Sunday Set Ups: Green Eggs (no ham)

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First edition of Sunday Set Ups is for the most important meal of the day. Never again say you don’t have time for eggs for breakfast if you bake up a big bunch of these vegetable-filled egg muffins to have throughout the week!

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In consulting, we often find ourselves using jargon-y phrases such as “what will set up [insert client name] up for success during their [insert meeting, performance review, presentation, etc]?” As much as we cringe using these consulting terms in real life, I really couldn’t think of using a better phrase when it comes to preparing lots of healthy, nourishing food on Sunday to have on hand throughout the week. What can you make in bulk on Sunday to set your self up for success throughout your working week so you don’t find yourself grabbing options for meals that you really would prefer not to be eating?

So I’m starting a series called Sunday Set Ups, where I will provide a versatile, healthy recipe that can be doubled and tripled on Sunday so you can fuel your body and know what’s going into your food throughout the entire week. I have to be honest, it was my previous weekend in DC that inspired this idea. All of my wonderful friends said that they wished they had more time during the week to cook. Hoping this provides some inspiration to whip out those pans on Sunday instead!

Baked Green Eggs (no ham) | danicaliforniacooks.com

Y’all know me by now - I’d rather have breakfast like a king, lunch like an average person, and dinner like a pauper. Not sure if that made any sense. Pretty much, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I’d rather eat a ton at breakfast! These egg “muffins” are super portable, heat up beautifully, and are filled with healthy fats and protein from the eggs and lots of veggies. For this recipe – you need lots of chopped up spinach, onions, and mushrooms, and a dollop of pre-made pesto. Mix it up with your eggs and then pour into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F.

Baked Green Eggs (no ham) | danicaliforniacooks.com Generally each egg cup will be at ~100 calories, so I will have three to start the day. Or you can have two and some fruit - another great option (aim for 300 calories at breakfast!) Portion these out into tupperware or foil/plastic bags to grab-and-go throughout the week. You can then zap them in your microwave at work, or heat them up before you head out. They could certainly be eaten cold, but I can’t vouch for how tasty/pleasant that sounds!

Baked Green Eggs (no ham) | danicaliforniacooks.com Now THAT is how you set up your breakfast for success throughout the week. Also highly recommend having coffee with these too to REALLY get you going (although while we’re on the subject of consulting, I would advise straying away from the typical consultant Monday morning quad-shot latte order).

I can also attest to how great they defrost, as when I came back from my month of travels I had extras of these in my freezer. I woke up in the AM, heated three up and had a delicious, warm, and oh-so-easy breakfast to start off the day. Setting myself up for breakfast success, even months out.

Green Eggs (no ham)
 
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Make these vegetable-packed egg muffins on Sunday to have throughout the week for an easy, high-protein breakfast!
Author:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 10 large organic, free-range eggs
  • 2 cups spinach, finely chopped
  • ¾ cup mushroom, chopped
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 3 tbsp pesto (store bought or homemade)
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • Salt & Pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Crack your eggs into a large mixing bowl
  3. Mix in your onions, spinach, and mushrooms
  4. Stir in your pesto evenly
  5. Take your muffin tin, and coat lightly with olive oil to prevent sticking
  6. Pour in the egg mixture into each muffin cup, filling each almost to the top
  7. Bake for 10 minutes
  8. Remove from oven and let cool
  9. Eat immediately or put in tupperware or foil/plastic bags in the fridge or freezer to store!
Notes
For completely dairy free, use a dairy free pesto or simply chopped up basil

Huevos Rancheros with Sprouted Grain Tortillas

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These simple huevos rancheros are made with only four fresh ingredients! Huevos Rancheros with Sprouted Grain Tortillas | danicaliforniacooks.com
There is something about huevos rancheros that will always have a special place in my heart. Maybe it was the Sundays at The Firehouse where we used to run into The Rock (remember him?!) and I would always order these. Or maybe its because my dad and I always choose the huevos rancheros and it became our little tradition. Maybe it was this one brunch me and my friends had in DC at the Commissary over President’s Day Weekend when there were like 10 of us and we were all in such good spirits. I think I always associated it with dining out, but what I didn’t realize is that this wonderful breakfast dish is really easy to recreate at home, and even more enjoyable when you add a healthy twist.

