Breakfast Quinoa

 

This is the hot cereal I’ve been raving about for a while now. When I moved back home in October my mom surprised me with her variety of ingredients. Things she use to tell me “eww” to were now in her pantry. Like coconut milk, whole flaxseeds, almond milk etc. This breakfast quinoa cereal recipe came from a yoga instructor here in Las Vegas who is the founder of Whole Energy Lifestyle Living, Meg Landis. She feeds this cereal to her kids and they love it. In my opinion, if a kid loves something then you KNOW it is good! Meg is also an amazing yoga instructor.

The quinoa is cooked in the coconut milk, until slightly absorbed, then you add in the agave syrup and cinnamon. Once the quinoa has cooked through you add in a whole 1/2 cup of freshly ground flax. This cereal is packed with protein, healthy fats and fiber. To up the protein Meg recommends adding a poached egg on top. This is the BEST way to enjoy this cereal but since I’m lazy I make it a fried egg instead and it is just as good. I also add a little salt and pepper to counteract with the sweet of the dish. This is gluten free (yay) and will literally keep you full for hours! We like to make this cereal on Sunday and then during the week heat it up in the microwave and add toppings like fresh blueberries, walnuts, shredded coconut, almond butter etc.

Breakfast Quinoa
Adapted from Meg Landis

Ingredients
2 cups coconut milk (we used light and in the can)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup ground flaxseed

Directions

Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until three-quarters of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Stir in agave and cinnamon. Cook, covered, until most of the milk has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Add in flaxseed. Top with fresh blueberries, almond or peanut butter, poached/fried egg, coconut, walnuts, almond, raisins.. the toppings are endless!

Oatmeal gets kind of boring. I like to change it up with this breakfast quinoa, super tasty and satisfying.

Fallon

Oat Bran with Agave-Cinnamon Apples and Dried Cranberries

This is the beautiful and delicious breakfast I enjoyed Thanksgiving morning. I felt good eating it and it help fuel me through my morning workout. I kept it simple because I love the flavor of oat bran. It is smooth and not overpowering like old fashion oats. You can use any kind of apple for this quick breakfast. I used an organic green apple because they are tart and crisp. A tablespoon of light agave was just enough sweetness for this whole dish to come together with the dried cranberries and a generous scoop of crunchy peanut butter!

Oat Bran with Agave-Cinnamon Apples and Dried Cranberries
By Fallon

Ingredients:
1/2 granny smith apple, chopped small
1 tablespoon light agave
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
1/3 cup toasted oat bran
1 cup water
1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
Optional: almond milk

Directions:
In a small pot on medium-low heat, add the chopped apples, cinnamon and agave. Cook until the apples are slightly soften and the agave has created a syrup, about 4 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and the oat bran to the pot. Bring to a boil and stir every phew few seconds until the oat bran starts to thicken. Add the cranberries and cook for another minute.

To serve top with crunchy peanut butter (almond butter works too) and a couple more cranberries. I like to add a splash of almond milk to help cool it off.

   

See simple and delicious.

Always.
Fallon

Happy Monday + Gluten Free Scones

Exactly 5 days from today will be my 25th birthday! I can’t wait because my boyfriend and I planned a really fun trip together for that weekend. I know Friday is a pamper day for me with a manicure and pedicure. Then I’m picking up some amazing cupcakes to enjoy for my birthday week! I can’t wait to show you guys how delicious they are. Although it will be a fun weekend, turning 25 hasn’t exactly hit me yet. I guess you could say it’s a big deal because it is your quarter century birthday. But I just don’t feel it yet!! I’ll probably feel like, “Gosh I am getting old!” But in reality I know I’m still young. ;)

I made these delicious scones over the weekend. I’ve been meaning to make them for over a month now and finally decided to get to business. These scones are very nutty and slightly sweet. I had one with an afternoon iced coffee and it kept me fueled up for grocery shopping during the afternoon. I didn’t have any dried apricots, so I subbed in dried mango instead. These will help me get through the work week during my afternoon break. I found the recipe from Elana’s Pantry for Gluten Free Muesli Scones.

Gluten Free Muesli Scones
Adapted from Elana’s Pantry

Ingredients
2 cups almond meal (a bit heavier than blanched almond flour)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried mangoes, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1/4 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 large egg
2 tablespoons agave nectar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet on medium heat, toast the sunflower and sesame seeds. Every few minutes mix and shake the pan so the seeds get toasted evenly. Once you start to smell them, remove from heat and pour into a medium bowl to cool off.

To the bowl of seeds, combine the almond flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in the dried fruit and nuts. In a small bowl combine the egg and agave nectar.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Wet hands with water and form the dough into 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 square that is about 3/4” thick. Cut the dough into 16 pieces place on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes and remove. Cool on baking sheet and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. (Some pieces were just too small, so I ended up combining them so they all be about the same size. I ended up with 13 scones, rather then 16.)

