Tag: breakfast

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Easy Peasy Blueberry Scones

I used bon appetit’s blueberry scone recipe with a few tweaks. I used buttermilk instead of heavy cream and I think if anything it made them fluffier and less sweet which I love! I also added nutmeg for a little more depth of flavor and used fresh blueberries from our garden. We’ve been trying to grow blueberries for years without much luck but this year we have quite the crop so I had to showcase them in a recipe. I love this recipe because there are very few ingredients (no butter!), it’s simple and quick, and the result is comforting and beautiful. Enjoy!

  • 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup + 2tbsp sugar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour + some for dusting
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp old fashioned oats
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 lg egg yolk

{makes about 8 BIG scones}

  1. pre-heat oven to 400º F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  2. zest the lemon on a microplane into a big bowl, add 1/3 cup sugar and rub these two ingredients together with your fingertips until they smell very lemony
  3. add in 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of the oats, all of the baking powder, salt and nutmeg and whisk to combine
  4. in another small bowl whisk together 1 1/3 cups buttermilk and the honey, this is a bit tricky but it will come together
  5. then add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined
  6. using a plastic spatula gently fold in the blueberries
  7. liberally flour your work surface, I used a big cutting board but you can use your countertop too; flour your hands as well
  8. transfer the dough to your work surface and from a square that’s about an inch thick
  9. using a sharp knife (rinse under hot water before each slice for cleaner cutting) cut an X then a + shape into the square so you have eight triangles
  10. using a slotted spatula transfer each scone onto the baking sheet
  11. in a small bowl whisk together then egg yolk and remaining 1 tbsp of buttermilk; brush this onto each scone
  12. sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of both oats and sugar onto the scones

© 2018, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Overnight Oats w/ Rosemary and Vanilla

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I like to make a big batch of overnight oats to have through the week for fast and easy post-yoga breakfasts. For this one I used vanilla and rosemary to flavor it. I love rosemary in almost anything, most people think of it as a seasoning reserved for savory dishes but I think it’s great incorporated into breakfasts and desserts too. Not to mention its many health benefits; it’s rich in iron, calcium and vitamin B6. According to some studies it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, improves digestion and prevents brain aging.  But more importantly it just tastes good! Our rosemary plant has TONS of flowers right now, which the bees love, but I also think are very pretty so I picked some for a garnish on my oats. They are edible and taste pretty much like rosemary but a bit more flowery- go figure.

{4 servings}

  • 2 cups of rolled oats
  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • dash of salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • dash of ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 tbsp flax seeds
  • 1 tbsp hemp seeds
  • 4 rosemary sprigs

toppings ideas:

  • granola
  • almond butter
  • crystallized ginger
  • pomegranate seeds
  • tangerine slices
  • toasted coconut
  1. in a medium sized tupperware, combine oats, water and spices then put in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight
  2. use a blender or food processor to blend part of the oats to make a smoother consistency, I blended about 3/4 of the soaked oats to make it on the more creamy side
  3. return it to the tupperware and add chia, flax and hemp seeds and stir to incorporate- these will thicken it up overnight and give it more texture
  4. return to fridge overnight, in the morning serve some up and top with your choice of goodies!

© 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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The Mean Green Smoothie Bowl

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So I’ve never been too much of a smoothie lover (wild, I know) but lately I’ve been getting into experimenting with different ingredients and things. I try to find ways to pack as many nutrients into my morning smoothies and that usually (*usually) translates to a pretty tasty way to start the day!

Looking to my parent’s freezer for inspiration, I found huge amounts of frozen spinach and thought I’d go for it. Spinach is pretty interesting. It has protein, fiber and tons of vitamins. It also blends in (literally ha!) with other flavors really well.

  • 1/2 banana
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seed butter- or your nut butter of preference
  • a couple of handfuls of frozen spinach
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango
  • splash of water
  • 1 green tea bag
  • flaxseeds/ chia seeds/ blueberries or whatever goodies you want to sprinkle on top
  1. basically just blend everything together… oh yeah, cut open the tea bag and pour contents in the blender. add water as needed, break apart spinach if it’s clumpy.

© 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Chilaquiles

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Chilaquiles are one of those quintessential Mexican dishes and while they may seem like a thing of dreams (especially on a cold sunday morning) they’re really not too hard to perfect at home. The secret is mastering the perfect wet-but-but-not-too-soggy chip consistency. We think the secret may lie in using somewhat stale chips..and if you’re getting your bulk tortilla chips from Costco they could be month(s) old.

serves 2

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 3 large tomatoes
  • 1 jalapeno
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp cilantro
  • 1/2 cup diced chicken or meat of your choice (optional)
  • 3 handfuls of tortilla chips
  • queso fresco
  • 2 eggs
  • salt/pepper to taste (and jalapeno salt doesn’t hurt. ever)
  • 1/2 avocado
  1. dice onion, tomatoes and jalapeno (seed first)
  2. heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat then add the onion, tomatoes and jalapeno
  3. mince garlic and chop cilantro (with stems) and add to pan
  4. cook for about 10 minutes or until all veggies are softened, let cool for a minute then transfer to a vitamix or other blender
  5. blend until smooth, then transfer back to the pan over medium low heat, add salt and pepper to taste
  6. add meat (optional)
  7. cook eggs whatever way you prefer, i like poached
  8. add chips into sauce pan and coat in sauce, heat until chips are just starting to get a little soft
  9. transfer to 2 plates and sprinkle queso over the top, then top with the eggs and 1/4 sliced avocado and garnish with a sprig of cilantro

© 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Cardamom Coffee Cake

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This cake isn’t for the faint of heart. I have an unusual affinity for cardamom, unearthed through my addiction to Lofty Bean‘s killer cardamom lattés. If you don’t (or haven’t discovered it yet), you may want to scale down the cardamom in this recipe. It’s also not very sweet so you may want to scale up the sugar or honey. I’m not a precise baker. At all.

