Category Archives: Breakfast ideas

Spiced Banana Zucchini Mini Loaves

I still have zucchini leftover from the fall harvest and I had some really ripe bananas that were just about to be placed in the freezer for a sweet treat.
But instead I decided to combined the two for a quick bread.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cup ap flour
2 ripe small/medium bananas mashed
2 cups of shredded zucchini (no need to peel)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp mace
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 egg
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup raw sugar or brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 TB milled flaxseed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powered
1 tsp ground Vietnamese cinnamon
2 tsp pure Mexican vanilla extract

Yields: 4 mini loaves and 12 mini muffins.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray with cooking spray 4 mini loaf molds. Set aside.

2. Place sugar, mashed banana, zucchini, egg, egg substitute, sugars, vanilla in large bowl. Whisk to incorporate.

3. In a separate bowl mix spices, flaxseed, baking soda, salt, baking powder, & flours.

4. Add dry ingredients into wet. Mix with whisk to blend all dry into wet batter.

5. Place scant 1 1/2 cups of batter into each mini loaf vessel.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Let sit in molds for 5 minutes remove and allow to cool on wire rack for remainder of cooking process.

8. For mini muffins , use size 60 scoop and portion batter evenly in tins. Bake for 11 minutes on 325 or until toothpick comes out clean.

Wrap up in parchment paper and use festive string to decorate as gifts!

Rhubarb Cinnamon Muffins

I cut down the rest of my rhubarb this morning which yielded about 20 cups and 74 ounces chopped ! I Decided I’ll be making jam later this afternoon but as for this morning I’m baking some muffins.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh rhubarb
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp high quantity cinnamon
1/2 cup raw sugar
2 TB ground flaxseed
2 TB canola oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 farm fresh egg
2/3 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Yields 12 muffins!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray muffins tins lined with either paper liners or silicone liners.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl mix flours, flaxseed, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl mix egg, buttermilk, vanilla, applesauce, & canola oil.

3. Add liquid batter to dry mix. Be careful not to over mix.

4. Fold in chopped rhubarb.

5. Portion out batter into muffin tins by using a number 16 scoop.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Zucchini & Raisin Whole Wheat Muffins

It’s that time of year! We have zucchini coming out of our ears! This rain has sure helped! My previous boss gave me a zucchini cookbook from our hometown’s garden club. There are oodles of zucchini muffin recipes in the book. I found one of interest and made some modifications to lighten up the calories in these muffins! I made them for my sister and nephew for breakfast this weekend. I added raisins since that’s my nephews favorite snack and the only way I can get him to eat them.

Yields: 12 standard muffins and 6 mini muffins (I love the mini for east tasting & the perfect size for my toddler aged nephew).

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Vietnamese ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
2 egg whites (local when possible)
1/4 cup local honey
1/4 canola oil
1/2 tsp pure Mexican vanilla extract
1 cup shredded (not pealed) zucchini
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup skim milk
Cinnamon & sugar to sprinkle

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line muffin tins with paper liners or silicone cups and spray with cooking spray.
2. Place flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, & nutmeg in a medium bowl.

3. Whisk to incorporate.

4. In a separate large bowl mix milk, vanilla, egg whites, honey, & oil until combined.

5. Add dry blend into wet mixture.

6. Whisk to incorporate, leaving no dry residue.

7. Add raisins and zucchini.

Fold in with spatula to incorporate evenly.

Use a size 16 to scoop out standard muffins and a size 60 scoop for minis.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (optional). Bake standard muffins for 20 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Bake minis for 8 to 9 minutes.

Leave in pan for 5 minutes and remove and let cool on wire rack.

Enjoy with some apple butter !

Blackberry Overnight French Toast

We had a sleepover last night in our household after a night out on the town. I had to work early so I wanted to make sure my family had something to eat when they woke up! This recipe was adapted from one of my cookbooks and the original can be found on FN website.

This is so easy and the bonus is I used leftover heels of bread (about 8 ounces or 8 slices). I freeze them as I get to the end of the loaf and either use them for bread crumbs or breakfast casseroles.

Makes 8 servings !

Ingredients:
2 cups of egg substitute
4 whole eggs
2 cups of skim milk (or if you want to lighten up the calories even more use unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
8 heels of light wheat bread (35 calories a slice) (toasted and cut into 1 inch cubes)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 cups of blackberries (or your favorite berry)
2 TB raw sugar
1/4 cup roasted slivered almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon (plus some for sprinkling about another 1/2 tsp)

You will need a 9 by 13 baking dish for this recipe.

Directions:
1. Scatter the toasted bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the pan.

Set aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk milk, eggs, egg substitute, vanilla, syrup, and cinnamon.