     

Enjoy,

Fallon

Welcome to Fallon’s Waffle House

 

When I moved to the south I saw many new franchise restaurants that I never saw on the west coast. One of them being the Waffle House. They are everywhere. We actually have one right near our home and I drive by it all the time. I’ll be honest and admit I’ve never been to the Waffle House. I hear it has good greasy food to eat around 3 in the morning after a night of drinking. Well guess I’ll never get to enjoy that because I’m not the type to drink till 3am. I’m usually sleeping instead. hehe!

Anyways when I am out on the weekends many of the guys want to go to the Waffle House! So I decided to bring the Waffle House to my own when my mom surprised me with my own waffle maker. She came  to visit me last week and brought me presents. I love presents and the waffle maker was a fun surprise. The last time I made waffles was last year when my boyfriend had to go back to Iraq from his leave. I woke up at 5:30am to make my boyfriend a special waffle breakfast before taking him to the airport. I decided to remake the same waffle recipe in my new waffle maker because my boyfriend declared them as the best waffles ever back then. And guess what? They still are the best waffles.

Waffles
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups 1% lactose free milk (any milk will work)
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Direction
In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside. In another medium bowl beat eggs slightly; stir in milk, oil and vanilla. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir until moistened. Batter will be slightly lumpy.

Pour 1 to 1 1/4 cups of batter onto grids of a preheated, lightly greased waffle maker. Close lid and bake according to manufacturer’s directions, It took me about 4-5 minutes for each waffle to get nice and crispy. To remove use tongs and set on plate. Serve with real maple syrup, butter, plain Greek yogurt and/or nut butter. Enjoy!

Something so simple and easy, definitely a recipe not to mess with. It is perfect as can be.

I enjoyed my waffle topped with plain Greek yogurt and real maple syrup.

Love,
Fallon’s Waffle House

PS: My recipe page is finally updated from the beginning of July! I let that get behind for a second. ;)

Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

I’m at it again with another quiche for dinner. It is so easy, delicious and very high in the protein department. I love not using a pie crust and using potatoes instead. I decided to try it with sweet potatoes this time and it was a very nice contrast. Definitely sweet but went well with the savory. I didn’t add any ham or other meat this time, just extra vegetables. My boyfriend didn’t complain, which is a good thing. Isn’t it always? Heh. He really enjoyed it. I’m glad I can make a vegetarian dish for dinner some nights because it helps with my small income and it is a healthy and light dinner for me!

Broccoli, Mushroom and Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust
By Fallon

Ingredients
1 huge sweet potato, sliced very thinly
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 sweet Vidalia onion, diced
6 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
2-3 cups broccoli florets
1 roma tomato, sliced
1-2 green onion stalks, chopped
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
10 large egg whites, beaten
1/4 cup of milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Optional: avocado, sliced

Direction
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a pie pan with cooking spray. Layer thin slices of sweet potato in the pan, overlapping, to completely cover the bottom and sides. Spray with cooking spray again and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 7-10 minutes in the oven. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and season to taste with salt. Saute the onions and mushrooms for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Add in the broccoli and cook till slightly tender.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites and milk together and season with salt and pepper. Distribute the saute vegetables onto on the sweet potato crust. Add the egg mixture, sliced tomatoes and sprinkle the cheese on top. Sprinkle green onions on top and place the quiche in the oven for 30-40 minutes. To check for doneness insert a knife into the center of the quiche and when removed comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Garnish with sliced avocado on top and enjoy! Serves 8

Fallon

PS: I have my mom in town with me till Monday, so I’m going to enjoy my time with her. I still need to recap 4th of July and several other recipes. If we have some downtime I’ll try to get those posts out but if not… always next week!

Broccoli, Mushroom and Ham Quiche with a Potato Crust

I FINALLY got around to making a quiche for dinner. I’ve literally been craving one after seeing so many people make them in the blog world. It is so easy to put together, inexpensive and you basically just add whatever you like to it as you would in an omelet. Most of the time you will see a quiche made in a pie shell and all I think about is calories, calories, calories. It takes away from the best part, the eggy part with all the vegetables! I’ve made a crustless quiche before that was delicious.

The quiche I share with you today is made with a potato crust. Looks elegant and hey more vegetables! Quiche for dinner is really easy and when you add fresh vegetables and good seasoning, a boyfriend who is against eggs for dinner will actually REALLY enjoy this dish. I served it with a side salad and we both went back for seconds on the quiche. I found inspiration on the potato crust from Thinkfood. I changed it up by adding in egg whites and less cheese.

