Breakfast Goodies

My family always took brunch very seriously, and I’ve made it my mission to find all the best breakfast recipes and brunch goodies around. Sure, the healthy stuff like delicious frittatas and smoothies full of fruits and veg…but especially the wonderful carbs.

That’s right, the sheer number of different types of pancakes, waffles, scones, twisty sweet breads, biscuits, and more that I’ve got here might blow your mind.

With that in mind, here are a few of my fave breakfast recipes to get you started:

You can see the full recipe index here, look through a more visual archive here, or you can browse the archives below…

Strawberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes

July 13, 2015

These strawberry pancakes look like Cookie Monster.

Once you see it, you can’t un-see it….

Last weekend after my insane 4th of July (which involved accidentally hiking over 15 miles and burning a billion calories), I woke up the next morning feeling like an 80-year-old, kind of fell/rolled out of bed, and got my coffee made like usual.

But as I sat on the couch my stomach demanded something more. After poking through Pinterest for a hot second, I had talked myself into these glorious strawberry cornmeal griddle cakes.

By all rights, I shouldn’t like these pancakes, because I have this weird hangup about hot and fruit. Fruit shouldn’t be hot. I take fruit crisp out of the oven and put it right in the freezer. Hot fruit is weird.

But these were amazing. Fresh, summery strawberries in a golden crispy pancake, drenched in maple syrup. Practically perfect in every way.

I’ve also made a small-batch mixed-berry adaptation of these that is to die for.

READ THE POST

Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting

February 7, 2015

“Life is too short for self-hatred and celery sticks.” ~ Marilyn Wann

That quote basically encapsulates my struggle right now. I love food. I don’t believe in diets, because I think that permanently denying yourself foods will just make you want them more. Plus, why take all the fun out of life?? But I am trying to be good most of the time right now.

And looking at these pictures is pure torture, because I remember how GOOOOOOD these Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls were.

But I have a secret. I’m not really into cinnamon rolls. Except *these* cinnamon rolls. These cinnamon rolls are like if you just took the gooey center of the roll (the only good part) and made it ALL of the roll.

THESE CINNAMON ROLLS ARE EVERYTHING.

People had raved about The Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon roll recipe, so when I decided to try my hand at cinnamon rolls I knew I had to try these ones. I was scared, honestly. Cinnamon rolls look like so much work, and I’ve never thought they were worth the effort. Boy, was I wrong.

These are 5-star levels of gooey, they’re sweet, they’re maple-y, the bread is moist and soft. Perfect. They’re perfect.

And they were actually not that hard to make. Yes, there were a few steps, but they weren’t hard or even super time consuming. I just had to plan ahead in terms of starting them the night before, but otherwise they came together pretty easily.

Here are a few kitchen tools I find really helpful for this recipe:

My multi-purpose scraper tool (keep dough from sticking, divide, cut the rolls…does a little of everything)
Silicone pastry brush
Handle-less rolling pin
Silicone pastry mat for rolling (depending on what your counters are made of)

How decadent are these cinnamon rolls with maple frosting??

Well, I polished off the last four (DON’T JUDGE.) the morning that I gave blood (so I could start eating healthy the next day, naturally), and when my cholesterol results came back they were like 50 points higher than normal. It was insane. Granted, I’d also had like seven of them the day before. Still. Crazy.

You might like: The Kitchen Tools Every Cook or Baker Needs

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Spinach, Kale, & Feta Breakfast Casserole

August 28, 2014

Every Friday morning our department eats breakfast together. We wander in at different times, sit down, heap up a plate, and talk about our weekend plans, Betsy’s newest crazy celebrity gossip, and (in the fall, since you can’t get away from it) what SEC teams are playing that weekend.

It’s a lovely, longstanding tradition, and part of it is that every week it’s someone’s turn to provide the food. We all take turns, and usually I try to cook something for the crew.

Now, if it were up to me, I’d make pancakes or a coffee cake and call it a day. But my co-workers tend to prefer things a little more on the savory side. Since I don’t eat ham or pig bacon or sausage, it narrows my options a little. I’ve done a few breakfast casseroles, though most breakfast casseroles take a million ingredients, have way too many steps, and are EXPENSIVE!

But last time I was super pressed for time and had to figure out something the night before, then found this awesome spinach, kale, & feta breakfast casseole recipe.

I loved that it only took a few ingredients, and the idea of feta in the casserole. I decided to give it a try and was surprised by how good it was. It got scarfed, and it’s definitely going into the regular Friday breakfast rotation!READ THE POST

Banana Chocolate Coffee Muffins with Whole Wheat Flour

July 11, 2014

I have to admit, I’m not a huge muffin fan. They’re usually not delicious enough to be dessert, but not healthy enough to justify being breakfast. But as muffins go, these banana coffee chocolate muffins are the best of all worlds—packed with healthy ingredients but absolutely delish.

I’ve really slipped on my healthy breakfast train the last month or two. I had family in town, then was out of the country for a couple weeks, and have been buried under work and lack of sleep.

So I just haven’t had the time or energy to do much baking or cooking to prepare for each coming week. Thankfully, over 4th of July weekend I finally got back on track with these beauties.

I really haven’t done a lot of baking lately, partly because when I use my stove and oven it makes my kitchen feel like Death Valley during the summer. My A/C can’t come close to keeping up. But I decided it was worth it to give these guys a try. I mean, coffee and chocolate in a muffin together?? Sign me up!

As much as I love whole wheat flour, I was a little nervous about using it exclusively, since sometimes that can make things a little too dry and dense. I shouldn’t have worried, though—these were moist and light even as reheated leftovers at work the next day.

And the dark chocolate chips are these gooey little nuggets of awesome. For something that literally takes like 5 minutes to stir together, the return on this is totally worth it!READ THE POST

Traditional Spanish Tortilla

June 27, 2014

Once upon a time I would have called this a frittata, and I would have been wrong. One of my co-workers is half Spanish, and for breakfast one time he brought in a traditional Spanish tortilla. While it looked exactly like the frittatas I’m so fond of, it had a few notable differences and I knew I wanted to recreate it myself.

Spanish tortillas and frittatas are very similar, though there are a few differences. Tortillas are always egg- and potato-based, while frittatas only have to have eggs.

Also, apparently the main difference is that you’re supposed to flip a Spanish tortilla on the stovetop at the end, versus finishing in the oven like a frittata. I’ll definitely be trying this method next time—I’m trying to wheedle my co-worker’s recipe out of him!

The gold potatoes are delightfully tender and add a delicate base to the dish along with the onion (this Kitchn article speaks to the technique that gets them lovely and soft).

Many also include asparagus, chorizo, and other fillings, but this one is very simple and traditional. The recipe below called for tarragon, though I used fresh rosemary and oregano instead.

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Peanut Butter Quinoa Granola

June 8, 2014

Who ever thought to add quinoa to granola??? It sounds nuts. But this interesting and delicious peanut butter quinoa granola proves why it’s genius.

A while back I tried this maple nut quinoa granola recipe, and was instantly hooked on the light, crispy clusters. Gone are the days of tough, chewy oats. It’s a new granola day.

The quinoa kind of puffs up in the oven (giving them a rice krispie-like texture), which provides a texture I really dig. And so after that first recipe was a winner, my second attempt brought in peanut butter as the primary flavor, which is very up my alley.

I had picked up pepitas, and added some ground flaxseed and chia, plus some walnuts and almonds. The flavor was awesome, though the clumps weren’t quite as crispy since the peanut butter changed the texture.READ THE POST

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

May 25, 2014

Y’all, I have never once cooked with rhubarb before this recipe. In fact, I could probably count the number of times I’ve had rhubarb on, like, half a hand. Which is creepy when you think about it (half a hand, that is, not rhubarb).

ANYWAY. What I was getting at was that these strawberry rhubarb crumb bars are a delightful and easy breakfast option, or even a (not as sweet) dessert.

There’s something about rhubarb that screams spring…maybe it has a really short seasonality or something? I’m definitely not a rhubarb expert.

What I *do* know is that rhubarb is quiiiiiite tart, which is why it’s usually paired with very sweet fruits like strawberries, and takes a little extra sugar to make it edible.

These bars look like a dessert (and they could be, with a few tweaks), but they’re really a healthy, fiber-ful, antioxidant-filled whole grain breakfast treat.

The star of these is obviously the strawberries and rhubarb (which is like a girly-looking, super tart celery), but the crust and crumble topping has a lovely light sweetness to it, made hearty by the oats and whole wheat flour.

On a side note, I’ll bet the first person to bite into a rhubarb stalk expecting something either sweet or celery-like later seriously reconsidered their willingness to try new things. It is NOT good raw. I’m guessing it was entertaining to watch, though…

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Ricotta, Tomato & Spinach Frittata

May 13, 2014

Simplicity, man. As I mentioned last week, I just wanted the easiest dinner possible. Something healthy, but something that didn’t require a million steps or ingredients.

Also, I’ve been on a weird ricotta kick. Like, eat it straight out of the carton with a spoon, maybe with a drizzle of honey. It’s getting weird. I used to hate ricotta and now look at me.

So I made some delicious marinated grilled (well, sauteed) chicken, and this delightful frittata.

Frittatas are such a great go-to meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They’re full of veggies and protein, easy, and make awesome leftovers. Basically, they’re perfect.READ THE POST

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Flaxseed Muffins

April 5, 2014

Last weekend I decided to make a few changes. Little changes. Healthy changes. And these chocolate chip oatmeal flaxseed muffins qualify.

By and large I lead a fairly healthy life—I eat well, exercise a lot, take care of myself (except the working too much and lack of sleep). But I’ve slipped into some bad habits (*coughtoobusyforbreakfastcough*) and feel like my body isn’t quite firing on all cylinders.

However, I’m pretty overwhelmed with life right now, I knew I couldn’t do anything that required too much thought or effort.

So I made a list last weekend of a few things I was going to work on during the week. The first has turned out to be somewhat life-changing. It’s simple—before I go to bed I fill up a big glass with water and put it by my bed, and the minute I wake up, I down it.

I’m not allowed to get out of bed until that glass of water is gone. And boy, is it crazy what that will do to purify and rev your system!

The second is pretty simple, too, and is something I used to be good about. I made sure I had a quality breakfast every single day at work. Some mornings this was a smoothie with fruit and greens and yogurt, and other days it was these delicious, high-fiber muffins.

I’ve never been a huge muffin person, but these were super easy and great. There really isn’t much bad in them—whole wheat flour, oats, and flax meal, with a little brown sugar for sweetness and studded with dark chocolate chips.

They were a delightful companion for my morning espresso, and stayed moist and soft all week!

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Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

March 27, 2014

I don’t like banana bread. There—I said it. Cue the shock and hand-wringing and exclamations of my lack of humanity. I’ve heard it all. But I still don’t like banana bread.

THIS chocolate chip banana bread, however, is pretty freaking awesome.

I got the chance to fly out to eastern Washington in late January with my dad to visit my Grandma and some other family on his side. I see most of them maaayyybe every decade, often longer, so it was a great chance to catch up and reconnect.

My grandma had baked some banana bread that I ended up snacking on all weekend. It was dense and moist, like a flat little cake, and studded with chocolate chips. I loved it.

She gave me her recipe and I played with it a little, including using all whole wheat flour, leaving out the coconut (partly because I forgot), and using dark chocolate chips.

I also baked it in two shallow dishes instead of making a regular-size loaf, which I think actually was the best thing I could have done for even cooking and keeping everything moist.

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Dreamy, Creamy Scones

March 4, 2014

OH MAN, are these cream scones good!!

A while back, I was really excited because I tried a cream biscuits recipe without butter that was amazing. I stand by that, and I loved that it didn’t require cutting the butter into the flour. Let’s face it, I’m super lazy.

These cream scones are in a similar vein, except they have both cream AND butter in them, which makes them double awesome. I think they’re the best scones, texture-wise, that I’ve ever made.

They were also shockingly good as leftovers the next few days, heated up with a little raw organic honey for breakfast at work.

And that is a victory, because it’s hard to justify making a whole batch of scones for myself when usually the leftovers are like trying to eat ceiling insulation. But these, these are magical.