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Anyone else as big as a fan as I am of Ezekial products? Love their sprouted grain bread, tortillas, english muffins, you name it. Growing up, my mom always made our PB&Js on sprouted grain bread, so I grew to love the taste (even though no one at school would trade lunches with me…womp womp). Fannetastic Food recently posted an awesome blog article on nutrition of sprouted grains, which was really interesting to read about just beyond flavor. They are often easier to digest than your normal grain, and offer different health benefits. Kind of like when you eat raw spinach vs cooked spinach - different compounds within the foods are activated and your body absorbs them in different ways! Nutrition science fascinates me.

Huevos Rancheros with Sprouted Grain Tortillas | danicaliforniacooks.com

So I decided to try making homemade huevos rancheros using sprouted grain taco tortillas. They are so easy!! Simply cook a can of black beans with some salsa while you heat up your tortilla. You can use an oven or a microwave to warm it up. Then layer the beans/salsa mixture on the tortilla and an over-easy fried egg on top. Feel free to add more hot sauce, cilantro, cheese, or even avocado! I love when a fancy-looking recipe couldn’t be simpler to throw together.

Huevos Rancheros with Sprouted Grain Tortillas | danicaliforniacooks.com I made these for myself and my dad and we enjoyed the nostalgic flavors, but also appreciated that one serving each was still a light, healthy and protein-packed breakfast. I love that you get so much vegetarian protein from the sprouted grains, the egg and the beans. It’s a really good start to the day! And the ingredients are often stuff that you have on-hand already in your kitchen, because ain’t nobody got time to go grocery shopping for specific breakfast ingredients. If you’d like to make these gluten-free, swap out the sprouted grain tortilla for corn tortillas. If you are trying to cut carbs, you can put the beans/salsa and egg on top of a bed of spinach for almost a “huevos rancheros florentine”. Huevos Rancheros with Sprouted Grain Tortillas | danicaliforniacooks.com Enjoy, and happy breakfasting!

Simple Huevos Rancheros with Sprouted Grain Tortillas
 
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Homemade healthy huevos rancheros couldn't be easier with four ingredients!
Author:
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • 1 sprouted grain taco-sized tortilla (I used Ezekial brand)
  • 1 egg, over-easy
  • ½ cup canned, drained and rinsed black beans
  • ¼ cup pre-made salsa
  • Cilantro (optional)
  • Hot sauce (optional)
  • Avocado (optional)
Instructions
  1. Warm up your tortilla to your level of desired crispiness in the microwave, toaster oven or regular oven
  2. In a small skillet, cook your black beans with the salsa mixed in
  3. In a separate skillet, fry your egg over-easy
  4. Place your tortilla on a plate, and then top it with the black beans and salsa mixture
  5. Place your egg on top, any additional toppings, and enjoy immediately!
Notes
Swap a corn tortilla for the sprouted grain tortilla to create a gluten free breakfast!

Huevos Rancheros with Sprouted Grain Tortillas | danicaliforniacooks.com

Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata for One

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Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata for One | danicaliforniacooks.com This lovely little breakfast came together in a flash. It looks and tastes fancy, but if you can crack open an egg…you can make this dish. I also love that there is so little clean-up afterwards, and no scrubbing of a scrambled eggs pan! I’m writing you this blog post from one of our favorite local coffee shops, 212 Pier, with my little brother sitting across from me! He’s back from college for Thanksgiving, and is hard at work studying for his midterms the following week. He’s pretty cute for a Applied Math and Computer Sciences major…no? Sorry ladies, he’s taken. This coffee shop is also a give-one-take-one book store, where people drop off their old books and can pick up new ones in return. And it’s open 24 hours for you night owls! I used to come here in high school with girlfriends to share desserts when we we were bored on the weekends.

2014-11-24_15-33-48 This recipe can of course be doubled for breakfast for two, or even quintupled and made far in advance and frozen for quick frittatas throughout the week. I dreamt up this recipe before I was going to sleep at night and originally had great plans for pesto in here. Alas, there was no pesto in the fridge this morning! Also, no frozen basil either because our freezer is going through a complicated phase in its life and we are defrosting everything and then freezing it up again, kind of like hitting “refresh” on your computer. I’ll keep you posted on what happens with our freezer, and add this to one of my best blog stories yet. But mozzarella and sundried tomatoes seemed to have survived the storm, and I knew they would bake really well into a frittata.

Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata for One | danicaliforniacooks.com I whipped up this puffy little egg fritatta in minutes. Lightly oil your medium-sized ramekin. In a small mixing bowl, crack your two eggs and beat. Mix in two tablespoons of shredded mozzarella cheese and two tablespoons of chopped sundried tomatoes (I used the Trader Joe’s brand which is packed in olive oil). Pour into the ramekin! In the meantime, I read this article from the Atlantic entitled “Why It’s So Hard to Millenials to Find a Place to Work and Live” and haven’t really decided how I’m supposed to feel about my upcoming move to SF. Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata for One | danicaliforniacooks.com
Set your oven to 350 degrees, put the ramekin in, and bake those eggs for 20 minutes. I used the time to catch up on e-mails in the morning and make a pot of tea while I eagerly waited for this to puff up and be ready to eat! It’s also the perfect amount of time to shower, etc - I love that this is a mult-tasking cooking recipe. Once finished baking, I used a knife to gently scoop out the frittata from the ramekin (watch out - ramekin will be HOT) and put it on a plate with some fresh arugula. I love how Le Pain Quotidien serves eggs with some greens on the side, so I definitely got my inspiration for this from them! So french, oui oui :).

Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata for One | danicaliforniacooks.com

I hope you enjoy taking your usual eggs to the next level!

Sundried Tomato and Mozzarella Frittata for One
 
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This three-ingredient baked frittata makes for a fancy twist on your daily eggs.
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 2 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes
  • Olive oil spray
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Lightly spray your ramekin with olive oil spray
  3. Mix your eggs, mozzarella cheese and sundried tomatoes in a small mixing bowl, then pour into a ramekin
  4. Bake for 20 minutes and then serve!

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Single-Serving Baked Chia Banana Oatmeal

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Also known as the day I made #breakfastnipples for brunch. You should really follow me on Instagram to enjoy my fourteen-year-old boy humor on any given Saturday morning. I decided this food styling was certainly NSFW so don’t worry, you won’t see these #breakfastnipples again. Can’t make any promises about that hashtag though. Anyways….

10371354_10152864011667277_8549555727535296371_n Are any of you readers out there breakfast people like me? I often go to sleep excited about what I’m going to have for breakfast in the morning, and sometimes it’s even the thought of some PB and toast that will get me out of bed. The reason why brunch is so wonderful on the weekend is because it involves more time-intensive cooking than you’re willing to do at 7am on a weekday. Ain’t nobody got time for a wafflemaker on Tuesday. However, you definitely have time to zap a frozen homemade waffle, leftover from a large batch you made over the weekend. Meal prepping on Sundays is a fantastic way to make sure you have healthy things on hand throughout the week for breakfasts. So let me introduce to you your new favorite POWERHOUSE breakfast - Single Serving Baked Chia Banana Oatmeal. Each single serving is only 110 calories with 5g of protein, 3g of fiber, and only 3g of sugar. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The greatest thing (besides the stellar nutritional profile and cuteness factor) about these single-serving oatmeals are their versatility. For those who are running out the door in the morning, I highly recommend spreading on a thick layer of almond butter on one of these babies and stuffing them in your mouth as you try and open your car trunk. Or put two of them and some blueberries in tupperware, zap in the microwave at work at eat them sitting at your desk - aren’t you civilized! Or eat one plain for a snack with a mug of tea at 3pm. Or make a double batch and freeze for a rainy day. Or bring them to your next brunch potluck - you know, because those happen all the time. I’m looking forward to heating up one of these in the microwave and topping with some PB and extra banana tomorrow morning!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA These are so simple to make, and consist of your typical oatmeal ingredients. Mix your oats, chia seeds, almond milk, baking powder, egg whites with a little cinnamon and vanilla extract. Mash up half a banana into the mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Pour batter into a cupcake baking tin (almost to the top - these guys won’t rise all that much!) and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Voila! They are yours to enjoy throughout the week. And everything is cuter in “cupcake” form - with a little PB and chia sprinkles - right?

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Hope these inspire you to do some of your own Sunday prep to make sure you have healthy breakfasts to look forward to every morning. Need more food prep inspiration? Lindsey at The Lean Green Bean has awesome and simple ideasfor food prep throughout the week.

