This French Toast Casserole is the perfect breakfast or brunch recipe that will be a hit with any crowd. A beautiful, crisp top, with a custardy middle and a sweet layer at the bottom that acts as the syrup topping.
Continue reading “French Toast Casserole”
Thick and creamy chia pudding layered with shredded coconut, mango chunks, and roasted pistachios. The fresh tropical flavors for a healthy breakfast will become your favorite way to start the day!
Continue reading “Mango Coconut Chia Pudding”
These healthy almond butter muffins are the perfect tasty treat. They are perfect to add in the lunchbox for a snack or dessert, or even to eat for breakfast.
Continue reading “Almond Butter Muffins”
This Dragon fruit Smoothie Bowl is a beautiful, quick, and easy tropical breakfast recipe! Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is nutrient dense food packed with antioxidants, low calories making it a great option for vegan and paleo diets. Made with just 3 ingredients, dragon fruit, mango, and coconut water, add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Continue reading “Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl”
**Original post published Nov. 2020. Updated Aug. 2021**
A couple of months ago, I won our local Farmer’s Market cooking competition and part of my prize was a big box of fresh goodies from the market. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so excited to get fresh veggies and fruits! I honestly felt like a contestant on Chopped from The Food Network in that I wanted to use all of my produce and come up with a delicious dish.
Well, considering there were so much produce, I’m not sure I would be able to eat more than 3 bites of any dish made from all of the veggies and fruits! One of my favorites in that box was the beet greens with their beautiful red stems. I’ve had quite a few people ask me what I use them for and what they can cook out of them. A definite go to are to cook them down like collard greens but I wanted to do something more creative and decided to add the beet greens to a hash and topping it with an egg made it the perfect breakfast for a busy day or a big, healthy lunch bowl.
The vibrant orange and red colors of the root veggies as they are being cooked, the bold green of the beets…..eeek! I’m salivating just thinking about this recipe. The best part is all the nutrition you get in this sustainable hash:
Topping this hash with a fried or hard boiled egg adds a little extra protein though to keep it vegetarian/vegan, you can always replace the egg with a grilled tofu steak.
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy this delicious and healthy Sweet Potato and Beet Hash!
Summer is practically over in less than a week for us. I’m going to miss the lazy mornings, the relaxed schedules, and eating pancakes and french toast for breakfast. I’m looking forward to having a regular schedule in the mornings but planning them out will take some effort.
If you are looking for easy and healthy breakfasts then you’re in the right place! I’ve compiled some of our favorite breakfast recipes below. There are several chia pudding recipes as that has become a family favorite lately. Others, like the Apple Pie Oatmeal takes 3 minutes in the Instant Pot. I also like to make Almond Butter Breakfast Bars and Breakfast Oat Muffins over the weekend for on the go days.
If you want to see certain recipes on the blog, leave a comment below. I would love to create recipes for you!
If I had to choose any other fruit besides mango, figs would definitely take second place. The soft exterior, the honey sweet flesh, and the crunch of the seeds as you eat each one is just heaven. Pair it with chia pudding topped with fresh baked granola and garnished with a sprig of mint, well, you just won’t want anything else for breakfast!
Continue reading “Fig and Chia Pudding Parfait”
A savory filling with a crispy, flaky crust loaded with fresh vegetables that is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner!
Continue reading “Garden Vegetable Quiche with a Gluten-Free Crust”
A DECADENT Date Smoothie that is creamy, healthy, naturally sweetened and vegan!
Continue reading “Date Smoothie”
Sweet, crunchy, nutty, and deliciously addicting! This Crunchy Granola has it all and it is so quick and easy to make! Add it to your yogurt, cereal or eat it for a snack. It also makes a great gift!
I’ve got this friend Michelle. She is one the most amazing moms I know. She and I are workout buddies, lunch wine partners, we turn to each other when our children worry or frustrate us, and she’s who I bounce my recipes off of all the time. Between our busy schedules, toddler/kid tantrums, and crazy lives whilst dealing with Covid, somehow we always find time to talk about food.
Whether we discuss what’s for dinner, ordering out, trying to find ways to get our kids to eat breakfast in a decent amount of time that is faster than a snail’s pace, food always makes its way into our daily conversations.
Several years ago, I had hosted an Easter Egg hunt and brunch potluck. Michelle was kind enough to volunteer to make some granola. Before this, I never thought to make granola at home, we always bought it. Man it was good.