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Quinoa Maple Nut Granola

February 23, 2014

Granola is one of those things I really WANT to love. I do.

I have all the best intentions of loving granola, and then I pour my milk in and try to eat it, and I chew. And chew. And chew. And then my jaw and teeth hurt. But this quinoa maple nut granola is pretty special.

While it has a traditional base (oats and nuts, some coconut), it brings in a number of interesting flavors and textures.

Chia, quinoa, and sunflower seeds provide extra crunch and protein, dried cranberries and cherries substitute for raisins (which I’m not a huge fan of), and maple syrup and coconut oil hold it all together.

I threw in some flaxseed, wheat germ, and hazelnuts, for good measure, since I didn’t have the pumpkin seeds or buckwheat the recipe called for.

The result is a delicate, crunchy, cinnamon-y obsession. If you want to see the original recipe click here, but I’ve outlined my version below.READ THE POST

Coffee Pancakes

February 13, 2014

Why did I never think of coffee-flavored pancakes??? I love coffee. I love pancakes. Coffee + pancakes = LURV.

One of the great things about pancakes is that they’re just the easiest things to whip up. It literally takes five minutes to throw the batter together and heat the griddle, another five to cook them, and then you’ve got steaming hot breakfast carbs.

I’ve made these coffee pancakes a couple times. The first time, I couldn’t taste the coffee flavor as much as I wanted, so I upped the amount a little the next time. They’re super easy, comforting, and go great with a big latte.

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Amazing, Fluffy Cream Biscuits

January 16, 2014

These cream biscuits are the bomb diggity.

Bomb. Diggity.

I love biscuits. Basically all biscuits (except Chick Fil-A’s…their food is awesome except their biscuits which are sad). But I tend to get lazy about cutting butter into flour. It’s so annoying!

Sure, maybe it’s not the most difficult thing ever, but for some reason it always makes me feel like a failure. Then I ran across this recipe. The cream provides the fat for the biscuit, so no butter-cutting necessary.

I was skeptical that these could possibly be as good as biscuits made the old-fashioned way, though. But I needed to throw a side bread together really quickly the other night and decided to try the recipe, and was stunned by how good these are.

They’re light and fluffy and buttery on top, took five minutes to throw together, and are even almost just as good leftover.

That’s right—GOOD LEFTOVER BISCUITS. It’s a January miracle.

Save for later: A Tool to Decide What Bread to Make Based On How Long You Have…READ THE POST

Caramel-Glazed Apple Bread

January 5, 2014

It’s weird. As a self-proclaimed caramel hater (okay, maybe “hate” is strong, but “non-lover”), I somehow made two different awesome recipes within a couple weeks back in November where caramel was the star. The first was the caramel pear crumble pie I made for Thanksgiving, and the second was this fall-worthy gem—caramel apple bread.

Obviously, apple and cinnamon are a can’t-miss combination. But the caramel glaze really elevates this bread beyond what a regular powdered sugar glaze would. It gives not just a sweetness but a warmth, and the burnt sugar caramel flavor deepens everything.

This is one of those beautiful quick bread recipes that’s super easy to throw together—I mean, the bread takes as long as it takes to chop the apples, basically. And you get not one, but two, loaves of sweet bread that can feed hungry overnight guests for breakfast, delight your co-workers, or punt as an easy dessert.

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November Cakes a.k.a. Gooey Delicious Orange Buns

December 29, 2013

Have you ever read a piece of fiction that describes some kind of food in such rich, real detail that the food becomes real to you?

It’s a talent, writing about completely made-up food in a way that’s so real to the reader that they have a visceral need to create (re-create?) the food in their world. As an avid reader, I’ve certainly run across these kinds of fictional foods from time to time, but rarely has a recipe captured my imagination like the November Cakes from Maggie Stiefvater’s “The Scorpio Races”.

In the middle of a chill, windy, haunting Irish November, Stiefvater describes these rolls as “oozing honey and butter, rivulets of the creamy frosting joining the honey in the pit of my hand.” Pretty amazing, right?

I actually tried a recipe for this a year or two ago, but was disappointed with the dry, somewhat bland results. When I saw this particular recipe and heard people rave about it, I knew I had to give it another try.

And these were everything promised. The dough itself isn’t that sweet, just an orange-tinged yeast roll. It’s the combination of the honey-caramel glaze (which I also spiked with orange extract) soaking into the rolls and the sweet white orange-flavored icing on top that elevates this to complete indulgence.READ THE POST

The Best Buttermilk Pancakes Ever

December 7, 2013

Paaaaaaancakes! Specifically, buttermilk pancakes. When they’re good (and not that terrible IHOP pre-fab stuff), they are one of my favorite foods. Hot and fluffy, a little gooey center, nutty whole grain taste, and slathered in peanut butter and syrup. It pretty much doesn’t get any better than that.

They’re also one of the easiest things in the world to whip up, and endlessly versatile.

I realized a while back that—while I had posted whole grain pancakes, healthy apple cinnamon pancakes, ricotta pancakes, gingerbread pancakes, cinnamon polenta pancakes, and bourbon banana pancakes—I had never posted the recipe that started it all, my awesome basic buttermilk pancakes.

Does anyone else put peanut butter on their pancakes and waffles? We always did it, and I assumed everyone else did.

But going to summer camp growing up, I found out that this was considered somewhat weird. It’s so good, you have to try it! It’s my goal to convert the entire Southeast to the gospel of peanut butter on pancakes.

In all my focus on trying and posting new recipes, I’ve neglected some of my tried and true favorite recipes, so I’m working on rectifying that. My mom’s lasagna, simple coffee cake, buttermilk Belgian waffles, chocolate chip cookies, and our family buttermilk pancake recipe.

It’s not an exaggeration to say we made these the majority of my sabbath mornings growing up. Occasionally we’d throw in some waffles, french toast, or biscuits, but mostly we made delicious, fluffy pancakes!READ THE POST

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

November 29, 2013

I actually made this about a month ago, but haven’t had a chance to bring its greatness to you yet. I love ricotta, and I love lemon, so this is a recipe tailor-made for me.

