Avocado Toast

Yesterday we had a SNOW DAY!! I can't believe it's the middle of March and I have 2 feet of snow outside my door. I love being snowed it because I dedicate my time to recipe testing, watching movies, and eating delicious homemade food.

This is a copy cat recipe of one my favorite breakfast spots called Sunset Cafe. I love going to Sunset Cafe but some days it is absolutely impossible to get in. Lines are usually out the door, and during the winter, standing outside is usually not an option. So, I decided to recreate the dish myself. It wasn't hard to make as the ingredients are extremely simple! Not only is this dish flavorful but there are so many beautiful colors on the plate. It definitely brightens your day!!

Note: The onions are pickled overnight so you'll want to prep this ahead of time.

Serving: 4 people
Ingredients:

• 8 Slices of Toast
• 2-3 Avocados
• 1/2 of a Red Onion
• 2 Limes
• Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 1 Jalapeno, sliced
• 4 Eggs 

Recipe:

• Overnight, you will want to pickle your red onions. This is what gives the onions a bright pink color. Thinly slice the red onion and squeeze the lime juice of two limes over the onions. Let it sit overnight (or for at least 4-5 hours).
• Toast your bread and set aside.
• Mash together the avocados to achieve a smooth consistency. Add a tad of salt and pepper.
• Cook your eggs to your preference. I love over easy or poached so you can get that glorious runny yolk.
• Assemble your toast by spreading the avocado onto the toast, then place your egg in the middle. 
• Finally, add your sliced jalapenos, crumbled goat cheese, and picked red onions.

Overnight French Toast Casserole

Hi strangers. Yes, I know its been over a month...I missed you too. This breakfast recipe is LIFE. So yummy and delicious. I'm already planning on making it for Christmas morning which is 9 months from now... That in itself must tell you its delicious considering I'm planning a meal 9 months in advance. The nutmeg and cinnamon makes the kitchen smell like the holidays. Of course that didn't stop me from making it on the first day of spring! It is too yummy to pass up. This recipe is definitely going down in the books.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 Loaf Bread, cut into cubes (I used italian bread and some baguette I had left over...)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 5 eggs
• 1 ½ cup milk

Recipe:

Melt the butter and pour into the bottom of a 13 x 9 in pan.  Mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl.  Whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla in another bowl.  Layer the bottom of the pan with half of the bread.  Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over the bread.  Layer the second half of the bread.  Sprinkle the rest of the sugar mixture on top. Pour the egg mixture over the bread.  Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning, take off the foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Strawberry Cheesecake Belgian Waffle

Happy Valentines Day!!!! My favorite holiday is right around the corner. This is the perfect breakfast to share with your loved one on valentines day morning. It's also super easy to make. The topping is simply strawberry pie filling, vanilla greek yogurt, and a little powdered sugar. I'm sure if you wanted to make it more authentic you could actually make cheesecake filling, but I love the stonyfield organic greek vanilla yogurt. It is so good and much lighter then actual cheesecake filling would be!! It's my favorite out of all vanilla greek yogurts because you can actually see vanilla bean running through it.

Ingredients:

• Belgian waffle mix (Your waffle mix will also most likely call for egg, oil, and water.)
• Strawberry Pie Filling
• Vanilla Greek Yogurt
• Powdered sugar

Recipe:

• Follow the directions on your belgian waffle mix. Each waffle will most likely take 3-4 minutes to cook.
• Top the belgian waffle with strawberry pie filling, vanilla greek yogurt, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Wakeup Breakfast Smoothie

Most Sunday mornings I like to start the morning off right with a healthy breakfast. After all the takeout that I consumed this past Friday and Saturday, my body was especially ready for some healthy goodness this morning.

This is one of those smoothies that you will look forward to drinking. It tastes super yummy and makes you energized for the rest of your day. I originally got the recipe from Dr. Oz's 3-Day Detox Cleanse. If you are interested in checking out the entire cleanse, you can go to Dr. Oz's website here.

Ingredients: (for one smoothie)

• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup spinach
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tbsp flax seed
• 2 squeezes of lemon

Recipe:

• Blend all ingredients together. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!

The Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Sometimes taking a step back and perfecting the basics makes all the difference. This recipe will help you achieve the perfect yellow yoke for a hard boiled egg. It will help you avoid that grey/greenish ring that can appear around the outside.

Hard boiled eggs are yummy to eat on their own, perfect on a salad, or can be used for egg salad or deviled eggs!

I like to sprinkle some paprika on hard boiled eggs for some color.

Recipe:

• Place eggs in a sauce pan in a single layer.
• Add cold water to cover eggs by about an inch.
• Heat on high heat to boil.
• Remove from burner
• Cover pan.
• Let eggs sit in water for 12 minutes (for large eggs)
• Drain, and serve warm, or place in iced water (or in the fridge) to cool. 

