I’m baaaaack! After a two-month blogging hiatus, I’m reviving my little corner of the internet. Life got pretty crazy once 2018 hit. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything I had on my plate, so I stepped back from the blog for a bit in an attempt to maintain my sanity. I needed the break, but I really missed sharing my latest recipes and adventures with you all. Here’s to getting back in the swing of posting regularly again!

This weekend’s weather is pretty awful. Mother Nature keeps teasing us with sunny, 50-degree days. And, then we get hit by snowstorms. Freezing rain is coming down right now, which makes it the perfect day to hole up inside and spend some time in the kitchen. Lazy weekend mornings spent sipping coffee and reading on the couch are my favorites.

Since the weather gave us an excuse to stay in our pajamas a little longer, I threw together a frittata for breakfast. I knew it was good when James had three slices and then said, “You should make frittatas more often!”

I love frittatas because they come together quickly, are full of protein and reheat really well. If you’re into meal prepping, this a great thing to make ahead of time for weekday breakfasts.

I used spiralized sweet potatoes because they cook more quickly, but you can also use diced sweet potatoes if you don’t have access to a spiralizer or pre-made sweet potato noodles. You’ll have to cook the potatoes longer — about ten minutes covered, then another five minutes uncovered to brown them a bit. The sweetness of the potatoes pairs perfectly with the spicy chorizo.

While we had this for breakfast, I love taking frittatas for lunch. Whip up a small side salad, and you have a complete meal!

Sweet Potato, Chorizo and Manchego Frittata

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 lb. chorizo sausage
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet potato, spiralized
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup Manchego cheese, grated
• 1 avocado, sliced thinly

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place 1 Tbsp. of oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chorizo to the pan and use a spoon to break it up into small crumbles. Cook until browned and slightly crispy, about 7 minutes. Place cooked chorizo on a paper towel-lined plate and carefully wipe skillet clean.
3. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, and add another 1 Tbsp. of oil. Add garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sweet potato to the pan, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Cook until just tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Spoon chorizo back into the skillet, distributing as easily as possible.
5. Stir cumin, salt and pepper into the beaten eggs, then pour egg mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes and chorizo. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top of the frittata. Cook over medium-high heat until the edges of the frittata are just set, about two minutes.
6. Carefully place the frittata in the oven and bake until the middle is set and the edges are just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
7. Slice frittata into 8 pieces, and top each slice with avocado.[/directions]

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This weekend I woke up early on Saturday with a mission: seek out fresh figs at the farmers’ market. I honestly didn’t even know they could grow in Indiana, so I was thrilled when I saw a couple of friends post photos of some they’d snagged at the market. I got downtown a little before 9 a.m. Saturday to start my search and quickly came upon a stand selling small boxes of 8-10 figs for $4. I happily forked over my cash after poking the figs to make sure they were ripe. I also grabbed a loaf of sesame spelt bread from Muddy Fork Bakery before rushing home to make breakfast with my market finds.

While they’re delicious on their own, I love pairing figs with a few other simple ingredients to make them the star of a meal. I made this toast using my market finds and two ingredients I already had at home: whipped cream cheese and local honey. It was such an easy breakfast to throw together, but tasted so sophisticated. Because fresh figs are so hard to find here, eating them feels like a special occasion. And by the time I’d finished my toast Saturday morning, I experienced instant feelings of regret for not buying more than one box. The figs were heavenly and I’m already planning my week around hunting down some more. Until then, I’ll be dreaming about this toast.

Fig And Honey Toast

serves 1-2

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 slices of fresh bread
• 2 Tbsp. whipped Neufchatel or cream cheese
• 4 fresh figs, stems removed and sliced thinly
• 1 tsp. local honey

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Toast bread until golden brown in toaster oven or toaster.
2. Spread each slice of toast with 1 Tbsp. cheese, 2 sliced figs and drizzle each with 1/2 tsp. honey. Enjoy while warm.

[/directions]

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My love for zucchini is bordering on out of control this year. We aren’t growing any of our own this summer (I plan to change that next year), but I keep buying five or six when we are at the farmers’ market every week. I love zucchini because of how versatile it can be. Throwing together zucchini noodles with meatballs makes for an easy weeknight meal. And, I find myself adding grated zucchini to everything from turkey burgers to chocolate cakes, which helps keep whatever I’m making perfectly moist. We have no problem using up our entire supply every week.