First of all, it’s super easy—just blend everything together, throw it in a pan, and call it a day. But secondly, it can do double duty as both a breakfast and a dessert.

This lemon ricotta pound cake is the perfect antidote to holiday food excesses.

It’s light and sweet and tart, so a great alternative to all of the heavy, rich desserts we’re usually consuming this time of year. It would be great to have on hand for company to just snack on whenever they want.

If I had any complaints about this recipe, they would probably be about the texture, which can be a little dry, but since it’s pound cake that’s really more the nature of the beast. It’s good on its own, but even better with some tea or coffee.

I had some overflow batter, so I greased up a ramekin and baked little individual pound cakes. Next time I think I’d use a few more ramekins and do shallower mini cakes, or else it can get a little bread-y.READ THE POST

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

November 25, 2013

This one’s for you banana bread lovers out there…

…of which I am not one. It’s one of my shameful foodie secrets. I’ve tried loving banana bread, I really have. And I don’t hate it. I just don’t LOVE it.

So when I saw this recipe that includes cinnamon and chocolate chips (two of my favorite things!), I thought that this would be the open door into me loving all banana baked goods…muffins, breads, and cake, oh my! (well, actually I love banana cake, so that doesn’t really count.)

Overall this cinnamon chocolate chip banana bread had awesome texture and flavor, and the whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat) made it dense (read: hearty and filling) without being heavy.

The cinnamon almost made it a touch too intense—in some ways, I felt like the recipe would be better with EITHER the chocolate chips or cinnamon—but both worked really well with the banana. So while it didn’t change my mind, it IS probably the best banana bread I’ve had.READ THE POST

Omelet with Caramelized Onions, Kale, Tomatoes, & Goat Cheese

November 12, 2013

Sometimes it’s the little things, ya know??

This omelet recipe was an accidental brainchild, a dish born out of necessity.

My dad was in town a couple weeks ago and I invited a friend over to spend time with us. He chose brunch, so I decided to make my whole grain buttermilk belgian waffles.

Things were pretty rushed that morning since my dad was helping me install gas logs in my fireplace and we had run into some snags (we took 5—count ’em, 5—trips to Home Depot that weekend). I knew I needed to provide some eggs with my waffles, but couldn’t bring myself to do boring ol’ scrambled.

My next thought was omelets, which is my go-to egg dish when serving less than 5 people (any more, and you need to upgrade to a casserole or something). I rooted around in my fridge and came up with what I thought was the perfect combination.

I had a half of a yellow onion left from dinner the night before, so I sliced it up in strips and caramelized it. Then I sautéed up a little kale, chopped up some tomatoes and goat cheese, and threw it all in an omelet.

I figured it’d be pretty good and would more than satisfy these two dudes’ palates. But wow, was I surprised at how good it was! This one is definitely a keeper. Add a little shaved parmesan as garnish, and we’re in business.

Omelets are a fairly regular part of my dietary rotation, my go-to egg dish with company. I’ll make them with whatever I have on-hand—garlic, peppers, tomatoes, various cheese, herbs, whatever. But these were kind of a revelation.

The kale gave it some chew, the tomatoes and caramelized onions provided a sweetness, and the goat cheese melted into this creamy pool of awesomeness. It was the perfect combination of flavors.READ THE POST

Marion Cunningham’s Overnight Yeast Waffles

November 9, 2013

YOU GUYS. These. Overnight. Yeast. Waffles.

The last few weeks have been pretty insane, work has been overwhelming with crazy long hours, and I’ve just been so tired. Last weekend daylight savings time ended, which should have meant that I got an extra hour of sleep, but instead meant that my body’s been waking me up at 4:15 every morning this week.

And the sun is rising so early—I’m so used to getting into work and having a couple hours of darkness to get stuff done (I’m like a mole, I like working in a cave) that the early sunrise is making me feel like I’m starting the morning way behind. It has, however, exposed me to some glorious sunrises this week on my drive to work.

Anyway, back to the waffles. I do have a point, I promise. My family takes brunch very seriously. Every sabbath growing up, we would get up and whip up a feast of pancakes or waffles, eggs, bacon, and fruit. While I tend to be more partial to pancakes, my mom absolutely loves waffles.

When I was little, we made the kind of waffles that required you to beat egg whites for forever and gently fold them in. Which is ridiculous and time consuming. Then we found (or kind of created?) this buttermilk waffle recipe which is easy and awesome.

But I still seem to be on a mission for the best waffle recipe, because waffles and pancakes are definitely a kind of comfort food for me and my family. And I’m very much in need of comfort food right now.

I think I originally found this overnight yeast waffle recipe on Smitten Kitchen, but then within the same week found it on A Cozy Kitchen. It’s a classic recipe (that I’d never heard of), and it seemed like all of a sudden it was having a “moment”.

When I first read the recipe, I was fascinated by the idea. Yeast in waffles?? And leaving batter out overnight?! But both bloggers raved about the flavor and texture of the waffles, and I knew I had to try them.

When my mom came into town last weekend, I knew I’d found my opportunity. If there are waffles involved, she’s on board. She got in Friday night and I whipped up the batter before heading to bed, then we got up, drank coffee for a few hours, and then got around to making our (fascinating) overnight yeast waffles.

That’s one great thing about this recipe—exact time isn’t important. You don’t have to time it the night before or make it right away in the morning. I put on at around 8:00 Friday night and we didn’t end up making them til almost noon Saturday. The recipe is pretty forgiving.

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Apple Cinnamon Chip Coffee Cake

October 20, 2013

I think fall may finally be sneaking up on us here in Georgia. We’ve had a gorgeous late summer and early fall…making up for the terrible, rainy spring and summer we had. Even in mid-October we’ve had temps in the upper 70s and even 80s. I was laying out at the pool last weekend. For real. The pool was tarped over and there was only one chair left, but I was there.

Then this week it turned gray and rainy and a little chilly.

This guy just wanted to cuddle. I don’t blame him. I’m not ready for fall weather, but I do think I’m ready for fall food.

And is there a more quintessentially-fall dish than one combining apples, cinnamon, and streusel topping?? I think maybe not.