Broccoli, Mushroom and Ham Quiche with a Potato Crust

Adapted from Thinkfood

Ingredients

3-4 red potatoes, sliced very thinly

Cooking Spray

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced

1/4 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

3/4 cup ham, diced

1 cup broccoli florets

2 slices fontina cheese, cut in half

4 whole large eggs, beaten

4 large egg whites, beaten

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

Sea salt and fresh black pepper

Direction

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a pie pan with cooking spray. Layer thin slices of potato in the pan, overlapping, to completely cover the bottom and sides. Spray with cooking spray again, season with a little salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet oven medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and season to taste with salt. Sauté the onions and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add in the broccoli and continue sautéing for for another 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms and onions are golden brown. Distribute onions, mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, and diced ham in the potato crust.

Beat eggs and milk together, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the egg mixture on top of the veggies and ham. Top the quiche with the slice pieces of cheese. Place the quiche into the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Roasted grape tomatoes will burst in your mouth full of sweetness. This was a great addition to the quiche.

   

The potato crust was crisp and added a touch of elegance to this dish.

Enjoy,

Fallon

Light n’ Fluffy Pancakes

I’ve made these pancakes before but made them special instead. I’ve tried making healthier pancakes for my boyfriend on the weekends but he knows right away something isn’t kosher. He is like, “Babe, I just like buttermilk pancakes with syrup.” One weekend I made banana vegan pancakes and he didn’t quite enjoy them, which in turn I didn’t blog about because I really didn’t care for them either! They were very heavy and dense. Nothing like a buttermilk pancake that is light and fluffy like the recipe I’m going to share today. If you buy flour from Trader Joe’s this recipe is right on the bag! I cut it out and put it into my recipe binder for safe keeping.

You could use milk, buttermilk or a non-dairy alternative. I ended up not having buttermilk in the house but I did have a lemon to make my own buttermilk. Just half a lemon squeezed into 1 1/4 cups of milk and you will have buttermilk! I think it actually made the pancakes taste more fresh from the lemon juice, then the store bought buttermilk that is heavy and thick.

Light n’ Fluffy Pancakes From Trader Joe’s AP* Flour bag

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups AP flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/4 cups butter milk or milk with half a lemon squeezed to make your own

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Extra butter

Pure maple syrup

Directions

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter into the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. Yields about 6-8 pancakes.

*AP= All-Purpose

When serving, put thin slices of butter between each pancake and drizzle on the real maple syrup

Make these pancakes this weekend for someone you love. And that includes yourself as well! ;) They or you will love them!

Mom, make these for dad when his birthday comes around. I’m sure that will impress him. ;)

Love,

Fallon

Green Peanut Butter Smoothie with Chunky Monkey Granola

This is currently one of my favorite ways to make a smoothie. It comes out thick and creamy, perfect for a granola topper. My chunky monkey granola works great on top of this smoothie. This is the perfect smoothie to have after a sweaty workout! It is packed with nutrients (spinach, banana) and protein. I recently picked up xanthan gum when I was in Las Vegas. I started adding 1/2 teaspoon to my smoothies and it really helps binding everything together so it stays super creamy. I’d highly recommend the purchase, it will last you a while!

Green Peanut Butter Smoothie                                                               Serves 1 hungry person

Ingredients

4 ounces almond milk

4 ounces water, chilled

1/2 banana, sliced and frozen

1 heaping tablespoon peanut flour (Trader Joe’s or PB2)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Dash sea salt and cinnamon  

Handful baby spinach

4-5 ice cubes

1-2 tablespoons chunky monkey granola

Directions

Put ingredients in order and blend away. Depending on consistency you can add more liquid or ice. I tend to add more ice, for a thicker smoothie. Pour in a huge glass and top with chunky monkey granola. Eat with spoon and enjoy!

           I do the straw/spoon combo!

Fallon

Chunky Monkey Granola

Katrina from Baking and Boys! likes to call it Banana Dark Chocolate Chunk Granola but I’m more fond of the Chunky Monkey Granola. Either way it is a healthy granola! The extra ripe bananas act as the glue to this granola by adding the right amount of sweetness and practically no added fat. The only fat, which is good fat comes from the nuts and flaxseed. I’m very picky when it comes to buying granola and making granola. We all know granola “sounds” healthy but it is usually very calorie dense with a high amount of sugar and fat. When I see homemade granola recipes calling for 3/4 cup of fat and sugar, I stay away from it. This granola recipe Katrina came up with is great. I don’t feel guilty eating it! The addition of dark chocolate chips is an added bonus too. I always need my chocolate fix daily and sometimes I get this out of the way during breakfast!

 

I love this granola topped on frozen yogurt, Greek yogurt, vanilla soy milk, or as a smoothie topper! Next time you want to make homemade granola I’d recommend this recipe. It is very simple to make and all ingredients are pretty standard in most kitchens! I followed Katrina’s recipe but I adjusted some of the ingredients which is posted below. To get the original recipe for Chunky Monkey Granola head on over to Katrina’s blog by clicking this link HERE.