Single-Serving Baked Chia Banana Oatmeal
 
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This nutritional powerhouse breakfast treats are perfectly pre-proportioned for grab-and-go throughout the week.
Author:
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • ½ cup egg whites
  • ½ medium banana, mashed
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Mix ingredients in a medium mixing bowl
  3. Portion out into a cupcake baking tin, pouring almost to the top of each cupcake mold. This recipe should make 8 servings in a normal cupcake baking tin
  4. Bake for 25 minutes
  5. Remove from oven, cool, and put into a tupperware in the fridge to have on-hand throughout the week!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 baked oatmeal cup Calories: 110 Fat: 2.5g Carbohydrates: 18g Sugar: 3g Fiber: 3g Protein: 5g

Whole Wheat Apple Harvest Cinnamon Quickbread

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Whole Wheat Apple Harvest Cinnamon Bread | danicaliforniacooks.com

This wholesome quickbread is super moist, has wonderful texture and flavors, and photographs SO BADLY. I must have tried a couple of different lightings, backdrops and settings and I really could not capture the loveliness that is this loaf. We had a bunch of extra apples lying around that were starting to look kind of sad, and I wanted to make use of them with the ingredients that I already had in my kitchen. This recipe comes together so easily in one mixing bowl, and then you can enjoy the way your house smells of apples and cinnamon as it sits in the oven. So, let’s ignore the less-than-stellar headshots of this baked good. If this quickbread showed up on your Tinder app, you would be closing off a world of possibilities if you swiped “no” to the left. Swipe right, friends, swipe right!

Whole Wheat Apple Harvest Cinnamon Bread

So now that that analogy was made and published in the blogosphere, let’s talk about the ingredients of this recipe. Dry ingredients are simple - whole wheat flour, lots and lots of cinnamon, baking soda and powder, and your nut of choice. I went with pecans, but I would highly recommend walnuts. Then add your wet ingredients - freshly grated apples, one egg, a touch of maple syrup and some applesauce and vanilla. Note that this bread dough will be pretty thick, and almost knead-able. I was worried that it would come out dry when I originally whipped it together, but I can assure you that it was not. I can’t wait to pair it with the Vanilla Apple Butter recipe that Huckleberry Cafe had posted on it’s walls that I previously mentioned!

Whole Wheat Apple Harvest Cinnamon Bread | danicaliforniacooks.com

This bread would be wonderful covered in peanut butter and banana for breakfast, or a small slice with some tea in the afternoon. It’s great to grab a nibble here and there while you are cooking other things! It also makes a wonderful gift - I packaged half of this loaf and delivered it to my grandma. She was quite hesitant when I told her there was no butter and oil (and also told me that I didn’t need to bring over so many “healthy” recipes. I think I need to take the hint and use this as an excuse to make something decadent. Any grandma dessert ideas? Please pass along!) She still gave this recipe a thumbs up, as do I.

Whole Wheat Apple Harvest Cinnamon Quickbread
 
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This easy whole wheat quickbread includes lots of freshly grated apples and cinnamon. It is moistened with no oil or butter,,just applesauce!
Author:
Serves: 1 loaf
Ingredients
  • DRY
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • 1 tbsp (or more!) cinnamon
  • WET
  • 2 cups grated apples
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl
  3. Add in wet ingredients, and mix well
  4. Spread evenly in a greased loaf pan (I used 9x5)
  5. Sprinkle a little more cinnamon on top, if desired!
  6. Bake for 30-45 minutes (or until a toothpick/knife comes out clean)
Whole Wheat Apple Harvest Cinnamon Bread

Sunday Brunching: Homemade Quinoa Oat Granola with Almonds and Flax Seeds

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Homemade Quinoa Oat Granola with Almonds and Flax Seeds | danicalforniacooks.com

So I recognize that the title of this post could not be more earthy crunchy, and even I winced as I wrote it. I’m sorry world, all I really wanted to do was make some homemade granola, OK? So I did, and I raised the earthy crunchy to a whole new level by adding in quinoa and almonds and flax seeds and it is perfect. There are some great granola cereals you can buy in a grocery store that have cut out processed sugars, but there is nothing like making cereal just the way you like it. And I love this granola! Adding in the quinoa (which by the way, my computer does not recognize as a word) adds a great nutty flavor, crispy texture, and nutritional benefits as well.

Homemade Quinoa Oat Granola with Almonds and Flax Seeds | danicalforniacooks.com

Yup, not only did I bake my own quinoa granola but I drew a heart in it when It was done. This recipe will make your house smell fantastic and you will have a protein- and healthy fats- packed breakfast on hand all week. The ingredients of this granola are simple, and it is easy to customize if you’d rather throw in chia seeds, dried fruits, or take out the almonds if you have a nut allergy. It is flavored with just a touch of maple syrup and lots and lots of cinnamon. I accidentally overbaked mine (whoops) but the extra toastiness was even better than expected and I plan to keep the granola in the oven for a few additional minutes next time, too.