I’ll be honest—I don’t think I’ve ever tried out a traditional coffee cake recipe besides the one I grew up on (my mom’s, which is amazing). I mean, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

So last week when it was my turn to make treats for a co-worker’s birthday, and knowing that she loves cinnamon-y things, I figured I’d whip up my mom’s coffee cake.

But then I was browsing Pinterest and found a recipe I’d pinned a long time ago for an apple cinnamon chip coffee cake.

“Hmm…” I thought, “Intriguing. I have all this homemade apple butter and I stocked up on cinnamon chips. Maybe this is fate.” [I typed “fat” the first time and almost left it because that seemed apropos as well]

But I made a number of adjustments, such as using half a bag of cinnamon chips instead of a whole bag (which really seemed like overkill).

The biggest change I made, though, was swapping out the basic powdered sugar glaze the recipe suggested for the sweet and slightly crunchy cinnamon-sugar streusel topping that’s more traditional for coffee cakes. And it was amazing!

This cake was so moist, even a couple days after I made it (I had to make it Sunday and serve it Tuesday). The cinnamon chips in the cake were like tiny little gems of awesome studded throughout.READ THE POST

Cheryl’s Healthy Morning Glory Muffins

October 13, 2013

I love me a good, healthy breakfast option. When I find one I love, I tend to stick with it. Which explains why I’ve had approximately 323 spinach and pineapple smoothies in the past several months…

A month or two ago, my co-worker brought these amazing morning glory muffins into work. I ate one (and then another) and then went right to her desk and asked her for the recipe.

When she sent it, it was even better than I’d thought—whole wheat flour, oil, apple butter, and lots of super healthy add-ins like coconut, walnuts, and carrots. And yet they tasted so indulgent!

They jumped to the top of my “must make” list, and I tried them out a couple weeks later. The recipe was super easy and they turned out so well! I kept them at my desk for breakfast and a mid-morning snack until they were all gone. READ THE POST

Frittata with Beets, Leeks, & Feta

October 12, 2013

Sometimes you just need to go back to basics.

A few (very insane) weeks ago I was still figuring out how to do things for myself after my surgery, just coming back to work (officially) full-time, rehabbing, and getting ready to head out of town for over a week. In short, I was pretty dang tired and feeling very “meh” about cooking or anything else that required even an iota of non-essential energy.

But I was also trying to get back to a normal life, including eating a lot healthier. While I was recovering from the surgery, convenience became a huge focus, so I ate a lot of Kashi pizzas, rotisserie chicken, and packaged ravioli. Not terrible, but not great either. So I told myself that ordering Thai food wasn’t an option and tried to find the next-easiest thing. That’s when I thought about a frittata.

The thing is, they feel kind of fancy, but they’re so simple. And you can make them out of almost anything. Seriously. Dump a bunch of leftovers in there, it’ll be great. I made it with leftover mac & cheese once, and it was awesome.

Honestly, the only thing I had to actually pick up at the grocery store that Sunday was the beet and the leek, because I wanted to try something a little different.

I’ve been meaning to try cooking with beets, so figured this was a great opportunity. But I had spinach in the fridge, a little bit of leftover feta sitting around, eggs, and cheese. What more do you need?? So the feta, leek, and beet frittata was born.

The beet was interesting in the frittata. One thing I didn’t anticipate was that it’s a little more watery than a sweet potato (so not as much caramelization), so I should have maybe patted the diced beets dry before cooking. Honestly I should have roasted them first. My first choice would have been a golden beet, but all they had was red (which stains everything). It was still great, and a nicely-different flavor combination.READ THE POST

Bourbon Banana Pancakes

September 11, 2013

Take *that* Jack Johnson! Because these bourbon banana pancakes 100% beat his…

I have an irrational strong dislike of Jack Johnson. But, the first Jack Johnson song I ever heard was “Banana Pancakes”, and it’s still the only one I can really stand (though still prefer not to hear). I resent that fact that Every. Single. Station. On Pandora will ultimately become a Jack Johnson and John Mayer station if you don’t fight it. Give it up, Pandora! We won’t stand for any of that nonsense here!

But I digress…anyway, I showed Jack Johnson who’s boss. Because these are so much more awesome than just regular banana pancakes.

Saturday morning when I got up, I planned to throw together some of my famous buttermilk pancakes. I’d realized that, while I’ve posted several adaptations on that recipe, I’d never published my regular, foolproof plan for fluffy goodness.

But when I got up and looked around my kitchen, my eyes fell on a pile of bananas on the verge of going bad. I just bought them a few days ago! It seems like all of my bananas are over-ripening in record time lately, so I decided I needed to make a dent in this pile and do something banana-y for breakfast.

And then I remembered this recipe I bookmarked from the always-interesting A Cozy Kitchen a while back. Bourbon. Banana. Pancakes.

Mmmmm Ol’ Fo.

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Sweet Potato, Pepper, & Kale Frittata With Goat Cheese

April 1, 2013

I’ve mentioned how much I rely on frittatas to have a real meal when I haven’t really planned ahead.

Lately, with all the house drama and packing and such, I seem to be constantly caught off-guard when it comes to meals. A lot of the time, I’ll just throw together a pasta with whatever’s on-hand, but frittatas are actually a healthier, protein-packed option. And this frittata packed with peppers, sweet potato, and kale is a winner.

I’ve already shared what is still my current favorite, the spinach frittata with sweet potato hash crust (and goat cheese). So you may be sensing a theme here.

I used the same idea of scallions and sweet potatoes to create a delicious, almost caramelized crust, but made a few changes based on what I had in my fridge. I still used the goat cheese, but added kale instead of spinach and threw in a red bell pepper I’d bought for no good reason. Plus, I pre-baked the sweet potatoes in the microwave to cut down on cooking time—by half.

As long as you use basic frittata proportions (for me, that’s 8 eggs and a 1/2 cup of milk for a round pan; 10 or so for a 9×13 pan), you can basically add anything you want based on what’s in season or in your fridge—zucchini, tomatoes, corn, peppers, greens, any kind of cheese, fresh herbs, potatoes. Go crazy with combinations! But you truly can’t go wrong with this sweet potato, pepper, kale frittata combo with that goat cheese kicker…

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Snickerdoodle Biscotti

March 6, 2013

Hmm…I’m seeing kind of a theme here. First it was actual snickerdoodles, then snickerdoodle bread, and now snickerdoodle biscotti? I guess I just don’t know how to resist a great cinnamon-sugar combination.

