Around here we call quiche "breakfast pie" because it is just a kid-friendly word. I make this quiche at least one a month because the boys will gobble this up and it is so easy to make. I serve this easy meal with whole wheat blueberry muffins and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
Deep dish pie shell
5 eggs
1 cup half & half OR skim milk
3 sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped spinach
Bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use any breakfast meat, but the kids like bacon)
1 cup shredded cheese (we like cheddar, but you can use your favorite)
Salt, pepper, garlic, dry mustard (to your liking)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs well. Add in half & half (or milk), salt, pepper, garlic and dry mustard. Sometimes I even add in a few dashes of hot sauce (shhhh!).
3. Pour the egg mixture into the pie shell.
4. Add in bacon, onion and cheese.
5. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until set.
When I make this I keep the green onion and the spinach on one side of the quiche and place all of the bacon on the opposite side, this pleases the vegetarian and the meat eaters alike! We never have any leftovers. You could add in any ingredients of your liking such as sliced tomatoes, diced ham, Swiss cheese, etc. I've served this for both breakfast and an easy weeknight dinner.
Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Recipe: Overnight Blueberry French Toast
I am usually all about eating healthy, but sometimes you just need to indulge!! This recipe is almost like a dessert instead of a breakfast dish and it is worth every single calorie swallowed. My dear friend, Kathy, published a cookbook a few years ago with all of the proceeds going to a scholarship that is very near and dear to my heart. I happily purchased a cookbook and began searching for yummy recipes to make. Overnight blueberry french toast has become one of my absolute favorite recipes from this cookbook! I have made it many times for holidays, brunches and even a Sunday night breakfast dinner. We're actually having this evening along with bacon and scrambled eggs. I don't make this often as it is quite an indulgence, I don't even know how many calories is in one serving (not sure I want to know!).
The recipe calls for sliced french bread. Due to food allergies I cannot use just any french bread. Most bakery breads are made in the same facility as peanuts or tree nuts so I usually have to make my own which adds on prep and bake time. I recently discovered that the Jimmy John's in my area sells its day old loafs of bread for $.50 a piece. Two loaves of Jimmy John's bread is perfect for this recipe! Best of all, it is allergen safe for Brennan.
Ingredients
French baguette cut into one inch slices
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I like more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions
Lightly grease a casserole dish. Arrange bread slices in the dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour evenly over the bread. Turn the bread slices to coat evenly. Cover the bread and refrigerate overnight. Just before baking sprinkle the berries over the bread. Heat butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar in a saucepan until bubbly. Drizzle over the berries. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until set. Enjoy!!
The recipe calls for sliced french bread. Due to food allergies I cannot use just any french bread. Most bakery breads are made in the same facility as peanuts or tree nuts so I usually have to make my own which adds on prep and bake time. I recently discovered that the Jimmy John's in my area sells its day old loafs of bread for $.50 a piece. Two loaves of Jimmy John's bread is perfect for this recipe! Best of all, it is allergen safe for Brennan.
Ingredients
French baguette cut into one inch slices
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I like more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions
Lightly grease a casserole dish. Arrange bread slices in the dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour evenly over the bread. Turn the bread slices to coat evenly. Cover the bread and refrigerate overnight. Just before baking sprinkle the berries over the bread. Heat butter and 1/4 cup of brown sugar in a saucepan until bubbly. Drizzle over the berries. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until set. Enjoy!!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Recipe: High Protein Pancake Muffins
The boys and I are back to school and our regular school time schedule is back in full swing. I'm up every day at 5:45am to get ready. Brennan is up at 6:15am because it takes him so long to wake up each morning. While he tries to wake up, I start breakfast which is served about 6:30am. Alex gets up, we eat, the boys get dressed, brush their teeth and we are out the door at 7:15am. Alex goes to our cousin's house two days a week and attends preschool three days a week. I pack a load of food for Alex to take to our cousin's house so I don't really care if he eats breakfast at home because I know he will graze the whole time he is there! When Alex is at preschool he eats a healthy snack at 9:30am and he eats lunch at 11:00am so again, I know he will have access to good food to fill his tummy. Brennan and I are a different story. Brennan eats lunch at 11:10am; that is a 4.5 hour gap between breakfast and lunch. I walk into my own classroom and I don't stop until noon. I may be able to sneak a quick snack in while the children are at recess, but even then that is rare because I am cleaning, pulling in book bags, answering emails, etc. I know that eating breakfast is vital, but nothing is sticking with us to keep us satisfied until lunch! I started making protein drinks for Brennan and I to sip on the drive to school. He has his drink finished around 7:40am so I feel better knowing that not only does he have a full belly from breakfast, but he also has a tummy full of 20g of protein drink made with low-fat milk. Now he only has a 3.5 hour gap between meals. He tells me he feels full and isn't hungry in the mornings so it must be working! Alex refuses to drink the protein drinks so that just leaves more for us!
