‘Breakfast’ Articles at Sweetnicks, Page 2

Recipe: Banana Crumb Muffins

January 6, 2016 · Breakfast, Narrative

Don’t toss those overripe bananas languishing on the counter just yet — they’re the perfect ingredient to make these delicious Banana Crunch Muffins.

I have a love/hate relationship with bananas. We will have periods where we will go through them like crazy. Like, I can barely buy them fast enough. And then we have these periods, where they turn brown and black and mushy and I CAN’T KEEP UP. When they get to that point, they are perfect for making Banana Bread or Banana Muffins.

New Year’s Resolution 1,467: keep up with the bananas.

Last week I froze half of them for smoothies, and turned the last four into a batch of these Banana Crumb Muffins. Because with this being the first full week of work and school in FOREVER, I knew mornings were going to be rough, and a grab-and-go option was exactly what we needed.

This is that.

You can mix them up in nothing flat with ingredients you likely have on hand. They have a nice and tender bite with a hint of banana.

I can’t say banana without hearing the minions in my head. Respect the banana!

Once baked, they have a nice crumb on top with a beautiful crown. Don’t you hate when muffins are flat? You don’t have to worry about that with this recipe – they puff up nicely and are delicious.

A million years ago, I used to work across the street from a restaurant that had delicious cinnamon muffins with the most amazing slightly crunchy crumb on top. The top of these Banana Crumb Muffins remind me of those, and the recipe is totally worth making for that top alone.

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Recipe: Baked Oatmeal Cups

December 2, 2015 · Breakfast, Narrative

Baked Oatmeal Cups are a great solution when you need a delicious grab-and-go breakfast.

I’ve got to be honest.

As much as I love a baked egg cup in the morning for breakfast (recipe coming soon), I get tired of them sometimes. Even with their infinite flavor combinations.

And I need to change it up.

Just to keep life interesting.

But … when changing it up, I still really need a grab-and-go option, because weekdays mornings have negative free time.

Which is why I’m beyond stoked to introduce you to these babies.

Baked Oatmeal Cups.

If you are on snapchat (I’m cateomalley), you’ve likely already seen these as part of my “story” more than a few times.

I am kind of addicted to them.

Like their egg cup cousin, they are completely customizable, easy to make, will set you up for the week, and check that “grab and go” box nicely.

Beyond breakfast, I’ve even had them a few times at night for dessert when I’m looking for something sweet, but don’t want to overindulge.

Hashtag goals.

If you have applesauce, I bet you have all the ingredients to make these. If not, go get some.

Over the past few weeks, I have made a bunch of different varieties, but I think my favorite combinations are:

peanut butter and mini chocolate chips
golden raisins and cinnamon chips.

So good. Filling. Easy. Pretty healthy.

The flavor combinations, just like the egg cups, are pretty far-reaching. Add some blueberries! A swirl of almond butter and chopped nuts! Strawberries and coconut!

Endless possibilities for an easy breakfast, mid-day snack, or a nearly guilt-free dessert to take the edge off.

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Recipe: Greek Egg Bake

November 16, 2015 · Breakfast, Narrative

Greek Egg Bake – a quick and delicious way to meal prep your way into a week’s worth of breakfast.

I feel like I eat eggs ALL THE TIME.

Mostly because I do.

And given we go through about three dozen eggs every two weeks, this shouldn’t be a surprise.

Eggs usually appear in at least one meal a day.

Sometimes more.

And because of this, it means I need to get creative.

Otherwise I will lose my mind.

So here we are.

Greek Egg Bake.

Also known as breakfast for the week.

The thing about egg bakes (which are a close cousin to frittatas) is that they are completely dummy proof and completely customizable. Because I was after a Greek-inspired flavor, I used spinach, feta, and oregano in this version. But you could easily do an Italian version with tomatoes and mozzarella. Or Mexican with chiles and Jack cheese. Or even French with Brie with ham. Or forget international references – just use up whatever leftover vegetables you have on hand.

The possibilities are endless once you have the guidelines. And with, seriously, only five minutes to put everything into the baking dish, and about 25 minutes to bake, you can toss this together any time.

And likely with ingredients you have on hand already.

You can just slice this up and eat as is (I eat it alongside homemade sausage balls, a recipe for another day), or slap it between a few pieces of whole wheat toast for a quick egg sandwich. Because you are making a full dish, it’s perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast you can feel good about.

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Recipe: Rainbow Waffles

July 8, 2015 · Narrative

Rainbow waffles … why not?