I was planning to make something else a little more labor-intensive last weekend, but then I ran across this recipe. I was in a particularly lazy mood and didn’t feel like putting much effort into anything, so I decided to try it out. Because you want to know a secret?

Biscotti are (is?) actually very easy to make. Sure, the baking time is a little longer, but from an effort standpoint they’re a breeze.

You might also like: The Kitchen Tools & Gadgets I’m Obsessed With

This recipe is also particularly great, because I had all the ingredients on-hand already. Many biscottis you need special nuts (hazelnuts, pistacchios) or some other add-in (citrus zest, etc.), but these were all normal ingredients pretty much everyone already has.
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Brown Butter Scones with Roasted Pear & Dark Chocolate

February 27, 2013

As we’ve established, I love pears, and one of the flavor combinations I love best is pear with dark chocolate. A couple months ago I made a delightful brown butter cake with pear and bittersweet chocolate, which was quite a revelation, flavor-wise.

So a couple days later I tried out these pear and dark chocolate scones, but decided to tweak the recipe a little and add in that brown butter flavor.

Brown butter really does add another layer of flavor to things, but it’s an extra step in baking so you can decide to just use all cold butter instead (they’ll probably be a little fluffier). I’ve done a separate post with detailed steps and photos of how to brown butter, if that’s helpful.READ THE POST

Almond Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie

February 11, 2013

So, we’re back to smoothies…

I’ve been doing my best, despite an insane work schedule and a house search, to eat just as healthy as I do when I have time and energy. I get to work quite early, and I’m a big believer in breakfast (plus my blood sugar can go wonky). But oatmeal at my desk can get kind of boring. So lately I’ve been jumping on the smoothie merry-go-round.

This almond apple smoothie caught my eye. The apple-cinnamon flavor combo is a winner for me, and I love how the nuts (and greek yogurt) really gave it some added protein. It’s also super easy!

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Coconut Milk Smoothie With Raw Egg: Healthy, Fat-Burning Breakfast

January 26, 2013

I’ve definitely been on a smoothie kick lately, and trying combinations that are way outside of my normal smoothie-zone. This whole past week I’ve been trying an apple-cinnamon shake (recipe to come), and then today I tried a smoothie with raw egg for the first time ever.

I know, raw eggs. Lots of people have an automatic “EWWW!” response to the thought of eating or drinking raw eggs. First thing—consuming raw eggs is not inherently dangerous. The only real danger is salmonella (also a danger from raw meat and various fruits and vegetables). By the most recent estimates, only maybe 1 in 30,000 eggs has salmonella, so those odds are fairly good in my book, but for children, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems it may be safer to stay clear.

And eggs are incredibly healthy—they’re full of protein, vitamin B, and choline, and they provide lots of energy and repair your body at a cellular level. Nutritionists and scientists still argue about whether or not raw eggs are actually healthier than cooked, but they made a nice protein addition to the shake…better than weird, chemical-y protein powder, at least.READ THE POST

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Pancakes

January 21, 2013

Pancakes are a beautiful thing. Breakfast or dinner, buttermilk, whole wheat, flavored, ricotta—they’re always delicious, filling, and somehow comforting.

They’re also very forgiving. Many recipes (particularly ones that use baking ingredients) can be finicky, needing exact measurements and careful combining to yield a good result. But not pancakes.

I roughly measure ingredients when making pancakes, but never get worried about being precise. The batter feels too thick? Add a little more buttermilk. Feel like a little flavor? Add a big spoonful of apple butter or some lemon zest and juice. The variations are endless, and a batch can be thrown together in five minutes.READ THE POST

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

January 4, 2013

Guys, I was REEEEEEALLY skeptical about this one.

Unlike many people, crockpots actually scare me. I’m on board with soups and chili, but pretty much everything else I’ve ever made in a crock pot has turned out burned, dry, soggy, or otherwise not very good. It’s like I’m incapable of mastering it. But I needed a make-ahead breakfast option for my “breakfast day” at work, so the crockpot was really my only option. I turned to this crockpot breakfast casserole recipe…and guess what? It turned out surprisingly great!

The final result wasn’t *pretty*, mind you (hence no pics of it ready to serve) but it was very flavorful, not dry at all, and got a thumbs-up from my co-workers. Plus, the assembly the night before was quick and painless—cooking the bacon was the most involved piece, everything else was just layering. Slow cooker breakfast casserole for the win!READ THE POST

Snickerdoodle Bread

January 1, 2013

This bread is magical.

I’m not someone who could generally be accused of being a snickerdoodle freak, though I’m a sucker for a cinnamon-sugar combo. But I might change my mind after having this snickerdoodle bread.

The blog I got this recipe from (Lil Luna) warns that the cinnamon chips are usually only in grocery stores during the holidays, so best to stock up on a few bags right now while the getting is good. There was actually a shortage a few years back for months, and I started effectively buying them on the black market 🙂

The other great part about this bread (cake? cake bread? bread cake?) is that it literally takes five minutes to mix together, then you just pop it in the oven and go about your business! I realized late in the day that the next morning was my “breakfast day” at work and I didn’t have much of an evening to make something, and this turned out to be the perfect option (and I carefully packed the second loaf in my carry-on bag to visit my family the next day!). READ THE POST

Baby Spinach, Goat Cheese & Sweet Potato Frittata

December 30, 2012

Sometimes I forget how awesome and easy frittatas are. Sure, they take slightly longer than scrambled eggs or an omelette, but the end result is also so much better. Plus there are leftovers. Do you have leftovers from scrambled eggs? (If so, ew.)

This frittata was even better than I’d imagined—the salty tanginess of the goat cheese, the sweet firmness of the sweet potatoes, the flash of green onion and the fragrant pop of the rosemary just all combined for an amazing flavor.

Most frittatas only take about 20 minutes. This one took slightly longer because the sweet potatoes need a little longer to cook than other things I’ve used (shallots, zucchini, etc.), but it also made an even more delightful crust.

