Tag: Breakfast
Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins
Oh, breakfast, I love you. How can anyone not eat breakfast everyday? I know there are those who say they feel nauseous in the mornings, or they’re just not hungry first thing, but breakfast is MY JAM. When my kids were really little, eating an entire breakfast for myself with no interruptions was something I’d fantasize about. Sitting there with my coffee steaming, a buttery muffin or crunchy bowl of cereal in front of me (and only me) sounded like pure bliss–the perfect start to the day.
Now, when I have a great breakfast to look forward to, it literally extends its joy to the night before. Last night, knowing I had these Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins to wake up to was enough to curb my late-night sweets cravings and make me wait until morning to eat. That’s right, I said NO to the COSTCO CHEESECAKE in my fridge for these things.
See, I’ve been kind of obsessed with flax seed lately. (And planning a post all about it and how to use it–so for now I’ll restrain myself for the moment from launching into accolades about its many benefits.) Suffice it to say, a switch has flipped in my brain and I am in full-on Flax Seed Mode. Energy balls, smoothies, and, of course, muffins make excellent vehicles for this mega-healthy–and, I think, mega-tasty–ingredient.
In light of recent evidence that more dietary fiber reduces the risk of numerous chronic diseases, I’m digging flax seed’s enormous fiber content. A single tablespoon of the stuff contains about 3 grams of fiber. Plus, flax seeds contain plenty of heart-healthy omega-3 fats. So even if they’re not a familiar ingredient for you, why not try something new?
These Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins are springy with flax seed, chewy with oats, and bursting with luscious blueberries. Maybe you can see why the thought of them sustained me when Costco cheesecake was calling.
Oh, and did I mention that each muffin has only 125 calories?
Oh. YEAH.
So whaddaya say? Gonna try flax seeds in your muffins? (And if you put them in your muffins, I have a feeling you’ll want to put them in everything.)
Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins
Ready for something a little different? These blueberry muffins use a combination of ground flax seed and oats to achieve their unique texture--and blueberries for juicy pops of flavor. Delish!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 c. ground flax seed meal
- 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
- 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c. quick-cooking or rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/4 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine all wet ingredients: egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, yogurt, oil, and almond milk.
- To the same bowl, add dry ingredients: flax seed meal, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries.
- Divide mixture among 12 muffin cups and bake 20-22 minutes or until browned on top. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Adapted from Running With Spoons.
Apple Cinnamon Energy Bites
Energy bites are one of those trendy foods that seem to be popping up everywhere. These golf ball-sized snacks with vaguely nutritious connotations have appeared at bakeries near my house, and my husband and I saw several varieties on display at a cafe on our vacation in England a couple weeks ago. As a bit of a food traditionalist, I tend to shy away from anything that strikes me as super hip (see also: kombucha, golden milk lattes, anything with matcha). So until recently, I definitely had not jumped on the energy bites bandwagon.
Then again, I never realized how ridiculously easy they are to make, or that they don’t even require turning on the oven–two factors that pretty much seal the deal for a snack-slash-breakfast item to add to my repertoire.
This particular Apple Cinnamon Energy Bites recipe was inspired by a mailer I received from my grocery store. Anyone else feel like grocery stores are seriously stepping up their marketing game these days? We’ve long since left the territory of mere boring newsprint circulars. My local store now sends me books of custom-curated coupons that include glossy, colorful sheets of recipes. Though I don’t generally pay much attention to the recipes in these mailers (I tend to gravitate immediately to the 50 cents off of cream cheese, thank you) this one caught my eye. Something about the small size and roundness of these bites made them seem so delightfully poppable, like donut holes, but healthier. Inspired, I even went out and bought flax seed meal just so I could try these. (Ironically, however, I went to a different store than the one that sent me the recipe. Ha.)
Once mixed and molded–with some ingredient adjustments based on my preferences–these energy bites turned out remarkably tasty with a texture I could eat all day–smooth and chewy for the most part, but with snappy crunches of chopped pecan. Everyone in my family was a bit surprised by how they were a bit sticky to handle, but that didn’t stop us from finishing these off in 24 hours. I’ll definitely be making them again for a nutrient-packed after-school snack for my kids (and myself). And maybe from now on I’ll keep my eyes open for more successful recipes on grocery store mailers.
Where do you get new recipes from? Tell me in the comments!
Apple Cinnamon Energy Bites
A tasty mix of chewy and crunchy gives these apple cinnamon bites their appealing texture. And did I mention they're no-bake?
Servings: 12 balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats (gluten free, if necessary)
- 3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
- 1/3 c. honey
- 1/3 c. flax seed meal
- 1/2 c. pecans, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients from oats through cinnamon. Using a box grater, grate green apple (complete with peel) directly into the bowl and mix.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Using your hands, form mixture into 1.5-inch balls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
A Love Letter to Food Original Recipe, inspired by a Fry's Foods mailer.
Red, White, and Blueberry French Toast Casserole
As far as food goes on the Fourth of July, it’s always the cookouts and barbecues that get all the glory. We think of char-grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, bright yellow corn on the cob, and wiggly-jiggly Jello salads served at lunch or dinner. Rarely do we think of breakfast as an opportunity to make (and eat) something patriotically themed. Well, it’s time to change that! This Red, White, Blueberry Overnight French Toast features a mix of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries in a sweet-but-not-too-sweet custard that will start your Independence Day off right.
I served this up yesterday at a fun pajama party breakfast (soon to be blogged) that my kids and I hosted for a group of friends. As one item on a menu of several breakfast dishes, it was so nice to know that I could put this French toast casserole together quickly the night before and not stress on the morning of our event. All it really takes is a loaf of French bread, cubed and layered with frozen berries in a baking dish like so…
Then, whisk together a quick milk-and-egg mixture with a bit of brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon, stash in the fridge, and pull out to bake when you’re ready!