I’d been brainstorming ideas for a lightened-up lemon loaf when this recipe idea popped in my head. Why not throw some zucchini into the mix? The result is a delicate, soft bread that’s not sickeningly sweet. A slice is delicious on its own, but I’m dreaming of drizzling my next loaf with a lavender glaze for an impressive, yet effortless, summer dessert.

I will caution you, the ingredients make this loaf very delicate — especially when warm. Avoid handling it too much until it cools completely and sits in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Now send me your favorite zucchini recipes! I’m on a roll.

Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about one large)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
2. In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients until well-mixed.
3. In a separate, large bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, zucchini and vanilla. Carefully pour wet mixture into bowl holding dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to stir until just combined. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
4. Allow bread to cool in loaf pan for at least 20 minutes before running a knife around the edges of the pan and carefully inverting the loaf onto a cooling rack. Cool completely to room temperature, then place in fridge for at least two hours before slicing and serving. Store in fridge.

[/directions]

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Summer is heaven for food lovers. The wide variety of in-season produce available makes meals this time of year simple and absolutely delicious. There are so many uniquely summer dishes I look forward to: grilled sweet corn, caprese salad, melon and prosciutto, rhubarb crisp — the list seems never-ending.

Among my favorite treats of the season are sweet cherries. They taste like candy and I take them everywhere with me in the summer. They’re the perfect, portable fruit for camping, boating, hiking, road trips and just about everything else you may have on your agenda. I haven’t cooked with them much because they’re so damn delicious on their own. But then this galette came to me in a dream. Yes, I’m serious.

Last summer I made a baked brie that I topped with cherries, brown sugar and rosemary. And it was ridiculously good. The funkiness of the brie and rosemary helped balance the sweetness of the cherries and sugar. I kept thinking I wanted to recreate the recipe in scone form, but I dreamt last week about making a galette with the same flavors. I’ve been salivating over the idea ever since.

Here’s what I love about galettes: they’re not supposed to be perfect. Which is a relief because pies can be so fussy. I love pie, but I definitely haven’t mastered the art of the perfect crust. Galettes are supposed to look rustic and thrown together and I’m definitely on board with that. If a little bit of your filling leaks or your folds aren’t uniform, don’t fret. Embrace this more laid back version of pie!

Galettes are one of my favorite desserts to make when we host people for dinner over the summer. I bake it ahead of time and bring it out on a cookie sheet with a few forks. We eat it right from the pan, often paired with a glass of wine, relishing in the season’s bounty.

Rosemary Sweet Cherry Galette With Whipped Honey Goat Cheese

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 pie crust, rolled out to 12 inches (I used this all-butter recipe from Salt Fat Acid Heat)
• 3 1/2 cups sweet cherries, pitted and halved
• 1/3 cup plus 1/2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tsp. fresh rosemary
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tbsp. half and half, divided
• 4 oz. goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp. honey

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine cherries and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Let mixture stand at room temperature for ten minutes. After cherry mixture is done resting, stir in lemon juice, salt and rosemary. Set aside.
3. Carefully place pie crust on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour cherry mixture into the middle of the crust, leaving about two inches of crust around the perimeter. Use your hands to gently shift the cherry mixture to ensure it’s evenly distributed.
4. Carefully fold the crust over the filling in large sections, allowing each fold to overlap.
5. Whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. half and half to create an egg wash. Carefully brush the egg wash all over the top of the crust. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar all over the top of the galette.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until crust is golden brown and cherry filling is bubbling. Allow galette to cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before serving.
7. While galette cools, make the goat cheese topping. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat goat cheese, honey and remaining 1 Tbsp. of half and half in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Top each piece of warm or room temperature galette with a dollop of whipped goat cheese.

[/directions]

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If I have to choose between a sweet and savory breakfast, savory wins almost every time. It’s pretty hard to beat starting the day with a poached egg on top of avocado toast. But, these blueberry pancakes may have changed my mind.

Here’s what I love about this short stack: the pancakes aren’t overly sweet. I think the versions I’ve had at some local diners that are loaded with sugar are what originally turned me off of this classic breakfast. This recipe relies on a small amount of maple syrup and fresh blueberries to give these pancakes their subtle sweetness.

And, they’re so fluffy! Soaking oats in buttermilk for a few minutes makes all the difference. This method gives the pancakes volume without weighing them down.

This is the perfect dish to make if you’re hosting or attending an Easter brunch. Make things easy on yourself by mixing the batter Saturday night so all you have to do is cook them!

Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes

modified slightly from Cooking Light

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 oz. whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine oats and buttermilk in a large bowl. Let sit for ten minutes to allow oats to soak up the liquid.
2. While oats mixture is resting, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Once oat mixture is done resting, stir in egg, vanilla and syrup. Slowly whisk in flour mixture until combined.
4. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add coconut oil. Once oil is melted, spoon about 1/3 cup of pancake batter into pan, leaving enough room to flip the pancakes. Once the pancakes start bubbling on top, flip them over and cook until golden-brown and cooked through, about two minutes. Serve pancakes plain or topped with butter and syrup.

[/directions]

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How was your weekend, friends? Ours was pretty laid back and consisted of a movie night at home, lots of errand running and a fun night out to celebrate our friends’ wedding. I’m looking forward to having a three-day weekend for James’ birthday in April because Saturday and Sunday always go by way too quickly!

As Im getting ready for the work week to start, I always try to make sure our pantry and fridge are stocked with a couple different healthy breakfast options. James has been on a major granola kick the past couple of months, which means we’ve been buying two or three boxes a week. Even when buying in bulk, it’s much more cost effective to make your own batch of granola. You can control the mix-ins and the sugar content, which is a big benefit. One of the reasons granola tastes so good is it’s often loaded with sugar.

I skip the refined sugars in this recipe and instead use honey to give the granola its sweetness. And, is there a more perfect combination than peanut butter and strawberries? I think not.

Granola is ridiculously easy to make, so save yourself some money and take 15 minutes to throw a batch together. If your family eats granola everyday, double this batch to make sure it lasts you through the week.

PB&J Granola

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place peanut butter, coconut oil and honey in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, until peanut butter just starts to melt. Stir mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add cinnamon, vanilla and oats and stir until oats are coated in peanut butter mixture.
3. Spread granola evenly across baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown, flipping granola halfway through.
4. Remove granola from oven and stir in strawberries. Allow granola to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
   [/directions]

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There are few meals I enjoy more than weekend morning breakfasts. I used to love the ritual of going out for brunch on Sunday mornings, but now I prefer staying home and taking my time cooking a special meal in my pajamas. It feels so nice not to be rushed, to sip my coffee slowly and to let the amazing smells waft through our house.

Weekdays, however, are a completely different story. No matter how hard I try, I cannot become a morning person. I’ll hit a streak of waking up at 6:30 a.m. for a couple of days and then find myself rushing to get ready at 7:45 by the end of the week. The first thing I cut from my morning routine when I’m running late is breakfast. If I don’t take time to sit down and eat a healthy meal before leaving the house, my whole day gets thrown off. I often find myself snacking all day and running on little-to-no energy.

I’m trying to be better about my bad breakfast habit and these waffles have been a lifesaver. I make a batch on Sundays that I can pop in the toaster oven for a quick, healthy meal that works even when I’m in a hurry. You can store extra waffles in the fridge for up to one week, or pop them in the freezer to have on hand for longer.

In order to keep this meal healthy, I skip the traditional syrup and butter topping and instead opt for fruit, yogurt or almond butter. When I’m feeling really hungry, I pile on a combination of all three!

What are your go-to weekday breakfast? Tell me in the comments!

Healthy Whole Wheat Waffles

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat and grease your waffle iron according to its instructions.
2. While waffle iron preheats, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine almond milk, coconut oil, egg, syrup and vanilla extra in a small bowl. Add mixture to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
4. Carefully pour batter onto waffle iron, using a spoon to help spread it across the entire surface. Cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions.

[/directions]

Note: this recipe makes a very thick waffle batter, so it will need the help of a spoon or spatula to spread across the entire surface of the waffle iron. 

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Happy Monday, all! How was your weekend? My parents were supposed to come visit, but the wicked ice storm north of us forced them to cancel their trip. That meant we had an entire weekend with no plans, which never happens. It’s been amazing! We’ve had a good balance of running errands and relaxing at home. And, we both have today off for MLK Day. What a treat!

It was gray and rainy all weekend, which is perfect baking weather. I’ve been trying to develop a healthier banana bread recipe for weeks and I finally came up with a real winner. I experimented with different combinations of fats to try and come up with a loaf  that tastes like traditional banana bread but cuts down on the refined sugars.

There’s something especially cozy about banana bread. It makes the kitchen smell amazing and it tastes like home. My parents made banana bread quite often when I was growing up and it’s always been one of my favorite treats. I’ll be making it a lot more often now that I have this healthier recipe.

This is a great way to use up bananas that are on their last legs and it’s It’s so easy to throw together, even if you aren’t a big fan of baking. A loaf of banana bread also makes a great hostess gift if you’re visiting someone for a weekend. I included some dark chocolate in this recipe, but it can easily be omitted. Enjoy!

