Category: Breakfast
Fruit and Coconut Water Smoothie
| March 31, 2013 | Filled under Breakfast, Drinks, Fruits |
It’s officially spring and I’m feeling the urge to lighten up, especially after a weekend of epic Easter eating. It’s time to bust out the blender and get my shake on.
My go-to version is mixed berry and mango, but just about anything you like would probably work too. To give my fruit smoothies an extra boost, I use Blue Monkey 100% natural coconut water which doesn’t have any added sugar or preservatives. Coconut water has natural electrolytes and other good stuff. Learn more about the benefits of coconut water here. Perfect as a snack or a breakfast on the go. Happy Spring!
Fruit and Coconut Water Smoothie (serves 2)
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 mango, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup Blue Monkey Coconut water
Combine frozen berries, mango, and coconut water in a blender and blend. Add more coconut water if too thick. Pour and serve.
Blueberry Buckwheat Waffles
| March 4, 2013 | Filled under Breakfast, Desserts, Fruits, Kid-Friendly |
I live for my weekends. For me, nothing could be more wonderful than sleeping in, snuggling under my pile of blankets. If I could be a fairy tale character, I would be cross between Sleeping Beauty who slept for 100 years and the Princess and the Pea, where I sleep under a million blankets instead of on a million mattresses. I was not born a morning-person by any means – I get up fairly early during the week and cherish every minute of extra sleep I can afford on the weekends. And as much as I enjoy heading out for brunch, I really prefer lazily waking up to make a delicious breakfast while still in PJs. So much so, that I invested in a waffle maker.
While pre-made frozen gluten-free waffles are convenient weekday breakfast solutions, weekends are for busting out that waffle maker. Since going gluten-free, I have experimented with numerous GF pancake and waffle baking mix and most have been pretty good and some great. However, being able to create golden crispy waffles from scratch feels so much more satisfying.
My waffle maker is by VillaWare and I scooped it up on Amazon a few years ago (mine’s an older model). It has plates that are dishwasher safe and removable so you have the option to make traditional Belgian round waffles or the heart-shaped ones (PS I am a sucker for all heart-shaped foods). It also has browning controls, on/off ready to bake lights, and beeps when the waffles are done. The generous spill troughs also mean I haven’t ever had overflow. Although I invested in a fancy-ish waffle maker, you don’t need to spend a lot to have homemade waffles.
Also, you can totally transform this into a dessert by adding some ice cream, chocolate sauce, and all the fixings for a sundae. Or put a scoop of ice cream between two pieces of waffle hearts for a waffle ice cream sandwich. Playing around with the fillings also transforms this into a breakfast/dessert type of meal. A world of waffle-y goodness awaits.
This recipe was adapted from the fabulous BabyCakes Covers the Classics cookbook - Erin McKenna’s second book (highly recommended if you are looking for gluten-free vegan versions of retro 50′s desserts like snickerdoodles, whoopie pies and sticky honey buns). I’ve always been a fan of buckwheat waffles and pancakes so I adapted her waffle recipe and added some blueberries. This recipe yields a pretty big batch of 10 to 12 waffles, which in our house is enough for a substantial breakfast and more to reheat during the week. A sprinkling of powdered sugar and some pure maple syrup is my preferred way of enjoying these waffles, ideally with some Motown playing in the background.
What’s your weekend breakfast like?
Blueberry Buckwheat Waffles adapted from BabyCakes Covers the Classics
Makes 10 to 12 waffles
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 1/2 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 3 Tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Powdered sugar and pure maple syrup to serve
Special Equipment: Waffle maker
Directions:
- Preheat waffle maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spray with canola oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Add milk, agave nectar, vanilla, and stir until combined. Fold in blueberries.
- Pour 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup batter into waffle maker and bake to desired doneness. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying with oil between batches. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
| February 11, 2013 | Filled under Breakfast, Sides, Vegetables |
Ever since the new year started, I’ve sort of been on a lucky cooking streak. New recipes attempts and even old favourites were turning out yummy. However as of late, I have entered into a bit of a slump. Friday, my sticky rice came out bland, and well, not really sticky. Yesterday, I attempted a mini cheesecake recipe which yielded some tragic little hockey pucks. They looked as deflated as I felt. Today, my homemade brownies ended up a blobby coagulated mess that went straight into the trash.