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a recipe for a high protein pancake muffin. I was skeptical at first thinking it must be filled with sugar or some type of additive, but I was pleasantly surprised with the ingredients. The nice thing about this recipe is you can change up the type of breakfast meat. For the batch I made I used maple sausage links and veggie bacon, but you could easily used crumbled sausage, pork bacon, diced ham, etc. The boys tore these "muffins" up!! They freeze very well so I've been able to cook these up in the morning for a quick, hot, healthy breakfast that is full of protein to fill the tummy. Best of all, they are so easy and fast to make! According to my friend who created this recipe, it is high protein based on the fact the liquid is limited and the protein from the greek yogurt, extra eggs and meat bulk it up.
Ingredients:
3 cups oat pancake mix (I used Quaker brand, but regular mix would still work, not as much protein)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
4 eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
breakfast meat of your choice
Directions:
1. Mix the first five ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Line a mini-muffin pan (or regular sized muffin pan, your choice) with liners or spritz with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Fill the muffins 2/3 of a way full with pancake batter.
4. Place meat into each muffin tin.
5. Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until fully done.
Note on the meat: When I used the links, I sliced one link into fourths. I placed one piece in each mini-muffin and two pieces in each regular sized muffin. I pressed the links into the batter so the muffin would form around the meat, but you can just place the crumbed meat on top (some might sink into the batter, but some will stay on top).
A great big thank you to my friend Tonya for posting this recipe!! It is a new family favorite!
A few weeks ago I stumbled upon a recipe for a high protein pancake muffin. I was skeptical at first thinking it must be filled with sugar or some type of additive, but I was pleasantly surprised with the ingredients. The nice thing about this recipe is you can change up the type of breakfast meat. For the batch I made I used maple sausage links and veggie bacon, but you could easily used crumbled sausage, pork bacon, diced ham, etc. The boys tore these "muffins" up!! They freeze very well so I've been able to cook these up in the morning for a quick, hot, healthy breakfast that is full of protein to fill the tummy. Best of all, they are so easy and fast to make! According to my friend who created this recipe, it is high protein based on the fact the liquid is limited and the protein from the greek yogurt, extra eggs and meat bulk it up.
Ingredients:
3 cups oat pancake mix (I used Quaker brand, but regular mix would still work, not as much protein)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
4 eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
breakfast meat of your choice
Directions:
1. Mix the first five ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Line a mini-muffin pan (or regular sized muffin pan, your choice) with liners or spritz with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Fill the muffins 2/3 of a way full with pancake batter.
4. Place meat into each muffin tin.
5. Bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until fully done.
Note on the meat: When I used the links, I sliced one link into fourths. I placed one piece in each mini-muffin and two pieces in each regular sized muffin. I pressed the links into the batter so the muffin would form around the meat, but you can just place the crumbed meat on top (some might sink into the batter, but some will stay on top).
A great big thank you to my friend Tonya for posting this recipe!! It is a new family favorite!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Recipe: Whole Wheat Waffles
My boys love breakfast foods. If I allowed it, they would eat breakfast for every meal. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, french toast, oats, cream of wheat, yogurt, bacon, fruit....they love it all. Pancakes and waffles are probably their absolute favorites. I can easily whip up a healthy batch of pancakes, but I could never make waffles because I didn't have the right equipment. I make sure I buy whole wheat varieties and when possible I buy organic. A few weeks ago my mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I knew instantly that I wanted a waffle maker. When I opened up my new waffle maker on Christmas Eve Brennan just about burst with excitement! Seriously, the child was happier than I was to receive this gift! He is so funny.
Earlier this week I made a run to Whole Foods where I picked up a package of organic whole wheat flour, organic frozen blueberries and my organic/cage free eggs and organic milk. I was on a mission to make the healthiest waffles possible! Tonight for dinner we had whole wheat blueberry waffles, uncured bacon and scrambled eggs. My kids were in Heaven!