Blueberry Muffin

This beautiful summer day inspired me to bake some blueberry muffins this morning! In my opinion, there is nothing better than a lazy Sunday morning and a classic blueberry muffin. This is a simple classic recipe that you can whip up using basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. The sugary-cinnamon crumb topping makes this muffin extra special.

Recipe Source:  All Recipes

Serving Size: Makes 9 Muffins

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cups with muffin liners
• Combine all dry muffin ingredients in a bowl: 1-1/2 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder.
• In a separate bowl, mix vegetable oil, egg, and milk.
• Mix wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.
• Fold in blueberries.
• Fill muffin cups to the top with the batter.
• To make the crumb topping, mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon. Mix with fork. 
• Sprinkle crumb topping over muffins.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when placed in the center of the muffin.

Cheese Blueberry Danish

I'm making this for Christmas morning because it is really easy to make and super delicious! If you don't like blueberry you can swap it out for any fruit pie filling (as long as it's in syrup!). A red pie filling like cherry would be especially festive for the holidays. You can even get creative with the crescent roll topping. If you don't like the lattice, try a different design. If you aren't creative, feel free to just lay the crescent roll down as it comes in the can (like you do on the bottom). It will all taste the same!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday!

Adapted From: Kitchen Girl

Ingredients:

• 2 cans ready to use refrigerated crescent rolls
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling (or any fruit pie filling, as long as it's in syrup!)

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.
• Lay a pack of crescent rolls on the bottom of the pan. 
• Pinch the openings of the crescent rolls together.
• In a medium sized bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg until smooth.
• Spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the the crescent rolls.
• Spread the blueberry pie filling over the cream cheese mixture.
• Lay out the second pack of crescent rolls on a flat surface, and pinch together the openings.
• Using a knife, cut 1 inch strips of the cresecent rolls and lay on top of the blueberry mixture to create a lattice design.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown.
• Let the danish cool for 20 minutes before topping it with the glaze.
• For the glaze, mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. 
• Drizzle glaze over danish

Guilt Free Breakfast Cookies

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have been a little overwhelmed with work and the end of the semester. Tomorrow is my last final though (YAY!) so I decided to do a quick post!

My breakfast usually consists of grabbing whatever I see first and eating it in the car as I rush to work. I'm always trying to find new things that have grab and go capabilities. These cookies are perfect for that and are totally guilt free and healthy. What I love most about them is that all of these ingredients are usually stocked in my kitchen so I can make them whenever I need them.

Notes:

• This recipe makes about 25 cookies. 
• Each cookie has about 45 calories.

Ingredients:

• 3 mashed bananas (ripe)
• 1/3 cup apple sauce
• 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 3 tbsp flax seeds
• 1/2 cup raisins 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp Splenda 

Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Mix all ingredients in a bowl
• Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so that all ingredients can incorporate
• Place batter by the spoonful on a greased cookie sheet
• Cook for 15-20 minutes

Banana Bread with Cinammon Sugar Butter

Whenever I have overly ripe bananas, I always make this banana bread. I love this recipe because it substitutes apple sauce for sugar which makes it much healthier. I decided to have something extra special with it by making cinammon sugar butter this time. I guess this defeats the purpose of making a healthy banana bread but whatever! It tasted delicious. Hope you enjoy!

Banana Bread Recipe
Recipe Source: Skinny Taste
Makes 1 loaf in a 8x5 inch loaf pan


Ingredients:

• 5 ripe bananas (the more ripe the better!)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1-1/4 cup of all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter, softened 
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• baking spray

Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease pan with baking spray.
• Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt).
• In a seperate bowl, cream together butter and sugar using an electric mixture.
• Add eggs, banana, apple sauce, and vanilla to the butter. Beat at medium speed until mixture is thick. 
• Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Mix at low speed until combined.
• Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.
• Let cool on a baking rack for 20 minutes before serving.

Cinammon Sugar Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Recipe:

• Beat three ingredients together with an electric mixture. Serve with banana bread, toast, bagels, etc. Its yummy!

Apple Blueberry Oatmeal

I love starting my Sundays off with a great breakfast. This oatmeal is super easy, delicious, and healthy so it makes you feel good all around. This recipe could probably serve 2 people. Enjoy!

Inspiration Source: Family Feedbag

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 apple (I used green apple because that was all I had, but you can use any kind you like) 
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1 tsp apple pie spice (if you don't have apple pie spice, you can also use just 1/2 tsp of Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of nutmeg)

Recipe:

• Core apple and cut into bite size pieces. I also left the apple skin on.
• Place water into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, add the oats, fruit, and apple pie spice.
• Simmer mixture for 2-3 minutes until oatmeal looks gooey and delicious
• I served with a tad of almond milk and brown sugar on top. 

Today's Breakfast

This treat tastes more like dessert than breakfast. Vanilla Greek yogurt, blueberries, pineapple cottage cheese, and almonds. Yum!