It seems like everywhere you can go for breakfast nowadays — from Starbucks, to McD’s, to my favorite local breakfast spot — breakfast parfaits are tres chic. And rightfully so!  That burst of fresh fruit, crunchy granola, and healthy yogurt are a perfect way to begin the day!  :)

They also happen to be a completely easy, affordable and super-speedy breakfast to enjoy at home as well!  I’ve been making them lately with the delicious fresh blackberries and strawberries that have been in abundance at the market.  Most often I love using granola in these, but this week I’ve actually been digging Kashi’s “Go Lean Crunch” — hey, whatever works!

So while I know this one is hardly a “recipe” to post, hoped it might be an inspiration to create and enjoy your own unique parfait sometime soon!

Easy Breakfast Parfait Recipe
(Original recipe)

Ingredients:

• fresh blackberries (or other fruits/berries)
• bananas, peeled and sliced
• granola (or other favorite crunchy cereal)
• yogurt (I used honey-vanilla!)

Other fun additions:

• grated coconut
• nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
• honey or agave nectar
• pinch of ground cinnamon

Method:

In a small bowl or glass, layer the ingredients in whatever order you’d like.  Serve immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

Would you believe me if I told you these were “light” (and came from a Weight Watchers recipe)?

Or what if I told you these were incredibly easy (as in – you can make them for a family of four in just 15 minutes)?

Or would you believe me if I said they are utterly, completely, irresistibly delicious???

Well, believe it.  These chocolate banana crepes are your new excuse to enjoy chocolate for breakfast – they are absolutely delicious!!  And it’s true – the crepe recipe actually comes from a Weight Watcher’s recipe and (well, if you use fat-free whipped cream and nix the chocolate chips), they’re only 2.5 points each!!  Or, you can go all out and use real homemade whipped cream and bring on the chocolate chips.  Yum.  :)

Also, for anyone who has never made crepes, they truly are super-simple!  The method is just like making pancakes, but they’re a little thinner.  So grab your skillet, whatever fresh fruits you love (strawberries, peaches, or pineapple would be great in these!), and give these a go!  I guarantee your family and friends will LOVE you!

Chocolate Banana Crepes Recipe
(Adapted from Gina’s WW Recipes)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. unsweetened dutch cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar (or I used 2 Tbsp.)
• 1 1/2 cups (I used 1% milk)
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp. oil
• 3 bananas, sliced
• whipped cream (homemade or store-bought)
• chocolate syrup, for drizzling
• chocolate chips, for sprinkling (optional)

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, milk, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, eggs and oil until smooth.  (You can also do this with an electric mixer.)

Heat a large nonstick pan on medium-low heat, and grease with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup crepe mixture into pan, immediately the pan so that the batter spreads out thin into a large circle. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until bottom of crepe is light golden brown. Flip; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute or until light golden brown. Repeat with remaining cooking spray and crepe mixture.

To serve, spoon whipped cream into center of each crepe. Top with sliced bananas and fold each edge of crepe over filling. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and any additional toppings.  Serve warm.

(This batter will also keep in the refrigerator for up to a day.)

Makes 12 servings.

Ali’s Tip:

For a shortcut, you can also mix up this batter in a blender!  Just throw all of the ingredients in, and process until just-mixed.  (Try not to overblend.)

Move over cinnamon rolls!  There’s a fabulous, new breakfast treat in my kitchen!!!

Meet…….these adorable cinnamon bun pie pockets.  :)  The name pretty much describes them.  All of the cinnamon-sugar-and-cream-cheese goodness of cinnamon rolls, tucked in between some delicious (pre-made!) pie crusts, and then drizzled with a little extra glaze…DE-LISH!

Even better, they’re 100% easy and fun to make, and would be a perfect project for kids to help out with on a Saturday morning!  Check out my tip below for some yummy (fruity!) twists on the recipe as well.