If you’re a regular visitor, you know I have a thing for rainbows, sunsets, and sunrises. Besides their obvious beauty, I love them because they let us believe that magic exists. And who doesn’t want to believe in a little bit of magic?

I was trying to come up with something for dinner the other night. Something fun, but easy, and that wouldn’t heat up the kitchen too much.

And so I made rainbow waffles.

Stream of consciousness thinking and all.

This is one of those things that looks amazingly hard, but isn’t.

Which is pretty much my favorite kind of recipe.

When Madeline saw them, she took a picture and said “hash tag best mom ever.”

She cracks me up.

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Recipe: Crustless Broccoli Quiche

June 29, 2015 · Narrative

An easy and delicious crustless quiche that is perfect for a week’s worth of breakfast.

If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m a fan of grab-and-go breakfasts, because our mornings (like yours, I’m sure), can be a little chaotic. And if making breakfast ahead for the week means we get a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning … well, sign me up.

I could very easily become vegetarian, since I love vegetables so much, but then I get an intense craving for a juicy burger and that’s the end of that. But in the meantime? Enter this Crustless Broccoli Quiche. Seriously the easiest recipe ever. Just pour a few ingredients into a pie plate and bake.

And in forty minutes, you have a delicious veggie-stuffed, slightly cheesy, mostly healthy quiche that is perfect for an easy breakfast (just slice and warm it up), or a light summer lunch.

If you’re not a fan of broccoli, you can easily swap in your favorite vegetable. I wouldn’t use zucchini, because of the high water content, but carrots would be delicious, as would cooked potatoes.

Go crazy….

Recipe: Overnight Oats with Peanut Butter & Bananas

June 22, 2015 · Narrative

A healthy breakfast that takes just five minutes to prepare, and is ready in time for you to grab it as you head out the door in the morning.

Whether it’s during the school year or the summer time, mornings are a little chaotic. Everyone trying to get those last few minutes of precious sleep … hello snooze button … and scrambling to get out the front door in time.

So when I have time to do some pre-planning over the weekend, I grab it.

Anything to make the mornings smoother … and allow for extra sleep. Because, I mean, #priorities.

A co-worker gave me this recipe last week. I used to eat oatmeal regularly for breakfast or a late morning snack, but that was before I started clean eating in 2011 … and reading labels.

This is way better than that.

No junk. No preservatives. No chemicals. Nothing you can’t pronounce.

Just super simple ingredients that you like have on hand already. Mix it all together, pop it in the fridge in the morning, and grab on your way out the door.

I warmed it up for a minute before eating it, and topped it with sliced banana and a drizzle of honey.

Delicious and filling.

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Recipe: Bacon, Egg, and Spinach “Waffles” {Whole30}

March 23, 2015 · Narrative

Thinking a little outside of the box today with a new breakfast idea … Bacon, Egg, and Spinach “Waffles.”

I don’t like waffles.

#truestory

Never have, doubt I ever will.

I think it’s a texture thing.

Nick isn’t a fan either, but Madeline likes them (syrup on the side, please), which means that she is most familiar with the Eggo version, because making homemade waffles for one … probably not happening.

If you’ve been a longtime reader, you know how particular I am about the real estate in my kitchen.

I tend not to buy many gadgets. Heck, I don’t even have a rolling pin.

So a waffle maker for just one waffle eater didn’t make sense.

But then last week I had a little brainstorm.

In the midst of trying to mix up breakfasts a bit for me.

For all of us.

What if I put eggs in a waffle maker?

Mind. blown.

And so we now have a waffle maker. (This one, to be exact)

For egg “waffles.”

And, of course, now for homemade waffles for Miss Madeline.

This isn’t so much a recipe as it is a guideline and inspiration for you to do your own thing.

Much like Joanne’s frittata, this “waffle” is a good vehicle for you to clean out your fridge of its lingering bits and pieces.

For this version, I’ve included the guidelines below.

Mix and match with whatever leftovers you want to get rid of.

Make a different one for each member of your family.

It’s like an omelet.

But not.

Quicker.

Cleaner.

Better.

*And, and it’s only “cleaner” if you estimate the right amount of eggs for your waffle maker. I didn’t the first try … and, well, that wasn’t exactly “clean.”

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Recipe: Egg and Kale Breakfast Quiche {Whole30}

February 9, 2015 · Narrative

A super hearty, super healthy breakfast that is simple to make and delicious.

I started doing Whole30 today. For those that aren’t familiar with it, it’s basically clean eating … but jacked up, with the additional requirements of no dairy, no sugar, and no gluten.

That black coffee today was rough.

But as the Whole30 originators said, “Beating cancer is hard. Childbirth is hard. Drinking black coffee is. not. hard.”

