Skillet Breakfast

I've never been much of a breakfast person, my whole life I have pretty much been content with just eating a banana and some yogurt to start my day.  Then I met the boy and everything changed.  This man is SERIOUS about his breakfast, to the extent that he starts asking what I’m making the coming weekend on Wednesday.  The first thing I am greeted with on Saturday morning is not “Good Morning my lovely wife” it’s more like “So um, what’s for breakfast?”  More times than not it’s usually just eggs and toast for him and some sort of omelet or frittata for me.  But one of his favorite things is skillets; deep fried hash browns, sausage, runny eggs and cheese is the sort of thing that is right up is alley.  So when I saw this pop up on my reader the other day I knew it had to be made, and finally I could join in eating it!

I made a couple changes to the original just so I could use what I had on hand, and I encourage you to do the same.  After all, recipes should be the starting point for making things your own.  I can’t wait to try this with some caramelized red onions or chorizo or even bacon.  The possibilities are only as big as your imagination so have fun with it.  Either way when you fry up sweet potatoes in any kind of pork fat the end result is going to be amazing!

Skillet Breakfast

Serves 2 really hungry people

1 tablespoon oil (coconut, grapeseed, etc)

1 lb breakfast sausage
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 eggs
Fresh grated cheddar cheese
Handful of fresh chopped parsley
Hot Sauce (and as you well know, I highly recommend Sriracha)
In a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.  Add the sausage and break into pieces until browned and caramelized.  Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and reserve for later.

Toss the diced sweet potatoes into all that yummy sausage grease and season with salt and pepper, add a little chili powder if you’re feeling adventurous.  Cook until potatoes are fork tender.  Be careful not to burn the potatoes before they become tender, if need be cover the skillet with a lid and allow to steam for about 3 minutes.

Add the sausage back to the pan and combine well.  Make four little wells in the pan for the eggs.  Crack each egg into the wells and season with salt and pepper.  Cover with a lid and cook until the tops of the yolks are just set, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and top with fresh grated cheddar cheese and fresh chopped parsley.  Give each person 2 eggs, a spoonful of potatoes and sausage and douse the entire thing with hot sauce.  Enjoy!

Primal Pumpkin Bread

A month…that’s how long it’s been since I’ve posted a new recipe.  My hopes of quitting my job and being a full time food blogger definitely aren’t going to happen when I can’t even post a new recipe every week!  For those of you that still stick around and look forward to each new post, thank you :)

Last time I was here I shared with you what I believe to be the most amazing artichoke dip ever, and since then I have made it 3 more times.  Really, I need to stop; some of us have a wedding dress to squeeze into in 37 days.  The Boy might have been on to something when he suggested we weigh-in before football season!

It was also still summer last time was here and now that it’s officially fall and I can’t wait to start pigging out on some of my favorite foods of the season.  However this year will be a little different, since us Primal folk don’t eat grains or sugar I am looking forward to reinventing some of my favorite fall dishes.  Primal Pumpkin Pie has nice ring to it don’t you think?  PS…I’ve had it and its AMAZING (thanks Jen!)

So in the spirit of the season today I’m bringing you a recipe for Primal Pumpkin Bread.  I didn’t think it was possible, but believe it or not this bread does not contain one speck of flour or sugar and it’s the most moist, dense cake I’ve ever had.  And trust me when I tell you it makes one hell of a French Toast the next day.  Enjoy!

Primal Pumpkin Bread

1 cup of almond butter
* In this recipe it really does help to make your own.  Toast one 12oz bag of raw almonds with 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash of salt.  Roast at 375º for 10 – 15 minutes, when you can smell them they’re done.  Cool, toss into the food processor and process until smooth.
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ can pure pumpkin
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
A dash and a heap of your favorite fall spices, season to taste.  I used 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup raisins (optional)

Preheat your oven to 325º and butter a loaf pan. 

Mix all ingredients except the lemon juice into a large bowl and beat until well combined with mixer.  Add the lemon juice and fold in the raisins, if using.  Pour the batter into buttered loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool, slice and eat.  And seriously, the next morning dip slices into an egg / milk mixture, top with toasted pecans and real maple syrup…best French Toast ever!