Really, run out and buy the ingredients today.  I know you’ll love them!  :)

Cinnamon Bun Pie Pockets
(Adapted from Picky Palate)

Ingredients:

• 2 refrigerated 9-inch pie crusts
• 1 brick (8 oz.) softened cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (1/2 for filling, 1/2 for topping)
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp. milk or heavy cream

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Unroll both pie crusts and place onto a lightly floured surface.  Using a 3″ round cookie cutter, cut rounds out of crust until all crust is used.  You should get approximately 12 rounds per pie crust, re-rolling scraps one time if needed.

In a mixing bowl, mix the cream cheese, brown sugar and (1/2 tsp.) cinnamon until well combined.  Place half (12) of the rounds onto a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet.  Using a small cookie scoop, scoop a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese mixture onto the centers of the 12 crusts.  Lightly brush water around outer edges of the filled dough then place remaining rounds on top of filled rounds.  Gently press edges to seal.

Place sugar and (1/2 tsp.) cinnamon into a small bowl and mix to combine.  Brush tops of pies with melted butter then sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tops of pies are golden brown.  Once pies are cooled, whisk powdered sugar and cream until mixed well and a desired drizzling consistency.  Drizzle over tops of pies.  Serve warm.

Ali’s Tip:

A fun variation on this would be to mix some diced/mashed fruit into the cream cheese mixture, such as:

• bananas
• apples
• apricots
• blueberries
• blackberries
• peaches

Ok, what is up with eggs?!!?  They seem to be in everything lately!  From topping pizzas, to burgers (shout out to Blanc, for KC locals!), to garnishing soups…apparently the incredible, edible egg is now tres chic. Intriguing, but I’m all for it!  :)

One creative idea for baking eggs that seemed new and notable (at least to me) is this great recipe I stumbled across online.  I admit…I was initially drawn to it because I though it looked pretty cute.  (I love anything with “bowls”!)  But I was eventually won over by how incredibly simple and delicious these little guys turned out to be!  Plus, the ingredients are super-economical.  Yay.

Definitely a fun twist on the typical eggs, bacon and hash browns.  Plus, a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes!  Way to go, Idaho….

Idaho Sunrise (Baked Eggs & Bacon in Potato Bowls)
(Adapted from The Village Cook)

Ingredients:

• 1 large baked potato (russett or sweet)
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 strips bacon, cooked and diced
• 2 Tbsp. shredded cheese
• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Lay the baked potato on its side, and use a knife to carefully cut off the top third of the potato.  With a spoon, hollow out the middle of the potato to make a “bowl”, leaving the potato as thick or thin as you’d like.  (Just remember, the more room you leave, the more room for eggs, bacon and cheese!)

Place 1/2 tablespoon of butter in the middle of each bowl.  Then gently break an egg into each bowl, careful not to break the yolk.  Top with bacon, cheese, parsley, and then season with salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg whites are set.  Serve immediately.

Ali’s Tip:

Feel free to experiment with seasonings on these!  Especially if you tried this with sweet potatoes, I imagine some more savory (or spicy!) seasonings would be great!

Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?  Actually, I do!  His name is Steve.  :)

He happens to be my good friend, a brilliant physical therapy professor, and the baker of his famous “medley” muffins.

It’s true.  Every now and then, Steve posts on Facebook that he’s making another enormous batch, and inevitably he gets tons of requests (including from Yours Truly) to please save people a few!  And of course, this is why Steve is famous for his muffins — because he will!

The first time I had a delicious bite, I remember immediately asking what he’d put in them.  And I was surprised when he listed off bananas, pumpkin, and oatmeal.  And then I was even more surprised when the list went on with wheat flour, cranberries, almonds — oh my!!!