This recipe is easy to make and my kids gobbled them up one after the other. If you have a waffle maker I highly suggest making this. Tonight we made a blueberry version; next time I will omit the berries and make a cinnamon waffle. Either way, I know exactly what went into the meal, I can make enough to freeze for future meals and I can change up the variations to our liking.
Ingredients
2 eggs (separate the yolk from the whites, you will use it all)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon stevia (you can use white sugar)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pureed blueberries
Directions
1. Preheat waffle maker/iron. I sprayed mine with non-stick spray so the waffles would come out easier.
2. Beat egg yolks in a large with a mixer. Beat in flour, milk, applesauce, stevia, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and berries until well blended and smooth. Fold in egg whites.
3. When the maker/iron is hot, pour the mix onto the hot top, close and cook until golden brown. Be sure you do not over pour the batter, you will get a mess!
4. Enjoy with 100% maple syrup!
NOTE: Pureed fruits cook better than whole chunks of fruit.
If you do not want to add in blueberries, add in 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Chopped nuts are also tasty and healthy when added to the brown sugar and cinnamon variety.
Earlier this week I made a run to Whole Foods where I picked up a package of organic whole wheat flour, organic frozen blueberries and my organic/cage free eggs and organic milk. I was on a mission to make the healthiest waffles possible! Tonight for dinner we had whole wheat blueberry waffles, uncured bacon and scrambled eggs. My kids were in Heaven!
This recipe is easy to make and my kids gobbled them up one after the other. If you have a waffle maker I highly suggest making this. Tonight we made a blueberry version; next time I will omit the berries and make a cinnamon waffle. Either way, I know exactly what went into the meal, I can make enough to freeze for future meals and I can change up the variations to our liking.
Ingredients
2 eggs (separate the yolk from the whites, you will use it all)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon stevia (you can use white sugar)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pureed blueberries
Directions
1. Preheat waffle maker/iron. I sprayed mine with non-stick spray so the waffles would come out easier.
2. Beat egg yolks in a large with a mixer. Beat in flour, milk, applesauce, stevia, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and berries until well blended and smooth. Fold in egg whites.
3. When the maker/iron is hot, pour the mix onto the hot top, close and cook until golden brown. Be sure you do not over pour the batter, you will get a mess!
4. Enjoy with 100% maple syrup!
NOTE: Pureed fruits cook better than whole chunks of fruit.
If you do not want to add in blueberries, add in 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Chopped nuts are also tasty and healthy when added to the brown sugar and cinnamon variety.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Breakfast
Of all of the meals and snacks eaten, I am a firm believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the entire day. After resting and repairing your body all night long, you need healthy, nutritious foods to get your system up and running. I am always amazed at what people believe is food, especially breakfast foods. Sure, my family indulges in the occasional doughnut and on rare instances I do let the boys buy a box of sugar laden cereal, but these "treats" are eaten on special occasions like vacation or on Saturday morning. During the week I make it a point to serve a healthy breakfast every morning. As a preschool teacher I ask my students, usually during circle time, what they ate for breakfast. I usually hear Pop Tarts, Coco Puffs, Toaster Strudels or nothing at all. The last response concerns me more than a bowl of Honey Smacks. How can a parent send their child, especially a tiny child, off to school with nothing in their tummy?!
Breakfast does not have to be some elaborate, time consuming task. While we always eat at the table, one could easily create a portable healthy meal to feed in the car or at the bus stop. Here is a list of easy breakfast ideas:
Pancakes: I like to make double batches of whole wheat pancakes on Sunday morning. After we eat I layer pancakes between pieces of wax paper and freeze them in a zip lock bag. When the boys want pancakes on Tuesday morning all I do is reach into the freezer bag, grab a few frozen pancakes, pop 'em in the microwave and in less than one minute we have hot tasty cakes. In addition to making our pancakes with whole wheat flour, I also add in yummy extras such as pureed pumpkin & cinnamon, diced apples, pureed or whole blueberries (fresh or frozen depending what I have on hand), mashed banana and on occasion a few tablespoons of chocolate chips. If you add in fruit the cakes are sweet enough to even forgo the traditional maple syrup, making these super easy to eat on the run. And speaking of syrup, did you know that Log Cabin, Aunt Jemima, etc is NOT maple syrup? It is just high fructose corn syrup mixed with a bunch of artificial flavorings and other ingredients. Schnucks, Dierbergs, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, etc all carry 100% maple syrup. It is pricier compared to the $1.00 bottle of "syrup" you can get at Schnucks, but it is real, all natural maple syrup from a tree. I buy our maple syrup for about $6 at Trader Joe's. A little goes a long way!