Banana Pecan Muffins

I have an addiction, and its spelled B A N A N A S!  My morning breakfast is typically comprised of a protein shake or greek yogurt and a banana.  My evening dessert is more times then not, a slightly chilled banana chopped with toasted pecans, honey and a splash of heavy cream.  I bake with them, I put them in smoothies you name it I’ve tried it.  My only caveat is that I prefer them to be a little unripe.  When there is just a faint touch of green on the tips and the peels are still pale yellow.  They’re not too sweet and have a slight bitterness to them that reminds me of plantains. 

Since I prefer them this way more times then not I usually end up with a stray one or two that never quite made it in to my daily routine.  In the past, before the whole Primal transformation, I would have used this opportunity to make yet another favorite thing, Banana Bread.  But since carbs are a no-no I was at a loss at what to do with the stragglers...until I discovered this site.  Low and behold, what did I find?  Banana Muffins, finally the world made sense again.

Banana Pecan Muffins

Makes 9

2 medium bananas

3 eggs
¼ cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup coconut flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Preheat your oven to 350º and insert liners into your muffin tins.

Place bananas, eggs, oil and honey together in a bowl and mix until well combined.  I tossed everything in my food processor (love that thing) and pulsed it a couple times.  Add in the coconut flour, salt and baking soda and mix until smooth.

Transfer the batter from the processor to a medium sized bowl and fold in the chopped pecans.  Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the nuts to sprinkle on top.

Using an ice cream scoop or a ¼ cup measure, scoop the batter into the lined muffin tins.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Caprese Egg Cups

I’m tired, actually I think exhausted is more the word.  In the past 2 weeks can literally count on one hand the amount of meals I have prepared in my kitchen.  Between work, play, exercise, wedding planning and my regular to do’s there has been little time for cooking…let alone blogging.  But this week all that’s changing! 

During these last 2 weeks of chaos I’ve sort of strained from my Primal eating routine, and I can feel it…big time!  It’s amazing when you cut the crap from your diet and then slowly start adding it back in the difference you immediately feel.  And it reminded me of why I decided to go Primal in the first place.

One glance at my Recipe Index and you’ll see that not all my recipes are Primal / Paleo friendly.  I made the change to Primal in March of this year after becoming increasingly frustrated with working out 5 days a week, eating organic and healthy meals yet still being unable to tone and shed the extra pounds like I wanted.  A friend turned me on to Mark’s Daily Apple and his Primal Blueprint and I’ve been on the bandwagon ever since.  It wasn’t that hard of a transition for me since I was already eating organic and veggie dominant meals, but the key was cutting the carbs and sugar from my diet.  As a self professed carb-o-holic I didn’t know how I was ever going to live without my mashed potatoes and pasta.  But in just 3 short weeks I was able to shed 7 pounds and 3 inches off of my waist.  I woke up each morning feeling energized and ready to start the day, without the need of caffeine or sugar, and my general attitude and demeanor were also much improved.

The point of this post isn’t for me to get on my soapbox and preach to others that they should suddenly change their eating routines and jump on the bandwagon like me, but if it works great.  I more or less just wanted to let my readers know why.  I’m not perfect, and those who know me can tell you that I still eat things I shouldn’t.  And when you work for a beer distributor it’s a little hard to omit carbs completely from your diet ;)  But I try and live an 80/20 lifestyle, so for the most part I eat 100% Primal and allow myself a cheat day once…sometimes even twice a week.  For me it’s all about balance and it allows me to not feel like I’m depriving myself of the things I love.  And the boy can have nachos or pizza once a week ;)  But going Primal has literally changed the way my body looks, the way I feel physically and mentally and I’m sleeping better then I have in years!

One of the tricks when eating a Primal or Paleo diet is to plan your meals in advance.  Very few people actually get up in the morning and make themselves breakfast; if you do I applaud you, because I’m probably still sleeping.  And since I can’t just grab a granola bar when I’m walking out the door I have to try and make things that I can bring with me and reheat when I get to work.  I’ve already shared with you My Favorite Frittata, it’s great for breakfast, dinner or a post workout snack but when my friend sent the link for these Caprese Baked Egg Cups I knew what I would be having for the rest of the week.

I made these in 2 cup glass dishes that have plastic lids but I imagine they could also be prepared in muffin tins as well.  If not eating right away, microwave uncovered at 30 second intervals to reheat.