It’s definitely the r-a-r-e occasion that I ever make a recipe with more than ten ingredients.  But this week, the muffin craving hit.  And when I surveyed my pantry, realized that I surprisingly had all of the ingredients on hand.  So I pulled a “Steve” and made a massive double batch, and oh my word – heaven.  Healthy, hearty, delicious…heaven.  :)

Trust me, they’re worth it.  And in honor of Steve, please share.  Your friends will love you.

“Medley” Muffins Recipe
(From my friend, Steve)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup wheat germ or flax seed (optional)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 can pumpkin
• 1/3 cup milk (can use soy milk)
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 egg
• 1 cup oatmeal (quick or old-fashioined)
• 1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• 1/2 cup almonds or walnuts (I used a mixture of whole and sliced almonds)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare 18-22 muffin tins with paper cups, or lightly grease.

In a bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking soda, and wheat germ (or flax).  Set aside.

In mixing bowl, mix together the next eight ingredients (butter through egg) until combined. Then slowly add in the flour mixture until combined.  Then stir in oatmeal, cranberries and almonds.

Pour the mixture into the baking cups, so that each is about 2/3 full. Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool for a few minutes, and serve.  These also freeze well.

Ali’s Tip:

If you want to be extra-healthy and include an extra 1/4 cup of wheat germ (or flax), feel free to just leave out 1/4 cup of the wheat flour.

I love the morning.  Love the light.  Love watching my puppy yawn and greet the day.  Love that sense of newness and hope that seems to come with the morning.  And of course, love breakfast.

But that said, I also love the snooze button on my alarm.  :)  More often than not, find myself in a race out the door, maybe grabbing a granola bar or banana on the way.  Boo.  This spring, I’m determined to reclaim my mornings.  And with that — healthy, intentional breakfasts!

So for the first (of hopefully many) breakfast posts this spring, I’m so excited to share this amazing couscous recipe.  That’s right — couscous for breakfast!  This recipe actually calls for Israeli (pearl) couscous which, after being toasted and soaked in coconut milk, is super rich, sweet and very filling!  Loved the almond/coconut/apricot combo as well — fresh and full of great protein for the day.

Definitely a delicious reason to wake up with some time to spare.  ;)

Breakfast Israeli Couscous (with Apricots, Almonds & Coconut)
(Adapted from The Taste Space)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1 cup coconut milk (I used “light”)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
• Dash of salt

Method:

Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat for one minute, then stir in the shredded coconut.  Continue to cook for a few more minutes (stirring constantly) until they both are slightly tanned and fragrant.  (Be careful – nuts go from toasted to burnt in a flash!) Remove and set aside.

Toast couscous in a skillet over medium heat until lightly golden, stirring every minute or so.

Pour coconut milk in a small saucepan and heat until almost boiling, but not quite. Add toasted couscous, honey, and dash of salt and stir quickly. Cover the pot and remove from heat; let sit for 15 minutes. During this time, the couscous will absorb the liquid. Once couscous has absorbed all of the liquid, add in the toasted almonds, apricots, and shredded coconut.  (If you like this really sweet, feel free to add in a little more honey at the end!)

Ali’s Tip:

Israel couscous is actually a pasta, but I’m sure many other whole grains would be fantastic in this!  Winter wheat berries and quinoa come to mind…

Also feel free to sub in favorite dried or fresh fruits!  Just about anything would work!!  :)

To kick of a morning of meetings on Mardi Gras, I decided to bake up these delicious sticky buns for my coworkers!  YUM!

I have actually had a lovely surplus of puff pastry sitting in my freezer this month, after stocking up from a $0.99 sale at Aldi (wahoo!).  So was excited to put a box to use — especially on a Barefoot Contessa recipe!  I’m telling you — the woman is brilliant.  Still have yet to find a recipe of hers that I don’t immediately fall in love with.

Sure enough, they were a-ma-zing.  Thanks to the wonder of puff pastry, the total time from the pastry start to that ooey gooey finish was just 40 minutes.  Love it!  But the best part, of course, was that classic cinnamon, butter, pecan, (and now) soft, flaky puff pastry goodness.  Absolutely irresistible.  :)

Definitely a perfect (and appropriately extra-buttery) way to celebrate Mardi Gras!  But I’m pretty sure these will be gracing my kitchen many more times this year.  Thank you…..Ina!

