"Let's Do Brunch!" 5 Ways
By Alice Osborne
Many people love breakfast food - it's a favorite meal nation-wide. I sure love it. The only problem is, the "healthiest" breakfast ideas haven't been promoted all that much, so we tend to slip into old and bad habits when it comes to this meal.
But that can be changed. So how about starting a collecting of healthy breakfast ideas - even create a chapter in your Cook'n version 10 recipe organizer for just this purpose? THEN, why not practice these recipes on family and friends during weekend get-togethers, say, for brunch?
From sweet to savory, here are some ideas that'll hit the spot without tipping the scale:
1. Skip the traditional butter-laden, high-carb waffles and try this guilt-free version that tastes just as indulgent. Try this recipe from eatingwell.com:
Multi-Grain Waffles
Skip the traditional butter-laden, high-carb waffles and try this guilt-free version that tastes just as indulgent.
Ingredients:2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup teff flour
1/4 cup raw or untoasted wheat germ
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat. Spoon in enough batter to cover three-fourths of the surface (about 2/3 cup for an 8-by-8-inch waffle iron). Cook until waffles are crisp and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Wrap any leftovers individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in a toaster or toaster oven.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
2. Serve vegetable-loaded frittatas and gratines. A frittata, a flat omelet, can be filled with a variety of vegetables and cheeses and makes a great impromptu brunch dish or supper. Consider using fresh herbs rather than dried, for an extra flavor punch. Feta, ricotta, and goat cheese are all healthy cheese choices. And a gratine is a crust-less quiche. Recipes for these abound, but you might want to check out the May/Jun 2012 issue of the Cook'n Magazine for an amazing gratine recipe that we served at our Mother's Day Brunch.
3. Serve a variety of whole-grained muffins, but with a healthy change. Instead of making them with oil or butter, use applesauce instead. As long as you are okay with the slight change in taste and texture (typically sweeter and softer), you'll have the best success substituting applesauce in oil-based baked goods, like quick breads, muffins and some cakes.
Most sources recommend a 1:1 swap: if the recipe calls for 1 cup of oil, substitute with 1 cup of applesauce. It's recommended that you start slow with this new baking technique: For a recipe that uses one cup of oil, use 1/2 cup of oil with 1/2 cup applesauce. If the finished product makes you happy, slightly increase the ratio of applesauce (2/3 applesauce: 1/3 oil; 3/4 applesauce: 1/4 oil) the next time to see how it affects the cake or muffin recipe. You may be able to do without oil completely, or you might find that as little as 1 or 2 tbsp. of oil added to the applesauce is ideal. (NOTE: Applesauce is not a great substitute for butter when baking cookies and any other treat where you want a crispy texture.)
More tips for substitute success:
• Use unsweetened applesauce, or reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe if you use sweetened applesauce.
• Measure applesauce in a liquid measuring cup.
• Use a hand or stand mixer to thoroughly combine the applesauce with the other liquid ingredients (egg, flavoring), then blend the liquids with the sugar. With a large spatula, carefully fold the dry ingredients into the mixture until just combined.
• The finished product will be moist. Don't alter the time for cooking because low-fat recipes dry out when they're over-cooked.
4. Serve "overnight oatmeal." Start this breakfast in a slow cooker the night before, and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal in the morning. It's an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.
Overnight Oatmeal
Start this breakfast in a slow cooker the night before, and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal in the morning. It's an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.
Ingredients:8 cups water
2 cups steel cut oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 cup dried apricot
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Directions:
TIP: Steel-cut oats, sometimes labeled "Irish oatmeal," look like small pebbles. They are toasted oat groats - the oat kernel that has been removed from the husk and has been cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Important: Do not substitute regular rolled oats, which have a shorter cooking time, in the slow-cooker oatmeal recipe.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
5. Serve eggs by setting up an omelet bar. The night before, dice tomato, green onion, cooked bacon, and any other vegetables your crowd would enjoy. The morning of your brunch, set the veggies out along with crumbled feta or goat cheese. It's always fun to have a designated omelet-cooker or two as well.