At that time, my oldest was not really fond of eating granola. At another time, we were invited over to their place for brunch and sure enough there was granola. Michelle’s daughter Eleanor called it crunch-crunch and of course, in toddler language, that was good enough for Sanaya to start eating granola.
This crunchy granola recipe is in honor of Michelle and Eleanor who introduced homemade granola to my family after which we have never turned back to store bought. It is especially a nod of thank you and love to Eleanor’s love of crunch-crunch.
WHAT MAKES THIS GRANOLA SO CRUNCHY?
I’ve recently learned a secret during my experiments in the kitchen. If I melt the maple syrup and olive oil together for a couple of minutes. Once I’ve added this to the granola mix and it starts to cool down, the maple syrup starts to coagulate. As this heats and cools during the baking process, it will help the granola harden into one large chunk which you can then break into pieces.
WHAT MAKES THIS SO SPECIAL?
The simplicity of this granola I think is what I love best. It literally takes me 3 minutes to combine all the dry ingredients, another 3 minutes to heat up the syrup and oil and add it to the granola mix. After that, basically a waiting game for the granola to cook and cool down enough so we all can eat it without burning our mouths.
I always use coconut in my granola – it’s a staple I don’t think I can live without in my granola. As for the nuts, I chose to use almond slivers and pistachios. I kept the pistachios whole for an added crunch and they taste SO good roasted. You can easily give them a rough chop if you have little ones who are not able to have whole nuts just yet.
Well… what are you waiting for? Go ahead. Try this recipe and get hooked like we have!
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this deliciously Simple Homemade Crunchy Granola.
Here are the tools I used for this recipe:
**Updated Feb 2021. Originally published May 2020**
Popeye muffins are one of the girls’ favorites. I started making these when the girls were too young to eat leafy greens but old enough to eat more than pureed meals. They were an instant hit then, and luckily they still are now. Vibrant green, sweet and soft…. you can’t go wrong with these!
A few days ago, my brother and sister-in-law were blessed with an adorable little baby! Throughout her pregnancy, we had nicknamed the baby Blueberry and called him as such. It is in honor of his birth that I dedicate this recipe to my little munchkin. He is so adorable and cute, I’m so excited and lucky to be his aunt!
In the spirit of welcoming the new baby, I made these loaves in mini pans but you can absolutely bake them in a regular 9×5 loaf pan.
Last week, a friend was kind enough to share lemons from her lemon tree and they are absolutely amazing. The juice from the lemons were the perfect complement to brighten up these lovely blueberry loaves. In addition, I added a little yogurt and replaced the sugar with honey to give it just a hint of sweet without overpowering it. The addition of these two ingredients makes the loaves even more fluffy and light.
Pair it with coffee or chai to complement a slice of this delicious loaf for breakfast, snack, or dinner. Once you’ve baked them, they will keep at room temperature for up to 1 week and in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Though, we’re pretty good about making sure they are eaten pretty quickly!
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy these delicious Lemon Blueberry Mini Loaves.
**To make 1 large loaf, use a 9x5 loaf pan and bake 50 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Here are the tools I used:
It’s going on week 2 of my New Year’s Resolution of trying to eat healthier and so far, the first half of the first week did not go well. Part of the problem is a new school schedule with the girls but the other part is me not taking accountability of the changing timetable and doing something right away. A couple of days passed before I realized I needed to up my game quick and couldn’t wait for the weekend so came along the decision to make these delicious Almond Butter Breakfast Bars.
I love these bars because they are filling, healthy, and quick to make. You can absolutely substitute peanut butter for the almond butter or even sun butter if you have a family member allergic to nuts. I did use almond flour in this recipe which you can substitute for any flour of your choice. And to make them vegan – simple, substitute the honey for agave. That’s the best part of this recipe – it’s versatility.
Here are some great nutrition benefits of these delicious bars:
So, what are you waiting for? You have got to try these delicious bars. Let me know what you think! From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy these delicious Almond Butter Breakfast Bars!
** Substitute with peanut butter or any nut/seed butter 1:1 ratio
**Keep at room temperature as it will become too hard in the fridge.
Here are the tools I used:
Breakfast is always the hardest meal for me to be creative with. I’m constantly trying to make different foods to keep the days going and prevent burnout on any single dish. We’ve cycled through oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, eggs in all forms, muffins, and so many other variations of the above!
I had some crepes leftover from another meal and decided to use them for breakfast. You can make the crepe batter fresh in the morning or pre-make your crepes and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.
Go nuts with the filling. I kept it simple with some sautéed spinach and cheese but you can add in turkey slices, ham, bacon, or other veggies like tomatoes, squash, and onions.
