Tag: healthy breakfast

Try This— Cheesy Savory Oatmeal

Confession: there’s people out here that put sugar in their grits and I know this because I am one of those people. My argument is this. Grits are a type of cereal and cereal NEEDS to be sweetened— end of story…drops mic. I can admit when I’m wrong though and with all the time I spend sweetening foods that are traditionally savory, or spicing foods up that are traditionally sweet, I have to say, I should totally abandon my stance on grits. You know why? Because I’ve developed a new obsession. Say what?! Savory oatmeal!!!

Last fall I was addicted to grain bowls for breakfast. Seriously. I couldn’t start my day without that hearty, stick to your ribs breakfast. When the weather starts to get colder, breakfast smoothies no longer work for me. I need hot meals that are filling and delicious. So when I came across this savory oatmeal recipe on Healthy Nibbles and Bits, I knew I just had to try it. Guess what?! It’s amazing. Just what the doctor ordered for those chilly Autumn mornings. You must try this!

Cheesy Savory Oatmeal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup dry quick-cooking steel cut oats
  • 3/4 cup water
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp shredded white cheddar cheese (or more, because how can you really measure cheesy goodness?)
  • 1 tsp coconut oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup diced red peppers
  • 2 TBS finely chopped onions
  • 1 large egg

Directions

  1. Stove Top Method: Bring water to boil. Add oatmeal, reduce heat a little and let it cook for about 3 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat and stir in cheese, a small pinch of salt, and pepper
  2. Microwave Method*: Place oats and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Line microwave dish with paper towels to catch any spills. Microwave at a high setting (but not the highest, about 8/10 power setting) at one-minute intervals for a total of 3 minutes. If you want a softer texture, continue microwaving at 30-second intervals. Give the oats a little stir between intervals. When the oatmeal is done, stir in shredded cheese, a small pinch of salt, and pepper.
  3. Heat a nonstick pan with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they soften. Spoon vegetables over cooked oats. Reduce heat to medium.
  4. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil and fry egg. Cook until the whites are no longer translucent and serve over oatmeal.
  5. Top with chopped walnuts, green onions, and za’atar
Try This---Banana Milk Coffee

Try This—Banana Milk Coffee (Clean Eating Vegan Treat)

Thursday morning, you’re gonna wake up to a deliciously creamy, banana milk coffee. I’m saying Thursday for two reasons. Number one, I need to give you a little time to get over the initial shock of how incredible banana coffee sounds. Number two, you’re gonna need some time to cold brew your coffee to make your banana coffee dreams a reality.

In the spirit of staying motivated for a healthy new year, I’ve been cutting sugar out of my diet. I have a total sweet tooth, but I’ve been trying to cut down on the amount of unnecessary sugar I consume. I’ve traded in my bad-for-you pancake syrup for the very good-for-you maple syrup used in master cleanses. I’ve been sweetening baked goods with applesauce instead of the cups of sugar I usually use. The last sugar front that I’m up against is the megaton of sugar I put in my coffee. I’ve tried to sweeten coffee with everything from stevia to agave syrup…horrible. So when I heard about banana milk, I just had to give it a try.

The thing about this banana milk coffee is that, surprisingly, it doesn’t really taste too much like bananas. I know, I know. How is that possible? Truth is, I have no idea. What I do know is that this is one of the creamiest ‘lattes’ I’ve ever had. Best part is that it’s totally a clean eating, naturally sweet, potassium punch of a complete breakfast (seriously just as filling as a smoothie). It’s the perfect alternative to those expensive sugar cube lattes that you get at the local coffee shop. You guys!!! You must try this!

Try This---Banana Milk Coffee

Banana Milk Coffee

Ingredients

  • 1-2 tbsp ground coffee
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 cup milk

Directions

  • In a mason jar, combine 1 tbsp of ground coffee with 6 oz of water (if you like your coffee strong like I do, you can add more coffee per cup of water)
  • place the mason jar in the fridge and allow it to brew for a day (about 18 hours)
  • line a colander or strainer with a paper coffee filter
  • pour the mixture through the filter to remove coffee grounds
  • in a blender, combine the banana and milk
  • blend until creamy
  • pour enough banana milk over the cold brew to suit your taste

For a vegan alternative, you can use almond milk, rice milk, or coconut milk. Unsweetened milk works just fine, but if you like your coffee on the sweeter side you can use regular almond, rice, or coconut milk.

The brewing instructions are just an approximation. It’s pretty difficult to screw up cold brew, just use the same ratio of coffee grounds to water that you use regularly and it’ll turn out the same way as your regular coffee pot coffee. Also, feel free to add a dash of cinnamon to the grounds before you cold brew. Yum.

