labeled as healthy. So, with the help of Registered Dietician and founder of Nutritious Life, Keri Glassman, Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs is petitioning the FDA to amend the definition of “healthy” to allow it to be used with eggs. You can read more about it here.

source: peteandgerrys.com

I decided to make a breakfast version of guacamole – guacamole topped with eggs and bacon – as a yummy hearty breakfast this past weekend.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • the juice of 2 limes
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 eggs, such as Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs
  • tortilla chips, for serving

Continue reading Breakfast Guacamole

Overnight Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding Jars

My husband really likes chia seeds. He will even just add them to water and have them that way. As (un)appealing as that sounds, I’ve been trying to incorporate them into some recipes that make the most of chia seeds while being a bit more… tasty, like this recipe for Overnight Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding Jars.

Chia seeds are pretty bland, so they are easy to add to recipes without impacting taste. When soaked in a liquid, they expand and thicken whatever liquid they are added into, making them perfect for pudding or jam.

This recipe for Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding is an easy make ahead recipe for breakfast on the go. My husband and I just grab one of these pre-made jars and bring with us to work to eat.

Note: this recipe makes 4 (16 oz) jars or 8 (8 oz) jars, depending on how large you want your servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 (32 oz) container Vanilla Greek Yogurt
  • 2 (14 oz) cans light coconut milk
  • 1 cup chia seeds
  • pinch of salt

Optional toppings:

  • granola
  • fresh fruit (I used blueberries and strawberries)
  • coconut flakes
  • sliced almonds

Continue reading Overnight Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding Jars

Sweet Potato Pancakes with Brown Butter Pecans

Note: I was sent a box of Krusteaz Buttermilk Protein Pancake & Flapjack Mix in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Happy National Pancake Day! Also known as Shrove Tuesday, coincides with Mardi Gras, the end of Carnevale, and the beginning of Lent. It’s a day to indulge, but you can indulge while still eating something nutritious!

To celebrate National Pancake Day, Krusteaz sent me a box of their new Buttermilk Protein Pancake & Flapjack Mix. This mix is packed with 15 grams of protein per serving! This pancake mix needs just water to become light and fluffy pancakes. For added protein, you can substitute in milk and add eggs to the mix as well!

I decided to up the nutrition of these pancakes with the addition of mashed sweet potato. Not only does it add a bit of sweetness to the pancakes, sweet potatoes are a great source of Vitamins A and C.

With all of the protein and vitamins in this recipe, a little bit of browned butter won’t hurt, right? 🙂 I topped these pancakes with a bit of browned butter chopped pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup to make these Sweet Potato Pancakes with Brown Butter Pecans.

Ingredients:

Continue reading Sweet Potato Pancakes with Brown Butter Pecans

Citrus Poppy Seed Pound Cake

My mom’s birthday was earlier this week and I wanted to make her a treat to celebrate. She might be citrus’ biggest fan, so I knew I had to incorporate a couple of citrus components into it. This Citrus Poppy Seed Pound Cake was the result!

This recipe is adapted from a NYTimes Cooking recipe.

Ingredients:

  • Butter, for greasing the loaf pan
  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon, divided 
  • the zest and juice of 1 orange, divided
  • the zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided 
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, or vanilla extract to make nut free
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Continue reading Citrus Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Black Eyed Peas Hash with Chorizo and Eggs

NOTE: I was sent a Deiss 5-Piece Nylon Utensil Set in order to write this post and host a giveaway. All opinions are mine alone.

Happy New Year! There are a bunch of food traditions for New Year’s Day, including eating Black Eyed Peas to bring prosperity in the new year. Last year, I made Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens. This year, I thought I’d make a brunch recipe that’s hearty enough for New Year’s Day – Black Eyed Peas Hash with Chorizo and Eggs.

This recipe for Black Eyed Peas Hash is made with potatoes, onions, bell peppers, black eyed peas, chorizo, eggs, and tomato.

To start the New Year off right, Deiss Kitchenware was kind enough to send me a 5-Piece Nylon Utensil Set that includes a Soup Ladle, Slotted Turner, Spaghetti Server, Serving Spoon, and Slotted Serving Spoon.

Source: Deiss Kitchenware

I ended up using 3 of the 5 utensils in this recipe and found them to be really handy. Made of BPA-free nylon, the utensils are both flexible and sturdy, so they adapt nicely to different types of cooking. The utensils can withstand temperatures up to 480° F and are non-stick, so they won’t scratch your non-stick cookware. Nylon utensils are easily cleaned, and don’t stain or accumulate odors.

Source: Diess Kitchenware

Deiss is also providing a second 5-Piece Nylon utensil set for a giveaway! Details after the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 oz chorizo, diced
  • 4 russet potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces (about 2 cups)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 15 oz can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (check brand to ensure gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, for garnish

Continue reading Black Eyed Peas Hash with Chorizo and Eggs

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Note: I was sent samples of PBfit in order to write this post. All opinions are mine alone.

I try to do a few make ahead recipes when I have the time on my weekends to make weekdays a bit easier. I tend to focus on dinners for busy weeknights, but from time to time I’m able to whip up some make ahead breakfasts as well. My favorite make ahead breakfasts? Muffins, of course! So I decided to make Peanut Butter Banana Muffins!

Not only are muffins an easy way to make a huge batch of future breakfasts, but they also freeze well! We always have bananas around the house, so when we end up with some overripe bananas, I love to use them in muffins. This recipe adds in some PBfit powder for peanut butter-y goodness!