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this breakfast!
I had my first ricotta pancakes a few years ago when I was out for a brunch with my girl friends. They were light, fluffy and creamy all in one bite! Oh so delicious!
I added a hint of lemon to these to give it a bit of tang and brighten them up. My girls could taste it and loved it which I thought was amazing! I believe it’s going to become our weekend tradition!
You can taste the ricotta but it adds moisture and creaminess to the pancakes that takes them to a whole other level. It really is the perfect start to your day and weekend.
While you heat up your griddle, mix the dry ingredients in 1 bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl. Then combine the two and whisk so the batter is nice and smooth! It’s really a simple recipe that doesn’t take too long.
Add in some berries while the pancakes are on the griddle or serve a bowl of berries on the side – you can never go wrong with berries on pancakes.
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy these delicious pancakes.
The first couple of days back to school reminded me of how I felt when I had my kids. I thought I was prepared but you never are. So this weekend, I’m working on some meal prepping and planning so that I can save time and focus on work and the girls’ school time. Continue reading “Meal Planning Ideas”
Homemade granola is the best! It’s healthy, you know exactly what ingredients are going into it, and there is so much room to play around with it!
Can you tell I made this one all about the nuts? I added chopped almonds and pistachios to this granola and it tastes so delicious! Crunchy and scrumptious, and the girls an I couldn’t stop eating it.
My favorite part of this granola recipe…. it takes 5 minutes to toss the ingredients together and only 20 minutes in the oven! Yep. Granola in less than 30 minutes. It’s possible people!
If you like this granola recipe, check out my “Date” with Granola recipe. That is a huge hit in our family too!
What to use in a Nutty Granola?
OATS: always a basic ingredient, I use the old fashioned as these are the best to bind. I don’t recommend using the quick oats as they are thinner and (as the name suggests) cook faster which can lead to other ingredients in the granola being partially cooked.
NUTS: any of your favorites will do. Cashews, pecans, and walnuts taste great too! Lately I’ve been on a pistachio and almond craze hence that’s what I used in this one
SWEETENER: traditionally honey or maple syrup is used. In this recipe, I changed it to agave. Any of the three sweeteners work, just substitute it out for a 1:1 ratio.
What can I eat my granola with?
Make a YOGURT PARFAIT with it
Sprinkle it on some vanilla ICE CREAM
Eat it as CEREAL for breakfast with some milk
Indulge in a little bit as an AFTERNOON SNACK
What do I need to make this granola?
Besides the ingredients, all you need is a mixing bowl, spatula, and a baking sheet. So simple!
If you like how simple and delicious this granola is, try out some of my other easy recipes:
A “Date” with Granola
Spicy Garlic Hummus
Berry Bake
Breakfast Oat Muffins
These Breakfast Soufflé Bites are so quick to make, delicious, and fun to play with the toppings. Even better, you can make them ahead and freeze them to reheat on a busy morning.
Light, airy and packed with protein and a variety of nutrients, you don’t have to worry about what healthy breakfast to make in the mornings. Wrap them in foil, pop them in the freezer and when you want to eat them, reheat in the toaster oven or oven and they’re the perfect breakfast on the go meal.
Here are the add-ins I used:
What toppings will you play around with?
From my breakfast table to yours, I hope you enjoy this!
Aloo parathas are a standard in any Indian household, especially for breakfast/brunch on the weekends. Traditionally a Punjabi dish, it is popular amongst everyone for its taste, and the nostalgic reminder of home. Continue reading “Aloo Paratha Yum “
These days, I’ve seen and heard friends and family tell me they are working harder than ever, missing meals during the day. Some are working from home trying to manage homeschool, work and life in general. Others have a profession that is an essential role to our community right now and are giving so much to us. While I hope missing meals doesn’t become daily routine, here is a breakfast omelette that will start out anyone’s day on the right foot! Continue reading “Masala Omelette Yum “
I really had to find a way to sell eating oatmeal to my kids. We went through a phase where they loved oatmeal then, for the past 6 months, just the name would send them running in fear as if I was punishing them.
So, what does any desperate mother do? Change the name, feed the same food, and take the win. Seriously, I love this game where they think they won, and I know I definitely did!
When I first started making steel cut oats, it was a dump and turn on the machine type deal. You can absolutely still do that with this recipe instead of roasting the oats. I just love to do that because it gives it a little more of a nutty flavor and aroma. We are all busy these days and need more time so if you don’t have enough to roast the oats, don’t worry – the oatmeal will still taste just as great. (Side note, I do not roast the oats in the slow cooker as it takes forever to heat up – at least for me – and I don’t have the patience for that).