Just as I was feeling down in the dumps and considered living off take-out and cut fruit for the remainder of the week, I came across an article on The Kitchn, entitled ‘My Time of Endless Failures.’ The article beautifully captures that feeling of how it’s no fun to suck at something, but with cooking, it’s okay to dust yourself off and keep on going. At the end of the day you’ve got to keep eating and no failed recipe attempt goes without learning something new.
D is the one who often reminds me that I shouldn’t dwell on the failed outcome, and instead, should focus on the fearlessness it took to try something new. It’s a great reminder because I admit that sometimes I’m just too hard on myself, and you probably are too. Instead of getting discouraged, I will try to remember to shake it off and high five myself for simply giving it a go.
After the botched brownie attempt, I was going through my archives and I found this little recipe that has always served me well. It’s a classic/ foolproof/everyone loves it/make it with your eyes closed/no recipe needed recipe. Whenever I’ve needed a steady side to accompany a new dish or even an old favourite, these tasty taters have always ended up crispy and golden brown outside and deliciously soft on the inside.
These potatoes are as perfect for breakfast as they are for lunch or dinner, and are a great vehicle for your favourite sauces, herbs, and spices. Every time I make them, I’m reminded that yes, new recipes are great, but sometimes, you can’t forget the old favourites. So as I dust myself off, literally, I’m still covered in cocoa powder, I will keep on trying new ideas and sharing them with you. And high-five to you, for every new recipe adventure you go on.
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Fingerling potatoes, washed and dried
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut fingerling potatoes in half length-wise and toss in just enough olive oil to coat. Place potatoes cut-side down on lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast in oven for 25 minutes or until cut-side down is golden brown. Season with salt to taste and serve.
Most Popular Posts of 2012
| January 3, 2013 | Filled under Breakfast |
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! A fresh start to a new year is always very exciting. I find myself reflecting on all that has happened over the past year and dreaming about what the next will bring. I’m so grateful to have amazing family and friends, good health, happy home, and safety – I feel truly blessed.
Part of my reflection also includes looking back to see which recipes were most popular with you, my cherished readers. I am so grateful for every visitor to my blog and each tweet/share/like/pin/comment is so very much appreciated. Thank you for your support and I will continue to dream up new recipes that are yummy, simple, and gluten-free to share with you. Wishing you all the best for a healthy, happy, and successful new year full of all your dreams coming true. xo V
Stacked Crab and Avocado Salad
Elote (Mexican Corn)
All Natural Red Velvet Pancakes
Crispy Potato Roast
Chocolate Chip Cookies a la Neiman Marcus
Best Post-Holiday Detox Recipes
| December 27, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast |
It’s that time of year during the holidays where we’ve probably indulged in a few lot of extra treats, and our bodies are starting to betray us. I know mine has. I’m suffering from a runny nose as I type and am craving comfort food that will help combat my cold, clogging arteries, and growing waistline. Try these recipes now and think of it as a way to prime yourself for upcoming new years indulgences and/or a head start on your resolutions.
Miso Soup: Turn a restaurant starter into a full meal that’s low in calories and high in comfort. Vegetarian/vegan.
Miso Soup
Mexican Salad with Honey Lime Dressing: This salad is so fresh and flavourful, yet hearty and packed with protein to keep you full for hours. Omit seafood for vegetarian/vegan version.
Mexican Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
Mushroom Soup: Adapted from Oliver & Bonacini’s popular soup, each mouthful is filled with mushroom-y goodness. Dairy-free.
Mushroom Soup
Baby Bok Choy: Delicious, inexpensive, healthy and fast. All my fave things rolled into one little dish.
Baby Bok Choy with Garlic
Mexican Tortilla Soup: This dish is hearty, deliciously satisfying, and super easy to make – it’s a variation of traditional Mexican tortilla chicken soup (can swap shrimp for cooked chicken or omit for vegetarian/vegan option).
Mexican Tortilla Soup with Shrimp
Baked Veggie Chips: You can eat entire bowls of kale and beet chips without piling on the calories or getting the chip hangovers of regular chips.
