Veggie Ham Egg and Cheese Bake

For an easy brunch recipe to serve for a large gathering, try this wonderful savory egg dish; made with part whole eggs, part whites, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, scallions, tomatoes, ham and cheese.

You can modify this however you wish – swap the ham for lean sausage or leave it out. Swap the cheddar for mozzarella or leave it out for dairy-free. As for the vegetables, use whatever you prefer, no rules here!

My sister in law Denise recently made something very similar to this at a brunch she hosted and I knew I wanted to remake it (just a bit lighter). Her recipe called for flour but I tested it without and it worked fine, plus I swapped some of the eggs for egg whites, added a lot more veggies and use reduced fat cheese. This turned out wonderful, and you can prep it ahead and bake when your guests arrive. Enjoy!


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Eggs and Tomato Breakfast Melts

I'm in love with these easy open faced breakfast sandwiches made on a whole wheat English muffin with egg whites and scallions, then topped with heirloom tomatoes and melted cheese - mmm!

Tomatoes, eggs and scallions are always a winning combination for me - especially now when summer tomatoes are at their sweetest! If you can't find heirloom tomatoes, red grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes would be just as great.

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Savory Zucchini Asiago Tomato Scones

Light and biscuit-like savory scones made with a blend of whole wheat and white flour, shredded zucchini, sun dried tomato, Asiago cheese and fresh rosemary. Almost smells like pizza when it comes out of the oven!

I was at the farmer's market in Long Beach this past weekend and bought lots of zucchini and tomatoes. I also came across a stand selling savory scones, a concept I fell in love with. Rather than my usual scones that I make with fruit, these are made with seasonal summer ingredients – perfect for brunch, lunch or with dinner. Today I had a scone for lunch with a beautiful heirloom tomato salad from the tomatoes I bought over the weekend. I'm thinking the leftovers would be perfect for dinner tonight with my homemade tomato bisque using the rest of the tomatoes I have.

Scones are usually made with double the amount of butter, to lighten them I have been having great success replacing butter with whipped butter in my baked recipes which is a lighter since it's whipped. I also use half the amount of butter used in traditional scones, and adding the zucchini really helps give the scones lots of moisture. The scones come out tender and soft with lots of wonderful flavor.

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Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread

 

This banana bread is moist and delicious, made with white whole wheat flour, sweet roasted strawberries and ripe bananas, with just a smidgen of butter, so you can enjoy a slice without the guilt!

I had some bananas that were getting brown and I was really in the mood for banana bread, so I combined the two for a delicious quick bread. You can turn these into muffins if you prefer. In the past I attempted this recipe, but the strawberries released too much liquid which made the bread a little too moist. Roasting the strawberries is the perfect solution, most of the liquid dries out from roasting so you get the flavor of the strawberries in every bite.

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Tropical Fruit Salad Recipe

This tropical fruit salad, made with fresh papaya, mango, pineapple, bananas and grated coconut is the best tasting fruit salad... EVER!!

It makes a great big bowl, big enough to feed a crowd so it's perfect to bring to a picnic, potluck or to serve at a backyard BBQ. This is easy enough for anyone to make – if you can use a knife, you can make this salad. The bananas are added just before serving so they don't turn brown.

Fruit salad always makes me think of my Dad, when I was younger he made a great big bowl of fresh fruit salad just about every night. It's the perfect dessert because it's all natural, made with nothing but fruit – it doesn't get cleaner than that!

In my past life I must have lived on a tropical island somewhere; the climate, blue oceans, palm trees, and sweet tropical fruit are my idea of a perfect world. Thank goodness we can get papayas, mangoes, coconut and pineapples here in the states, but there are still so many tropical fruits I'd love to see a lot more tropical fruit imported here one day such as fresh guanabana (sour sop) guava or passion fruit (maybe I need to get on a plane to somewhere tropical really soon).