I love this recipe because it is so easy to make and you can batch cook it so it lasts you for a few days. Let’s face it, life is crazy for a lot of us, between working from home, homeschooling children and just trying to keep sane. My favorite method of cooking this recipe is either in a slow cooker or an instant pot as you don’t have to spend so much time watching over it. It is therapeutic to just stand over the stove and stir it until it cooks (as I practice to zone out the kids bickering who will get a certain spoon or sit in a specific spot).
I’ve made it all three ways so I know it turns out delicious regardless of your method of cooking. The ratios below are for 4-6 servings. You can double or triple the amount without any change in flavor and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Just add a little milk or water when you are reheating it to loosen it up a bit.
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you and your family enjoy this apple pie oatmeal!
Ingredients:
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced (reserve ½ apple, chopped for topping)
2 c almond milk
1 c water
1 c steel cut oats
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp EVOO or Avo Oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ c chopped walnuts
Directions:
For Instant Pot:
Set to sauté mode and heat up oil. Add the oats and roast for 3-5 minutes. Add in the apples and mix for 1 minute. Add in the remaining ingredients and cover instant pot with vent in sealing position. Change setting to pressure cook or manual and set time for 5 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, do a 20 minute NPR (natural pressure release). Release the steam left in the vent and open up the instant pot. Add remaining apples and walnuts for topping and enjoy hot!
For Slow Cooker:
Spray the inside of your slow cooker with a little cooking spray to prevent burning and sticking.
Mix all ingredients and cover overnight. Set a delay start for 4 hours with a cooking time for 4 hours on high heat. Remove cover and stir to combine evenly. Serve hot with toppings and enjoy!
For Stovetop:
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add in the oil. Add the oats and roast for 3-5 minutes. Add in the apples and mix for 1 minute.Add in the remaining ingredients and stir continuously for the first 3-5 minutes until the oats start thickening. Cook for 35 minutes, stirring frequently. As they start to become creamy and thick, you may want to lower the heat. Once they are cooked, remove from heat and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Serve hot with toppings and enjoy!
This recipe is one of my favorites. I learned it almost 4 years ago in Arizona. We had gone for the weekend to hang out with Pankaj’s friends from college. It was Sunday morning and we decided to do a fun brunch. Rupal (our friend who we went to visit) suggested we make Greek Crepes. OMG have I been hooked on them since! I don’t know about her, but I know I definitely stumbled through this one, pretending I knew what I was doing when in fact, all I knew how to do was make the crepes. The Greek part was literally Greek to me. Continue reading “Greek Inspired Crepes Yum “
Times are trying right now as we adjust to working from home, homeschooling and entertaining children at home and just keeping a normal routine for a minimum of the next month as we battle COVID-19. The first couple of days at home, my children thought we were on vacation…… well, it kind of is I suppose. In our household, that also means waking up earlier, knowing the children don’t have to pretend they’re sleeping to avoid going to school (they’re starting early!), and also, wanting to eat whatever they want whenever they want.
I decided I needed to get an upper hand in this mess and started a frenzy of organizing my pantry and creating my menu.
Over the years, I’ve learned that my munchkins are creatures of habit and though they would prefer to eschew breakfast in lieu of playing and running around or snacking all day, their bodies tell me different when we go through a tantrum. This berry bake is loaded with fiber, protein, vitamins, and great flavor, it’s a win-win.
I put this recipe of a bake together because it can loosely be termed as a breakfast bar and it’s a dump and bake deal. It’s also really easy because you make a generous amount and refrigerate the rest up to a week and pull them out throughout the week without putting in much effort. The best part is most of these items may already be in your pantry.
Completely vegetarian and easily modified to be a vegan recipe if you replace the butter with vegan butter. You can also substitute frozen berries instead of fresh or any other fruit you have on hand without compromising the integrity of the bars. Try it out and tell me how you like it.
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy! Be safe, Be healthy!
Ingredients:
1 c almond milk
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 ½ Tbsp butter, melted
1 ½ c Old Fashioned Oats
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 Tbsp Flaxseed
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 c mixed berries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
2. Spray a 10×7 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray
3. Mix all the ingredients and transfer to the pan
4. Bake for 25 minutes, a few minutes longer if you prefer a crunchier bar
5. Cool for 5 minutes and cut into 1″x2″ bars
6. Wrap leftover bars individually in saran wrap and refrigerate up to 1 week.
Enjoy!