Baked Veggie Chips
Viet-Lamb Vermicelli Salad (Bun): This Vietnamese dish consists of vermicelli rice noodles, veggies, fresh herbs, and meat (can swap lamb for chicken, pork or beef, or omit for vegetarian option).
Viet-Lamb Vermicelli Salad (Bun)
Tuscan Tomato Soup: With minimal effort, you’ll end up with a massive amount of deeply flavoured and deeply satisfying soup.
Tuscan Tomato Soup
Thai Shrimp Skewers: This recipe is one the fastest and easiest recipes and can be made even after a long day of work/commuting. Tastes like summer.
Thai Shrimp Skewers
Wishing you a healthy and happy new year! xo
Top Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
| December 24, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast |
During the holidays, we get to indulge a lot, and we can’t forget about breakfast. Lounging around the table in PJs with loved ones has always felt like a special bonding time, especially during the holidays. Here are a few of my favourite recipes to try during these festive times, or anytime you want to make breakfast a special occasion:
All-Natural Red Velvet Pancakes: ’Red Velvet’ anything is a crowd pleaser. These pancakes omit artificial food colouring and get their gorgeous colour from berries instead.
All Natural Red Velvet Pancakes
Potato Crusted Quiche: Think of an omelet getting a bear hug from a hash brown.
Potato Crusted Quiche
Berry Stuffed French Toast: It’s delicate, delicious, and decadent all at the same time. Spectacular to look at and even better to eat.
Berry Stuffed French Toast
Zucchini Muffins: A fool-proof gluten-free vegan muffin that tastes so good, you won’t notice what missing, only how yummy it is.
Zucchini Muffins
Crispy Potato Roast: Not your traditional hash browns or home fries, these elegant potatoes could be topped with a poached egg for a twist on the Benedict or served alongside any of your morning faves.
Crispy Potato Roast
Blue Corn Pancakes with Mixed Berry Syrup: These light and fluffy pancakes get their unique colour from blue corn meal. Better than green eggs and ham.
Blue Corn Pancakes with Mixed Berry Syrup
Bon Appetit! xox
Top Appetizer Recipes for Entertaining
| December 22, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast |
It’s that festive time of year with lots of holiday entertaining and my favourite part, holiday eating. Here are a few of my top appetizer posts that are easy to prepare, and so delicious your guests will be gobble them up and ask you for the recipes.
Thai Shrimp Skewers - The perfect appetizer for a few reasons: a) beautiful, b) tasty, c) on a stick, and d) healthy. Something to help offset all those high-calorie treats and beverages that will satisfy your taste buds.
Thai Shrimp Skewers
Goat Cheese Fundido – This updated warm dip is a blend of tomatoes, onion, garlic and jalapeno topped with goat cheese. Baked and served warm with tortilla chips and soft corn tortillas for dipping.
Goat Cheese Fundido
Roasted Asparagus Wrapped in prosciutto - Anything wrapped in prosciutto tends to fly at any party we’ve ever hosted. What’s great is that the asparagus is like an edible stick, and foods on sticks at parties rule.
Roasted Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto
Mushroom Toasts - An updated version of a classic brushetta, these toasts are topped with mushrooms and cheese. A touch of truffle oil takes these to the next level.
Mushroom Toasts
Elote – Another warm dip, this time made with corn and mayo inspired by the popular Mexican street food. Serve with corn tortilla chips for dipping. This can also be made vegan with egg-free mayo.
Elote (Mexican Corn)
Chicken Meatballs – To turn this main course into an appetizer, just omit the gnocchi. These meatballs are packed with flavour and can be made ahead of time. Just re-heat and spread some pesto sauce on the bottom of your serving platter, and place the meatballs on top. Serve with cocktail toothpicks.
Chicken Meatballs with Pesto Gnocchi
Baked Brie with Artisan Crackers – Baked brie is a classic for a reason – people love it. Modify the toppings depending on your mood (or guestlist) and opt for store-bought crackers if you’re tight on time. Bonus, while its baking, you are free to mingle with your guests – it’s important to give yourself enough time to your own party.