Fruit salad is naturally low-fat, low-sodium, gluten-free, vegan, paleo friendly, clean-eating dish you can serve for brunch, snack or dessert. Yes, there is sugar in fruit, but it's natural and unprocessed, and loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, phytonutrients and fiber. Unless you have to watch your sugar for health reason, the USDA suggests you eat about 1-1/2 to 2 cups of fruit a day.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal

Strawberries and rhubarb baked with bananas, oatmeal and slivered almonds – this is so good you'll almost think you are having dessert for breakfast!

It's rhubarb season and I've always loved the combination of strawberries and rhubarb in pies and crumbles. One of my favorite baked oatmeal recipes that I LOVE to bring to potlucks or serve for brunch is Baked Oatmeal with Bananas and Blueberries, so after my friend Raquel asked me how strawberry rhubarb would taste, I immediately started experimenting.

I loved the combination, especially when I added the ripe bananas, I felt they added an extra sweetness to the tart rhubarb without having to add more honey.

I think this would be wonderful for a Mother's Day brunch; six servings is very generous, especially if you have other options on the table. 


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Harissa Eggs in Purgatory

This simple egg dish, simmered in a fiery tomato sauce can feel like heaven if you need a quick inexpensive meal with a kick.

I bought a jar of Mina Harissa on Amazon, a bright red Moroccan condiment that can be used with couscous, vegetables, meats or whatever you want, and my first thought was Eggs in Purgatory. It's spicy and flavorful, made of a blend of six simple ingredients; red chili pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt which also comes in a paste.

This is the type of dish you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner (Hello Meatless Mondays). Serve with with crusty bread, or any type of grain and call it a meal or double the portion and skip the starch if you are following a low carb or paleo diet.

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Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Topping

Lightened-up red velvet pancakes made with a blend of white whole wheat flour and all purpose, then topped with a light cream cheese topping.  I adore red velvet, so I can't think of a more fitting time to make red velvet pancakes, then for Valentine's Day!

I don't eat pancakes every day, instead I save them for special occasions, like holidays, birthdays and blizzards! This weekend Nemo hit the North East, which kept most of us indoors or digging our way out. We got around 8 to 10 inches which wasn't too bad, my daughter was really excited to finally use her snow suit and sled.

While my daughter and husband played outside in the snow, I decided to test out these pancakes. My puppy wanted no part of the snow, so he found a cozy blanket and just laid around all morning.

I spent quite a bit of time testing these pancakes out to get them just right. Finally after my third attempt I got them perfect! Fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness. This was modified from my whole wheat pancake recipe, I simply added some cocoa powder and food coloring and since this is topped with a cream cheese topping rather than maple, I felt the batter needed to be sweetened a bit, so I added a touch more sugar.

My husband, was my taste tester and tasted each and every round until we got a winner.

If you're watching your sugar intake, you can certainly substitute the sugar for Stevia or Splenda, or whatever sweetener you prefer to use.

You can prepare the batter the day before and keep it refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 days. The cream cheese topping will also last about 3 days refrigerated.

I used my heart shaped pancake molds which only makes one at a time, so if you plan on doing this and making a lot, I recommend buying more than one mold. It also tends to stick so spraying the mold first helps prevent this.

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Delightful Apple Spiced Scones with Spiced Glaze

When the weather gets cool, turn your oven on and warm up the house with the sweet smell of apples and cinnamon. The temperature dropped like 20 degrees since last week, and these homemade buttermilk scones with small bits of apples and a cinnamon spice glaze were the perfect excuse to bake.

Chocolate chip scones are usually my favorite scone variety, but these apple scones may have taken their place! The scones aren't too sweet, so the glaze gives it the perfect balance of sweetness in every bite. If you want to cut back on your sugar, you can make half the glaze, then drizzle it on instead.

Perfect for an afternoon tea or a lazy Sunday brunch. Enjoy!