Caprese Egg Cups
Makes 4

4 eggs

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
Fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
6 – 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 teaspoons half and half

Preheat your oven to 350º.  Grease your baking dishes or muffin tins with softened butter or any other FOC (fat of choice).  Add 4 or 5 small cubes of mozzarella to the bottom of the dish along with 6 tomatoes halves and a sprinkle of fresh basil.  Crack one egg over top and season with salt and pepper.  Repeat the process and top the egg with more mozzarella, tomatoes and basil and 1 teaspoon of half and half.

Place dishes on a baking sheet, or pop the muffin tins, into your preheated oven.  Bake for 8 minutes at 350º then turn your broiler on high until the cheese is bubbly and brown.  This will yield a runny yolk, if you prefer your eggs well done increase the cooking time to 10 minutes.

Remove dishes from the oven and allow to cool completely, if not eating right away, before storing in the refrigerator. 

My Favorite Frittata

I must confess, I’m addicted to eggs. The boy and I go through at least a dozen a week, and if I actually got my lazy butt out of bed in the morning on time like I’m supposed to, that number would easily double. Whether they are being used to create decadent cakes and custards or simply being scrambled and served along side some crispy bacon I’m obsessed and can’t seem to get enough.

One of my favorite egg dishes is a frittata. Similar to an omelet or a quiche, a frittata is packed full of your favorite meats, cheeses and herbs and cooked on the stove top until the eggs are just set then tossed in the oven under the broiler to get everything all nice and crispy. They are perfect for when you have a ton of veggies sitting in your fridge on the edge of ruin and even more perfect for a weekend brunch. They are also a vitamin and protein rich post workout snack that I have been inhaling after my workouts.

There are a ton of different recipes that I use depending on my mood or what’s lingering around in my fridge. Crumbled sausage with sage and cheddar, roasted red peppers with chives and goat cheese or my favorite sautéed red onion, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and feta...the possibilities are truly endless!

* The picture below shows an individual portion made in an 8” nonstick pan using half of the ingredients listed below.

My Favorite Frittata
Serves 4

6 eggs, beaten
¼ cup half and half
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup chopped broccoli, can be fresh or frozen
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat a 10” nonstick skillet over medium heat and crank on the broiler in your oven to high. Make sure the rack is in the upper 1/3 position. Beat up the eggs with the half and half until there are tiny bubbles on the surface, about 2 minutes, and season with a little salt and pepper. The object here is to try and incorporate as much air into the eggs as possible; this will result in a fluffier frittata. Add the olive oil and red onion to the pan and sauté until the onion is translucent. Toss in the broccoli and continue to sauté for another 3 – 5 minutes. Add the quartered cherry tomatoes, toss gently, and season with salt and pepper.

Lower the heat to medium low and add the butter to the pan, once melted pour in the egg mixture. Gently stir around the eggs until they are mostly set and very little liquid remains, just like you would do with an omelet. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese.

Toss the pan in the oven under the broiler and cook until the edges begin to pull away from the pan and the top is nice and golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.

French Toast with Cream Cheese and Blueberry Compote

One of my favorite things about the weekend, besides sleeping in, is breakfast. Well let’s be honest, in our kid free house it’s more like brunch, but you get the idea. During the week I am more then happy with a homemade granola bar and yogurt each morning but on the weekend all bets are off. Skillets with pan fried potatoes, bacon or sausage and sunny side up eggs are the things my dreams are made of Monday through Friday. In fact I pretty much start thinking about what I am going to make for breakfast on Saturday, Monday morning. And this time of year when the produce stands are overflowing with fresh raspberries, blueberries and blackberries at unbelievable prices you would be crazy not to cover your favorite french toast and pancake recipes with some of summer’s freshest berries. This is my take on stuffed French toast, custardy bread, cream cheese and fresh berries come together in less then 20 minutes and served along side crispy bacon or browned sausage patties it’s the perfect start to my weekend!

Now if you really want to jack up the richness of this dish I suggest going out and buying a good ‘eggy’ type of bread like Brioche, something that will really absorb all of that delicious custardy goodness. But the health freak in me, the part that likes to try and rationalize the bad things I am eating, sticks with some grainy whole wheat bread and I skip the dusting of powdered sugar on top. But please but all means, indulge and I shall live vicariously through you!