Don’t be put off by the chick peas. You’re probably saying what are legumes doing in your coffee cake, but they don’t have a very strong flavor and actually meld really well with earthy spices (cardamom!) or nuts (that’s for another post). That said, don’t expect a spongy, traditional coffee cake. This version is pretty dense but tasty and packed with protein.

  • 1/2 can chick peas
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 4 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tsp cardamom
  • 2 cups roughly chopped walnuts (reserve 1/2 cup for streusel)
  • 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 2 1/2 tbsp greek yogurt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 heaping tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  1. pre-heat oven to 350°F
  2. blend chick peas until smooth in a food processor
  3. add greek yogurt, honey and coconut milk and blend until incorporated
  4. transfer to a bowl and mix in 2 tsp of cinnamon, cardamom, 1/4 cup of the shredded coconut, baking powder, flour and salt
  5. transfer the gooey mixture to a lined loaf pan
  6. bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean; meanwhile, in another small bowl mix together the other two tbsp cinnamon, 1/4 shredded coconut, sugar and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts for the streusel
  7. remove bread from oven when ready and spread the streusel over the top and continue baking for 4 minutes (keeping an eye on the walnuts so they don’t burn)

© 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Guava Macadamia Nut Muffins

summer bulgur-heirloom tomato saladWhen I was born, our neighbors gave my parents a guava tree and now 20 years later it’s grown into quite the fruitful little tree. I absolutely love guavas and when I came home from school last week, I found at least 30 ripe guavas in the yard. They were everywhere, but my parents hadn’t noticed since the tree is in the back corner of the yard. There was no way we could eat them or give them away fast enough so I cooked them down and thought up this recipe. We always get guava macadamia nut cookies when we go to Hawaii so I thought I’d try and recreate that tropical taste profile. These are super moist and dense and not too sweet. If you don’t happen to have an excess of ripe guavas, you can use store-bought juice.

  • 25 ripe guavas (or 1 pint store-bought guava juice)
  • 1 cup almond meal/flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups raw macadamia nuts

summer bulgur-heirloom tomato salad

  1. turn oven to 350°F and spread macadamia nuts on a lined baking dish
  2. toast for 7 minutes or until just starting to turn golden brown
  3. halve and scoop the guavas into a medium pot and simmer on low with the lid askew for an hour (skip steps 3-5 if using store bought juice)
  4. push the guava paste through a sieve or strainer with medium size holes, as long as the seeds can’t get through
  5. let the juice cool
  6. whisk the egg and the sugar
  7. slowly alternate mixing the flours and the guava juice
  8. add the baking powder, baking soda and vanilla extract
  9. roughly chop the macadamia nuts and add to the dough
  10. pour into a lined loaf pan or cupcake tins
  11. bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Leftover Polenta Breakfast

One of my biggest pet peeves is food waste. It’s lucky that I enjoy concocting strange new things because I often find myself with an assortment of leftovers that you wouldn’t necessarily think of together…life lessons of cooking?

I think I inherited this fearless trait of throwing things together with abandon from my dad.  Or maybe it’s a learned talent, from all of those childhood nights when my mom would go to book group and I’d watch in suspense as papa cooked up the most random ingredients into what he called, “Pirate’s Surprise.” My best friends’ dad had his “specialty dish” that he called ‘fireman’s delight’ or something like that, but my dad could never remember the name and came up with Pirate’s Surprise for his own creations and it’s stuck ever since. This was my own rendition of a Pirate’s Surprise that I made myself for breakfast the other day, using some of the leftover polenta from the White Wine Sauce smothered Polenta , the night before.

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup roasted carrots
  • 1/2 cup spinach
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup canned salmon
  • 1/2 cup polenta (cooked)

 

    1. reheat polenta in a nonstick pan
    2. roughly chop spinach and add it along with apple cider vinegar to polenta, when spinach begins to wilt, remove and put in bowl, add salmon and carrots
    3. cook an egg (I like under-easy) and slide it on top of the polenta-spinach mixture

© 2014 – 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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œufs en Avocat

This is one of my favorite breakfasts and fairly fast and easy. Lots of protein, good fats and verrry tasty. At this time of year when avocados are plentiful, it’s especially appealing.

  • 1/2 of an avocado (preferably a large one)
  • 1 egg
  • pepper
  • salt
  • 1 sprig basil
  • 2 tsp feta cheese
  1. cut avocado in half, using the half without the seed, hollow out hole to fit an egg (depends on size of avocado and pit)
  2. fill with egg and sprinkle salt, pepper and whatever spices you feel like on top
  3. bake at 350° F for 15 minutes
  4. remove and add feta then return to oven and put under broil for 10 more minutes or until egg turns white and looks set (cooked to your liking)
  5. serve with basil, great with a good piece of bread or roasted potatoes (pictured)

© 2014, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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