Healthy Breakfast Recipes

I am really becoming a fan of steel cut oats. I love trying new flavor combinations. Today's recipe I used fresh lemon and ginger to flavor the oats. Then topped the oats with fresh blueberries and yogurt - Divine!

Lemon Ginger Blueberry Oats

2 1/2 cups                    water
1 cup                            steel cut oats   
1/2 tsp.                         salt
Fresh ginger root I cut off a 1" piece
1                                   zest of lemon
3 tbsp.                          maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup                        vanilla almond milk

Lemon Ginger Blueberry Oats

Add the steel cut oats, zest and ginger root to the boiling water. Add the salt and let boil until cooked (about 20 min). When the oats are almost cooked, add the almond milk. Remove from heat and remove the ginger root. If you feel the oats are not sweet enough, add more maple syrup to suit your taste. Top with blueberries and greek yogurt. The flavor combination of ginger and lemon is quite yummy. When I made this recipe, I was under the weather. My tummy was aching and found this really soothed my tummy. I just omitted the yogurt this time because of my sore tummy.

You can also add pumpkin seeds, nuts or chia seeds.

Make this ahead of time so you have it ready for breakfast for the week.

Breakfast for me is the most important meal of the day. It's in fact, my favorite meal of the day. I am always looking for tasty new recipes to make.

I am always in a rush. If I have nothing to make or I am not in the mood, I zip up a protein shake and take it along with me. It fills me up and gives me quite the energy boost.

In this next recipe I have made a strawberry/banana smoothie with vanilla protein powder.

I also threw in some blueberries and chia seeds. The combinations are endless. And the outcome is simply yummy! If you're using frozen fruits, your smoothie comes out nice and thick. I feel like I'm drinking a milk shake!

You will need a smoothie blender. You can purchase inexpensive ones at Walmart. I bought this particular blender at Walmart. It's from Oster. It was on sale for $29.99. The blender came in different colors to choose from and two of these stylish jugs that you snap onto the blender, lids and a re-usable straw.

Strawberry/Banana Smoothie

1 small banana or 1/2 a large banana
1 cup of chopped strawberries
I added a handful of blueberries
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

You can add 1 tsp of chia seeds if you would like.

Blend everything together and off you go!

This blender kit comes with lids that you can snap on and feed the straw through to prevent spilling.

Carrot Muffins

When my children were small, oddly enough they loved vegetables. But as they got older, green food became "not cool". They started not to eat fruits and vegetables like they used to. So, to improvise, I would sneak it in their food. I would puree the vegetables in soup so they would not see the chunks or would make healthy snack items. One of the items I usually make are these carrot muffins. Moist and so tasteful, it has become a hit here in our household. I use whole wheat flour for extra fibre. If you do not like the taste of whole wheat, all purpose flour can be used.

Carrot Muffins



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

one or two 12-cup muffin pans, greased or lined with paper liners

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

3/4 cups raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups peeled and grated carrots

3 eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Combine the flour, sugar, raisins, walnuts, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt in a large bowl. Stir well.

Beat carrots, eggs and oil. Add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans, filling three quarters full for regular-size or full for large-size muffins.

Bake for 20 minutes for regular muffins or 27 minutes for large muffins or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

Variations:
Omit nuts if desired. My kids hate nuts so I make carrot muffins without the nuts.

Switch the carrots with shredded zucchini.

A healthy breakfast alternative. My son

Cheese Biscuits

I love cheese and especially in biscuits! Serve with tea, some grapes or a nice glass of wine. I cannot stop at one! Make little bite size sandwiches with these cheese morsels. I know when I bake a batch, the biscuits disappear quickly. I love to serve these as a finger food if I'm hosting an event.

Cheese Biscuits

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 cup shredded old cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten (to brush the tops)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using pastry blender (or two dinner knives), cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.

Stir in cheese. Pour milk over top and stir with fork to make soft, slightly sticky ragged dough.

With floured hands, form into a large ball. Turn dough onto floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead gently 10 times.