Homemade Quinoa Oat Granola with Almonds and Flax Seeds | danicalforniacooks.com

I served mine with some strawberries and plain greek yogurt and a green juice on the side. I try to fight the earthy crunchy, but I always find my way back. For those non-dairy eaters out there, I know this cereal would taste just as good soaked in almond milk. But let’s be real, most of this granola will probably be eaten out of the jar, circa 9pm, by the fistful. Homemade Quinoa Oat Granola with Almonds and Flax Seeds

Sunday Brunching: Homemade Quinoa Oat Granola with Almonds and Flax Seeds
 
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Oats, quinoa, almonds and flax seeds are baked together for the toastiest and tastiest gluten-free homemade granola.
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Serves: 9-12 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup uncooked white quinoa
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • ¼ cup whole flax seeds
  • ¼ cup coconut oil (microwaved to a liquid)
  • 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp cinnamon (or more, if you are like me!)
Instructions
  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F
  2. Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
  3. Cover your baking sheet with foil
  4. Spread the granola mixture over the foil evenly
  5. Bake for 20-30 minutes, stirring a few times throughout
Notes
- Feel free to modify this recipe to your earthy crunchy preferences - I know chopped dried fruit would taste fantastic mixed in at the end!
- If you don't have quinoa on hand, you can substitute for more oats
Enjoy, and happy brunching all week!

Hello, blog world!

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I have been planning this blog for a long, long time. Considering how many food and healthy lifestyle bloggers I follow myself, I wanted to join and contribute to the blogging community and share my love of food and cooking. And not just food itself, but everything that comes along with a meal - traveling, holidays, friends and family, wellness, hosting and entertaining, healthy living, indulging - I take real joy and inspiration from all of it. I figure NOW is the time to do it, so, hello blog world! I’m excited to finally be a part of all of it!

pumpkinoatmeal2

As my first contribution, I knew I needed to start with a breakfast recipe for a variety of reasons. One, it is my favorite meal of the day. Two, because this recipe is so delicious. And three, because who doesn’t love artistic shots of a bowl of oatmeal (I know I’ve instagrammed many myself). My go-to breakfast is this oatmeal below, sans the pumpkin. The simple addition of a scoop of canned pumpkin and a couple of shakes of pumpkin spice takes it to a whole new level. While it is not much a change between summer and fall here in Santa Monica, it is fun to celebrate with this warming breakfast this “hypothetical” season change that so many seem experience… 😉

pumpkin2

This breakfast gives you everything you need to power you through lunch with its equal balances of fats, proteins and whole grains. And you even get to eat your veggies at breakfast with the addition of pumpkin! For those folks who normally make their oats with their choice of milk, I highly suggest swapping out some liquid for egg whites. Not only does it double the size of your oatmeal, but it makes it super fluffy AND with extra protein. That is an early morning win-win. I do want to let you know that the base recipe I have created is not sweet. I enjoy adding in whole and dried fruits and nuts for added texture and sweetness as toppings, but feel free to cook into oats your sweetener of choice, whether it be maple syrup, brown sugar or even cooked banana.

pumpkinoatmealsetting

I whipped this breakfast up on an early morning and then sat myself down at the kitchen table for a day of work - enjoying the contrast of such a fall breakfast treat with our pretty sunflowers and sun streaming in through the windows. I hope you enjoy this breakfast as much as I do. I promise it will brighten and warm up any of breakfast scenes!

Pumpkin Spice Egg White Oatmeal
 
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This is the perfect high-protein breakfast that celebrates fall, is quick to whip up in the microwave or on the stove, and is easy to customize based on your favorite oatmeal toppings.
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Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup rolled oats
  • ⅓ cup liquid of choice (I usually use water or almond milk!)
  • 3 egg whites
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tbsp chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, or walnuts)
  • ¼ sliced banana (optional)
  • 1 tbsp dried fruits (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a small pot on the stove on medium-low heat, mix the oats, liquid and egg whites
  2. These will cook relatively quickly, so be sure to stir every so often
  3. If you like chewier oats like me, continue to cook for five minutes. For folks who like looser oats, cook for less time
  4. Stir in pumpkin and spice and cook for another minute
  5. Pour into a bowl and top with your add-ons of choice!
  6. *Note: This base oatmeal recipe is not sweet - I like to add in some sweetness through chopped dried fruit and banana once cooked. One option to ensure sweeter oats without adding any sugar would be to cook in sliced banana at the beginning with the oats in step #1!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: ~300 Carbohydrates: 28 g Sugar: 5 g Fiber: 7 g Protein: 23 g

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