PBfit is peanut butter powder made by pressing roasted peanuts, grinding those peanuts and mixing in some coconut palm sugar, and a pinch of salt. The result is a delicious peanut butter powder that has 87% less fat and 1/3 the calories of traditional peanut butter. Because it’s in powder form, it works great in baked goods!

Ingredients – makes 24 cupcake sized muffins, or 12 large muffins (get all ingredients here)

  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered peanut butter, such as PBfit
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 cups mashed bananas (about 6 bananas)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Continue reading Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Ful Medames

One of my favorite new-ish shows is PBS’s No Passport Required with Marcus Samuelsson. Each episode explores the immigrant communities and food within different U.S. cities. There have only been 6 shows, but I’m hooked. Each episode includes Chef Samuelsson meeting, hanging out, and eating with members of the different immigrant communities in Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Queens, Miami, and Washington, D.C.

Not only is the show really interesting and informative, it’s difficult to not get hungry while watching,! PBS luckily includes some recipes on their website. But there was one I was hoping they’d post and at least as of this post, it’s not there: Ful Medames from the Washington, D.C. episode which highlighted the Ethiopian community in our nation’s capital.

Ful Medames is a breakfast dish of mashed fava beans, topped with hard boiled eggs, feta cheese, tomato, and jalapeno. I’ve had a bag of dried fava beans sent to me from Bob’s Red Mill in my pantry for a while now, and I knew they were destined for this recipe. Not only does Ful Medames sound fantastic, but my husband is currently training for a marathon, and this sounded like the perfect fuel after a long training run.

Ful Medames gets a lot of its flavor from a spice blend called berbere. Berbere is an Ethiopian spice mixture that usually includes chilies, garlic, ginger, basil, fenugreek, coriander, and cardamom. It is spicy, but I adjusted so this version doesn’t have too much heat. Feel free to add more for spiciness. For my local Philadelphians, I found berbere in The Head Nut in Reading Terminal, but there are recipes online to make your own at home if you don’t live near a spice shop. Penzey’s also has a version of berbere.


My version isn’t terribly authentic, but the general idea is there. I used soft boiled eggs instead, solely because I don’t love hard boiled eggs. Feel free to substitute in hard-boiled.

Note: Before cooking with the fava beans, be sure to soak them overnight.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups dried fava beans, soaked overnight
  • 5 cups water, plus more as needed
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
  • 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons berbere, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 eggs (omit for vegan)
  • 1 tomato (or ~4 oz cherry tomatoes), finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
  • 2 oz feta cheese (omit for vegan)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • Pita bread, for serving (omit for gluten free)

Continue reading Ful Medames

Mango Rum Kefir Lassi

I think I’m pretty sure I’m late to the Kefir game here, but at least I’ve finally arrived! Kefir is a culture milk drink that is high in nutrients and probiotics which helps aid in digestion. A 6 ounce serving of Kefir has 6 grams of protein and 20% of your recommended daily calcium, and is actually a more potent source of probiotics than yogurt.

Its tangy flavor works really well in smoothies. So when I saw Cooking Light’s recipe for a Mango Rum Kefir Lassi, I knew I had to try it out. (You can omit the rum to have a really awesome lassi for breakfast as well. But hey, who doesn’t love a cocktail that has some health benefits to it?) A lassi is typically yogurt-based, so Kefir is a really simple substitute.

This Cooking Light recipe is most certainly not a traditional lassi, but it’s really tasty and is packed with good-for-you ingredients: kefir, coconut water, honey, turmeric, cinnamon, mango, and bananas. Yum!

Ingredients (makes 3 servings):

  • 1 cup plain low-fat kefir
  • 1/2 cup coconut water
  • 1/4 cup spiced rum (I used a coconut-spiced rum), if desired
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (12 oz) bag frozen chopped mango
  • 1 ripe banana
  • ancho chile powder, for garnish

Continue reading Mango Rum Kefir Lassi

Chocolate Cherry Banana Bread

Note: I was sent Northwest Cherries in order to write this post and recipe for Chocolate Cherry Banana Bread. All opinions are mine alone.

My husband and I were recently invited to go down the shore with our friends, and I wanted to bring something as a thank you for a weekend at the beach. Luckily, I had some overripe bananas sitting on my countertop, so I made this chocolate cherry banana bread to bring with us.

As I mentioned in my recent post, I have quite a few cherries in my house at the moment, so I decided to snazz up the banana bread with some fresh chopped cherries and chocolate chips.

Ingredients:

  • 2 to 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cherries, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Continue reading Chocolate Cherry Banana Bread

Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Last week, I shared a savory breakfast casserole, great for a large crowd.

So today, I wanted to share a version for those who love a sweet breakfast!

This Blueberry French Toast Casserole is easy to make the day of, or to assemble the night before for an easier next-day breakfast. My recipe is adapted from a version you can find here.

Ingredients:

French Toast Casserole

  • 1 loaf of challah bread, cut into cubes
  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 2 (6 oz) packages fresh blueberries
  • 12 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

Blueberry Syrup

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 (6 oz) package fresh blueberries
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • juice of 1/2 lemon

Continue reading Blueberry French Toast Casserole

Spinach and Artichoke Breakfast Casserole

Last weekend, we were invited to a potluck brunch for a friend’s birthday. I wanted to bring a savory breakfast dish that would work well for a crowd.

With the big game this weekend, my mind went to making a breakfast version of spinach artichoke dip. I live in Philadelphia, so I clearly had to make a green dish too!

This Spinach and Artichoke Breakfast Casserole is packed with spinach, artichokes, bell peppers, onions and cheese. The result is a flavorful dish that can feed up to 12.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 (14 oz) can artichokes hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 12 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1  teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Continue reading Spinach and Artichoke Breakfast Casserole

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