Super Simple Breakfast Burritos

I've had a craving for breakfast burritos for the past eight weeks (since I was 14 weeks pregnant). It was one of my first real cravings. My mom sent me an article about breakfast burritos and I had to have one right that very second—this was around 7 or 8 pm and unfortunately, Italy doesn't exactly have the Mexican fast food like they do in New Mexico. Working on autopilot, I quickly made, ate, and savored that burrito, and then repeated my actions  the next morning for breakfast. And then the next morning...and so on and so on. I can't get enough of these, and the fact that they're so easy to assemble is probably why I have them at least four times a week.

The directions below are a loose "recipe," but the method is the same despite what ingredients you use.

First things first: get everything together before you start. It'll make everything go a lot faster and smoother.

Ingredients:

Veggies 

(I typically use onions, mushrooms, and spinach, and then add other veggies depending on my mood. Sun-dried tomatoes, jalapenos, peppers, etc.) 

 Meat 

(2 pieces of bacon per burrito, cooked and crispy; 2 slices of Canadian bacon, chopped; or a small handful of cooked, reduced-fat crumbled sausage)

Cheese 

(1/2 an ounce to 1 ounce per burrito) 

Sauce 

(salsa, red or green chile sauce)

Tortilla 

(you need a good, burrito-sized tortilla. You can use these tortillas if you want breakfast tacos instead—equally as delicious!) 

Side note: do you grate your own cheese? It melts so much nicer than the prepackaged shredded kind. I shred a brick of cheese and then keep it in a Ziploc to use the rest of the week. Also, have whatever meat you want to use cooked and ready to go before you start cooking—it'll speed things up! 

Once you have everything ready to go, spray a light coating of cooking spray in a small pan and saute the onions on medium heat until they're soft and translucent. Next, add the rest of the veggies (except for spinach) and saute; season with salt and pepper as desired. 

After the veggies are cooked I add in my meat (not the bacon...bacon comes later). The meat I use is already cooked, so I add it in just to warm it up. Once it's warm, turn the heat down to low and spray a bit more cooking spray in pan. Add the eggs over veggies. (For one burrito I use two eggs; for two burritos I use three eggs.)

It's okay if the eggs break, because you're going to scramble them up anyway. At this point I season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Use what you have and like.

I like my scrambled eggs dry or hard, so I cook them until all the moisture is gone. This also helps with not having a liquidy burrito! After the eggs are cooked, add a handful of spinach and mix it all up. The spinach will quickly shrivel up once its heated, which is my cue to add the sauce. I like things spicy, so I add a lot—add your sauce to taste, turn the heat up to medium, and stir, stir, stir. By doing this, you'll keep the flavor, but not the liquid. A burrito isn't fun when it's dripping everywhere! 

If everything is heated up and mixed together to your liking, turn the heat off and get ready to put it all together! At this point I put a little row of cheese on the tortilla and heat it up for about 15 seconds in the microwave. (If I'm having bacon as my meat I put one slice of cooked, crispy bacon on top of the cheese and the other one will go on top of the egg mixture.)

Now it's time to roll! I pick a side to be the "butt" and go from there, folding the bottom up and then the sides to ensure none of the mixture will fall out. Some people close both ends, but I leave one open since I plan on eating it right away.

There you have it! A super simple breakfast burrito!

*A special thanks to Casey from We Took the Road Less Traveled for taking the photos above!

Baked Oatmeal Muffins

I'll be the first to admit that I have a picky palate. I typically like almost anything, but sometimes my taste buds sort of freak out on me. Take breakfast, for example. A lot of people like having sweets in the morning, but even a banana is too sweet sometimes; I need savory eats to satisfy me...usually. I do like French toast and pancakes on the weekends for brunch and occasionally oatmeal when it's cold outside. See, I told you I have a picky palate!

So when Natalie posted a recipe for a Baked Oatmeal that didn't look too sweet, I was intrigued. I made it right away and actually liked it! But here's the weird thing: I actually wanted it a little sweeter. Since she posted the recipe I've made it just about every week, tweaking it every time and trying to get it just right. Finally, after several attempts, I have a version I really enjoy eating.