And so I did.

With the exception of a one year flirtation with Medifast, I have been doing clean eating since 2010, and while I tow the line, there are moments of indulgence. A Hershey Kiss here, an uber-cheesy mac and cheese there.

And I just wanted to tighten things up a bit.

Ok, a lot.

And I like a challenge.

Once I commit to something, whether it’s an iPhone, hitting the gym, going back to school, or an eating plan … I am all in.

As with anything, it’s the getting there that’s the hardest.

You know, first steps and all.

To me, the greatest way to achieve success with Whole30 is to menu plan.

Because you can’t just reach for this, that, or the other or do things on the fly when you’re embarking on something with a few rules and guidelines.

Once it becomes ingrained in the rhythm of your day, and becomes second-nature, then yes, absolutely.

But not in the beginning.

And so this weekend, I sat down with books, notes, recipes, and I pulled together a plan for this week.

I laid out breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and three dinners.

Only three dinners because 1) Madeline’s birthday is on Wednesday and 2) I like to plan for leftovers.

I grocery shopped over the weekend, having to hit a few different stores to properly stock my pantry, and spent yesterday afternoon cooking ahead a bit to set up the week on the right foot. Or bite, if you will.

First up? This Egg and Kale Breakfast Quiche.

I do believe this is my first time cooking with kale.

It might even be my first time eating it.

I survived. You can too.

To be honest (or #TBH if you’re a pre-teen), there aren’t any greens I *don’t* like.

To the kale, add mushrooms. Some garlic. An onion. Spices. Eggs.

Mix together and bake.

And in just about 25 minutes, you will have breakfast for the week.

I portioned it out and packed it all up, so my grab-and-go breakfast is ready as we come flying through the kitchen in the morning.

To be completely candid, it took GREAT willpower not to add cheese to this.

Because usually when I’m making a quiche or frittata or omelet, cheese is a given.

And I’m on the Cabot Cheese Board, so my refrigerator drawer overfloweth with cheese.

But I remained strong.

Because this is DAY ONE, people, and I’m not working hard just to fail.

Cheese can wait until Day 31 when some things come back in.

(And while this recipe is delicious, cheese would make it that much more so, so if you’re not doing Whole30, by all means, add it in).

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Recipe: Meat and Spinach Muffins

January 8, 2015 · Narrative

Savory meat and spinach muffins are easy to make and a healthy grab-and-go breakfast or snack.

Of all the things I’ve given up, I miss cheese the most.

Though, in fairness, I haven’t completely given up cheese.

Just tried to cut back on my consumption of it.

Way back.

And that’s exactly what I thought about when I first bit into these Meat and Spinach Muffins.

Cheese. It needs cheese.

But that kind of defeats the purpose.

So be strong and power through with me.

Don’t add cheese.

I have been using the Well Fed cookbooks a lot over the past few months, and have made a number of new, successful recipes. Thie recipe comes from the first edition.

With blogs, blogs, blogs still continuing to be the rage, I can’t tell you how nice it is to go old-school and cook out of a cookbook.

These muffins kind of remind me a bit of our beloved Spinach Cheese Squares.

Mostly because ALL THE SPINACH.

But this is a far healthier version.

Mostly because NO CHEESE.

With 48 (!!) ounces of spinach, coupled with eggs and ground beef, this makes for a healthy and filling … Snack. Quick Breakfast Item. Fill in the blank.

I liked them even more on the second day.

(just pop the cooked and cooled spinach cups into a sealed container or Ziploc bag and take them out and toast them as you want them)

Which meant they were the perfect grab-and-go breakfast item for me on busy weekdays. I popped two into my tote to eat for breakfast when I got to the office. Toasted until warm through in the toaster oven and I dipped each bite into mustard.

Delicious. Healthy. So good for you.

Make ‘em!

PS And if you love cheese as much as I do and want to add it to this recipe, they would taste fabulous with a bit of feta thrown in, which I feel is a happy medium. Cheese, but not super bad for you. Win/win.

Hungry for more healthy recipes?
This mayo is also from the Well Fed cookbook series, and I guarantee that once you taste it, you won’t ever buy off-the-shelf stuff again.
A kid-approved healthier version of mac and cheese that includes a bit ‘o broccoli. Ok, a lot of broccoli.
This Very Veggie Sloppy Joes recipe is perfect for our super chilly nights (and easy enough for a weeknight!).

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Recipe: Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

June 9, 2014 · Narrative

A quick and healthy grab-and-go breakfast that is tasty and guilt-free.