Healthy Almond Butter Banana Bread

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3 bananas, mashed (the more brown, the better)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup natural almond butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together bananas, eggs, almond milk, almond butter, honey, Greek yogurt, olive oil and vanilla. Stir until combined. Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Gently fold in dark chocolate.
4. Pour batter into a lightly greased loaf pan and bake on the middle oven rack for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 15 minutes before removing it from pan. Serve warm. Allow loaf to cool completely before storing.

[/directions]

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There are only three days left until Christmas — ahhh! December is going by so quickly and I honestly feel totally unprepared for the holidays. I have all of the presents bought and wrapped, but I still need to clean the house before family arrives tonight and make a big trip to the grocery store. We can’t wait for our parents to arrive. It’s fun to be able to host them so they can relax for once.

There are a of couple of holiday traditions we’ve continued from our childhoods and some of our own that we’ve adopted over the past few years. One of our newer traditions is cooking a big breakfast for Christmas morning. It gives us an excuse to stay in our pajamas a little longer and helps stretch out the morning. I try to make dishes that can easily be prepped the night before so all we have to do is pop them in the oven Christmas morning. I’m not a huge egg person (over easy or poached only!), but I usually make some type of egg casserole and then something on the sweeter side. Here are a few of my favorite recipes for Christmas morning:

Cookie Butter Scones

In order to make these scones you have to resist eating the entire jar of cookie butter with just a spoon — not an easy task! Scones are easy to throw together ahead of time and these are a real treat. Serve at room temperature or pop them in the toaster oven for a minute to warm them up.

Crepes

For whatever reason, kids go crazy for these crepes! My parents always made them when we had sleepovers as kids and I’m pretty sure that’s why friends kept coming back. You can cook the crepes a day ahead of time and heat them in the microwave for a few seconds on Christmas morning to make life easy.

Almond Butter Coconut Granola

This granola is delicious on its own, but I plan to serve it as part of a build-your-own yogurt parfait bar on Christmas morning. It’s also a great topping for smoothie bowls and fruit!

Honey Oat Bread

This bread makes the best toast I’ve ever had. Top it with jam, cinnamon sugar or just a little butter. You can also use it as a base for some pretty amazing French Toast!

Coconut Citrus Upside Down Cake

This cake can pass for breakfast because it’s covered in fruit, right? It’s simple to make and the candied citrus is stunning. If you aren’t a grapefruit fan, substitute another orange or lemon instead.

What’s your favorite Christmas tradition? Tell me in the comments!

The post Christmas Morning Recipes appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

Happy Monday, friends! How was your weekend? Ours contained the perfect balance of productivity and fun. We walked down to the farmer’s market and spent some time out on Lake Monroe when we needed a break from getting settled into the house.

And, my goodness, it is hot out there. I don’t mind the heat, but the humidity kills me. By the time we got home from walking downtown on Saturday, we looked like we’d run a marathon. When it’s this hot out, there’s no reason to turn the oven on. All I want to eat is something that’s nice and cool — enter the smoothie bowl.

I’ve been living on smoothie bowls this summer. They’re an easy weekday breakfast that I can throw together in a matter of minutes and take to work with me on hectic mornings. I also love mixing one up as a healthy snack after intense workouts or when I’m craving ice cream.

The smoothie bowl combinations are endless, but I find myself coming back to this one over and over. It doesn’t get much better than the classic combo of peanut butter and jelly! If you don’t have strawberries or bananas on hand, you can substitute any other frozen fruit; blueberries are especially delicious in this smoothie.

The only thing better than the actual smoothie is the toppings! Like with fro-yo, the more toppings the better. You can use anything you have on hand, but I love topping my bowls with nut butter, fresh fruit and some unsweetened coconut.

Here’s to keeping cool during another hot week!

Peanut Butter Jelly Smoothie Bowl

[ingredients title=”Smoothie Ingredients”]

• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 large frozen banana, cut into large pieces
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 heaping Tbsp. natural peanut butter
• Ice (optional)

[/ingredients]

[ingredients title=”Topping Ingredients”]

• 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
• 1 large banana or 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
• 1 Tbsp. flaked, unsweetened coconut

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine strawberries, banana, almond milk and peanut butter in blender. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender occasionally. If smoothie doesn’t appear thick enough, add additional frozen fruit or ice cubes and blend until smoothie is thick enough to eat with a spoon.
2. Pour smoothie into a medium-sized bowl and top with more peanut butter, sliced fresh fruit and coconut.

[/directions]

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