Category Archives: Breakfast
Weekend Breakfast Crepes
It’s Saturday and the holidays are getting closer and it’s getting more hectic by the minute. First, I bring you a batch of light and fluffy fruit-filled crepes. Make these for breakfast tomorrow! Then I’ll share an update from New York ;)
Crepes are like paper-thin pancakes and we actually made them for dinner. (We are big fans of breakfast-for-dinner in this house!) The batter is most easily made in the blender. Cinnamon and vanilla are all the flavor you need!
Fresh raspberries and blackberries and thinly-sliced bananas were the fruity filling over some Cool Whip Lite, which we rolled like an enchilada. So much better than a heavy pancake and dense syrup! Sunday morning brunch?
Fruit-Filled Crepes:
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbs melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups sliced fruit/berries
- 2 cups Cool Whip Lite
- Add all ingredients to a blender, and combine on high.
- Heat a non-stick skillet pan over medium. Pour a spoonful of batter onto the pan, tilting it until the batter spreads over the entire pan in a very thing layer.
- Once brown, flip over and cook evenly on both sides. Allow to cool for a few minutes before topping with fruit and cool whip, and burrito-folding.
Today I am flying to New York. On Thursday, I finished all of my finals and headed home to fight off a cold. I have surgery bright and early Monday morning and no time to deal with a cough and sore throat, so I spent the day in bed, catching up on TV shows and snuggling with my favorite polar-bear-wannabe Missy. And PACKING. We arrive in New York this evening, and I can’t wait to see the Rockefeller Plaza ice skating rink. Tomorrow is another day of fun in the city before I check into the hospital Monday morning. I will post updates on that for the next week or so before back to normal workouts and recipes ;)
Butterscotch Pumpkin Granola Bars
This recipe is TOO GOOD not to make. Seriously, if you like the Nature Valley Oat n’ Honey bars, you will fall in love at first bite with these homemade creations that are pretty easy and muy delicioso. The recipe originally came from Heatherchristo.com, which I found on Pinterest.
My mom and I made these bars together for our awesome (and painful) 10 mile hike on Friday. Trail mix always seems like the perfect go-to fuel for long hikes, and these bars are like bringing all the trail mix flavors together for an on-the-go snack. The flavors were fantastic for fall, and the butterscotch is really powerful and sweet! Good combo of nuts, seeds, sweet and salty going on here :)
You will need a large bowl and the following:
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup pure pumpkin
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 (heaping) tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup of pepitas (or sunflower seeds)
- 1 (11 oz) bag of butterscotch chips (chocolate or white chocolate would be just fine!)
- Optional: shredded coconut, dried cranberries, cherries, or pineapple
1. First, in a LARGE bowl, combine oats, oil, pumpkin, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon and salt.
2. Throw the pepitas and almonds in to the mix.
3. Add in butterscotch chips and any additional fillings.
4. Line a 9 x 13″ baking sheet with parchment paper; evenly spread the granola mixture onto the parchment paper and use a spatula to flatten it as much as possible.
Best with a warm cup of coffee!
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and use spatula again to press down and flatten the sheet of granola. Place back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes.
6. Let cool completely!
7. Slice into bars; make approximately 24.
These bars do go soft after storing in a container or plastic bags, so they are best wrapped individually before storing in an air-tight container.
The oat texture, the bites of almonds and pepitas, the sweet butterscotch chips – it’s ridiculously good. So good that I’ve had two a day since Friday. With coffee of course.
How good would these be just broken up in a bowl with milk, eaten with a spoon? Mmm I think I just found my next breakfast for when I return home over winter break ;)
Don’t forget to pin these here:
Tips for a Healthy Thanksgiving
I’m happy to be home with my family for Thanksgiving this beautiful morning! I arrived bright and early yesterday morning (by train!) and was reunited with my mom, my Missy, and less than an hour later I was reunited with LA Fitness. What can I say, we gotta pre-burn every Thanksgiving calorie we can!
This is my first time home in three months, and I’m so happy to get to spend a long weekend with my mom & dad! There’s a mighty long list I can construct of all the things I am thankful for. Among them are: my parents. The ability to run and compete. Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Lattes. The “Undo” button. The snooze button. And this love bug:
The agenda for today includes a nice long run with some quick pick-ups while my dad rides his bike with me. Then some “quality time” in the kitchen as we cook up our turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and vegetables. I’m really lucky that my parents have adopted a healthy lifestyle along with me. We are all very conscious about the nutrition of our food; while the holidays are a time of celebration, it’s still not an excuse to gorge your body with thousands of extra calories.
SO, with that said, our menu includes:
Lean Turkey Breast
Homemade Reduced-Sugar Cranberry Sauce
Homemade Veggie & Fruit-loaded Stuffing
Roasted Vegetable Medley
& Pumpkin Pie!
Of course recipes and pictures will be on their way! There are several ways to reduce the massive-caloric intake that is associated with the Thanksgiving Dinner. I will be making sure to get in a sweaty workout in the morning, and eating light and healthfully before the dinner.
Other obvious “strategies” for having a healthy holiday are eating in moderation and stop eating BEFORE you are uncomfortably stuffed.
Now ENJOY yourself :)
Who is braving the midnight crowds for Black Friday shopping?? I will be warm and snuggly in my bed. Can’t say there are any deals so unbeatable that I am compelled to wake up before the sun.
What healthy tips do you use for the holidays?