French Toast with Cream Cheese and Blueberry Compote
Serves 4

For the Compote:
1 pint fresh blueberries (or raspberries, or blackberries)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup sugar
Dash of salt

For the French Toast:
6 slices of bread (I used whole wheat but suggest you use something like Brioche)
3 eggs, beaten
½ cup half and half
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons of butter
1 container whipped cream cheese

Place blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and dash of salt in a medium sauté pan over medium low heat. Mix well and let sit, stirring occasionally for 10 – 15 minutes. The berries will begin to burst and form their own syrup. If the mixture becomes too thick add a tablespoon or so of water to loosen the compote. Taste and add more sugar if desired.

Combine eggs, half and half, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional) and salt in a shallow dish and mix well. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter on a nonstick griddle set at 375º (if you don’t have a griddle, use a large nonstick skillet and heat to medium high heat). Take bread slices and cut into halves. Dunk each half into the custard mixture, about 3 seconds per side. You want the bread coated evenly on both sides but not overly saturated. Add bread to preheated griddle / skillet and cook for 3-5 minutes per side. The pieces are done when each side is golden brown and the center of each piece of toast is firm, not soggy.

Remove from compote from heat and place 3 pieces of toast on a plate. Spread a good layer of cream cheese on each piece of toast and cover with compote. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with some crispy bacon or sausage patties.

Ooey, Gooey Granola Bars

Alright health food nuts, this ones for you! I don’t know about you but I whole heartedly adore granola, whether is big, gooey bars for a mid day snack or crumbled up in my yogurt for breakfast it’s something I pretty much eat on a daily basis. Only problem is, majority of the stuff tastes like cardboard and the brands that are half way decent cost and arm and a leg. I don’t know about you, but these days I’m saving every penny I can get my hands on so thus began my mission…to create homemade granola bars that aren’t just budget friendly but flavor packed as well. Yes my friends, this is what granola is supposed to taste like!

This is probably the most adaptable recipe you can find out there, and where you can get your creative juices flowing! Experiment each time you make these with different types of nuts, dried fruits, chocolates, etc. Let your mind run wild and make a different batch each week! Also important to note is that these bars freeze wonderfully.

Ooey, Gooey, Granola Bars
Makes 10 bars

1 2/3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup oat flour (now don’t go out and buy a bag of oat flour, simply put 1/3 cup of oats in the food processor or blender and process until finely ground)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
3 cups of dried fruits and nuts (my mix is 1 cup of chopped pecans, 1 cup dried cranberries, ½ cup sunflower seeds and ½ cup of semi sweet chocolate chips)
1/3 cup peanut butter (or almond butter or nutella, whatever you have on hand)
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons of melted butter
¼ cup of honey, maple syrup or corn syrup (I use honey)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350° and line a 9x9 baking ban with a piece of parchment paper making sure the ends go all the way up the walls of the pan, then coat the pan with non stick cooking spray. This will help easily remove the bars from the pan once they are cooled.

Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl, including the dried fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl combine the peanut butter, vanilla, melted butter, honey or maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of corn syrup and water then whisk until well incorporated. Toss the wet ingredients in with the dry and combine until the ingredients are well coated and the mixture is nice and crumbly. Spread mixture into prepared pan and press firmly. I cover mine with a piece of plastic wrap first so as to keep the mixture in the pan and not all over my hands.

Pop the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the edges are nice a brown. Don’t be afraid to get a little color on these, it’s a sign that your nuts are getting nice and toasty…just make sure you don’t go too far and burn them. I find 40 minutes works perfect for my oven. The middle will seem a little under done when you take them out but don’t worry, they will firm up as they cool.

Now this is the hard part because they smell so good, let the bars cool in their pan on a cooling rack completely. This means at least 2 hours. However after about 30 minutes you can grab the edges of your parchment and lift the bars out of the pan to continue cooling. You want your bars to be completely room temperature before cutting into them, in fact I even pop mine into the fridge for a good 30 minutes just to be sure. Using a serrated knife, cut into desired sizes, if they start to crumble they’re not completely cool pop ‘em back in the fridge and try again in 15 minutes.

To store wrap bars individually in wax paper or stack in an airtight container. For us Florida folks I recommend keeping them in the fridge cause of all the humidity but those in cooler climates should be fine with leaving them out.