The original recipe calls for making this casserole-style, but for the past few weeks I've been making them in muffin tins and I'm loving the convenience of having muffins ready throughout the week. My husband usually grabs two (or three or four) and eats them for breakfast on his way to work. If I have it for breakfast I'll heat a couple up and pour milk over them or I'll have one muffin along with an egg for some protein. They're also great as a snack before or after a workout.

If you make these keep in mind that they're not traditional muffins, so they won't really rise. Also, play around with the extra ingredients; use what you have on hand already! The amount of muffins you'll get in a batch will also vary depending on your add-ins.

Baked Oatmeal Muffins

adapted from Oven Love

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted (can use butter substitute)

1/4 cup agave nectar or honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons flax seeds

4 ounces applesauce (one small container)

1 apple, peeled and grated

1 1/4 milk

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1/4—1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1/4—1/2 cup dried fruit (optional; I've been adding dried apples and dried cranberries)

1/4—1/2 cup fresh or frozen fruit (optional; I've been using frozen blueberries—I don't thaw them before adding)

Directions:

Line two muffin tins with muffin/cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 375f (180c).  

In a large bowl stir together all ingredients except oats and add-ins. Once everything is combined, mix in oats nuts and dried fruit. Carefully fold in fresh or frozen fruit.

 

Let oat mixture sit and soak for 30 minutes at room temperature. After 30 minutes, scoop mixture into muffin cups (using 1/4 or 1/3 cup servings). Bake for 15-20* minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. (*Mine are done after about 15 minutes, but I have a tiny oven, so yours may need longer.) Pop the muffins out of the tin and let cool completely on a cooling rack. Will keep in the fridge in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to a week.

No Sugar Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I really love having some type of sweet bread laying around. But it's not to good for your waistline to eat sugary bread all the time. And I wanted something like that for Christmas morning. Christmas morning at our house starts very early and we have a lot of places to be. So I wanted to make bread of some sort to grab quick so we weren't starving running out the door. I found a recipe for good for you breakfast loaf. It was good and I wasn't too guilty for eating it. It's made with oatmeal flour and whole wheat flour. This week I wanted a sweeter version of this bread. So I mashed up a couple recipes and threw my own twist in there, and it's delicious. You could play with the ingredients in here, add some dried fruit or take out the chocolate. I think it's a good base and it's better for you than just white flour and white sugar. I LOVE BREAD!

No Sugar Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 Cup rolled oats (ground into a flour)
1 Cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Agave
1 Cup lowfat milk
1 ripe banana mashed
1/2 C natural peanut butter
Dark chocolate chips (optional)

Directions: Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside. Mix together banana, peanut butter, and agave until smooth. Add milk and mix until incorporated. Slowly add in dry ingredients until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and pour into a greased loaf pan. Top with oats (optional) and bake at 375 degrees for 45-55 minutes.

Banana Blueberry Bread

Banana bread was one of the first things I made when I got married (around the same time that I really got interested in cooking) and I failed at it...big time. Everyone told me how simple it was to make banana bread, but for some reason I couldn't get the hang of it. It either tasted like cardboard, was soggy in the middle, or would completely collapse when I took it out of the oven. 

Luckily, I didn't give up; I kept trying new recipes and finally got the hang of it. This recipe is finally a keeper. I've made it several times, tweaking things here and there, and I love it. Not only that, but when my husband's grandma was here a few months ago she said she liked it! It's always good when grandma likes your food! This banana bread is moist and packed with velvety flavors, making it creamy and decadent, which says a lot for something simple like a banana bread. The very best part about this is how easy it is to make—it hasn't failed me yet.

I recently made a loaf and took it with us on a road trip (hence the on-the-go picture), and it made for a great snack or a quick breakfast. I added blueberries, because I had some in the fridge, but you could add chocolate chips or pecans instead!

Banana Blueberry Bread

adapted from Chez Us

Ingredients

½ cups butter
3 ounces cream cheese (by weight)
1 cup brown sugar
3 pieces ripe bananas
1 egg
¼ cups sour cream
1-½ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoons salt
1 cup blueberries or chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup pecans (optional)

Directions 
Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add bananas, egg and sour cream; mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients. Stir in blueberries or chocolate chips. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 – 75 minutes, until golden and not doughy in the middle.