Baked Brie and Artisan Crackers
Hope you and your loved ones have a safe and happy holiday xo
Berry Stuffed French Toast
| November 13, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Fruits |
Sometimes you want to pamper your loved ones with something special to show how much you care. For me, it’s often through food and this berry stuffed French toast is a personal favourite of mine. It’s delicate, delicious, and decadent all at the same time. I’ve served this to my beloved bridal party as part of my thank you brunch, to my mom and family on her most recent birthday, and to my closest friends at my housewarming last year. Each time I’ve whipped this out, my guests devour the toasts, shower me with compliments, and immediately ask for the recipe.
As many folks with food sensitivities know, brunch and breakfast can be a challenge in restaurants. I’m gluten-free and sensitive to dairy, which is basically the bulk of any brunch menu. By making brunch at home, I can customize the ingredients to suit my diet. The stars of this recipe are the gluten-free egg bread (challah) by Molly Bee (light, fluffy and totally un-brick-like) and dairy-free Better Than Cream Cheese by Tofutti. Go get them now. Seriously good stuff.
This is surprisingly easy to put together considering the elegant finished product. Totally doable while bleary-eyed and waiting for coffee to brew. You can even make the cream cheese the night before. And if you or your guests aren’t dairy/gluten-free, you can swap for regular challah and cream cheese. No fresh berries? No problem. Spread your favourite fruit preserves instead. So many delicious options that you can experiment and treat your loved ones to their favourite fillings, whatever’s in season, or whatever you have in your kitchen. Make this and get ready to make people happy.
This recipe is a hybrid of a couple of recipes. One is from an old back issue of Fine Cooking Magazine and the other from Donna Hay’s No Time to Cook. Both are huge sources of inspiration and have been invaluable cooking resources over the years. Beautiful photography, great recipes, and food you actually want to eat.
Also, I have to give credit to my dad for teaching me how to make the perfect French toast. He briefly worked at one of Toronto’s top hotels, and would recreate their French toast for our family on Sunday mornings. He worked a lot during the week and weekends were when he would take charge and make the most fabulous gourmet breakfasts – fancy croissant sandwiches, tasty omelets, pancakes, you name it. We always felt so special as we gobbled it up. Thanks Dad, for teaching me your breakfast skills and all the delicious memories.
Berry Stuffed French Toast (serves 4) Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine and Donna Hay
Ingredients:
Stuffing:
• ½ cup cream cheese, softened/room temperature (or dairy-free substitute Tofutti)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
French Toast:
• 8 slices gluten-free egg bread (I use Molly Bee’s)
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter or butter substitute
• Icing sugar (to garnish)
• Pure maple syrup (to serve)
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combined softened cream cheese with lemon rind and one tablespoon of sugar and stir until combined. In a separate medium bowl, combine raspberries and one teaspoon sugar. Smash berries with the back of a fork and stir until combined. Set aside.
2. Spread two tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture onto slice of egg bread. Add two tablespoons of the raspberry mixture and spread evenly. Cover with another slice of egg bread and set aside. Repeat for all the slices of egg bread to make four sandwiches.
3. Preheat a large non-stick frying pan to medium heat for two minutes. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Melt butter in frying pan. In a deep sided dish, whisk eggs until pale yellow and stir in vanilla. Dip sandwiches into egg mixture until evenly coated on both sides and add to frying pan. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, flip over, and repeat on other side. Place on tray lined baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.
4. Slice in half to serve. To garnish, sift icing sugar over French toast. Serve with maple syrup.
Buttermilk Biscuits
| October 22, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Sides |
Depending on where you come from, a biscuit can mean two different things. In North America, they’re little scone-like breads that are typically savoury while in the UK they’re a cracker or cookie. The recipe here is for the North American version and they’re super easy to whip up using my fave Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix. The mix is so versatile and these tasty biscuits are ready to enjoy hot out of the oven in under 15 minutes. They’re not only fast and easy but totally decadent – even my non-gluten-free friends love them.
The buttermilk is in the mix and all that’s added is shortening and milk. The original recipe on the bag calls for shortening, but I’ve swapped that out for heart healthier coconut oil this time, or when I have it around, I go for organic vegetable shortening. You can use any milk however, because of my dairy sensitivity I opt for unsweetened soy. Whatever you’ve got around should work just fine – just keep an eye on the baking time. When the tops and edges are browned, they’re done.