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Apples and Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

Some of you may be asking, quinoa for breakfast? Well yes, quinoa served warm, with it's nutty taste and chewy texture, pairs beautifully with fresh crisp autumn apples, golden raisins, pecans, warm milk, vanilla and cinnamon – a delightful breakfast that is both protein packed and comforting.

I just love the flavor sensations from each spoonful – the sweetness of the raisins, the pop from the quinoa, and the crunch of the apple and pecans. Fresh pears and cranberries would also make a wonderful alternative to apples and raisins. If you like your cereal a little sweeter you can drizzle it with a teaspoon of honey just before eating.  One bowl will keep you fueled and satisfied until lunch.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a hunger-curbing and power-packed nutritional all-star.  Loaded with satiating protein (8 grams per cup) and filling fiber (5 grams per cup), this superfood digests slowly, which keeps blood sugar and insulin levels steady. You’ll also get impressive doses of doses of thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, zinc, potassium, magnesium and selenium, along with 15 percent of your daily iron needs. No wonder the ancient Incas, who considered the crop sacred, referred to quinoa as the mother of all grains!

Be sure to rinse the quinoa well before cooking to rinse off the saponins which has a slightly bitter flavor.  I like to warm my milk up, then pour it in right before serving. Enjoy!

Nutritional information for quinoa provided by Heather K Jones, RD (aka The Diet P.I.).

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Crust-less Summer Zucchini Pie

A simple savory pie made with summer zucchini, shallots, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. If you're looking for a tasty way to use up your summer zucchini, this is it!

It makes a wonderful side dish to any meal or serve it at a potluck or brunch.

To make shredding the zucchini easier,  just throw it in the food processor. You'll want to put the zucchini in a cheese cloth and give it a good squeeze to take out all the moisture.

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Skinny Honey Lemon Bars

 

Pucker Up! These sweet and tangy bars are lighter than traditional bars, but are not lacking in flavor! The sweet and tart topping is made from fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and sweetened with honey atop a shortbread crust. Perfect for potlucks, back yard parties and picnics.

I recently found a lightened up Lemon Bar on a blog (I forget which, sorry) that was adapted from America's Test Kitchen Light and Healthy Cookbook. I tested it out and further adapted the recipe swapping out ingredients and changing it to my taste and the result was a sweet-tart bar I couldn't resist! I'm really not sure what the original recipe looked like, bit I can tell you I loved how these turned out and I will certainly be making them again..

The only problem with these lemon bars is that I find myself making up excuses as to why I can eat another. I suggest making these only if you have some friends to share them with!

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Easy Blueberry Buttermilk Cake

A simple summer cake loaded with fresh, juicy blueberries in a lightly sweetened, moist buttermilk cake. And yes, it's light too!

The blueberries are the star of this cake, and I didn't think it needed any frosting. I simply topped it with a little powdered sugar before serving (completely optional) or you can even serve it with some whipped topping (or Greek yogurt) on the side.

I took a poll on the Skinnytaste Facebook fan page and asked what kind of baker you are, one who bakes from scratch or one who prefers quick recipes using a box cake as an ingredient, and the overwhelming response was you all like to bake from scratch!

So I set out to make this cake loaded with fresh blueberries without all the butter you would normally find in most cake recipes, and I was so pleased with the results. You will be too!!

Baking low-fat is tricky and requires a few rounds of experimenting. This luckily only took two attempts – first attempt I didn't use buttermilk and used double the apple sauce and although it worked, it was a little dense where this final cake is perfectly moist and fluffy.

Thumbs up all around in my house with the final version, from my 2 year old to the adults! 

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Baked Eggs with Wilted Baby Spinach

Crazy Spring weather we are having... it's hot, cold, warm, cold again! Today there's a slight chill in the air and the wind is whistling through my windows. Perfect morning to turn my oven on for this simple breakfast of baked eggs with wilted baby spinach. High in vitamin A, C, Folate, Manganese and Potassium.