This weekend was one of those magical times where we had an entire day that was a clean slate. After knocking out a few errands in the morning, the rest of the day was designated chill time. Which meant it was the perfect opportunity to do some baking. Namely to take care of two goals: find a use for a ridiculous amount of overly ripe bananas (some that were ours and some that were gifted to us by a friend) and to make a batch of muffins for a grab-and-go breakfast for the week.

Usually when I’m making muffins, my go-to recipe is the one for Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip muffins, which the kids devour. But since I made a batch just last week, I was looking for something different. I had saved a recipe from Cooking Light awhile back, and as luck would have it, I had all the ingredients on hand.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins it is.

A short list of easy-to-find ingredients, one bowl mixing, and these muffins were in the oven in no time flat. With only eight days left of school to go, breakfast still revolves around items that we can grab and go. A slice of banana bread. Homemade granola bars. And muffins. It’s just what works best for our family at this stage. Everyone gets their sleep. Everyone gets a healthy breakfast. Everyone is happy. These fit the bill.

Almost.

I would be lying if I said these muffins were completely kid-approved. Because they weren’t their favorite. Let’s be honest. They taste healthier than our usual fare. Most likely because they are. But they are still pretty tasty, and I’ve been splitting them in half, toasting them, and adding the tiniest smear of soft butter.

#everythingisbetterwithbutter

Low calorie, low fat, and just the right amount of juiciness when you bite into a plump blueberry. Truth be told, I’d add in just a few more blueberries next time. And even if the kids didn’t rave about them, I’ve got breakfast for the rest of the week.

PS – And with some of the bananas, I made a few loaves of this delicious banana bread, so the kids are set too.

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Recipe: Cheesy Egg & Turkey Breakfast Sandwiches {Old El Paso}

November 20, 2013 · Narrative

Wondering what to do with the turkey leftovers next week? These grab-and-go Cheesy Egg & Turkey Breakfast Sandwiches is a delicious answer.

Next week, my sister is hosting Thanksgiving, as she has done for the past few years, and I am bringing an appetizer or two and our ever present, always delicious Cranberry Conserve. Since she and countless others are bound to have leftover turkey, the folks I work with at Pillsbury asked me to come up with a recipe to use up turkey leftovers.

We’ve got you covered.

Because, you know, there’s only so much turkey one can eat in its traditional pile-it-all-on-the-plate-and-devour form. We need more options before boredom sets in.

And so I started to think a little outside the box and my mind turned to breakfast. The day before I created this recipe, a child at Madeline’s school passed out early in the morning. Although he is absolutely fine, the reason was chalked up to not eating breakfast, which was added to the excitement of their Halloween parade that day and wearing a costume and being overheated.

So you know I turned this, and the importance of eating breakfast, into another teaching moment. Because the mornings? They’re crazy. It’s a giant rush to get all three of us out the door on time to our respective destinations, while letting the dog out, packing lunch boxes, finding homework, getting dressed and all the other little things that crop up along the way.

Which means that if I can make something for breakfast ahead of time and push it into their little hands as we walk out the front door, I feel like it’s a good morning.

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Recipe: Mini Chocolate Chip Pancakes

July 3, 2013 · Narrative

On a busy weeknight, when we’re running off to a practice, meeting, or what have you, one of my favorite go-to dinner choices is breakfast for dinner.

It used to be spaghetti, but I gave up carbs in April and haven’t looked back since.

And yes, I totally miss tortellini.

The only problem with breakfast for dinner is that everyone likes something different.

Both kids will eat pancakes, but one banana and the other chocolate chip.

Both like toast.

Both like bacon.

Sometimes both like sausages. Depends on the day. And the way the wind blows.

Nick will eat eggs, most any way.

Madeline won’t eat them, any way.

So when it’s breakfast for dinner, I become a short order cook. I don’t mind, though, because no matter the choice, they’re all super fast to make.

Recently, when we came home late from the kids’ last evening track meet, it was chocolate chip pancakes for dinner. Nick took one for the team, and I made a quick egg white omelet for myself.

Madeline was in her element. Chocolate for dinner.

The recipe was simple to make and really drives home the fact that you DON’T need to buy pancake mix to make pancakes. I’ll bet you have everything you need in your kitchen cabinets. They were light and fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness. And they made plenty. I ended up freezing half of the cooked batch, to save a little time the next time Madeline requests them.

Alright folks, I’m off. Happy Fourth of July! Tomorrow, Bedtime Math book review.

*If you didn’t enter the Coca-Cola giveaway, I bet you can snap the perfect picture for it during the holiday tomorrow!

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