Easy Sticky Buns Recipe
(Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa – Back To Basics)

Ingredients:

• 12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped in very large pieces
• 1 package (17.3-ounces/ 2-sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

For the filling:

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins (optional)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper (to catch any butter that may ooze over!).

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down. Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2-inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Be careful – they’re hot! Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon) and cool completely.

Ali’s Tip:

Don’t worry at all if your little unbaked rolls are lopsided, or if the pastry is at all cracked in places.  Once they bake, any “imperfections” will turn into delicious perfection. :)

Allow me to take a moment to brag on my friends.  They pretty much…rock.  :)

Last Sunday, we had brunch at my place.  And even though it was fairly last-minute for some, the spread was absolutely incredible!  Love them, and love that they enjoy food as much as I do.  :-)  For one of my two contributions, I decided to try out a recipe I’d had tacked to the fridge for months because it was so pretty — this yummy breakfast braid from Cooking Light.

While the filling looked simple to prepare, I was a little intimidated by the idea of trying to braid the dough.  But it turned out to be a piece of cake!!  As evidenced below, mine definitely wasn’t perfect.  But it only took a few minutes, and once baked up, it was pretty cute!  (Cheers to refrigerated pizza crusts!)

The filling was also delicious — classic breakfast ingredients, kicked up a notch with the jalapeno.  (But don’t worry — it wasn’t spicy at all.)  I think I may try this again soon with some other fillings — very fun!

So definitely bookmark this one if you’re looking for a fun breakfast alternative!

Easy Breakfast Braid
(Adapted from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

• 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• 1 Tbsp.  olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 4 oz. spicy chicken sausage (or other sausage), chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded jalapeño peppers
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Method:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat into a 15 x 10–inch rectangle.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sausage; cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in eggs; cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until set (while continuing to stir). Remove from heat.

Sprinkle Monterey Jack lengthwise down center of dough, leaving about a 2 1/2-inch border on each side. Spoon egg mixture evenly over cheese. Sprinkle cheddar over egg mixture; top with jalapeño peppers.

Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of filling using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Arrange strips over filling, alternating strips diagonally over filling. Press ends under to seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Ali’s Tip:

If you’re not a huge fan of sausage (like me!), feel free to sub in some bacon instead!  But if you use regular bacon, though, be sure to drain away any extra grease as it could make the dough a little soggy.  Turkey bacon would also be fantastic!  :)

To kick off the Christmas baking season on the blog, allow me to introduce you to….my favorite biscotti.  EVER.

That’s right – no exaggeration here.  :D  In my opinion, and in the enthusiastic reactions of friends and family, this stuff is truly in a league of its own!

First of all, who can go wrong with the cherries+almonds+white+chocolate combo??  The flavors and textures perfectly complement one another, and are enhanced even moreso by the delicious almond extract mixed into the dough.  Yum.

Secondly, since I seem to be on a kick this week with recipes that are often made with unnecessary fats, I’m happy to point out that this recipe only calls for 1 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Once more, it just amazes me how many people throw 1 or 2 sticks of butter into biscotti recipes!  Completely unnecessary, and these still taste great.  (Of course, I completely negate this by drizzling white chocolate all over them, but I’ll vote for extra chocolate calories any day over butter!  ;))

And finally, the texture is exactly what I love in biscotti.  It seems that so much of the biscotti I’ve tried over the years is either rock hard, or super-soft and chewy like scones.  This recipe thankfully strikes the perfect balance — crunchy and crisp on the outsides, but still soft and slightly chewy on the inside.  Perfect for enjoying on its own, or dipping in some coffee or hot cocoa.