If you don't have Asagio cheese you can use Parmesan cheese or even feta cheese. I've also used frozen organic spinach in a pinch and it works out just fine. You can use any leafy green vegetable you desire, kale or chard would also make great options.

If you want to do this all on the stove, you can easily make 4 wells in the wilted spinach in a large pan and drop the eggs into each one, then cover and cook on low until the eggs are set.


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Light Swiss Chard Frittata

At first bite you'll love the sweet caramelized onions, in combination with the savory flavors from the Swiss chard, eggs and cheese. A perfect meatless dinner when paired with a salad and some crusty bread. Or you can serve it for breakfast or brunch, it's easy to make ahead and reheat before serving.

Swiss chard is one of my favorite leafy green vegetables and it's an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, minerals, phytonutrients, antioxidants and fiber. If chard is not available, try this with kale or spinach.

To keep it light, I usually I prefer to make my Frittatas with half egg whites/half whole eggs but to further lighten it you can make this with all egg whites as well.

Depending on how you serve this, it will serve four to six people.  Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated.

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Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

Valentine's Day falls on a Tuesday this year and I can't think of a better way to send your loved ones off to work or school then with these fabulous light and fluffy Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes!

This is pure love on a plate folks...

I used heart shaped pancake molds which only makes one at a time, so if you plan on doing this and making a lot, I recommend buying more than one mold.

I topped mine with light agave syrup which added the perfect amount of sweetness without distracting from the flavors, but chocolate syrup would be a great option too.

Oh, and if you really want to go nuts like I did, you can top the pancakes with heart shaped bananas! Or drizzle I love you in chocolate syrup. And you don't need a holiday as an excuse to make them, these are great any time of the year. Enjoy!!


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Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas

Start your day off right with this warm, satisfying heart-healthy breakfast your family will love.

Oatmeal baked with ripe bananas, blueberries, cinnamon, honey and walnuts... need I say more? Yes! this IS as good as it sounds, I promise!!

You can make this with any combination of nuts and fruit you like, the possibilities are endless! But I really loved biting into a sweet warm banana, I felt like I was eating dessert.

Your family will thank you for this one, and you'll feel good knowing they are eating a healthy breakfast. Enjoy!

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Bananas Fosters Topped Overnight French Toast

Dessert for breakfast? This make-ahead baked French toast casserole topped with Bananas Fosters will wow your guests this Easter! Put out some bowls of fresh berries and fruit and your guests wont even know this is a lightened up French Toast.

This was inspired by my Lightened Up Crème Brûlée French Toast. I had brought it to my cousins Kat's for New Years morning and she being the dessert queen that she is decided to make Bananas Fosters to top it off. It was heavenly so I wanted to recreate that day with a lighter version of it.

I tested this out on all my family members and everyone loved it. It's almost like a bread pudding, you could probably even enjoy this for dessert. Hope you enjoy! You can easily double this recipe for a bigger crowd.


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Lemon Cranberry Scones

Fresh baked lemon scented scones studded with cranberries, topped with a lemon glaze; a perfect Sunday morning treat.

I'm a scone lover and enjoy playing around with different varieties. Lemon scones have been on my to-do list for quite some time, the added dried fruit was a last minute addition that turned out wonderful.

For perfect scones, be careful not to over-knead the dough and be sure your butter is chilled. Leftovers can be stored in air-tight containers for up to two days. I've tried these using all whole wheat flour but I prefer to use a blend of whole wheat and white. Enjoy!

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Top 10 Lightened Up New Year's Day Brunch Recipes

Did you overindulge during the holidays? Too many holiday cookies? Start your 2011 right with my Top 10 Lightened Up Brunch Recipes from 2009 and 2010!

1. Mimosas
Nothing makes a brunch fancier than a glass of mimosa. It's the perfect brunch cocktail. Also a great way to use up any extra bottles of champagne from New Years Eve. I prefer freshly squeezed orange juice but if you're pressed for time, store bought will do. Cheers!



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