Meal Planning---How to Prep Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Egg Burritos

Meal Planning—How to Prep Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Egg Burritos

Iggy Pop once handed me a bottle of water from the Roseland Ballroom’s VIP section when I was a teenager. True story. That was pretty exciting and makes for a relatively cool story to tell, but the older I get, the more I find that my sources of excitement lean more toward things like successful meal planning. I’d still be happy to take a bottle of water from Iggy Pop, but now the excitement would come more from the fact that I’m meeting my daily water requirement. Yep. This is (almost) 40.

Anyway, I’m super stoked about my latest adventures in meal planning. I just finished mapping out a course of action for about 20+ breakfasts that I just have to share with you! I have my mason jars ready for my DIY Instant Oatmeals, and I am about to make one of my favorite breakfast staples to freeze ahead— Breakfast Egg Burritos. These are basically rolled up omelets that, once frozen, will last up to 3 months, and take a mere 2 minutes in the microwave to reheat. They are the perfect solution for busy weekday mornings, they’re super cost effective, totally healthy, and they are absolutely delicious!

Breakfast Egg Burritos

Ingredients (makes 12 burritos)

  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 large eggs
  • 1/4 c whole milk
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 c shredded Mexican Blend cheese (about 6 ounces)
  • 12 (large, 10 inch or 12 inch) flour tortillas, at room temperature

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to  400° with a rack in the middle
  • Clear a space in your freezer for a baking sheet
  • combine the potatoes, red bell peppers, and onions together in a bowl
  • Drizzle with the vegetable oil and salt, to taste
  • toss the veggies to coat them and transfer to a baking sheet in an even layer
  • roast about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender
  • while your veggies are roasting, whisk the eggs, milk, and a little salt
  • melt the butter in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat
  • add the egg mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly set, but still moist (about 4-5 minutes)
  • Remove the veggies from the oven, and allow your eggs and veggies to cool for about 10 minutes (this step is crucial to a burrito that’s not soggy and gross when you reheat it)
  • Tear off 12 squares of foil and have them ready
  • take a tortilla and place it on the foil
  • Layer the cheese, then the roasted veggies (about 1/4 cup), and finally the eggs (about two heaping tablespoons) onto your tortilla—if you’re adding salsa go for it! It freezes well, too!
  • roll the burrito tightly by folding the sides, then rolling from the bottom to the top
  • wrap the burrito tightly in the foil square and repeat the process with the remaining tortillas
  • freeze the burritos in a single layer on a baking sheet
  • To reheat, simply unwrap the foil package and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes
  • you can also reheat them in the oven at 350° for 12-15 minutes

I love this recipe, and I’ve made them in bulk on a number of occasions. They are truly a lifesaver on hectic mornings and are totally easy to customize for a quick and healthy taco night dinner—just add salsa, sour cream, and (vegetarian) chorizos! Breakfast for dinner, yo! Start your stash as soon as possible. You won’t regret it!

Image Credit: Christine Han

Try This---Green Matcha Smoothie Bowl

Try This— Green Matcha Smoothie Bowl Better Than Ice Cream

Have you ever had green tea ice cream? If you haven’t had the pleasure of indulging, let me try to paint the picture for you. It’s all ice cream-y goodness, but with a taste that makes you feel like you’re saving the environment while pigging out. But alas, ice cream is still ice cream, and if you have fitness goals that exclude indulging in such deliciousness, even the deceptively green taste won’t help.

So I started thinking about smoothie bowls, which I’ve heard are the clean eating alternative to ice cream. I even pinned a recipe on Pinterest so I wouldn’t forget to try it. Full disclosure: I actually pinned it more for the awesome looking wooden serving bowls and cool wooden spoons featured in the picture, but I promise I seriously wanted to try the recipe too!

Anyway, that recipe soon became one of my most popular pins, and guess what? I still kept putting off making it. I was too busy using my matcha powder in spa facial recipes.

I finally tried this simple recipe (adapted from cooktoria.com) the other day, and it is absolutely amazing! It’s perfect for breakfast and snack time—the kiddos will love it as a back to school treat. It’s perfect as a post workout recovery shake—fitness goals, y’all. And best of all, it’s perfect as a dessert—a clean eating, naturally sweet indulgence that gives ice cream a run for its money. You must try this!

Green Matcha Smoothie Bowl

Green Matcha Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

makes 1 serving

  • 1 frozen banana, sliced
  • 1 fresh kiwi, sliced
  • 1 tbsp matcha powder
  • 1/2c almond milk

Directions

  • Add all of the ingredients into your blender and process until smooth
  • Enjoy!

***NOTE: For what it’s worth, I suggest using decaf matcha powder if you’re preparing this for the kids. There’s nothing quite as exhausting as your already wired 2nd grader even more wired on matcha. Lesson learned the hard way.