Category Archives: Breakfast

Baked Apple & Almond Oatmeal

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Hello 2013!

This is my first post for 2013, and to start the year off I thought I would share our mornings with you. They are very simple, easy going and luckily not usually rushed.  Mornings I will miss and dream of when I start working days again, which right now has no set date yet.  It never occurred to me we had a morning ritual until I came across a post on apartment therapy that got me thinking about it. I realized I was taking for granted this nice, comforting and enjoyable time of the day when we know automatically what happens next.

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A typical morning for us starts around 6:30am.  Somedays 6am (or earlier), which thankfully means play time with dad.  Some days 7am, but not usually later.  First stop is getting Calla changed and freshened up.  Then she’ll help me feed Cliff and let him out.  We’ll start coffee and in my somewhat sleepy state, stare at the fridge for breakfast ideas.  Continue reading →

Multigrain Eggnog Waffles & Welcoming December

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Yesterday was the 1st of December. For the week prior I had been thinking of advent calendars; what I grew up with, which one I wanted to do, what activities would be in it and why.

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There are so many great ideas online, so many crafty ones far beyond my talents.  We had briefly talked about it, and we know Calla is still a little young this year to grasp the concept, but I wanted to start something.  Even something small, to get the juices flowing and first Christmas traditions for our little family started.

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A few ideas I had come up with were the traditional ones; bake Christmas cookies, watch a Christmas movie, make a gingerbread house, take food items to the food bank, drop donations off at salvation army, make a Christmas craft, decorate the tree and house, and read a Christmas story.  Nothing too original, but that’s Ok.  It’s stuff that we both grew up with, and the older she gets the more we can add and make them special to us.

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The idea of these Eggnog waffles came together piece by piece.  First, I spotted Eggnog at the Grocery store and decided to buy some, I was originally thinking Eggnog Scones.  Then I remembered the Waffle Iron by Grandma had sent us a little while ago and how I still hadn’t tested it out yet (I mean how could I not, I love waffles).  Then I realized December 1st was on us, and I still hadn’t put together our advent calendar.  Then it dawned on me that if these turned out nice, which they did, they could be added as the first item to our advent calendar and possible Christmas tradition in the making.

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I also didn’t intend on posting two breakfast items in a row, but Calla did sleep for 2 hours yesterday allowing me to make these, so it sort of worked out perfectly.

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This is a simple recipe with just a few main ingredients.  I chose Oat Flour and Whole Wheat flour, which produced a nice textural waffle, but if you do not have those or prefer a more classic flavor, I think you would be fine using All purpose or all Whole wheat, you just may need to adjust the batter in the end.  A little too thick, add a splash of milk or a little too runny, add a bit more flour. You could use part milk, part eggnog, you would just have a milder Eggnog flavor. The nutmeg is optional, I usually add it to my Eggnog drinks, so thought I’d add it here as well.

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My waffle iron has 4 square spots, so I used about 1/2 cup of batter per square.  This being the first time using it, I wasn’t sure what to expect for temperature, but kept it on 2-3 (medium) and that worked perfectly.  Also make sure to spray the grills with oil beforehand so they don’t stick.  I got a little impatient waiting for that first batch and tried lifting the lid too soon. Spotted the waffle pulling apart, so closed it quickly.  Waited a few more minutes, then peeked again. The lid came up clear and the waffles stayed intact, phew. Let them cook until they are nicely golden, then remove, spray grills again and repeat. Enjoy with maple syrup and a little icing sugar.

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Happy Waffle Making!!

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Multigrain Eggnog Waffles

2 cups Light Eggnog1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup Oat Flour
1 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of fine grain sea salt
3 Eggs, whisked
1/3 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)

Heat your waffle grill to medium. Mix together flours, baking powder, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg (optional) in a medium bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs. Add eggnog and cooled butter, whisking again. Pour eggnog mix into flour mixture and stir together until just combined.

Spray grill with cooking oil.  Pour 1/2 cup onto each square (I used a square, 4 waffle grill), and close lid. Let cook about 3 minutes or so. Lift up gently.  If batter pulls apart, close quickly and allow to cook for a few minutes longer.  Remove waffles once golden brown.  Spray grill again, and repeat until all batter is used.

Keep waffles warm in oven set to 200F.  Or enjoy promptly with maple syrup and sprinkle of icing sugar.

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Pear, Orange & Yogurt Babycakes

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You know in all honesty, I think I like making pancakes more than Calla likes eating them.  So many different kinds from Classic, Wholegrain, Buttermilk to Yogurt.  With or without fruit in them or on them. Served with maple syrup, honey, yogurt or jam.  The options are endless, and they are relatively easy (and fun) to make. One day maybe I’ll even venture into making different shapes, letters or adding a little food coloring to make some fun colored ones. Right now, I’m just not that creative, so the traditional circle (of all sizes) is my specialty.

Calla will take a bite or two out of the pancake, then proceed to grab it in her hands, squish it together, break it apart, poke at it and eventually fling it off the highchair. Or very innocently dropped it off the side with a mischievous ‘Oh!’.

For these particular ones, instead of grating or dicing the pear and adding it to the batter, I sliced them then placed a piece on the uncooked side before flipping them. They stayed super moist with the orange juice and yogurt, and small since I only used about 1/4 cup of batter for each one.

I froze about half the pancakes for a later date when I’m in need of a quick breakfast or snack.

Pear, Orange & Yogurt Babycakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp butter for frying, or oil
1-2 Pears, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside.  In a separate bowl, lightly whisk eggs.  Add remaining liquid ingredients to eggs and stir well to combine. Pour wet mix into dry mix and gently fold together until just combined. If you find the batter a little too thick, add more milk. A little to thin and runny, add a bit more flour. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Slice pears and set next to pan.

Brush pan lightly with butter.  When it sizzles, at 1/4 cup of batter to pan, in the shape you desire.  Add one or two slices of pear to each pancake.  When small bubbles appear on the uncooked surface and edges begin to dry, flip over.  Careful they don’t land on each other or sides of pan in the flipping process. Cook a few minutes more then remove from pan. Add a little butter and continue with remaining batter.

Serve with a little maple syrup, fruit puree or on their own.

Marbled Zucchini Bread

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Sometimes I like to experiment with baking.

Sometimes I’ll come up with something incredible, and sometimes it’s a flop.

I took this recipe for Zucchini Bread and tried to make it healthier, but with the addition of cocoa.

I went a little too far, made too many substitutions and lets just say it didn’t end in my favor.  I changed the oil for yogurt, and the white sugar for brown sugar and applesauce.

Too many substitutions and not enough knowledge and experience on my part for what I may need to add in addition, or change completely.  The bread was interesting to look at, not photographically pleasing and did not rise even a little. The texture was all wrong, kind of spongy and wasn’t very sweet.

After a few bites and some time contemplating the bread.  I decided I needed to find out what happened. So in order to compare the two, I made a second batch of bread, but from the original recipe, a Martha Stewart one.

This one rose up so perfectly. It was moist with a crispy sugar top, but this time might have been a little too sweet.

All in all, neither were totally perfect, but both were still good, in their own way.  A little note for next time would be to start with smaller substitutions so the components aren’t altered completely.  Reduce the sugar, but don’t eliminate it. Maybe even add a few more swirls in the mixture to get more of a marbled effect.

Marble Chocolate & Zucchini Bread     

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour (minus 2 tbsp for marble)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar (less if you prefer)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup finely grated zucchini (1 to 2 medium)
2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture, and stir to combine; but not overmix.  Divide batter into two bowls, as equally as possible.  Add reserved flour to one bowl and cocoa to the other.  Stir to combine.  Spoon regular batter into prepared loaf pan in three seperate parts, then spoon the chocolate batter into empty spots.  Pull a knife through batter mixing two batters together gently.

Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until  bread is firm to touch, golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove for pan and let cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

From Martha Stewart Baking Handbook

A Kale & Sweet Potato Salad

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It’s a typical Saturday night in our house.  After I destroyed the kitchen making yet a very simple Quiche, I left it to eat and play with Calla.  Then continued to watch her pull every toy, book and stuffed animal out into the living room and then moved back into the kitchen the create another mess of the floor.  We had some bedtime snacks then got Calla ready for bed. The house is now quiet with a sleeping dog, sleeping baby and even a sleeping husband, and still a mess surrounds me.

Yesterday I found a pretty great article on How to Stay Organized in the Kitchen while baking and Cooking, which I vowed I would follow. Very easy tasks that would make a world of different at the end of the night, however, I seemed to have forgotten to put them into play tonight… oops.

With the goal being how long I can forget about my kitchen, living room, laundry and mess of a house.  I’ve decide to take a little internet break and turned to Pinterest (It’s just a small obsession).  The problem is there’s so many great things to look at and check out I feel I might miss something if I don’t check it at least once a day.  After that I managed to send some photos to my mom, look up ideas for Mason Jars, watch a couple Jenna Marbles videos (have you seen any, they are pretty funny), drool over all the beautiful items on Anthropologie, kitchen wear being my cup of tea, go back to Pinterest, then finally decide to write this little blog post.  Have I mentioned I’m great at Procrastinating?  You may have picked up on that.

Do you think maybe if I wait long enough, or think about it hard enough it will learn to self-clean?  My oven knows how, maybe it can teach the whole kitchen??

Or, maybe not.

Alright, the salad.  This is a pretty great salad.  So great I had it for lunch, dinner, then removed a few ingredients, threw an egg on top and had it for breakfast the next day.  To eat Kale, I feel like you really have to know what to do with it. That being said I think it’s all in how you prepare it.  First, cut the tough large ribs out, even slice it into smaller pieces so it’s more manageable.  Season it with lemon juice, olive oil, some spices and some salt and pepper and that’s a good start.  Otherwise, despite the fact that it’s so good for you, it will still taste bitter, chewy and unenjoyable to eat. So far I’ve tried Kale chips, in this burger, in this soup, in smoothies and I think the next might just be a ceaser salad, in lieu of Romaine.  Could be a winner.  Hmmm… I wonder how that self-cleaning kitchen is doing…

Alright, to the kitchen…

Kale & Sweet Potato Salad
1 Cup cubed Sweet Potato (or more if you like)
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Bunch Kale, ribs removed and finely sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice

Heat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss the sweet potato in olive oil, just enough to coat.  Season with Salt and Pepper.  Spread onto prepared baking sheet and place in heated oven.  Roast until tender and caramelized, about 40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes or so. Toast almonds in the same oven for about 10 minutes, tossing once or twice. Remove from oven and let cool.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the kale, almonds, parmesan cheese and sweet potato.  Add lemon juice and olive oil.  Mix together then taste for seasoning. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if needed.  Serve with lemon wedge and extra parmesan cheese.

If there’s any salad leftover, remove almonds and bake an egg on top (recipe below).

Kale, Sweet Potato & Eggs
1 – 2 Eggs
Kale and Sweet Potato salad (recipe above), minus the almonds.
1 tbsp Olive Oil

Heat olive oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat.  Add about 1-2 cups of salad to pan and allow to cook a few minutes until Kale starts to soften.

Bring salad together and crack 1-2 eggs over top.  Reduce heat to low, cover and let cook 5-7 minutes.  Or until eggs are cooked, but still soft on the inside.  Allow to cook longer if you like harder eggs.

Remove from heat, transfer to plate and enjoy with multigrain toast.

(The Initial Salad adapted from Food 52)