Blueberry Banana Breakfast Bread

I love banana bread but wanted to put a twist on it.  I try to incorporate wheat flour when I can and that was my goal in creating this loaf.  I don't like that wheat flour because it makes everything so dense and heavy so I used oatmeal to lighten it up without adding white flour.

I figured I'd have to experiment with a few loaves to get it right, but this one was good right off the bat!

Blueberry Banana Breakfast Bread
1 loaf

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c sugar

1/2 c butter, softened

2 eggs

3 bananas, soft

1/2 c milk

1 t vanilla

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour

1 c old fashioned oats

1 1/4 t baking soda

1 t salt

1/2 c blueberries (I used frozen)

1 c walnuts, chopped

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom on one 9x5" loaf pan.

Stir  sugar and butter in a large bowl until well mixed.  Stir in eggs, bananas, milk, and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  

Stir in flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt just until combined.  Add blueberries and nuts and stir until combined.

Pour batter into pan.

Bake for 60-75 minutes in the center of the oven.  When bread is finished cooking (toothpick test) move to a cooling rack and let rest in pan for 15 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool for 2 hours before slicing.  

Bread should be stored in plastic wrap.  It can be frozen for later use.

Maple Berry Oatmeal Cups (2 P+)

Here's another baked oatmeal recipe.  I wanted to make something a little different than the last batch and make it a little lighter.  I omitted the butter and made a couple other changes.  I also decided to make a smaller batch because I only have one 12 cup muffin tin so I only have to bake one batch.  I hope you like it!

Maple Berry Oatmeal Cups
12 Servings, 45 minutes
PRINTABLE

Ingredients:

1 c steel cut oats

9 strawberries, quartered

36 blueberries

¼ c walnuts, chopped

1 c milk

1 egg

¼ c brown sugar

2 t cinnamon

2 t maple syrup

½ t baking soda

¼ t salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

Divide the oats between the 12 muffin liners (approximately 1 ½ T each).

Divide the berries between the muffin tins (3 blueberries and ¾ strawberry each).  Top with walnuts.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.  Divide and pour into the muffin cups (muffin cups should end up ¾ full).

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes, until liquid has set.

Cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Notes:

Put into an airtight container and store in the fridge for a few days.  You can eat them cold or warm them for 45

Baking Bacon

Everybody loves a good piece of bacon, right?  I always liked it but hated making it.  It always turns into a hot mess.  If only there were an easy way...and there is!

Baking Bacon


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place bacon on aluminum foil in a single layer.

Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven, flip bacon, and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and place bacon on paper towels to remove excess grease.

Enjoy!


Making the bacon in the oven clears up room on the stove to make whatever else you are making.  There really isn't any fuss besides flipping it once and you really don't even have to do that if you don't want to.  The best part is the cleanup.  All you have to do is wrap up the foil and throw it away!

Perfectly cooked every time!

Breakfast Burritos (6 P+)

My husband loves to take these with him in the morning because he can throw them in the microwave before he goes to work.  This recipe makes 10 at a time but you could easily make a double or triple batch.

Frozen Breakfast Burritos
10 Servings, 30 Minutes
PRINTABLE

Ingredients:

8 eggs

4 egg whites

¼ c milk

salt

pepper

10 flour tortillas

1 lb ground sausage, browned and drained

12 oz hash browns, prepared

1 c cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Beat eggs, egg whites, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. 

Spray skillet with cooking spray.  Cook eggs over medium heat until cooked through.

Put tortillas in microwave for 15-30 seconds to slightly warm them (this prevents them from cracking when folding).

To build burritos spread tortillas out flat on counter top.  Start with eggs and then add sausage, hash browns, and cheese.

Roll burritos up and wrap each one in plastic wrap.

Freeze up to 1 month.

TO REHEAT:  Remove plastic wrap and wrap burrito with paper towel.  Microwave one burrito at 50% for 60 seconds then 100% for 60 seconds.

Notes:

This is another easy recipe to modify.  You can substitute bacon, ham, or even a soy product for the sausage.  You could also use all egg whites, Mexican cheese, or whole wheat tortillas.


Add sauteed mushrooms, onions, peppers, or other vegetables for something different.

Energizing Protein Shake (6 P+)

I like to drink these every morning.  My son has to be a part of it so I blend coconut water, a banana, and a handful of frozen berries.  I fill up his cup and then add the rest of the ingredients to the blender to  finish my drink.

Energizing Protein Shake
1 serving, 5 minutes
PRINTABLE

Ingredients:

1 banana

4 oz coconut water

8 oz coffee

8 ice cubes

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

2 T sugar free vanilla coffee syrup

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Serve over ice.

Notes:

Throw in a handful of berries or other fruit.

Puree fruit and freeze it in ice cube trays so it’s ready first thing in the morning.

Substitute skim milk for the coconut water for a creamier drink.

If you’d like it even creamier, substitute vanilla yogurt for the coconut water.

Baked Oatmeal (3 P+)

Baked Oatmeal 

18 Servings, 60 Minutes

PRINTABLE

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients       

2 c steel-cut oats         

1 t baking soda      

½ t salt      

1 cup strawberries, sliced      

1 banana, diced      

1 cup walnuts or almonds, chopped       

Wet Ingredients 

2 c milk

1 egg

4 T butter, melted

1 T vanilla

⅓ c brown sugar   
1 T cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another bowl.

Divide the dry mixture evenly into the muffin cups.  Top with an equal amount of the wet mixture.

Place in oven and bake 45 minutes or until liquid has set.

Notes:

The beauty of this recipe is that every cup can be made differently.  Modify this recipe by using different fruit or nuts or by adding chocolate chips or dried fruit. 

Add some sweetness by sprinkling brown sugar over the oatmeal after it has been cooked.


Wrap these in plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.  From the refrigerator, we microwave them for 45 seconds.


Old-Fashioned or Rolled Oats can be substituted for the Steel-Cut Oats, they will just have a different texture.