Waffles: If you cannot make your own whole wheat waffles, but whole grain frozen waffles. Top with a smear of butter (peanut, almond, sunflower, soy) and some fresh sliced strawberries or banana and you have a fast, easy meal.
Burrito: Stuff a whole wheat or corn tortilla with scrambled egg, low fat cheese (and some diced veggies if so desired). You can eat this as you walk or drive.
Smoothie: Pour milk (skim, almond, rice, soy or coconut) into a blender with fresh/frozen fruit and a little low fat yogurt. If you have protein powder add in a teaspoon or tablespoon for added protein.
Oatmeal: I "stole" this recipe from my friend, Maria. Before you go to bed add 2/3 cup of old fashioned oats to 2/3 cup of milk (skim, almond, soy, rice, coconut....I like coconut milk). Mix and place in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to eat the next morning, pop the oats in the microwave and top with anything of your liking. I love to add a dash of cinnamon, a small scoop of sunbutter and some sliced banana. Yum!
Yogurt: A cup of lower sugar yogurt topped with sliced fruit and a few tablespoons of granola is a fast, healthy breakfast. Try Greek yogurt for added protein.
Other quick, easy, healthy ideas are fresh fruit such as apples and bananas, dried fruit packets (look for the sugar content), whole wheat cereals with higher protein/lower sugar content such as Kashi varieties, sunflower/soy/peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread/tortilla or a whole grain bagel with low fat cream cheese and sliced fruit.
Breakfast does not have to be some elaborate, time consuming task. While we always eat at the table, one could easily create a portable healthy meal to feed in the car or at the bus stop. Here is a list of easy breakfast ideas:
Pancakes: I like to make double batches of whole wheat pancakes on Sunday morning. After we eat I layer pancakes between pieces of wax paper and freeze them in a zip lock bag. When the boys want pancakes on Tuesday morning all I do is reach into the freezer bag, grab a few frozen pancakes, pop 'em in the microwave and in less than one minute we have hot tasty cakes. In addition to making our pancakes with whole wheat flour, I also add in yummy extras such as pureed pumpkin & cinnamon, diced apples, pureed or whole blueberries (fresh or frozen depending what I have on hand), mashed banana and on occasion a few tablespoons of chocolate chips. If you add in fruit the cakes are sweet enough to even forgo the traditional maple syrup, making these super easy to eat on the run. And speaking of syrup, did you know that Log Cabin, Aunt Jemima, etc is NOT maple syrup? It is just high fructose corn syrup mixed with a bunch of artificial flavorings and other ingredients. Schnucks, Dierbergs, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, etc all carry 100% maple syrup. It is pricier compared to the $1.00 bottle of "syrup" you can get at Schnucks, but it is real, all natural maple syrup from a tree. I buy our maple syrup for about $6 at Trader Joe's. A little goes a long way!
Waffles: If you cannot make your own whole wheat waffles, but whole grain frozen waffles. Top with a smear of butter (peanut, almond, sunflower, soy) and some fresh sliced strawberries or banana and you have a fast, easy meal.
Burrito: Stuff a whole wheat or corn tortilla with scrambled egg, low fat cheese (and some diced veggies if so desired). You can eat this as you walk or drive.
Smoothie: Pour milk (skim, almond, rice, soy or coconut) into a blender with fresh/frozen fruit and a little low fat yogurt. If you have protein powder add in a teaspoon or tablespoon for added protein.
Oatmeal: I "stole" this recipe from my friend, Maria. Before you go to bed add 2/3 cup of old fashioned oats to 2/3 cup of milk (skim, almond, soy, rice, coconut....I like coconut milk). Mix and place in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to eat the next morning, pop the oats in the microwave and top with anything of your liking. I love to add a dash of cinnamon, a small scoop of sunbutter and some sliced banana. Yum!
Yogurt: A cup of lower sugar yogurt topped with sliced fruit and a few tablespoons of granola is a fast, healthy breakfast. Try Greek yogurt for added protein.
Other quick, easy, healthy ideas are fresh fruit such as apples and bananas, dried fruit packets (look for the sugar content), whole wheat cereals with higher protein/lower sugar content such as Kashi varieties, sunflower/soy/peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread/tortilla or a whole grain bagel with low fat cream cheese and sliced fruit.
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