Classic Scones

My first experience with scones dates back to more than a decade ago when I first visited "the other side of the pond." It was right before my senior year of high school and I was in England for one of those see-15-European-countries-in-two-weeks tours. I fell in love with Britain so much that a few years later I decided to partake in a study abroad experience there. But during that first trip, I tried something so delicious that it would stick with me all of these years: a scone.

Scones are a bit sweeter than an American biscuit and are typically eaten with jam and something called "clotted cream"—a slightly heavier and creamier version of whipped or Chantilly cream. I love scones because they're light (not to be confused with healthy!), contain the perfect amount of sweetness, and are just plain good!

I've tried American versions of scones several times, but in my opinion, they all fall short to their British counterpart. First, and I know this is probably a personal preference, but I think scones should be round like a biscuit—not in the shape of a triangle. They should also be light and fluffy, not heavy and brick-like. And while I think adding some lemon or orange zest, or even some currents or cranberries would be great additions, I prefer a simple, classic scone that tastes good. American varieties like to make theirs more like a muffin and over saturate them with too many flavors.

Now that I've giving you my background with scones, you can see why I'm so excited about these. I made these for the Royal Wedding and literally can't stop eating them. I asked a few of my British friends for a classic scone recipe, and my friend Katie sent me this "fool proof" version below. Fool proof is right—I can't believe how easy they are to make, not to mention how delicious the dough tastes (don't judge; I had to do a quality check)! And when you're making these, keep in mind another tip from my Irish friend Lucy, "Use buttermilk which is starting to go off—makes the scones taste amazing!"

Traditionally, you top a scone with jam and clotted cream, but my first attempt at making the mouthwatering topping came up very, very short, so I used whipped cream instead. I will learn how to make some proper clotted cream and will link it back here.

Classic Scones

adapted from Gary Rhodes

makes around 8 scones

Ingredients: 
(BY WEIGHT)
225g (8 ounces) plain flour
15g (1 tsp) baking powder
pinch of salt
25g (1 oz) sugar
50g (2 oz) butter
15 g (1 tsp) vanilla extract
150ml (1/4 pint or 2/3 cup) buttermilk
1 egg, beaten (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Cut butter into cubes, and rub it into flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. (You can use a pastry cutter, but rubbing it does get the job done a bit faster. Plus it's kinda fun!)

Stir in vanilla and buttermilk, a little at a time, to form a smooth dough. (You may need up to 1/4 cup more flour to get a non-sticky consistency.) Let rest for at least 10 minutes or wrap in cling-wrap and leave in the refrigerator overnight. 

Roll out on a lightly floured surface until 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick (pictured above are around 1/2-inch). Using a 2-inch cookie/biscuit cutter (or the top of a round drinking glass), cut dough. Just tap/push down; twisting tends to create an uneven rise. Once the scones have been cut, work together unused trimmings into a ball, roll out again, and re-cut until all of the mix has been used.

Brush each scone lightly with the beaten egg for a glossy finish or leave as is for a matte finish.

Place scones on greased baking tray and bake for 10 to 14 minutes until golden. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Serve  scones with tea while still warm (they can be left to completely cool and microwaved quickly to rewarm), preferably with the British classics of strawberry jam and clotted cream.

 

(Other options: 50g (2 oz) of mixed sultanas and currants can be added for fruity scones. Sugar can be omitted for plain savory scones. 50g (2 oz) of grated Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese can be added, with a good pinch of English mustard, for homemade cheese scones. Freshly chopped thyme can also be added to the savory scones)

Breakfast Sandwich

I’ve been making this sandwich—or a version of it—for years. Eating something sweet for breakfast, unless I’m in the mood for it, makes me feel a little sick in the mornings, so this is my typical go-to breakfast.

I’ve always been a sucker for fast-food chain breakfasts, but their high-fat, high-calorie, high-everything-else doesn’t really jive with me. This is my healthy alternative and it’s ridiculously easy to make. Actually, I never even thought about posting it until my husband requested it—he’s on a month-long business trip and wants to be able to make it for himself. This picture was taken pre-heat up and about five seconds before my husband grabbed it to take with him to eat on the road. It may not look awesome, but it tastes great.