[Note: Images updated 2019; I’d forgotten how delicious this recipe is!! Going back in the rotation…]
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Fluffy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

December 21, 2012

Sometimes you just need to switch things up, y’know?? I’ve made no secret about my love of fresh, hot whole wheat buttermilk pancakes in all their many variations. But that’s generally the only kind of pancakes I make. I mean, why mess with perfection? I found this recipe for lemon ricotta pancakes intriguing, however, and decided I needed to give them a whirl.

Like many people, we had a Thanksgiving full of food, drink, family, late nights, and general craziness. Then tons of leftovers the next day. So by the weekend, we were ready for something light and simple. Enter “breakfast for dinner”. My mom made eggs and I threw together these fluffy ricotta pancakes since we had ricotta leftover from Thanksgiving. They had such an interesting and moist texture, practically melted in your mouth.READ THE POST

Mom’s Famous Homemade Donuts

December 19, 2012

My mom’s homemade donuts are one of those fleeting, kind of mythical things that only comes around once in a blue moon. I’m pretty sure they are my mom’s favorite thing to make, but she only does so like once a year. I love that they’re not insanely sweet (*coughKrispyKremecough*) and actually aren’t horrible for you either. I mean, they’re not kale, but they could be worse.

The secret? It isn’t a donut recipe at all. It’s a recipe from the Joy of Cooking cookbook from eight million years ago, for panettone (an Italian Christmas treat, though not as light as these are typically), and the glaze is made up.

It’s funny, only as an adult have I become obsessed with donuts. Good, locally-made donuts, not Dunkin or Krispy Kreme nonsense. But doggone are good donuts amazing?!

Here’s the other really important thing—you have to eat these right away. Yes, you could eat them as leftovers, but it has been scientifically proven that homemade fried doughnuts are 927% better if eaten within the first 24 hours, and are absolutely best within the first few hours. So consider that permission to devour.READ THE POST

Orange Almond Biscotti

December 7, 2012

So, Smitten Kitchen claims that this is the best biscotti ever. And she may be right. This orange almond biscotti has a lovely light citrus flavor, a great bite from the almonds, and crisped up to the perfect crunchy consistency—something that’s been missing with the other biscotti I’d made.

I couldn’t stop eating them, and even brought a bunch home for Thanksgiving in a ziploc bag and they traveled quite impressively.

These were a great breakfast, awesome with coffee and herbal tea. These would make a great gift, hostess gift, or something to have on hand for company.

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Two Different Takes On Single-Serving Scones

November 26, 2012

Boy, I love scones. They’re kind of my go-to breakfast food if I want to treat myself to something nice on the weekend. I make plain scones, cherry almond scones, Starbucks pumpkin scones (recipe coming soon), pretty much anything I can. But the downside is that a recipe generally makes 8-12 scones, which is way more than my poor workout schedule can take care of. So when I saw not one but two recipes for single-serving scone recipes, I knew my life had just gotten exponentially more awesome.

I stopped eating breakfast a couple years ago, and generally on weekends I just have tons of strong coffee to start my morning. Every so often, though, I’m struck with an intense craving for hot biscuits and honey. That’s basically what scones and biscuits are to me—an excuse to pile on jam or honey. You can’t say I don’t have my priorities straight.

These recipes are fairly similar, though the second one uses a little less sugar (and brown instead of white) and calls for coconut oil in its solid form (and seems slightly healthier overall). I didn’t have coconut oil on hand the first time so I tried it with butter, but I made the recipe again using coconut oil (and whole wheat flour) and it was still great. The first recipe also made a little more, I made two scones out of it. Both also bake at higher temperatures (450 F) than all my other scone recipes. READ THE POST

Healthy Apple Butter Pancakes

November 18, 2012

So, it was a big week in the Fergen household. My little sister, who lives in Louisville, finally went into labor with her first child. So I hit the road and have spent the last few days there with my family, just getting back around midnight last night.

That’s all to say, I haven’t had a chance to cook or bake much the past several days. So I hope you’ll accept this healthy, delicious little breakfast gem I tried a while back as a peace offering. I took a (probably even healthier) recipe from my friend Tonya’s blog, Nom Eat Nom, and adapted it for ingredients I had on-hand (including gobs of homemade apple butter). So I bring you apple butter pancakes!

These were full of whole grains, too, so they stayed with me a long time. And they toasted up nicely for breakfast during the work week. Plus…apple butter. I mean, what’s not to love?!

This is my little niece (niece #2) who decided to join us this week!READ THE POST

Make-Ahead Egg Muffins With Veggies & Chives

November 13, 2012

I’ve been on a mission. My mission is to find all of the best, easy, healthy breakfast options for work mornings.

I’ve already tried a few variations on egg muffin cups (here and here), but I liked how these guys looked. They were puffy and cheesy, and looked a little more substantial than the other ones I’d tried. Overall, I really liked them, though *cringe* I forgot that they were in the fridge at work and had to throw most of them out. It made me sad.
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Leftover Pasta Frittata

November 5, 2012

Guys, today was a big day for me. Life’s been a little crazy, so leftovers have piled up in my fridge for the past week. My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I bought produce and I thought I would use more of my leftovers, but I was going to have to throw everything away. And then I found the leftover pasta frittata, and my life changed.

Its beauty is in its simplicity and flexibility. Seriously almost anything can go in this frittata. Leftover beer mac & cheese? Check. Orange bell pepper and spinach getting close to expiration? Throw them in.

Generally I don’t have the time or energy to cook on a work night, but this was so easy. I even got some yoga in while the frittata was baking in the oven!READ THE POST

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti

October 21, 2012

Strangely, I’d never really wondered how biscotti were made. They haven’t ever really interested me as a food—I like my cookies and breads soft and gooey, not teeth-shattering.

Then one Sunday evening last month, I was minding my own business, watching TV and browsing Pinterest, and I got this sudden, strong compulsion to make biscotti. It was seriously weird.

So I began searching for biscotti recipes on Pinterest and also just online overall, bookmarking a few that looked interesting. But I was hampered somewhat by the ingredients I had on hand. For instance, I didn’t have almonds at home, and most of the recipes called for them. Then I found this gem of a recipe, and I was immediately hooked: chocolate hazelnut biscotti.