Chunky Monkey Granola

Adapted from Katrina of Baking and Boys!

Ingredients:

4 cups old fashioned oats

2 tablespoons ground flax meal

1/2 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup salty almonds, chopped coarsely

3 small bananas, overripe

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon table salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons hot water

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Handful of dark chocolate chips

Direction:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine oats, flax, coconut, sunflower seeds and almonds. In another large bowl, combine the bananas, almond extract, salt, brown sugar, water and cinnamon. First use a fork to mash the bananas down and then change to a wooden spoon to mix everything together until smooth but slightly chunky from the bananas.

Pour banana mixture into oat mixture and stir together with a wooden spoon until all the oats are moistened. Transfer the granola onto rimmed baking sheet and spread evenly. Stir every 12-15 minutes and bake for an hour (longer if you like it extra crunchy). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before adding chocolate chips. Store granola in an airtight container. You can keep in a cool spot or store in the refrigerator.

   

Please don’t forget I am hosting a giveaway!!! I’m going to go ahead and extend it till Saturday, March 19th till midnight! So you have today and tomorrow to submit your comment(s). Click this link to head on over to the giveaway page and read the following. I’m going to add a few more things to the package but that will be a surprise to the winner! If you like almond butter, then you will like the surprise!

Much love,

Fallon

Crustless Broccoli and Onion Quiche

After several posts being completely sugar, I figured it was time to post a savory meal. How about a protein and veggie filled breakfast to make up for all that sugar? That is what I thought!

Usually on Christmas Day it’s all about pancakes for breakfast! I went against my usual tradition and made this crustless quiche instead. It was the best decision I made. It was so easy to put together and delicious. It kept me full longer then a stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup    . The leftovers were great for the next morning or as lunch with a small side salad. You can definitely change up the way this quiche is made, like I did. I used egg whites, almond milk and spelt flour.

Crustless Broccoli and Onion Quiche (From Wholefoods)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large onion, diced

2 cup broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 large eggs (I used 1 whole egg and 5 large egg whites)

1 cup almond milk (any milk that isn’t sweetened)

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup spelt flour (brown rice, whole wheat etc.)

Dash of paprika

Directions

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about three minutes. Add broccoli and cook about five minutes or until tender. Transfer vegetables to prepared dish.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper and oregano. Whisk in flour. Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika (or if you are like me, you go a little overboard with the sprinkle) and bake until set, about 35 minutes. Cool quiche 10 minutes before serving.

I <3 Paprika!

Enjoy,

Fallon

Overnight Caramel and Raspberry Oats!

Here is another fabulous take on overnight oatmeal. I purchased whole grain rolled oats for a change. When cooked on the stove top they are more creamier compared to regular old fashioned oats. I figured the rolled oats would make for a great overnight oat concoction. I recently won a giveaway that included coupons for free Oikos Greek yogurt on the chocolate and/or caramel variety. I wanted to incorporate the caramel Greek yogurt into my oats for a sweeter and milkier texture. I also decided to add some fresh raspberries to the bunch to meld the flavors together overnight. In the morning my oats were very thick and creamy. I topped it with salted cashews, raw pepita and sunflower seeds, and unsweetened coconut. This was absolutely delicious. I savored this breakfast because I know once the weather starts to cool off, I'll be craving hot oats instead.


Overnight Caramel and Raspberry Oats By Fallon

Ingredients
1/4 cup-1/2 cup whole grain rolled oats (I used Bob's Redmill gluten free variety)
1/2 serving Oikos Greek Yogurt Caramel
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp ground golden flaxseed
1 tsp chia seeds
Pinch of sea salt
Handful of fresh raspberries
Toppings (optional): unsweetened coconut, raw pepita seeds, raw sunflower seeds, and salted cashews

In a bowl or jar combine the yogurt, milk, flaxseed, chia seeds, and salt. Next add in the oats and mix till well combined. Add more liquid if you want it soupier. It will thicken up in the morning. Top with fresh raspberries and set in the fridge overnight.

In the morning add toppings and enjoy!

The salted cashews with the creamy caramel yogurt, YUM!

So easy. This is one of the best breakfasts to have when you can't have any fuss in the morning. It is very healthy and will keep you full for hours. The raspberries and caramel is a good combination. It was sweet, buttery, creamy, salty, crunchy and tart. Plus you can't beat the health benefits from the flaxseed and chia seeds. I almost felt like I was eating dessert for breakfast, but I knew this was a much better option for me!

Over the weekend I decided to register with Foodbuzz. I'm taking the next step with my blog and figured Foodbuzz would be a good way to start. Click HERE to add me. Is anyone a publisher for Foodbuzz? If you have any advice or comments for me please share! I'm open-minded to anything.

Enjoy the oats!
Fallon