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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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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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!

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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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When it came time to plant our summer herb garden, James had only one request: lots and lots of basil. Pesto is one of his all-time favorite foods and he’d eat it every night if he could. But, I think I overestimated our weekly consumption a bit. We have more basil than I know what to do with! I’ve been incorporating it into our meals almost daily and still can’t seem to make a dent in our crop. So, I started baking.

Scones are by far my favorite breakfast pastry. They’re amazingly buttery and extremely versatile. I like to think scones are paired perfectly with a warm cup of coffee and a foggy summer morning.

I’m someone who enjoys a savory breakfast more than a sweet one, so this recipe takes the classic combination of tomato and basil and turns it into a delicious pastry. These scones remind me of pizza, and who doesn’t love the idea of pizza for breakfast?!

Scones are also one of those amazing foods that look and sound fancy but take minimal effort to put together. No one expects them to look perfect but they end up tasting like a true work of art.

I took a batch of these into work yesterday and they were gone within an hour. I’d say that’s a pretty good sign, right? These scones are amazing plain, but out of this world when you throw some homemade garlic butter on top. Just whip unsalted butter with one minced, fresh garlic clove together using an electric mixer on medium speed. So simple and delicious!

If you’d rather have a scone to satisfy your sweet tooth, try out these cookie butter scones.

Tomato Basil Scones

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, cold and cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup basil, packed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 Campari tomatoes, thinly sliced

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix until combined.
3. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut butter into flour mixture until moist and crumbly.
4. Add cheese and basil and mix until combined.
5. Slowly pour buttermilk into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
6. Carefully transfer dough onto a flat, floured surface. Divide into two equal portions and knead each into a circle that’s about 1-inch thick. Cut each circle into eight triangles.
7. Transfer scones to two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Top each scone with a slice of tomato and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until bottom edges start to turn slightly golden brown. Serve warm with butter.

[/directions]

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It’s officially the weekend — cheers to that! I’m spending the morning getting a few things cleaned up around the house before my family gets into town this afternoon. We’re celebrating my brother’s birthday in Bloomington and then heading to Cincinnati to see the Cubs face the Reds Sunday. Crossing my fingers for another no-hitter!

Whenever we have guests in town, I try to make sure our pantry and fridge are stocked with a variety of healthy and delicious snacks for their visit. We love taking people out to our favorite local restaurants, but I also like to have ingredients on hand to whip up quick meals if we feel like staying in.

Having a few breakfast items ready is especially important. Nothing is worse than waking up earlier than everyone else and having to wait around to eat breakfast when you’re starving. I usually get some English muffins or bagels, fresh fruit and yogurt that guests can help themselves to. And, I like to whip up this homemade granola, too!

I love throwing some granola into my yogurt or fruit because it makes me feel satisfied for longer. I only recently started making my own after looking at the sugar content of my favorite brands. Making the granola myself allows me to control the sugar content and throw in whatever I’m craving that week.

This combo featuring almond butter, nuts and coconut is my go-to recipe lately. It’s just slightly sweet and has the perfect amount of crunch. The great thing about granola is it only takes about ten minutes to make — so easy!

I’ll serve this up Sunday morning with some vanilla yogurt, fruit and Bloomington bagels before we hit the road for Cincy. What are your plans for the weekend?

Almond Butter Coconut Granola

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup cashews or almonds
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine oats, coconut, nuts and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Place almond butter, honey and coconut oil in a small, heatproof bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, or until melted. Stir until combined.
4. Pour melted almond butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until well-coated.
5. Place a large piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Carefully spread granola across parchment paper. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Cool granola at room temperature before storing in an airtight container.

[/directions]

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Sunday mornings mean one thing in the Brosher household: crepes.

When I was growing up my dad would always make crepes for breakfast when I had friends sleep over. They became legendary among my peers.

We never topped ours with anything fancy. No nutella. No strawberries and cream. Just butter and powdered sugar. The warm crepes cause the two to melt together and form the most delicious glaze.

And you know what? They’re just as easy to whip up as pancakes. So keep those pjs on a little longer, pour yourself a cup of coffee (or a mimosa — definitely a mimosa) and become a crepe convert.

Bon appetite!

Sunday Morning Crepes

Recipe from my grandfather’s 1969 edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add milk, eggs, butter and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
3. Heat a greased skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/2 cup of batter into the middle of the skillet.
4. Once the top of the crepe starts to bubble (after two to three minutes) flip it over and cook for an additional minute.
5. Continue until batter is gone.
   [/directions]

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