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No Eggs Before Noon
For a new relationship or simply the day, the beginning is important. The hook. The tone. One thing that will not hook me into a beautiful morning is a plate full of eggs. Sure, I love a delicious eggs Benedict, but it struck me while breaking a gorgeous yolk that my eggs are never on the table in the AM hours…even at a restaurant. I don’t eat eggs before noon. As Americans, high protein breakfasts are pushed on us all the time. Even if it’s not eggs, we are encouraged to find ways to amp up the protein in our oatmeal or to feel quite guilty until lunchtime. Yet with…
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Chocolate Chip Olive Oil Muffins
We all love butter for the way it makes virtually any dish more flavorful and decadent. Take your favorite loaf of sourdough or your best pan sauce, and it’s hard to imagine how a pat of butter won’t make it even better. For bakers, butter is more than a finishing touch. It is the key to tender, flaky crusts and delicate cake crumb. Since I crave the goodness of butter, trust me when I say that you will not miss it in this muffin recipe. While many bakers turn to oils as a healthier alternative, I turn to olive oil for flavor. Not just any olive oil will do, unless…
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Roasted Strawberry and Black Sesame Granola Bars
Most granola bar recipes call for dried fruit, but I prefer roasted berries as they become jam-like when baked in an oat mixture. Instead of cooking them down into a full jam, toss fresh strawberries with a small amount of sugar and allow their natural flavor to concentrate in the oven. Beyond adding flavor to the granola, the thickened berry juice partners with honey to help the ingredients stick together so that they can easily be cut into bars after baking. When strawberries are in season, this is a breakfast or snack that helps to make use of berries that are past their peak or overripe. In place of poppy…
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Date Crostini with Walnut Cream Cheese
When it comes to natural breakfast sweets, maple syrup and honey may come to mind first, but dates are another great option. With a flavor that is deeper and tends toward caramel, they have been significant to cuisines throughout the ages. One of the oldest cultivated plants, date trees also have rich symbolic value, with the fruit representing life and fertility and the leaves being part of many cultural traditions. Among his wishes for marriage, the 13th century poet Rumi hopes that the union may “offer fruit and shade like the date palm.” Full of natural sweetness, dates make a healthy alternative to refined sugar, but I love them for…
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Maple Granola
As a child, breakfast was not my favorite meal. Some kids prefer mounds of pancakes, but my go-to breakfast was a tiny package of granola clusters. Simple and enjoyable to make, homemade maple granola reminds me of those school day breakfasts while having all the flavors that satisfy my adult cravings. When you are in the mood for a crunchy, flavorful treat in the morning or just need a fast, healthy breakfast or snack, granola is a great option. With plenty of pure maple syrup and the perfect blend of salty and sweet, this recipe makes a complete breakfast all on its own, but it also works well as a…
