Category Archives: Breakfast

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

16 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Bread, Breakfast, Chocolate, Dessert, Vegetarian

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Chocolate Chip Biscotti

This recipe is one of my mom’s favorites.  Every time we get together for breakfast or brunch, she requests that I make my chocolate chip biscotti, claiming it’s the best she’s ever had.  Let’s hope you agree!  (In the photo above, I made half the biscotti using this recipe, and the other half was chocolate cherry biscotti, to create the plate of “zebra biscotti”!)

Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Time:  10 minutes prep; 40 minutes total
Yield:  40 pieces

½ cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3½ cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¾ cup mini chocolate chips
1.  Preheat the oven to 375ºF.  Lightly grease a jelly roll pan and set aside.

2.  Whisk together the oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla.

3.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.  Slowly combine the flour with the oil/sugar mixture, forming a sticky ball of dough.  Mix in the mini chocolate chips, kneading gently with your hands.

4.  Divide the dough into two pieces.  Roll into two separate logs, each roughly the length of the jelly roll pan.  Place on the prepared pan and gently pat down to flatten to about a 1-inch thickness.

5.  Bake at 375ºF for 22-27 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool just enough that it’s comfortable to touch.  Cut into ½-inch wide slices.  Return the slices to the pan, cut-side up.  Bake for an additional 6-10 minutes to lightly toast the surface.  Store in a sealed container for up to one month.

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Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Pineapple Carrot Bread

04 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Bread, Breakfast, Healthy

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Pineapple Carrot Bread

I am so excited about this recipe!  It’s rare that I pull something out my oven, taste it, then run to my computer to blog it, but that’s exactly what just happened.  This bread is so fantastic that I had to share it with you immediately!  I just devoured a slice and typing this up is helping me from chowing down on the rest of the loaf!  You’re going to love it because it has fresh springtime flavors such as carrots and orange zest.  Crushed pineapple keeps the bread moist while lending a little extra sweetness.  Raw sugar sprinkled on top gives the outside a nice little crunch.  I highly recommend baking a loaf for Easter breakfast next month!  To make it extra special, try topping it with a cream cheese frosting!

Pineapple Carrot Bread
Yield:  One 9″ x 5″ loaf (about 10 slices)
Time:  10 minutes active; 70 minutes total

1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup low fat plain yogurt
6 oz. crushed pineapple (with juice)
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. fresh orange zest
1 cup shredded carrots (roughly 1½ to 2 carrots)
1 tbsp. raw sugar (I use Sugar In The Raw)

1.  Lightly grease the sides and bottom of a metal 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.  Set aside.  Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

2.  Beat together the sugar, eggs and oil.  Stir in the vanilla extract, yogurt, and pineapple.  Set aside.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

4.  Fold in the carrots and orange zest.  Pour into the prepared loaf pan.  Evenly sprinkle the surface of the batter with 1 tbsp. raw sugar.  Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.  Allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.  (I recommend running a butter knife or spatula along the sides to help loosen it before inverting the pan.)  Slice once cool enough that it doesn’t crumble.

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Recipe credit:  This recipe was inspired by a cake recipe that I received from my mother-in-law’s good friend Lois at my bridal shower.

Pineapple Carrot Bread

Western Style Frittata

27 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Breakfast

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Western Style Frittata

Other than a super fun word to say, a frittata is basically a quiche without the heavy, greasy, fattening crust.  What you’re left with are fluffy, flavorful eggs!  I often prep for this recipe ahead of time (sauté the veggies, dice the ham, chop the chives and parsley, and shred the cheese) so that when I have overnight guests, I can throw this together relatively quickly before they even wake up.  Little do they know when they wander into the kitchen for coffee that breakfast is well on its way, finishing in the oven and about to hit the table!

Western Style Frittata
Yield: 8 slices (1 or 2 slices per serving is recommended)
Time:  20 minutes active;  40 minutes total

12 eggs, beaten
½ cup whole milk
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or pepperjack for a little kick!)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. smoked paprika (optional)
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large handful fresh spinach
8 oz. deli ham, diced
2 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

1.  Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2.  In a large non-stick sauté pan (9 to 11 inch diameter), cook the onions and peppers with the olive oil (and smoked paprika, if using) over medium heat until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the spinach and continue cooking over medium heat for another 2-3 minutes, tossing occasionally, until spinach is sautéed.

3.  Whisk together the eggs and milk.  Stir in the shredded cheese, salt, and pepper.

4.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan right over the sautéed veggies and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes.  Evenly sprinkle the ham, parsley, and chives over the egg.  Cook for another 8 minutes, until egg begins to cook and hold its shape.  Transfer the entire sauté pan to the oven.  Cook for 15-20 minutes, until egg is no longer runny and the frittata has puffed up a bit.

5.  Remove from the oven.  Loosen the edges with a spatula and gently slide onto a cutting board.  Cut like a pizza into 8 slices.  Top with additional shredded cheese, parsley and/or chives if you’d like.  Serve with ketchup.

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Crunchy Granola

14 Wednesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Breakfast, Dessert, Fruit, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

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Crunchy Granola

According to Urban Dictionary, crunchy granola refers to “a person who is into all that natural crap and eats tofu and does yoga and hugs trees”.  I don’t mind tofu if it’s well disguised (it actually adds unparalleled moisture to cakes!), I have come to really love yoga, but I’ve never hugged a tree and don’t intend to!  I don’t think I’m particularly crunchy, but I am a sucker for this homemade granola!  Since I’m very allergic to nuts, granola is one of those foods that I never get to eat unless it’s homemade, since most packaged granolas contains at least one variety of nuts.  I’ve tried making it many times, and I’m usually disappointed because it’s a little soft, not super crunchy how I love it.  I finally hit the nail on the head with this recipe!  I hope you love it as much as I do!  It’s a great snack to munch on dry handfuls, or enjoy it mixed into yogurt with fresh berries for a filling and healthy breakfast or dessert parfait.

Crunchy Granola
Yield:  3 cups
Time:  10 minutes hands-on;  60 minutes total

2 cups oats (use the old fashioned type, not quick cooking)
1/3 cup oat bran*
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup orange juice
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup total dried fruit (I like using a combination of raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries, and dried blueberries.  Dried mango, papaya, pineapple, or cranberries could also work!)

1.  Preheat the oven to 325ºF.  Lightly grease a 9×13″ glass baking dish and set aside.

2.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the oats, oat bran, and cinnamon.  Set aside.

3.  In a small saucepan, combine the honey, orange juice, and brown sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Add the butter and mix until completely melted.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Pour over the oat mixture, tossing to coat.  Spread into the prepared baking dish.  Bake at 325ºF for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  At the end of the 45-minute baking time, remove from the oven and allow to sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, until fully cooled.  Gently break apart the pieces and stir in the dried fruit.

 

*For those of you not familiar with oat bran, it has a flour-like consistency and is usually sold in the same aisle with hot cereals such as Farina, Cream of Wheat,…  I often mix some into homemade pancake batter for more wholesome pancakes.  In this recipe, you could swap the oat bran for ground flax seeds if you prefer.

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Homemade Applesauce

28 Tuesday Oct 2014

Posted by in Breakfast, Dessert, Fruit, Healthy, Quick and Easy, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Homemade Applesauce

I absolutely LOVE homemade applesauce!  It’s so easy to make that I wonder why I don’t do it more often.  I inevitably make it every year to use up the rest of my apple picking bounty, and this year is no different.  Some people get really opinionated as to what type of apples are best to use in applesauce.  I say whatever you have on hand will work perfectly!  For this batch I used a combination of Ginger Gold, McIntosh, Gala, Honeycrisp, and two other varieties that we picked at a local orchard but I forget what they’re called.

Eat it plain for breakfast or a healthy snack, or use it as a topping for Pumpkin Pancakes or waffles!

Homemade Applesauce
Yield:  about 6 cups
Time:  35 minutes total

14 apples
1 cup apple juice (or apple cider)
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
t tbsp. lemon juice

1.  Wash, peel, and core the apples.  Cut into bite-sized chunks and place in a large pot.

2.  Whisk together the apple juice (or cider) with the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon juice.  Pour over the apples.  Cover the pot and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender.

3.  Using a potato masher, coarsely mash the apples.  If you prefer your applesauce to be smooth, purée using an immersion blender or a regular blender with a kitchen towel over the vent to allow steam to escape.  Part of what I love so much about homemade applesauce is the rustic chunkiness of it, so I leave some larger pieces of apple in mine.

4.  Allow to cool before storing in glass jars or bowls.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Note:  It’s irresistible served over vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of caramel syrup.  YUM!

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Homemade Applesauce over waffles