EatSavvy Blog

Topic —  Breakfast,

The Best Breakfast Loaf

May 10, 2011
Jan Scott

I’m thrilled to be joining SavvyMom as the new contributor to the EatSavvy Blog. As a busy, working mom of two boys, I’m constantly searching for ways to feed my family well, and I look forward to sharing some of my ideas with you here on a regular basis.

Healthy foods are important to my family, but so are simple and (most importantly), delicious ones. After all, as moms we cook approximately 1,000 meals a year, not including snacks, special holiday meals, birthday cakes, etc. and the easier the meals can be the better, don’t you think?

My least favourite meal to cook is breakfast. I’m not a roll-out-bed-hop-to-it kind of girl, so being organized for breakfast is important. That’s why I like the breakfast loaf. While muffins may be a more popular breakfast choice, I prefer to keep sliced loaves tucked away in the freezer for easy feeding. I make a loaf or two on the weekend, slice it up, tuck it into the freezer and pull out single servings the night before so they thaw by morning. 

Worried about the sugar content of traditional loaves, I came up with a recipe that is light on sweeteners and heavy on protein (with the addition of a secret ingredient!), a must-have morning ingredient for my boys as it keeps them full for longer. The recipe is easily adaptable, and when served with some fruit or a smoothie, everyone leaves the house well fed with little work on my part.

How about you? Are you a morning person? What is your go-to quick and healthy breakfast food?

Very Best Breakfast Loaf

You’ll Need

• ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup of mashed bananas, grated carrot or grated zucchini
• ½ cup chopped nuts, chopped semi-sweet chocolate, blueberries or unsweetened coconut

Prep and Cook

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a bowl sift together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, egg, egg white, yogurt, oil, buttermilk, vanilla and quinoa. Blend in the zucchini and walnuts and mix until just combined.
4. Pour batter into a well-oiled loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

Topic —  Breakfast,

Open ‘Face’ Breakfast Bagels

May 23, 2011
Jan Scott

Although my boys have moved into the ‘tween’ phase of childhood, they still love when I make fun food for them. Anything that looks good is sure to taste good as far as they’re concerned, and it’s been a wonderful way for me to introduce new foods over the years.

When they were wee ones, fruits and vegetables weren’t at the top of their favourite foods list, so I made open-faced bagel sandwiches for breakfast. I can pretty much guarantee that if I placed a plate of bagels, cucumbers, carrots and red peppers in front of them for their morning meal, they would just turn up their noses and probably walk away. But when presented in the form of a funny face they were intrigued and caught up with trying to “eat the nose” or wondering if they should “save the mouth for last”, that they forgot what they were eating—at least most of the time.

Try these and let us know if your kids eat better if the food looks more appealing to them.

Open ‘Face’ Bagel Sandwiches

Makes 4 sandwiches

Sweet Versions

You’ll Need

• 2 bagels
• ½ cup plain cream cheese
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• Fresh fruit: apples slices, grape halves, sliced strawberries

Prep and Cook

1. Place the cream cheese and maple syrup in a small bowl and mix until well combined.
2. Cut the bagels in half and spread the mixture evenly over the bagels. Top with apple slices (mouth and eyebrows), grape halves (eyes) and sliced strawberries (nose).

Savoury Versions

You’ll Need

• 2 bagels
• ½ cup plain or flavoured (garlic and herb, dill) cream cheese
• Fresh vegetables: cucumber rounds, carrot sticks, red pepper slices

Prep and Cook

1. Cut the bagels in half and spread the mixture evenly over the bagels.
2. Top with cucumber rounds (eyes), carrot sticks (nose) and red pepper slices (mouth).

Topic —  Breakfast,

Homemade Pancake Mix in a Jar

June 27, 2011
Jan Scott

Store-bought pancake mixes are a dime a dozen, and rightfully so. They make mornings manageable and put a warm meal in front of the kids with little effort on your part.

But what if you made your own mix instead of buying them for your family? I know it might sound like a crazy idea, but in less than eight minutes you can have a jar of good-for-you-and-I-know-what’s-in-here breakfast food ready for your mornings.

I started making pancake mixes a few years ago and never looked back. They are typically made with things I have on hand anyways, and in addition to the health benefits of homemade goods versus packaged ones, there was also the cost savings benefit that was incredibly appealing. I figure that my pancake mix costs less than $1 per jar, versus the $3 or $4 I would spend on the supermarket stuff, and over the course of the year that can equate to big savings.

For the summer months, homemade pancake mix is also great for cottagers and campers, and makes an excellent hostess gift in a pinch. Wrap the jar up in a brand new tea towel and voilà!
Are there pantry staples that you make versus buy? Would you make your own pancake mix?