Just like my Buffalo Chicken Salad post, consider this more of a how-to guideline for making a breakfast sandwich. I change this up quite often in order to keep it interesting or depending on what I have on hand. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Breakfast Sandwich

by The Tale of Two Kitchens

Ingredients:

• English muffin, sandwich round, bagel (thin) or one piece of bread cut in half
• 1 egg or ¼ cup egg substitute
• cooking oil spray
• meat (2 slices of bacon cut in half, 2 sausage link cut in half, 2 pieces Canadian bacon, etc.)
• Cheese (1/2 ounce shredded or a slice of cheese)
• Green chile or jalapeno (optional)
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Toast bread. While bread toasts, cook or heat up meat. Spray a very small, microwave-safe dish (about the size of the bread you’re using) with oil. Put egg in dish, break yolk, and sprinkle with garlic powder, red pepper flakes (optional), salt, and pepper. Microwave for around 30-45 seconds or until cooked through (timing depends on your microwave voltage).

To assemble: Lay bread toast side up on a paper towel (if taking to-go) or a plate.  Place cheese, meat, and egg on one side of bread. Place chile or other veggies (optional) on other side; top the sandwich. Heat sandwich for about 10-15 seconds, to warm everything evenly. Enjoy.

Johnny Cakes

I took an unexpected hiatus from blogging. And really there isn't much of a reason. My creative juices dried up and I couldn't stand putting boring no heart recipes on here. So I stayed away till it came back. I also knew that Jessica would keep this place filled with wonderful mouth watering dishes. Now her posts have me itching to cook and blog, thanks Jess! Nothing extremely exciting today but I wanna be back in the groove of things. I made these with my niece this weekend and thought I'd share! The molasses gives these "cakes" a fabulous unique sweetness. And with added flax seed and sugar substitute they're not as bad for you as regular pancakes!

Johnny Cakes (Cornmeal Pancakes)

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp sugar (I used Truvia sugar substitute- fabulous!)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (iodized)
1-2 tsp flax seed meal (optional)
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 cup + low fat milk (I used skim)
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp butter melted (or butter sub. like Brummel and Brown)

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix together wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine mixtures together. Add more milk as needed to make the batter more smooth and to this consistency you like. I like my batter a bit thinner than most recipes call for. Cook on griddle until edges are lightly brown. Serve with any toppings you'd like!

Hearty Berry Muffins

In an effort to eat healthier, I've been looking for a good muffin recipe. I figure a muffin would be a perfect snack in the middle of the day or great as a quick breakfast in the morning. The problem is that it's been hard to find a healthy muffin recipe that doesn't taste like you're eating a "diet" muffin (i.e. cardboard).

Luckily, this muffin is anything but "diet." It has tons of good-for-you ingredients, but actually tastes good. I found this recipe from a book I just finished reading, of all places. It's called "How to Bake a Perfect Life" and has different bread recipes sprinkled throughout the pages. So on top of being a great, fast read, it gave me some good recipes!

The recipe below includes a streusel topping, but you may notice the picture is missing that particular tasty layer. I only put it on three of the 30 muffins (it says to set it aside and I set it too far away and forgot about it), but then I ate those three muffins before I took the picture. Luckily, I can safely say they're delicious whether you include the streusel or not!

Seriously, unlike most "healthier" muffins that can come out dray and lackluster, these are moist, light, flavorful, filling, and nutritious. Here's what the author has to say:

"This is a muffin for those crazy mornings when you need calories in a hurry. The yogurt and nuts add protein, the whole grains add fiber, and the fruit adds nutrients as well as general seduction for picky children. The streusel can be left off to save calories, but trust me, you're better off with one good one. Serve with boiled eggs for a super fast breakfast."