3. Once combined pour liquid evenly over the bread cubes and dust with additional cinnamon for good measure.

4. Spread berries evenly over the bread.

5. Repeat scatter placement and sprinkle with almonds and top with light dusting of raw sugar.

6. Cover with foil and let set over night or for at least 8 hours in refrigerator.

7. Remove from refrigerator and uncover bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Enjoy!

Whole Grain Oat Rhubarb Cookies

My husband and I have oodles of rhubarb this time of year. We were in the mood for some cookies. I adapted this recipe from the TOH website to cut down on the saturated fat.

Yields 32 cookies using a size 60 scoop. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for 13 minutes.

Ingredients :
3/4 cup raw sugar
1/2 canola oil
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg or 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup fresh rhubarb (patted dry)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground Vietnamese cinnamon
A pinch of nutmeg
1 1/4 cup 100% old fashioned oats
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

Directions:
Line half sheet pans with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl mix canola oil, and sugar together well. Than add egg and vanilla together whisk to incorporate.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, oats, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Whisk to incorporate all dry ingredients together well. Add the dry ingredients into the wet.

Mix with spatula to incorporate.

Add chopped rhubarb, cranberries and white chips fold into cookie batter.

Use a number 60 scoop to measure out into perfect size cookies. Please keep in mind they are very wet and may want to fall apart but will bake just fine.

Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. The rhubarb makes these pretty moist. I let them sit on the pan for about a minute before letting the cool off on wire rack.

Once the cookies are cooled if you wish drizzle them with some melted white chocolate for a special touch.

Place 2/3 cup white chocolate in microwave keep heating by 30 second sections until melted. Place in a squeeze bottle and make zig zag marking!

Enjoy!

Nutella Almond Meal Banana Mini Muffins

Tomorrow we are having one of our quarterly meetings at work. I always bake a sweet treat for the team. Yesterday I made my banana crunch muffins for a coworker’s birthday and I still had some leftover ripe bananas. I didn’t want to make the same recipe and wanted to add some chocolate to the party.

This recipe yields 27 mini muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup AP Flour
1/4 cup Whole wheat pastry flour
1 TB canola oil
3 TB Nutella
1 TB Dutch Cocoa
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup 1/8 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup egg substitute (or two egg whites)
1 medium ripe banana mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line 27 mini muffin vessels with paper liners and spray with cooking spray.

Sift flour, almond flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda in medium bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl mix buttermilk, egg substitute, oil, vanilla, sugar, banana, and Nutella.

Mix the liquid batter until thoroughly combined.

Now gently add dry ingredients to liquid batter.

Whisk until there is no dry residue present. This is why I like to use the clear bowl, to make sure all the dry ingredients have been well incorporated.

Portion out using a size 60 scoop into your pre-line and sprayed baking tins.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. Check using toothpick method. Place toothpick in the center of the muffin and remove quickly to see if toothpick comes out with no liquid residue. If toothpick comes out clean remove pan from oven. However if any wet residue still remains on toothpick let muffins bake another minute and check again.

Remove from pan immediately.

Allow to cool on wire racks.

Enjoy

Vegetarian Fajitas Frittatas

Everyone knows that I don’t like to waste food. I always try and use leftovers a few different ways.

The other night my husband made me veggie fajitas. Then the next night I made cheese and veggie quesadillas with some of the leftovers. Now I am finishing off the rest with these little frittatas using my brownie pan from Pampered Chef! Which I love and not just for brownies!

Ingredients

3 cups of egg beaters
3/4 tsp fajatas seasoning
Pinch of kosher salt
3/4 cup vegetable diced fajitas
6 oz 2% shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
Dried cilantro to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.

Cooking spray the brownie pan set aside.

Place one TB of diced veggies into each vessel.

Now place a 1 TB of shredded cheese on top of the veggies.

Set aside.

Place egg substitute in a pouring measuring cup and mix in fajita seasoning and salt.

Once seasoning is mixed throughout. Pour 3 to 4 TB of egg substitute in each section to the top.

Sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

Place in oven for 23 to 25 minutes on 350 degrees.

Let cool a few minutes before handling.

Enjoy!

baked whole wheat chocolate hazelnut donuts

This recipe is for the love of chocolate hazelnut (aka Nutella ❤️). I asked my husband last night what do you want for breakfast and he smiled and asked for donuts. He loves Nutella and donuts (but the fried ones of course) that said I couldn’t allow myself to get his frier out. No I don’t own a fryer he does (a dietitian cannot own a frier, I’m pretty sure it’s in our own unwritten law).

I love that fact that these are made with 100% whole wheat pastry flour! I stocked up yesterday at the Mesopotamia bulk store.

If you can find a bulk store it’s worth the trip to purchase the special flour there. I was able to get 5.12 pounds of whole wheat pastry flour for 0.49 cent a pound for a whopping total of 2.51. If you ever priced it out before it can be three times as much at a speciality grocery store and even up to 2.83 per pound out of the King Arthur catalog. I wanted to point out that it is not expensive to add whole grain into ones lifestyle. If you know where to find the right resources. If you don’t live close to a bulk store I have found Bob’s Red Mill brand at Big Lots for a fair price (1$ per Pound) when they have their 20% members discount.

Directions:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/8 -1/4 tsp instant coffee granules
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 TB of chocolate hazelnut spread
1/2 cup skim milk or unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/2 raw sugar (turbinado)
1 TB plus 1 tsp canola oil
1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract
1/4 cup egg substitute (or two egg whites)

Glaze
2 TB hot strong coffee
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 TB Chocolate hazelnut spread
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Wilton donut pan
Cooking spray

Yields 8 donuts using the Wilton pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Cooking spray the donut pan well. Set aside.

Place flour, salt, baking soda, and coffee granules in medium bowl.

Whisk ingredients together to incorporate.

In a separate bowl add oil, hazelnut spread, sugar, milk, egg substitute, and vanilla.

Whisk together the liquid ingredients until smooth and no sign of chunks.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet.

Mix together with a whisk to fully incorporate.

Spoon batter evenly into the cooking sprayed donut pans. I tried piping the batter but it was too wet to pipe into the donut rings.

Bake for 12to 15 minutes.

Let donuts cool for a few minutes in pan then remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

In the meantime, start to prepare the glaze. Add powdered sugar,coffee, and
the hazelnut spread.

Whisk to incorporate all the glaze ingredients until no clumps are visible and glaze is smooth.

Now for the fun part. Dunk each donut into the glaze.

Place on wire rack that has parchment paper under it to prevent a sticky mess.

Lastly add sprinkles if you wish!

Chipotle Cheese Egg Sausage Casserole

My husband loves sausage and chipotle cheese! I was going through my freezer and came across a frozen block of chipotle cheese from Amish Country, which lead me to review my Amish cookbook. I stumbled across a recipe for sausage egg casserole and tried to lighten it up for this Sunday morning’s brunch.

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
1/4 lb sausage ((browned up) and blotted to remove extra grease)
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 TB Chives chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup skim milk
1/2 dry mustard
2 1/2 slices of light whole wheat bread heels
4 oz shredded chipotle cheese or reduced fat cheddar
Fresh cracked Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Ruth Ann’s Muskego Ave Chicken and dish seasoning (penzeys)

Preheat oven to 350

Season meat with Ruth Ann’s seasoning and brown sausage on medium heat in a nonstick pan.

Remove from heat and blot with paper towel to remove excess grease.

Set aside.

In a medium bowl mix with whisk milk, egg substitute, chives, salt, pepper, & mustard.

Set aside.

Toast heals of bread.

I don’t like to waste food so I always freeze my heels of the bread and save for bread crumbs, croutons or casseroles.

Cut bread into 1 inch cubes.

Add bread cubes into milk mix.

Add cheese and sausage and coat with milk.

Place in cooking sprayed bread dish.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Let cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

Rhubarb Spice Coffee Cake

I am starting to have oodles of rhubarb in the garden but nothing like my grandpa’s garden. He has 50 plants this year and I only have two.

This morning I was contemplating what can I make that I haven’t made yet with this beautiful vegetable? …Coffee cake…I love baking with rhubarb! There are just so many endless possibilities.

I’m not really sure where the concept of coffee cake originated. Honestly I think it must of initiated from someone who wanted to eat cake for breakfast with their coffee. Those of you that have ate it before know there is no coffee in the cake. I wanted to make a healthier version of this classic cake. I decreased the butter content and used only whole wheat flour to add additional fiber.

I can remember my mom making coffee cake for our family growing up on the weekends. It was always a special treat!

Yields 6 servings

Batter Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
2 TB canola oil
2 TB egg substitute
1/2 cup raw sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 & 3/4 cup fresh rhubarb chopped ( if using frozen measure frozen not thawed)
1/2 cup skim milk or vanilla almond milk
1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract

Topping ingredients:
1/8 & 1/4 cup of raw sugar
2 TB Unsalted butter
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice

Preheat oven to 350

1. Chop up your rhubarb (it will take 4-5 stalks depending on the size)

Set aside.

In a large bowl beat canola oil and sugar.

Whisk until combined.

Add vanilla and egg substitute, whisk until incorporated.

Set aside.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, and Chinese 5 spice until all ingredients mixed thoroughly.

Add 1/3 of the dry ingredient blend to the wet batter and 1/3 of milk. Alternate between both (milk & dry ingredients whisk after every addition) and mix until combined.