Strangely, I DID have hazelnuts on hand—my mom had given me some frozen hazelnut bits quite some time ago—so I decided it was fate, and set to work.

Biggest thing we learned from chocolate hazelnut biscotti-making experiment? I have no actual concept of what a half-inch is. Truly

Turns out, the basic premise of biscotti is that you bake it twice, which makes it crunchier and harder than a regular cookie or bread. And now you know.

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Sweet Brown Rice Porridge

September 24, 2012

I’m kind of at a loss for what to call this dish. At its root it’s “sweet rice”, a lightly-sweet breakfast dish my mom used to make occasionally with leftover rice when I was a kid. But it’s a couple steps beyond that, too, because I went on one of those sprees where I start throwing whatever else healthy I can think of into the pot.

Basically it’s an alternative to oatmeal. It’s really filling, easy to make ahead and bring to work, and very healthy as well.

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Infinitely better than an Egg McMuffin (Mini Breakfast Frittatas)

September 14, 2012

If it hasn’t been obvious from my past 10 or so posts, I’ve been really trying to find good, easy make-ahead breakfasts for weekdays. Part of that is that I’ve been trying to eat even healthier than normal to fit into a bridesmaid dress (and look good in my upcoming trip pictures). The other part is that my work schedule has been so crazy that I feel like normal meals have become non-existent. Enter the mini frittata.

This was very similar to the kind of baked/oven poached eggs I did a few weeks ago. And just as easy.

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Moist, Healthy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins

September 2, 2012

A couple weeks ago, my CSA box had some little apples in it. Now apples are one of those fruits I can kind of take or leave—I think I ate way too many some years ago taking the “an apple a day” adage too seriously. But they are fairly good for baking, and I wasn’t about to let these go to waste.

Since I’m trying to be really healthy (and fit into a dress next weekend), desserts like pies, crisps, etc. were out. But I’d pinned this healthy apple cinnamon oatmeal muffin recipe a while ago and decided it sounded sufficiently healthy.

My biggest complaint with muffins generally is that they’re usually kind of dry. Oh, sure, maybe they’re fine straight out of the oven. But once they cool they’re a surefire way to choking and getting the hiccups from not being able to swallow. BUT NOT THESE. Seriously, these are like magic moistness muffins.

I had a couple for breakfast all week, and they stayed just as moist and awesome. This might be my favorite muffin recipe ever.

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And the award for best presentation goes to… (Eggs in Peppers)

September 1, 2012

In looking at all my recipes lately, I’ve been on quite an egg kick. Which is weird because, while I don’t hate eggs or anything, I don’t really eat them that often and sometimes they make me a little nauseous. Maybe my sudden interest in eggs has to do with the ravenous protein cravings I’ve been having. Regardless, this recipe caught my eye because it was fast, easy, cute, and added a little something extra to your average egg recipe.

And I love red peppers.

If you’re the kind of person that keeps red peppers on hand, then this recipe is for you. And, it’s totally scalable—it can make one serving or feed a whole family if necessary.

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Double the pleasure, double the fiber (Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread)

August 28, 2012

I’ve definitely been on a bread-baking kick lately—though not sure if this one qualifies as an actual “bread”. It’s delicious and moist and fiber-ful and CHOCOLATE. It’s breakfast and dessert. It’s so many things.

And the best thing about this?? It’s surprisingly healthy! No, really.

While there’s some brown sugar in it, and the chocolate chips (though I use at least half dark chocolate chips because I think they taste better), otherwise it’s made with oil and honey and zucchini. You could even try using whole wheat flour, though I haven’t yet myself.

The first time I made it, I thought it was done and pulled it out of the oven too early, so seriously everything but the edges was complete chocolate goo. Which sounds great, but actually was just too much. So don’t be like me. Never be like me. The second time I got it right.

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Kale, Bacon, & Egg Breakfast Casserole

August 27, 2012

I never understood the big deal about breakfast casseroles until recently. My co-workers love them—of course, that’s because they usually have pig products in them, which I don’t get as excited about. But to me, it always seemed like more work and time to do a casserole than to just make eggs, bacon, and pancakes.

But I was intrigued by this one, partly because it contains my vegetable du jour (mese? annno?), kale. Kale for breakfast? Count me in! Also, I had a crowd to feed last weekend with family in town, and we had made turkey bacon the day before so I swiped a few pieces for the next day’s breakfast. Bam, one step down. I’m that efficient…

From there, it was super easy to put together and put in the oven. I included one of my little tricks for getting egg dishes to cook evenly in the instructions, because it’s saved my life a few times. I live in perpetual fear of accidentally giving all my co-workers or family food poisoning by under-cooking eggs or chicken.

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A “berry” good idea (Blueberry Scones)

August 22, 2012

My mom and sisters were in town last weekend, which means I cooked and baked my face off all weekend. It was a great excuse to try a bunch of new recipes and generally stuff ourselves!

On Saturday morning we decided to make some eggs and bacon, and then wanted some kind of bread. We thought about pancakes or waffles, but my mom suggested some kind of scones. Since I didn’t feel up to the effort that pumpkin scones require, I thought it was a great chance to try a new scone recipe.

I had frozen blueberries on-hand, so that worked just fine—blueberry scones it is! While this wasn’t my favorite scone recipe I’ve ever tried, it was a great one to have in the repertoire.

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Make-Ahead Mini Baked Eggs & Veggies

August 15, 2012

I’m a breakfast proponent. Not because I love eating so early in the morning, but because it’s one of the best things you can do for keeping your blood sugar and energy up all day. Normally I just go for fiber-y cereal or instant oatmeal, or the smoothies I’ve been doing lately, but I found this idea from Pinterest intriguing. I’ve seen several of my co-workers cook up eggs in a pan ahead of time and make a McMuffin-type breakfast when they get to work, but this was a little different—the egg ends up almost poached.

You can make them plain or throw some veggies or cheese in as well. I had some sweet peppers and summer squash leftover from my CSA box last week, so I used those, and threw in some spinach that was about to go bad. I forgot cheese, but would totally put a little on next time.

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