Breakfast is my favorite meal. There are so many fun foods to eat and start your day. Sweet or savory, light or hearty, healthy or greasy!
A couple of months ago, a friend recommended a local restaurant, Homegrown. The moment I walked in and saw their menu, I fell in love. They’re a casual place that serves food which is organic and from local farmers. Talk about tasting the freshness in my food!
I ordered their Coconut Chia Porridge. Was I blown away! The creamy porridge paired with the crunchy toasted coconut and almonds, topped with sweet banana slices. I was in breakfast heaven!
Since then, I’ve been obsessed. Especially over the last week. I just can’t get it out of my mind so I decided to try my hand at it and make my own version.
In addition to chia seeds, I added flax seeds. A double dose of fiber and omega 3’s (which is a win-win when you’re feeding two toddlers)!
If you don’t have time in the morning because you need to rush out of the house, then this is a very easy prepare the night before recipe. Just mix all the ingredients for the oats, cover and keep in the refrigerator. Heat it up the next morning and add your toppings.
Here is what I added to mine: toasted coconut, walnuts, craisins, sesame seeds and fresh blueberries. Not the same as Homegrown obviously but still delicious!
Try it out!
Ingredients:
1c Steel Cut Oats
2c Unsweeteened Coconut Almond Milk (or any milk of your choice)
1c Water
1tsp Salt
1Tbsp Ground Flax Seed
1Tbsp Chia Seeds
For Toppings:
1Tbsp shredded coconut, toasted
Handful of toasted walnuts
2tsp Craisins
Handful of fresh blueberries
½tsp sesame seeds
1Tbsp Almond milk (or more for your desired consistency)
In a medium saucepan, combine the almond milk and water and boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and add in the oatmeal and salt. Stir occasionally as the oats cook, approximately 20 minutes. As the oats start to thicken, about 10 minutes into cooking them, add in the chia and flax seeds. Mix well and continue to cook until the oats are done.
Spoon into a bowl and add the toppings.
I hope you and your family enjoy this bowl of porridge as much as me and mine did!
This recipe has a couple of stories behind it. The most simplest, my toddler was having issues and I need to find a way for fiber to be in her diet and her to like it! The second story is a bit cuter.
We had been invited for breakfast and a playdate with one of her dearest friends, E. Her parents had laid out a delicious breakfast for us and part of it was Granola. I know you’re thinking, this is nice, but cute? Mmmmmm…… well let me tell you. E calls granola Crunch Crunch. My toddler, (like most toddlers), is a monkey see monkey do. She ate quite a bit that day and a couple weeks later, when I ran into a dilemma of how to incorporate more fiber, I had just the perfect solution. Yep, her new favorite word – crunch crunch!
Dates is my new fave thing. I like to snack on that and nuts throughout the day so I don’t eat enough chocolate to get a tummy ache. Plus, it is loaded with fiber so I knew I needed to include this in my recipe. The rest, well, was trial and error. This is a very simple recipe. Try it!
No seriously, try it! Our house eats it alone, with milk, yogurt, in any form basically because it is that good!
Chop up some dates
Add in the oats, walnuts, and coconut. (if you eat a bit of your ingredients along the way – don’t worry! I won’t tell because I’m doing the same!)
Add the salt, vanilla extract, and olive oil and mix well. Finally, add in the honey and mix really well. You want the honey to mix evenly so all the ingredients combine.
Be careful! I got greedy the first time and added too much honey. I definitely regretted that decision!
Line a 2inch baking sheet with a silicone mat and spread the granola evenly. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.
Look at how beautifully golden that looks!
Let it cool for about 5 minutes then gently scoop it into an airtight container. Or, if you are impatient like me, just eat it as soon as it cools and make excuses about tasting it!
I’m hoping my “Crunch Crunch” recipe will join you for breakfast soon!
Here’s the full recipe:
Date Granola
Ingredients:
2c chopped dates
3c Old Fashioned Oats
1c shredded coconut
1c chopped walnuts
2Tbsp honey
3tsp vanilla extract
3/4tsp salt
3/4c EVOO
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 2inch baking sheet with a silicone mat.
In a bowl, combine dates, oats, coconut, and walnuts. Add in vanilla extract, salt and EVOO. Mix well. Add in honey and mix until honey combines with granola.
Spread evenly into baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
When it’s golden brown, pull out of the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container for future use.
Enjoy!