Homemade Pancake Mix

You’ll Need:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1½ cups whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup ground flax seed
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon

When Cooking the Pancakes

• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Prep and Cook:

1. In a small mixing bowl whisk together egg, olive oil, milk and vanilla. Stir in one cup of the homemade pancake mix. Let mixture stand for 2 minutes.
2. In a non-stick pan set over medium high heat, drizzle a small amount of olive oil to coat the pan. Using a ¼ cup measure, pour the batter into the pan. Cook for approximately three minutes or until bubbles break the surface.
3. Turn the pancakes with a spatula and cook until the bottom is slightly browned. Repeat with remaining batter until all of the pancakes are cooked.

Good to Know: To store in a jar, preheat oven to 350°F, place oats on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside and allow to cool. Then combine all the ingredients, including the cooled oats and mix well in a bowl. Store the mix in a jar and keep in the fridge for two weeks, or freezer for up to three months.

Topic —  Breakfast,

All Fired Up

July 13, 2011
Jan Scott

As you read this, we are preparing for our first camping trip of the summer. We’ve been impatiently waiting since the end of school to pack our gear, strap our bikes to the the van, and take off for a little outdoor rest and relaxation.

While we look forward to the hiking, swimming, game playing and reading that goes with our camping trips, what we’re most excited about is the food. Dinners are typically something that can be grilled or cooked in a foil packet, and lunches are often composed of leftovers or sandwiches. Breakfast is my personal favourite though, as we always wake up and cook a hearty meal when temporarily living outdoors.

While each of the following breakfasts may sound fancy, they are anything but. One rule for campfire cooking is that it needs to be easy, and it can’t require a mile-long grocery list.

What are your favourite camping foods?

Campfire Bacon, Eggs and Potato Hash

You’ll Need:

• 4–6 baking potatoes cut into cubes
• 8 slices of bacon
• 8 eggs
• 2 green onions, sliced
• Salt and pepper

Prep and Cook:

1. Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling water until fork tender.
2. Drain the water and set aside.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a cast–iron skillet set over a campfire.
4. Cook until crispy, turning once.
5. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
6. Add the potatoes to the pan and cook until they are golden brown.
7. Crumble the bacon and add it to the pan.
8. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
9. Crack the eggs into the skillet and stir them into the potato mixture.
10. Add the green onions and cook until the eggs are no longer runny.

Pancakes with Maple-Berry Syrup

You’ll Need:

• 1 pancake in a jar recipe
• 1 Tbsp butter
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 cups fresh berries

Prep and Cook:

1. When you’re ready to make the pancakes, add the dry ingredients, the wet ingredients and one egg to a mixing bowl.
2. Add one tablespoon butter to a cast-iron skillet and set over a campfire.
3. Cook the pancakes as you normally would, noting that they will likely cook a little faster over the campfire.
4. While the pancakes are cooking, combine the maple syrup and berries in a pot and bring to a boil.
5. Cook until the syrup is reduced by half and serve over the pancakes.

Breakfast Bannock

You’ll Need:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• Water
• Cooking oil
• 1 cup any combination of the following: dried cranberries, pecans, raisins, blueberries, coconut, walnuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Prep and Cook:

1. Combine the dry ingredients together and add enough water to form dough.
2. Drop dollops into a hot, well–oiled pan and fry until golden brown.Alternatively, wrap the dough around a stick and roast over the open fire.
3. Serve with preserves or chunks of cheese.

Topic —  Breakfast,

Krazy for Kebobs

August 18, 2011
Jan Scott

The very best thing about this breakfast (besides the fact that it’s delicious and versatile, allowing you to change up the fruit with the season) is the fact that it can be made in advance.

I don’t know about you, but any recipe that can make my mornings flow a little more smoothly is a keeper in my books.

Whenever we have a dinner that calls for a side of baguette, I aim to have extra bread leftover so I can make French toast kebobs. When our dinner is finished, I cut the bread into chunks while I’m cleaning up the kitchen, throw it all into a bowl and cover it with an egg and milk mixture. The kitchen is already a mess, so it really isn’t a big deal to dirty one more bowl.

The bread goes into the fridge where it rests until morning. The next day I heat a skillet on the stove, throw the pieces into a pan and in less than five minutes, breakfast is cooked.

My boys, Ben and Jackson, love anything that comes served on a stick, so I slide the toasts cubes along a bamboo skewer, along with fresh blueberries, and add a small dish of maple syrup for dipping.

French Toast Kebobs

You’ll Need:

• 10” piece of baguette, sliced and cut into 1” chunks
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsps milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• Fresh blueberries
• Maple syrup

Prep and Cook:

1. Place the baguette chunks in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Combine the egg, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl of glass measuring cup and whisk well.
3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and toss together, making sure each piece of bread is covered in the liquid. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
4. Melt the butter and oil in a skillet set over medium high heat.
5. Add the bread chunks to the pan, cooking each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
6. Transfer the bread to a platter and slide the bread onto a bamboo skewer, alternating the pieces with fresh blueberries.
7. Serve with maple syrup.