Hearty Berry Muffins

adapted slightly from How to Bake a Perfect Life
yields around 30 (regular-sized) muffins
3 Weight Watchers points+ (with or without steusel topping)

Ingredients:
	1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
	1 cup whole wheat flour
	1 cup oats
	1 Tbsp baking powder
	1 tsp baking soda
	1/2 tsp sea salt
	1 cup honey
	1 1/2 cups plain fat-free yogurt (or fat free sour cream)
	6 oz raspberry or blueberry yogurt
	1/2 cup milk
	2 tsp vanilla extract 3 Tbsp apple sauce
	1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
	1 cup fresh blueberries
	1 cup raspberries
	Streusel Topping: 1/4 cup flour 3 Tbsp brown sugar
	1/4 cup pecans, chopped
	1 1/2 Tbsp butter, melted   Directions:  Pre-heat oven to 400 and prepare muffin tins with paper or oil. Prepare streusel and set aside. Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. In a medium-sized bowl, mix all wet ingredients except for berries; beat together well. Pour wet ingredients into dry mix; beat firmly and quickly just until thoroughly moistened. Add berries and fold in gently. Divide batter into greased or paper-lined muffin tins. Distribute streusel topping evenly over batter (optional). Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan to set the berries. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

Oat Waffles

When my husband was a little boy, his dad would wake up early every Sunday morning to make waffles for the family. My husband loved this tradition, so when he requested we put a waffle maker on our wedding registry, I happily went along with the idea, thinking that we'd maybe eat waffles a couple times a year. Little did I know that when he said he liked waffles he really meant that he wanted to make them almost every Sunday. And even better (for me!) it meant he'd make them while I was still sound asleep. Can anyone see where I'm going with this? Almost every Sunday I get breakfast in bed! Have I mentioned we're still newlyweds?!

Anyway, back to the waffles. He started out making waffles *gasp* from "the box," but once he saw this recipe, "the box" hasn't made it back out of the pantry to see the light of day. He likes making the batter the night before so he can sleep walk to the kitchen Sunday morning and not have to worry about measuring and whipping up the mix. I highly suggest following in his footsteps.

And since we're also all about watching our figures over here, he makes several substitutions to the recipe below. We've had both versions several times, and I can honestly tell you that I can't taste a difference between the real and the better-for-you waffles. His substitutions will be in parenthesis.

If you own a waffle iron, take it out of your cabinet, dust it off, and take a few extra minutes to make these. They taste better than a box or the frozen variety any day! 

Oat Waffles

adapted from Alton Brown

makes about 8

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 ounces old fashioned rolled oats
• 4 ounces all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar (or sugar substitute)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 large eggs, beaten (or 3/4 cup egg substitute)
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (2 ounces Brummel and Brown)
• 16 ounces buttermilk at room temperature (or powdered buttermilk)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread oats on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Cool oats in pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Grind toasted oats in a food processor until their the consistency of whole-wheat flour, about 3 minutes.

Heat a waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.

Whisk together the toasted oat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, melted butter together, and vanilla in another bowl, then add buttermilk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir until combined. Rest the batter for 5 minutes (or cover and leave in fridge overnight).

Coat waffle iron with cooking spray before each use. Ladle waffle batter into the hot iron (amount will differ per waffle iron—we use about 1/2 cup). Close the iron top and cook until the waffle is golden on both sides and is easily removed from the iron. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately or keep warm in a preheated 200 degree F oven until ready to serve.

French Toast

Sunday mornings in our house typically means eating a yummy, homemade breakfast. My husband usually makes waffles, pancakes, or burritos (recipes to come soon), but last Sunday he made my favorite: French toast.

We picked out a nice potato sandwich bread—it's a little heartier than just white bread, but a little less expensive than a challah loaf—and left the slices out to harden-up/dry over night. Then, before we went to sleep on Saturday, my husband put all the ingredients together and let them sit in the fridge. He didn't do this to let the flavors merge; it was so he could get a few extra minutes of sleep Sunday morning. Don't skip that step. Put it together the night before you make this and it'll make your morning much easier and more enjoyable.

And speaking of enjoyable, these were delicious. They were so good that I actually forgot to drizzle syrup on top of mine. Crazy, I know. A good French toast in my mind means it's crunchy, but still soft; flavorful, but not too sweet; and golden, golden brown. Make this for a quick and easy meal. Your breakfast buddy will thank you. 

 French Toast

adapted from Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 1 cup half-and-half (fat free works fine)
• 3 large eggs (or 3/4 cup egg substitute)
• 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
• 1 tablespoon, vanilla
• 1/2 tablespoon, ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf or bread
• 4 tablespoons butter 

Directions

In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and salt (this can be done the night before). When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a shallow dish; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds (time it!) on each side; put bread on a cooling rack that is  sitting in a sheet pan; allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes—this is where the flavor soaks in, and if your bread is hard and you only soaked for 30 seconds, you'll be good to go.

Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan; cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream, fruit, or just eat plain! 

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Now that my husband is back home safe and sound, we've actually been spending a lot of time in the kitchen baking and making things I've had on my "to-make" list for months. Things like homemade salsa, green chile stew, hummus, collard greens, eggnog, and coffee cake, to be more precise. Posting may be heavy for the next week or so, but it's only because I'm really enjoying all the things I'm making and need to share them.

I'm starting off with this coffee cake, because it's the kind of recipe that's perfect to make and then keep around the house all week long—if you can keep your temptation to eat the entire thing at bay, of course. I've had it for breakfast, for snacks, and for dessert, and it tastes better with each bite. The ingredient list and directions may seem a little long, but it was really easy to make —I don't make things unless they're easy. Plus, check out the ingredients, because I bet you already have everything on hand!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake 

adapted from Cooking Light and King Arthur Flour

(6 WW points+ for 1/12 slice)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
• Cooking spray
• 4.5  ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1  ounce whole-wheat flour (about 1/4 cup)
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/2  cup granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 1/3  cup butter/margarine, softened (used Brummel and Brown)
• 2 large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  (8-ounce) carton light sour cream

For Filling:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 1 tablespoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional, used strictly for color, not flavor; leave it out if you like)

For topping:

• 2  tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  tablespoon chilled butter, cut into small pieces (used Brummel and Brown)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.

3. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.

4. Reserve 1/4 cup oats; set aside. Place remaining oats in food processor or blender; process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine processed oats, flourr, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk.

5. Make filling by mixing together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder (if used). Set aside.

6. Place granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup butter in a large bowl. Beat with hand mixer at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. (Batter will be slightly lumpy because of oats.)

7. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle filling evenly atop the batter. Spread remaining batter atop filling. Use a table knife to gently swirl the filling into the batter, as though you were making a marble cake. Don't combine filling and batter thoroughly; just swirl.

8. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oats, remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter/margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended. Sprinkle over batter evenly with nut mixture.

9. Bake at 350° for 38 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan.

Egg Florentine

As a military wife, I have to learn to cook for one when my husband deploys or goes on business trips, which is much easier said than done. Lonilness usually kicks in around meal time and it's so simple and tempting to pick up a bag of chips or snack on cookies rather than eat a wholesome meal. After he leaves I try to make "bulk" meals like soup, spaghetti, or casseroles, basically anything I can keep in the fridge and easily reheat for later.

I saw Pioneer Woman's Eggs Floreninte Casserole and wanted to try it out, but I knew I'd get bored eating the whole thing day after day, so I cut the recipe in half and changed a few things here and there. The end result was tasty and substantial—I didn't get hungry again for several hours, which is always a good thing.

Consider the recipe below as a base to add other veggies or swapping out different meats—sausage would be fantastic with this, but I was concerned with keeping the WW points low. Next time I may add some mushrooms and green peppers to bulk it up even more. If you're making this for a larger group, just double the recipe or check out  PW's original version. And if making your own hash browns is too intimidating, skip the hassle and just use frozen hash browns!

Eggs Florentine Casserole

adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
1 russet potato, shredded (about 1-2 cups)
½ onion chopped
1 ounce diced green chile (or jalapenos)
6 strips bacon, crumbled
2 teaspoons oil
salt and pepper (to taste)
8 eggs (or two cups of egg beaters)
1 cup cheese
1 ½–2 cups of spinach

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees; lightly grease a small baking dish with cooking spray. Cook bacon until crisp; set aside on paper towel. Shred/julienne potatoes (you’re going for hash browns here, folks!) Heat butter and oil in skillet; add potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Leave in skillet for about five minutes or until crispy; flip. When both sides are cooked, add onion; mix until onions are translucent. Transfer potatoes mixture to baking dish; layer crumbled bacon and green chile or jalapenos. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs and ½ cup cheese; add spinach and mix together more. Pour egg and spinach mixture over casserole. Bake for 20 minutes or until eggs are set. Once eggs are cooked, sprinkle remaining cheese; bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.