Our young guests–a dozen or so elementary-aged kids–certainly approved. And with just a half cup of sugar in the whole 9 x 13-inch pan, I felt pretty good about feeding it to them, too. For a special occasion breakfast treat, this comes in at a surprisingly modest 240 calories per serving (before maple syrup, anyway).
So if you’d like to spruce up your Fourth of July festivities by starting early in the day, don’t forget to whip up your Red, White, and Blueberry French Toast Casserole the night of the Third.
Have a wonderful Independence Day!
Check out these other Fourth of July recipes from A Love Letter to Food!
Red, White, and Blue Berry Cheesecake Parfaits
Dysfunctional Family Recipe Salsa
Red, White, and Blueberry French Toast Casserole
Bursting with berries, this French toast casserole is a special occasion breakfast that takes next to no time to prepare!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Total Time4 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French bread
- 1 1/2 c. frozen mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries)
- 2 1/4 c. whole milk, or a mix of 2% and half and half
- 8 eggs
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
- maple syrup for serving
Instructions
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Slice French bread into 1-inch chunks and spread half of them in the pan. Sprinkle half the berries on top. Repeat with the remaining half of bread chunks and berries.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar until smooth. Pour over bread, pressing down the top with a spatula to help bread soak up the milk mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours (overnight is preferable). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes. Serve with maple syrup.
Notes
Inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction.
The Only Peanut Butter Overnight Oats You’ll Ever Need
Perhaps overnight oats are a food trend that have had their heyday and are now fading like a Hollywood it-girl, but I am still all about them. I couldn’t NOT stand by any food that affords convenience without sacrificing health…and that’s pretty much the concept of overnight oats, summed up. Here at the tail end of the school year, where I struggle to muster up the oomph to make my kids’ school lunches before shuffling them out the door each morning, convenient breakfasts are the name of the game. (Plus, does anyone else feel like the month of May just rains down busyness? Graduations, Mother’s Day, end-of-school concerts and award nights, and my two of my kids’ birthdays make for a whirlwind several weeks.)
I knew today would be particularly busy–and special–because it’s my daughter’s 7th birthday. Making and frosting a carrot cake, cleaning my house, and planning a Shopkins birthday party coming up in 48 hours are the action items at the top of my agenda, not leaving a whole lot of time for anything fancy for breakfast (except for the birthday girl herself. Before I got up, she apparently had waffles with a veritable mountain whipped cream. Ah, to be seven again.)
After trying many a peanut butter overnight oat recipe in the past, I have gradually amalgamated a bit here, a bit there to create what I consider
THE ONLY PEANUT BUTTER OVERNIGHT OATS YOU’LL EVER NEED!!!
Okay, maybe these are just the only peanut butter overnight oats *I* need, but I do happen to think they’re the best. Since I don’t like my oatmeal too creamy, I find crunchy peanut butter a welcome addition, and the blend of brown sugar, peanut butter, cinnamon, and vanilla reminds me of a peanut butter oatmeal cookie. Plus, with no unusual ingredients, they’re a snap to pull together. Feel free to sprinkle or mix in additions like fresh strawberries or bananas, or mini chocolate chips.
On a day like today, with a thousand things on my plate, I’m glad these were in my cup.
The Only Peanut Butter Overnight Oats You'll Ever Need
Convenient, delicious, and healthy, these overnight oats are packed with peanutty flavor.
Prep Time5 mins
Total Time5 mins
Servings: 1
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats (gluten free, if necessary)
- 1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
- 1 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- In a glass or bowl, mix together all ingredients. Store in the refrigerator overnight (or about 8 hours) and serve cold.
Notes
A Love Letter to Food Original Recipe
Coconut Almond Muffins
The Monday after spring break has its ups and downs. In my case, having stayed home with my kids for the better part of ten days, I’d be lying if I said I weren’t a little grateful to have them headed back to school this morning. Like, if I hear one more “He hit me and I did NOTHING!” I might need to pack up and move to Aruba. On the other hand, I do treasure the concentrated time home with them doing fun activities like park play dates, library visits, and living room picnics.
And after almost a whole week or waking up without an alarm, it was a little hard to get out of bed this morning.
That’s partly why I made these Coconut Almond Muffins yesterday–to trick myself into the motivation needed to get up and go about regularly scheduled life. With the hearty texture of ground almonds and tropical sweetness of coconut, they’re a tasty treat that’s worth hauling myself into the kitchen for.
What I didn’t anticipate, though, was that my ten-year-old son (who took a sudden interest in cooking over spring break) would make me coffee, pour me a glass of water, and plate me two of these muffins–complete on a tray for breakfast in bed! Since our spring break was somewhat derailed by the bickering so common to school-aged kids, we’d had a long talk last night about service and kindness. Something must have sunk in.
I guess the only problem is that I didn’t actually have to get out of bed to eat them!
Coconut Almond Muffins
A classic combination of coconut and almond flavors these lovely muffins!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
- 2/3 c. white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. butter, melted
- 1/2 c. almond milk
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 c. slivered almonds
- 1/2 c. shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease 12 muffin cups.
- In a large bowl, combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and add melted butter, almond milk, almond extract, vanilla extract, and eggs. Stir until just combined.
- Coarsely grind the almonds: pulse almonds in a small food processor or zap a few times with an immersion blender until broken into small pieces. Mix almonds and coconut into batter.
- Divide batter between 12 muffin cups and bake in preheated oven 14-18 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Adapted from Bake or Break.