Category Archives: Breakfast Ideas

Tropical Smoothie

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It may be the middle of winter, but like most of the country, it’s been pretty mild here in Houston. This week has been warm, humid and rainy. I’ve found myself craving lighter foods like smoothies for breakfast.

Another reason that I’ve been enjoying smoothies is that my current rotation is at a dialysis clinic in Northeast Houston. I live in Southwest Houston….my commute is a good hour without any major traffic delays. Smoothies are quick to make and are easy to drink in the car.

Everyday  I make a different variation based on what I’m craving. Peanut butter and banana is always a favorite, but it’s good to mix it up. The smoothie I made this morning was delicious and made me feel like I was laying on the beach in Mexico.

The key is using coconut milk for the base to give it a tropical taste. Earlier this week at the grocery store I found a new hybrid of coconut and almond milk. I immediately put in my shopping cart. I usually alternate between coconut and almond milk – so this product is perfect for me. I no longer have to choose between the two.

Coconut is the dominant flavor- but the almond milk adds a subtle nuttiness and thins the milk. Coconut milk by itself tends to be a little bit thicker. I’m a big fan!

Nutrition info:

Low in protein but high in calcium, vitamin A, D, and E.

Tropical Smoothie

  • 1 cup almond-coconut milk blend, Original flavor
  • 1 cup tropical frozen fruit mix (my blend had peaches, pineapple, mango, strawberries)
  • 1 cup papaya
  • protein powder (optional)

Pour all the ingredients into a blender and give it whirl until smooth.If you like a thinner consistency- add more milk. If you want the smoothie to keep you full for longer- add protein powder.

Now, go make this smoothie, take a sip, close your eyes and dream of a tropical vacation.

 

 

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Pudding

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Quinoa is a high protein, gluten free “grain” that cooks up in a matter of minutes. Interestingly, it’s not actually a grain, rather it’s the seed of a plant that is related to beets, chard, and spinach. It has a wealth of nutrients, making it a great option for a healthy meal. I like to make a big batch of quinoa bean pilaf on the weekend to last me all week.

I never considered eating it for breakfast until I saw a recipe for golden raisin quinoa pudding from one of the blogs I frequently read. Estela is the author of Weekly Bite. She is a registered dietitian and got her Master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University. I love reading about her daily life with two young daughters.

Using her recipe as inspiration, I made my own version of her quinoa pudding. Originally I thought of making a version with lime zest. As I was looking through the pantry I came across orange flavored cranberries. And as they say, the rest is history.

This is a great alternative to oatmeal in the mornings. It will keep you full from the fiber and protein all morning long!

Print
Cranberry Orange Quinoa Pudding

Rating: 41

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 1 cup

Cranberry Orange Quinoa Pudding

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 3 cups milk of your choice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Rinse the dry quinoa in cold water and drain.
  2. In a medium sauce pan, combine 2 cups of milk, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, dried cranberries and salt over medium heat. Add quinoa and stir everything together.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover, stirring occasionally.
  4. After about 15 minutes, stir in the remaining cup of milk.
  5. Cover and let simmer for another 10 minutes until most of the milk is absorbed.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
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The pudding tastes best cold.

I like to drizzle it with almond milk and sprinkle extra cinnamon on top.

Notes:

*I used unsweetened almond milk, but I’ve also had great results with skim milk.

*Use orange flavored cranberries if you can find them.

*If the pudding is too dry when you are ready to eat it, add a splash of milk over the top.

*You can eat the pudding for breakfast as is, or layer it over plain greek yogurt for a tasty parfait. Heck, I even eat it for dessert.

 

What do you think of my new recipe format? I like the “print” button feature- something that I’ve been wanting for awhile. It doesn’t print the pictures so it keeps the recipe easy to read. Let me know your thoughts! Chris moved the site to a new host this weekend so we can customize it. We have been playing around with the site so you might be seeing a lot of changes. If you have any suggestions on what you want to see, please let me know. I really appreciate the feedback!

{From the Archives} Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

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Yesterday I was browsing my old recipe archives and came across so many recipes I had forgotten about. I decided to start posting them on here so that I could share them with everyone. It works out well since I may not have a lot of time to experiment in the kitchen these next couple of months.  At least I can still share recipes this way.

The first recipe is fitting for this time of year because it involves one of my favorite fall ingredients-pumpkin. I love pumpkin everything, but I think pumpkin muffins may be my favorite treat. I baked these muffins a few years ago. I remember them being delicious- I can’t believe I forgot about them! I even found a picture I took at that time (sorry for the poor quality).

The original recipe was inspired by Ellie Krieger’s Pumpkin muffins.  I followed her recipe almost exactly but made a few modifications and mixed in dried cranberries and chocolate chips. The resulting muffin is delicious. They are light and airy, yet have a satisfying crunch.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 cup whole grain pastry flour

1 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp pumpkin spice

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 tbsp molasses

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup skim milk

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, and spice.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, molasses, oil, eggs, and maple extract.

Mix in the flour in 2 batches, alternating with the milk.

Fold in dried cranberries and chocolate chips.

Distribute batter evenly into 12-cup muffin tin (make sure to fill to the top!).

Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over each muffin.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Let cool for 15 minutes.

Each muffin has about 225 calories.

Bonus: Pumpkin is considered a “super food”.

  • Extremely high in fiber
  • Low in calories
  • Contains lots of disease-fighting nutrients, including potassium, pantothenic acid, magnesium, carotenoids, and vitamins C and E.
  • Don’t throw away the green seeds! Pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) are one of the most nutritious seeds. They are a great source of minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron and copper. In addition, pumpkin seeds are a good source of protein and vitamin K. And they add a delicious crunch to baked goods, salads, and granola.
  • A 1/4 cup serving of pumpkin seeds contains 8.5 grams of protein and 5 mg of iron.