Form dough and knead gently 10 times

Gently pat into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick round. Using a 2 inch (5 cm) floured cutter, cut into rounds.

cut into 2 inch round (1/2" thick)

Place on ungreased baking sheet. Gather up scraps and repeat dough; cut more rounds, pressing remaining scraps into final biscuit.

Place on ungreased baking sheet

Brush tops of biscuits with egg. Bake in centre of 425 degrees F oven (220 degrees C) until golden, about 15 minutes.

Brush top with egg wash

Let cool on rack.

Enjoy!

Rice Ring With Meat Sauce Stuffing

This is a true crowd pleaser if serving at a party or a dinner. It's literally dinner in a pan. Serve with an arugula salad and dinner is done!

Rice Ring Stuffed With Meat Sauce

Meat Sauce


1 bottle or can of tomato puree
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp. olive oil
450 gr (1 lb) ground beef
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste

Meat Sauce

Sautee the onion, garlic until translucent. Add ground beef and sautee until fully cooked. Add the tomato sauce, parsley and let simmer on med/low heat for about 40 minutes stirring the sauce often. Add peas  and let cook. Set aside.


For the rice ring you will need to boil 6 cups of water with salt and 3 cups of Arborio rice.

In the meantime prepare your bundt pan.

Butter your bundt pan and coat with bread crumbs, I used the Italian seasoning bread crumbs

Once your Arborio rice has cooked and cooled down, add 1 cup of parmesan cheese and two eggs to your rice. Blend thoroughly.

Wet Hands and Form Rice in Pan

Fill With Meat Sauce and add chunks of mozzarella (about half a ball)

Cover with remaining rice. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes

Let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining sauce.

Getting Crafty Around The House! Unleashing The Inner Princess

There's one little confession I have to make, I love sparkles. That's my little weakness, Not too much, but there's something about a little glitter that just makes me melt lol! When it comes to a manicure, I love to have my ring finger all glittered up!

So I went again to the dollar store and created these cute little crafts to jazz up my home! I had to unleash my inner Princess!

No one will ever know that it came from the dollar store!

A plain plastic cup that was only one dollar was transformed into this pretty container to house all of my brushes and so easy to make!

Brush Your Container With Modge Podge

Brush With Sprinkles and Let Dry For 24-48 Hours and Seal With An Acrylic Sealer and You're Done!

I found a plain stainless steel napkin ring and put on the glitz!

Brush the Modge And Then The Glitter and Let Dry. Then Seal

A great economical project if you're hosting a dinner party. Adding an expensive look at a small price.

Penne With Peas and Mushrooms

This dish is easy and quick to make. If you're a soccer mom, this would be a great pre-game meal that is quick and easy to make.  If you like spicy, add a bit of hot pepper flakes. Also nice with rice or gluten free pasta.

Penne with Peas and Mushrooms

Penne With Peas and Mushrooms

1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg, cooked penne
4 tbsp. olive oil
hot pepper flakes, optional

Once the pasta has cooked, reserve 1 ladle of the pasta water for later.

Sautee the onion and garlic with the olive oil until golden. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for about 8 minutes.

Sautee the mushrooms until cooked



Add the frozen peas to the mushrooms and continue cooking

Add the cooked pasta and the reserved water and continue cooking for another 5 minutes

Serve With Parmesan Cheese 

Cheesy Pancakes

There's one thing I love about Sunday morning is breakfast! My most favorite meal of the day! I made these pancakes this morning for my family. It is moist and oh so delicious. The pancakes secret ingredient is cottage cheese which makes the pancakes so moist. I served the pancakes with a blueberry preserve that I make when it's blueberry season. Maple syrup is just as delicious.

Pancakes Made With Pressed Cottage Cheese

Cheesy Pancakes

1 lb of pressed cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 eggs
pinch of salt
1/4 cup of raisins
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix thoroughly the cheese, eggs and salt.
Add the rains and mix again.
Slowly add the flour and mix. Mixture should be sticky.
Add the dough to a floured surface and cut into balls approx. 2 inches and then flatten.
Add butter to a griddle and cook the pancakes.

Serve with fruit preserves or maple syrup.