So if you’re looking for some fun baked goods to give as gifts to friends and family this year, or if you’re just looking to cozy up with some deliciousness, I cannot recommend this recipe enough!  Oh.  So.  Good.  :)

Cherry, Almond & White Chocolate Biscotti
(Adapted from MyRecipes.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup dried berries (cherries or cranberries)
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• white chocolate baking squares or chips (optional)

Method:

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.  Set aside.

Mix eggs, oil, and extracts in a bowl with an electric mixer.  Then add in dry ingredients and mix together until combined.  Then add in berries, chocolate and almonds – and either mix by hand with a wooden spoon, or very briefly with the electric mixer.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface.  Knead lightly a few times to be sure that berries, chocolate and almonds are well-distributed.  (Dough will be sticky, so you may need to lightly re-flouring your surface once or twice.)  Divide dough in half.

Shape each half into long logs, and flatten to 1″ thickness.  Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Remove rolls from baking sheet and cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Then cut each roll diagonally into 1/2″ slices.

Place the slices cut-sides down on a baking sheet.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove, and turn each slice over, and bake for another 10 minutes.  Remove and cool on wire racks.

To add white chocolate, simply melt your desired amount in a double boiler or (carefully!) in the microwave.  Use a fork to drizzle it over the biscotti slices.  Or you can dip each slice in a bowl of the melted white chocolate.

Ali’s Tip:

I often use this recipe as a base for making many other different flavors of biscotti.  So feel free to experiment around with it — subbing out the cherries, white chocolate, and almonds for whatever deliciousness you have on hand!

Now that my pantry is happily restocked with pumpkin (after weeks of empty store shelves because of this year’s shortage), it was finally time to make my first batch of pumpkin bread for the season!  Suffice it to say, I’m obsessed with the stuff.  Love baking it.  Love gifting it to friends.  Love how perfect it is for breakfast, lunch, dinner…and everything in between.  :)  Pretty sure I even have an enormous pumpkin spice candle for the days when fresh bread is not gracing my oven!!!

But for some random reason, I became convinced last week that if I was going to post a pumpkin bread recipe on here, it needed to be super-healthy.  And why couldn’t it be?  There are lots of substitutions that can be made with these classic ingredients.  So I searched around online, read through a few zillion recipes and reviews (although was surprised at how very few “healthy” recipes for this are out there!), and enthusiastically decided on one to try.  It had no white flour (just wheat), no white sugar (just brown), no oil/butter (just applesauce+water), or no egg yolks.  And surprise, surprise…it was no good. Argh. Not exactly sure why I thought it would be, and not sure why I didn’t go for a recipe that just used one or two substitutions.  But unfortunately it was a 100% flop.

So to remedy the situation, I immediately returned to my favorite classic pumpkin bread recipe.  And when I say classic, I mean classic. This recipe was the very first recipe I tried when I received my first cookbook — the classic BH&G with the checkered cover (yeah!).  Loved it then, and have made it a zillion times since.  It may not be the absolute healthiest, but it’s full of all of the great flavor and texture we love.  And it makes a large batch, so bring out the big loaf pans or make a bunch of mini-loaves and share the goodness.  :)

Cheers to the recipe that saved the day!!

Classic Pumpkin Bread
(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 4 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves (optional)
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Method:

Grease two 9x5x3 inch, or three 8x4x2 inch, or four 7.5×3.5×2 inch loaf pans; set aside.

In a very large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed.  Add eggs and beat well; set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Alternately add flour miture and water to sugar mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.  Beat in pumpkin.  Spoon batter into prepared pans.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of the loaves comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans.  Cool completely on wire racks.  Serve immediately, or wrap in plastic or aluminum foil to keep fresh.

Ali’s Tip:

If you notice that the tops of your loaves are getting too browned while baking, just gently lay a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the loaves.  Don’t tuck it in snug – just laying it there will prevent the browning but still allow the rest of the loaf to continue baking.  :)