This recipe is also super quick because these are drop biscuits, rather than biscuits with a dough that needs to be rolled and cut. Just scoop some blobs of dough on the tray and they’re ready to bake. I like to enjoy these biscuits with my Potato Leek Soup, Tomato Soup, or at a holiday meal with my Inside Out Stuffing and Simple Roast Chicken. These are even great with breakfast. Clearly, I love biscuits and I thought that once I went gluten-free that I’d never have anything close to the buttery flaky ones of my past. However, this is a simple fast recipe that makes biscuits so amazing that I’ve never looked back at their doughy gluten-y counterparts. Thanks Pamela’s Products for making such great gluten-free stuff – you rock.
PS – the mix contains both dairy and nuts (almond meal).
Recipe Buttermilk Biscuits (makes 6) Adapted from Pamela’s Products
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix
- 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon milk (I use unsweetened soy)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or shortening
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cut in the shortening or coconut oil with a fork until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the milk and stir until just combined. Do not let dough sit. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges and tops are lightly browned.
Zucchini Muffins
| May 28, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes |
Do you ever stand in line at a coffee shop and get tempted by the bountiful displays of baked goods only to end up leaving with some crazy awesome donut/danish/cookie/muffin you didn’t plan on getting? I guess one of the blessings/curses of being gluten-free is that I can’t ever succumb to my desire for those delish gluten-filled goodies. So to compensate, I try to satisfy my cravings by baking.
Now I fully admit that gluten-free baking can be a challenge, however, when I come across an easy and fool-proof version, I have to share. This muffin is adapted from Erin McKenna’s Babycakes cookbook and it was moist, delicious, chocolate-y and gluten/guilt-free. So good, that it makes me forget all about those high-priced gluten-filled sugary sweets in the coffee shops. Great for my wallet and my body.
Just remember everything in moderation – too many muffins will lead to ‘Muffin Top” which “is a… slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging fat when it spills over the waistline of pants or skirts in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing.’ Thanks to Wikipedia for that informative and graphic definition.
Zucchini Muffins Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna (Makes 12)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
- ½ cup flax meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup agave nectar
- ¾ cup unsweetened soy milk (or non-dairy milk alternative)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup mini gluten-free vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon. Add oil, agave, soy milk, and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in zucchini and chocolate chips (if using) just until evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Do not over mix.
- Pour half cup of batter into each prepared liner, almost filling it. Bake the muffins on the centre rack for 25 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes. To check doneness, a wooden toothpick will come out clean after being inserted into the centre of a muffin.
- Let the muffins stand in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store muffins in airtight container in the fridge or freeze.
Do you ever stand in line at a coffee shop and get tempted by the bountiful displays of baked goods only to end up leaving with some crazy awesome donut/danish/cookie/muffin you didn’t plan on getting? I guess one of the blessings/curses of being gluten-free is that I can’t ever succumb to my desire for those delish gluten-filled goodies. So to compensate, I try to satisfy my cravings by baking.
Now I fully admit that gluten-free baking can be a challenge, however, when I come across an easy and fool-proof version, I have to share. This muffin is adapted from Erin McKenna’s Babycakes cookbook and it was moist, delicious, chocolate-y and gluten/guilt-free. So good, that it makes me forget all about those high-priced gluten-filled sugary sweets in the coffee shops. Great for my wallet and my body.
Just remember everything in moderation – too many muffins will lead to ‘Muffin Top” which “is a… slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging fat when it spills over the waistline of pants or skirts in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing.’ Thanks to Wikipedia for that informative and graphic definition.
Zucchini Muffins Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna (Makes 12)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
- ½ cup flax meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup agave nectar
- ¾ cup unsweetened soy milk (or non-dairy milk alternative)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup mini gluten-free vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon. Add oil, agave, soy milk, and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in zucchini and chocolate chips (if using) just until evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Do not over mix.
- Pour half cup of batter into each prepared liner, almost filling it. Bake the muffins on the centre rack for 25 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes. To check doneness, a wooden toothpick will come out clean after being inserted into the centre of a muffin.
- Let the muffins stand in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store muffins in airtight container in the fridge or freeze.
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