Breakfast Archives - Page 6 of 8 -

March 24, 2015

Muesli Pancakes

We’re now getting back to our normal routine after my daughter was sick with a fever last week and missed nearly the entire week of school. It wasn’t all bad since it gave us a chance for us to slow down a bit and get in lots of extra snuggle time. I made her homemade chicken noodle soup among some other favorite foods, but for about five days, she ate nothing besides smoothies and these muesli pancakes. Something about these pancakes worked for her in her sickness and I felt comforted that she would at least eat something. They are a variation of these blueberry oatcakes, which are also a favorite, except raisins and dried apples replace the blueberries and a combination of oats, barley, rye, and seeds replace the plain oats. This multi-grain muesli is such a wonderful mixture of grains, seeds, and fruit and I’ve been finding all sorts of uses for it. Note that the muesli does need to be soaked overnight in yogurt the evening before you make these so plan ahead accordingly. These pancakes are pleasantly hearty, soft and tender, and full of so many wholesome ingredients. Hope you enjoy!

Muesli Cakes

Ingredients

2 cups multi-grain muesli
2 cups plain yogurt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons honey
1 mashed banana, about ⅓ cup
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon ground flax
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Unsalted butter for frying

Instructions

The evening before, mix the muesli and yogurt together in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, add the eggs, honey, and mashed banana to the muesli and yogurt and mix together with a wooden spoon.
In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flour, flax, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until dry ingredients are just incorporated. Batter should be fairly thick.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or griddle. Ladle the oat batter into the pan, spreading batter if necessary to make circles about ⅓" thick. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the underside is golden brown and then flip to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes, until golden brown.
Serve warm along with maple syrup, if desired.

March 13, 2015

Multi-Grain Muesli

Yes, this post really is about making your own muesli. It may be simple and uncomplicated, but for some reason I’ve been spending way too much money on fancy artisan muesli when I could be making my own at home. This especially does not make sense given the fact that I probably bake a batch a granola every few weeks and muesli is even less of a time investment than granola. Lately it’s been all about diy muesli though. What I love about this particular muesli is the combination of oats, barley, and rye for the base, which together with the dried fruit, nuts, and seeds gives such lovely layers of texture and earthy tones.

Muesli can be eaten raw or cooked similarly to oatmeal, but my favorite way to enjoy it is soaked in yogurt, topped with a spoonful of chia jam, and drizzled with just a bit of honey. In some of my recent reading, I’ve been learning about the importance of soaking grains, nuts, and seeds for improved digestion and nutrient absorption. Muesli is one way I’ve tried to incorporate more soaked grains into my meals. It’s all about baby steps, right? Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Multi-grain Muesli

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup barley flakes
½ cup rye flakes
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup chopped dried apples
¼ cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and store in an air-tight container. Keeps for several weeks.

Soaked Multi-grain Muesli with Raspberry Chia Jam

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 cup multi-grain muesli
1 cup plain yogurt
generous spoonful of raspberry chia jam
honey for drizzling

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, gently stir together the muesli and yogurt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
To serve, divide into 2 bowls. Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of raspberry chia jam and a drizzle of honey.

March 5, 2015

Cardamom Vanilla Breakfast Cookies

I must admit it has taken me a long time to get on board with cardamom in baked goods. I know it’s trendy and hip, but for some reason I just couldn’t get past the idea that it only belonged in Indian cuisine. I finally came around when I saw a recipe for Pistachio Golden Raisin Cookies with Cardamom in Amy Chapin’s At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen. Since everything I have tried from her cookbook has been outstanding, she has earned my trust completely. I played around with her recipe a bit and have come up with these breakfast cookies. These are filled with all sorts of breakfast-worthy ingredients- oats, almond meal, banana, golden raisins, and chopped walnuts. The warm flavors of cardamom and vanilla truly are pleasant and not at all overpowering. I have incredible self-discipline when it comes to sweets, but even I couldn’t eat just one of these. Feels so good to have ventured out of my usual baking flavors to try something new.

Cardamom Vanilla Breakfast Cookies

Serves: 16-18 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup almond meal
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
½ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon mashed banana, about 1 medium banana
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, banana, egg, and vanilla.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in raisins and walnuts, being careful not to overmix.
Scoop about ¼ cup of batter at a time onto a baking sheet and use palm of hand to flatten to about ½-inch. Bake 12-15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until edges turn slightly golden. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheet and gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Notes

inspired by At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen