breakfast Archives - Our Stable Table

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread (Paleo, Vegan)

October 7, 2015 by Carrie 2 Comments

This is your obligatory fall pumpkin post.

And it’s freaking amazing.

Now, I have to be very honest with you. (What, like I would lie to you otherwise?! Being (too) honest is part of the fun.) I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin. I’m really not a huge fan of pumpkin spice. I find that I’m really happy with one gluten-free pumpkin treat a year. I’ll eat the pumpkin pie if that’s my only option at Thanksgiving. I’ll throw pumpkin cheesecake a bone, too, because that is legitimately the best thing about Fall.

But pumpkin flavored soda or pumpkin spice toothpaste or any other number of Things That Should Never Be Pumpkin are just not doing any of us any favors. Even so, I get it. It’s a craze. It’s fun. And people enjoy the feelings of Fall, and all things associated with this beautiful season. Even if it’s still 90 degrees most days, I GET IT.

So, I want you to have as much fall as you can handle. Baby Zeus knows we will all struggle with sad winter feelings come January, which is why I’ve created lots of pumpkin-y things in my kitchen this month. Even though it’s been 90 degrees here in the PNW all September and in the 80’s in October, and we don’t have central air conditioning and I don’t like pumpkin much. It’s okay. That run-on sentence made me feel better, just like pumpkin treats make you feel better.

Also, I’m pretty lazy when it comes to tasty desserts so I endeavor to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. This only means GOOD THINGS for you, my friends. Easy, mind-blowingly good things.

Ingredients:

1 16 oz jar unsalted almond butter (Raw is best, but roasted works, too.)
3 large eggs, or 3 Tbsp flax meal mixed with 6 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp raw honey
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp natural sea salt (I prefer kosher style)

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs (or flax mixture), almond butter, pumpkin, vanilla extract and honey. Stir well.
Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Combine thoroughly. (You can use a mixer, but I prefer using a sturdy spatula.)
Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon batter into a greased bread pan. (I prefer to split it up between 2-3 small loaf pans.)
Bake at 325 degrees for 45-65 minutes, depending on your oven and size of pans.
Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack to cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. The cooler the bread, the better removal will go. Because there is no gluten, it might crumble if removed too soon.

So, let’s have fun with this, okay? Mix it up. Change out the chocolate chips.

Try butterscotch chips.

Try nuts.

Try maple glaze.

Try bacon.

Try Junior Mints.

Just kidding, Junior Mints would be freaking disgusting.Make your pumpkin dreams come true.

PSL Forevah,
Carrie

Protein Packed Make-Ahead Mini Frittatas

September 15, 2015 by Jessica Martin-Weber 2 Comments

*Looking for the recipe and want to skip the back story? Skip down to the portion just under the picture of food, between rows of ******************.*

On Sunday evenings during the school year, I make 36 mini frittatas.

I know, I know, who needs 36 mini frittatas?

Nobody would ask that if I was making cookies, that would be perfectly understandable. Making 3 dozen cookies is when a recipe feels worth the effort. But there’s usually sugar, chocolate, and other ingredients that aren’t great for breakfast involved in cookies so who wouldn’t want 36 of them? And that’s not even talking about for sharing.

But frittatas? Eggs and veggies? Sure, they can be great but who really needs 36?

For starters: brunch. Can you imagine 3 dozen darling little frittatas stacked and displayed for a dozen or so of your closest friends over at your place for Sunday brunch? It would be so charming and everyone would think you were the best at brunching. They would probably be right too.

Brunch would be a lovely reason to make 36 frittatas.

That has never been my reason for making 36 frittatas.

Personally I do it because on any given day during the school year I’m trying to get myself, my husband, and anywhere from 2-6 children fed, clothed, packed, and out the door by 7am. (I have 6 children with various schedules, it depends on the day as to who is going where.) There are 8 of us to feed and somehow get dressed. Since I will say on average “please put on your pants” 73 times, “you need to wear a shirt” 41 times, “didn’t you just have your socks” nearly 106 times, and of course “You have to be kidding me, where are your shoes” close to 312 times each morning Monday-Friday, breakfast needs to not be time consuming but it needs to be healthy. And something I can toss at my kids as they’re stuffing their feet into the magically elusive shoes when we’re walking out the door. If there are 36 already made mini frittatas in the fridge or freezer, this means our chance of actually eating is higher than their chance of finding their shoes. This is why I make 3 dozen frittatas on Sunday evening.

This is my attempt at having my life together, pretending to be organized, and making mornings smoother.

You would think this means we are never late. You would be wrong.

Because doing 1 thing or even 2 that are organized and prepared doesn’t change two crucial facts:

I am not organized.

Children are involved.

In our family of 8 at least 3 of us have high protein needs, particularly in the mornings (I think it is more like 8 of us but I’m not going to try to convince them of that). If we start off with a high carb breakfast without a good dose of protein we’re going to be feeling yucky, irritable, and falling asleep by 9am if not sooner. Since I am one of those 3 people, a carby start to the day pretty much means everyone has a crabby start to the day. Because when mom isn’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Combine the protein needs with the low nutritional value of most cereals, we aim for a quick and easy tasty protein choice that is usually egg based.

These 36 mini frittatas fit the bill. And make for a happy mom.

The size means that the teens can eat as many as they need, (usually 2-4) and the little kids can have just the right amount for them (usually 1-2). Customizable little bites, we change them a little every week. One week we’ll be eating broccoli bacon and cheese protein packed mini frittatas and the next we’ll be eating sausage asparagus, tomato protein packed mini frittatas. Add a bit of salsa, tomatoes, and black beans and we’re having Tex-Mex bites. Next time chop some black olives, green onions, marinated artichoke hearts, and pancetta and we’re going Mediterranean inspired. Everybody awaits Monday morning breakfast with anticipation of “I wonder what the frittata surprise will be this week?”

Ok, that’s not true. But after a week of having pretty much eaten the same thing for breakfast nearly every day, they do seem happy for a change. “Oh look, we finally get a break from broccoli, it’s another green veggie instead… wait, no, it’s broccoli again. She just pureed it.”

I like broccoli and as a frozen vegetable it does very well and I almost always have some in the freezer. But in late summer when we have 600 zucchinis I really like zucchini mini frittatas so see, sometimes I go wild and really do change things up.

This recipe is one I created after a few years of tweaking and experimenting. It is meant to be flexible and leave room for creativity. It isn’t an exact science. If you find you like them more eggy, add more eggs or take away some of the filling. If you don’t do dairy, make them dairy-free. If you don’t do meat, leave out the meat. If you don’t do broccoli… don’t tell me. Change up the mix-ins however strikes your fancy or that your children will eat. The point of these little darlings is to simplify life, not make it more complicated. Make them your own.

And I hope you get to serve them for brunch. Nobody would even know you made them the week before if you did.

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Protein Packed Make-Ahead Mini Frittatas
Bake time: 18 minutes at 350.

12-18 eggs*
3/4 C unsweetened milk of your choice (dilute almond milk 2:1)
3 tbsp of your favorite fresh herbs (we used parsley, basil, and chives)
OR
3 tsp of your favorite dried fresh herbs (i.e. rosemary, sage, oregano, etc.)
1 C cooked quinoa (be sure to rinse before cooking)
1/4 tsp salt (slightly more if not using a salty meat option)
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 C precooked to tender chopped veggies (broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, onions, peppers, etc.)
1 C choice of shredded or crumbled cheese, optional (mozzarella, cheddar, blue, parmesan, gouda etc.)
5 oz of you favorite breakfast meat, cooked (ground sausage, bacon, ham, ground beef, turkey, etc.)
Oil, butter, or nonstick cooking spray of your choice for greasing tins (we used Kerrygold butter)

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Add in other ingredients and mix well. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full using a ladle, be sure to get down to the bottom of the bowl for even distribution of filling. Bake on middle rack for 18 minutes. Remove from oven when tops begin to golden, set on wire racks in tins for 5 minutes. With a table knife, go around each frittata to loosen, remove from tin and cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container.

Makes 36.

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These will stay good in the refrigerator for 5 days, the freezer for a good few months. Freeze in small batches to defrost only what you need. Reheat in microwave (30 seconds) or toaster oven (10 minutes in a preheated toaster oven).**

*Number of eggs used depends on how eggy you like it. I usually use somewhere between 12-15. Fewer eggs will make it more cake-like, more eggs will make it more like a true frittata and be more like scrambled eggs.

**I recommend the toaster oven if possible, the taste is better, the heating is even, and the texture is consistent. Microwaves can do strange things to food, specially eggs.

Don’t think you have room in the freezer for 36 mini frittatas? Here’s the reduced version of the same flexible recipe:

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Small-Batch Protein Packed Make-Ahead Mini Frittatas
Bake time: 18 minutes at 350.

5 eggs
1/3 C unsweetened milk of your choice (if using almond milk, use 2 Tablespoons with 1 Tbsp water)
3 tsp of your favorite fresh herbs (we used parsley, basil, and chives)
OR
1 tsp of your favorite dried fresh herbs (i.e. rosemary, sage, oregano, etc.)
1/3 C cooked quinoa (be sure to rinse before cooking)
1/8 tsp of salt (slightly more if not using a salty meat option)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 C precooked chopped veggies, tender (broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, onions, peppers, etc.)
1/4 C choice of shredded or crumbled cheese, optional (mozzarella, cheddar, blue, parmesan, gouda etc.)
1.25 oz of you favorite breakfast meat, cooked (ground sausage, bacon, ham, ground beef, turkey, etc.)
Oil, butter, or nonstick cooking spray of your choice for greasing tins (we used Kerrygold butter)

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And last but not least, just for funsies:
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Protein Packed Individual Frittata
Bake time: 15 minutes at 350.

1-2 eggs
1 tbsp unsweetened milk of your choice (if using almond milk, use 2 Tablespoons with 1 Tbsp water)
1/4 tsp (dash) of your favorite fresh herbs (we used parsley, basil, and chives)
OR
1/8 tsp (pinch) of your favorite dried fresh herbs (i.e. rosemary, sage, oregano, etc.)
1 tbsp cooked quinoa (be sure to rinse before cooking)
pinch tsp of salt (slightly more if not using a salty meat option)
bigger pinch of ground black pepper
1/8 C of precooked chopped veggies, tender (broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, onions, peppers, etc.)
1 tbsp choice of shredded or crumbled cheese, optional (mozzarella, cheddar, blue, parmesan, gouda etc.)
Some of you favorite breakfast meat, cooked (ground sausage, bacon, ham, ground beef, turkey, etc.)
Oil, butter, or nonstick cooking spray of your choice for greasing tins (we used Kerrygold butter)

Preheat oven to 350 (toaster oven works well for this). In small bowl, whisk eggs and milk. Add in other ingredients and mix well. Fill greased small Mason jar, mug, or 3.5” cast iron skillet, fill with egg mixture. Bake on middle rack for 15 minutes. Remove from oven when tops begin to golden, set on wire racks for 5 minutes. With a table knife, go around the individual frittata to loosen, remove from tin and cool on wire racks. Serve warm.

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What mix-ins would you want to try in your mini-frittatas? What other breakfast and morning survival strategies do you use?

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Garden Vegetable Frittata

August 24, 2015 by Carrie 1 Comment

I need to intentionally out myself here.

I am burned out with cooking. And a large part of my mission in life is cooking. Changing the conversation around food, around bodies, around babies and single people and periods and sex and family and allergies and wholeness and therapy and kombucha and…ALL OF IT.

I just have one small problem.

I want to flame my tiny pink kitchen down to the ground. Ignight it. Light it up and watch it burn down in a blaze of glory, a la Bon Jovi. (I will gladly let you film this spectacle as I stand in the middle of the flames wearing nothing but my mom jeans and an old leather vest that belonged to my grandma in the 1990s with my son’s pink ukulele strapped to my back in exchange for a lifetime of free Chipotle.)

Then I want to walk away, and never look back.

This isn’t about food. This isn’t about my outdated micro kitchen. This isn’t even about my mission.

This is about self-care.

Last week, I started doing the thing where I eat trail mix for breakfast with a cup of coffee. Then I eat the same thing for lunch. I might grab a handful of cherry tomatoes or eat some cucumber slices off my son’s plate during lunch and start congratulating myself for making vegetables a “priority”. By the time dinner rolls around, I’m ravenous, have a terrible case of the bitchies and lose my words, so I groan and cry and end up laying on my bed in complete despair when I should be making dinner for my family. That is the moment when I want to douse my kitchen in gasoline, light it up with my Namaste candle and run away.

The trail mix is a bad sign, my friends. It means I’m giving up. I HATE GIVING UP. But sometimes I hate the process of not giving up more. It feels good to pretend I can’t cook. It feels like a whole lotta relief to plan to cook dinner and then say “eff it” at the last minute and orderThai takeout instead. It’s like a shot of heroin or the feeling you get when you cancel plans last minute because you want to stay home and watch Netflix in yoga pants and you have a legit, last-minute reason to do it.

Don’t get me wrong. These food hacks are totally okay. We all hit our max, and sometimes we live at our max for extended periods of time without much relief. There are seasons. I get it. I’ve been there.

But this isn’t it.

This is abandoning my commitment to taking care of myself. So, now that the world knows what that looks like, here’s what maintaining my commitment to taking care of myself looks like.

(Note: It might look differently for you, so no judgment here. Pound that trail (mix).)

Ready?

Hot breakfast.
The end.

I don’t eat many grains because, with the exception of rice and sometimes oats, they really tear my stomach up. Plus, I FEEL better when I eat a protein and veggie heavy breakfast during the rest of the day. I like the feeling of something warm in my belly, too. It reminds me that my body is served best when I care for it in small ways. Plus, I don’t have to fight the trail mix bitchies.

What prep looks like in my tiny pink kitchen.

Here is my plan of action: Fritatta. I make one large fritatta, portion it out into individual servings, and heat it up in the toaster oven while I get ready in the mornings. This is all it takes to make me nice. Well, this and a cup or seven of coffee.

This simple, humble little egg dish is great. You can make a million different variations of it, but here is my absolute favorite. The fact that I can go outside and gather many of these ingredients from my garden is a total bonus.

Ingredients:

12 eggs
1 cup cheese (I prefer parmesan or asiago)
1/2 cup half and half
1 lb of browned sausage or cooked bacon, crumbled (I prefer mild Italian sausage, but you can skip meat altogether to make this vegetarian.)
1 medium onion, sauteed
12 oz chopped broccoli
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 large tomatoes or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, chopped
1 large bunch of swiss chard or spinach, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp of fresh herbs of your choice, or 1 Tbsp dried herbs. (I use rosemary, basil, and thyme from the garden)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes (if not using sausage)

Directions:

Whisk together eggs, milk, herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix in shredded cheese.
Add protein and veggies, and mix thoroughly.
In a large, greased baking dish, bake at 350 degrees for one hour, or until the middle is cooked all the way through.
Remove from oven and serve immediately. Cut into individual portions and reheat in the oven or toaster oven for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

My individual frittata portions are hanging out in my fridge, ready to be heated and eaten all week long. I blasted Bon Jovi’s greatest hits while prepping and cooking and cleaning up the kitchen to make this all a little more tolerable. But I digress. I WILL TAKE CARE OF MYSELF THIS WEEK. I hope you can, too.

Call Me Young Gun,
Carrie

Crêpes Florentine {Grain-Free}

April 16, 2015 by Carrie 1 Comment

This is a story about Paris.

In my early 20’s, I did some short-term non-profit work in Kenya. I had an option of extending my layover in London for $20 for up to two weeks. I jumped at the opportunity to do a little backpacking and fulfill a lifelong dream to visit Europe. I took the Chunnel from London to Paris and couldn’t wait to fall in love with the City of Lights.

Except it was broad daylight and I was lost and carrying a 50lb pack with all of my worldly possessions in it. After wandering and backtracking and asking directions from the disapproving locals, I found my hostel after an hour. I nearly cried with relief.

The neighborhood was…sketchy. Close to the Moulin Rouge, it had a fascinating mix of people, mostly tourists, drug addicts, and aggressively struggling artists. I was terrified and charmed at once.

I checked into the hostel which matched the neighborhood. It was filthy, but I was in Paris. Paris is dirty, right? Like every other big city in the world. I paid a few extra bucks for bed linens, threw my stuff in my room, and took off to explore the city in the early summer light.

I found the subway with no problem this time. I boarded and felt my heart leap as we came above ground and I had my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. I might have gotten choked up seeing the great steel structure. I had dreamed of Paris since I was a little girl. And my dream was coming true.

I got off the subway at the nearest stop to the Eiffel Tower. I made a beeline for it, overwhelmed with the grandness of it. It was everything I dreamed it would be.

I spotted a man with a small crêpe stand, and ordered a Nutella crêpe. It was the most revolutionary thing I had ever eaten. Then I ordered a savory crêpe with spinach and ham and brie. It was the second best thing I had ever eaten. I took my crêpes and a bottle of water to the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower and laid back. I watched people come and go, everyone full of laughter and early summer sparkle. Then I grabbed another Nutella crêpe on my way back to the train.

It was 9:00pm and still light outside. I made my way back to my hostel, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. I held my head high, looked straight ahead, and expertly ignored the calls for attention and invitations to share cigarettes with French men. I got to the hostel with a sigh of relief and headed up to my room.

I opened the door. A tiny mouse scattered across the floor. It was charming in an odd way. I mean, it was very Parisian, right? I made my bed, took a shower, and headed downstairs to see what was happening in the bar/lounge. I made some friends, shared a cheap bottle of wine, and then went back to my room to sleep.

Except I did not sleep.

I pulled my sheets back and there were…unwanted bed mates. I wish I could say they were bedbugs, but they were much larger and horrifying. I swatted them out of my bed (remember, I had just been in Africa so it was NBD), and pulled out my can of African bug repellent. I opened the window to ventilate the room and tried to settle in.

My sleep was uneasy, to say the least. Noise and lights and music from the street drifted into my room and I felt like I was actually in the middle of the revelry. People on the fire escape outside my room were drinking and singing. It was too hot and poisonous to close the window, though.

I finally nodded off around 3:00, only to be woken up by a cat chasing a very large rat around my room. They had both entered through my open window. I watched the cat catch the rat, incapacitated it, and then took his leave through the window. Then it was just me and a slowly dying rat in my pest-infested hostel room at 6:30 am.

It was a sign.

I got up, showered again, packed all of my gear, and checked out. I spent the morning searching for a decent place to stay, and in the process offended every Parisian ever with my questions and unintelligible French. All the good hostels had been booked well in advance. I ate another fantastic crêpe by the Eiffel Tower and then booked an overnight train to Prague. While I loved the tower and crêpes, I couldn’t leave Paris fast enough.

I’ve been back to Paris a few times since then. Each experience was progressively better, but besides the food, art, and architecture, I never was able to surrender my heart to the city.

I still have a strong affinity for crêpes, though. They’re hard to master, but I certainly try even with my food intolerances. I gave this recipe a go, and I love the simplicity and versatility of it. The crêpes themselves are simple, and so is the filling. This particular crêpe lands somewhere between a Florentine and Lorraine, so I created a hybrid. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Ingredients for Crêpes:

2 eggs
2 oz cream cheese
pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon

Directions for Crêpes:

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender or magic bullet until smooth.
Tap the batter on the counter to release some of the bubbles. (I’m too impatient to wait for them to settle on their own!)
In a lightly greased sautee pan on medium low heat, pour batter into pan. Rotate the pan quickly to spread batter out before it cooks too much. You want the crepe to be thin and even.
Flip when crepe is firm and the batter is no longer shiny on top. Once flipped, the crêpe will cook very quickly, (30 seconds).

Ingredients for Filling:

1 slice of ham, cut into postage stamp sized pieces
1 handful of raw spinach
1 small slice of brie

Directions for Filling:

Heat up ham in a skillet (I use the crepe skillet)
Add the spinach and just wilt it a bit. It should be warm but not slimy.
Put filling in an open crepe, and top with brie.
Crack a little fresh pepper over it, and if you have it, a garlic mustard aioli.
Fold up like a burrito, leaving one end open. Serve immediately.

This is street food at it’s finest. It’s so yummy and easy. I love this for breakfast, especially because you get your greens in. You can make the crepes in advance and use them for sandwich wraps, or make it sweet and add a little honey and vanilla to the batter and stuff with hazelnut chocolate spread. You could make them thicker and call it a pancake. The options are endless!i

This is as close to Paris as I ever want to be again. Italy, on the other hand…

Ouî Ouî,
Carrie

Quinoa Fritters with Coconut Honey Butter

April 6, 2015 by Carrie 9 Comments

This post is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Bob’s Red Mill.

We are strictly gluten-free at our house because of my son’s FPIES, (which is a fancy acronym for Allergic to Practically Everything). Luckily, E can handle quinoa like a champ. I’m always looking for food all of our friends and family can enjoy so our kid grows up eating the same food as everyone else at our table. Traditional breakfast foods are the most challenging dishes to make to please a crowd.

Enter my BFF, Quinoa.

Quinoa is one of those universal foods that, when prepared correctly, is unbelievably satisfying. These fritters (I would call them pancakes except these are much more flavorful and delightfully crispy) are total crowd pleasers. Even though I plan food as much as possible around E’s dietary restrictions, I also love to challenge myself and find new ways to make really tasty food that doesn’t feel restrictive in any way. The quinoa fritters totally fit that bill.

I also have a hard time getting enough fat into my toddler’s diet, so I look for unique ways to incorporate fats into my dishes. This coconut honey butter is totally edible as a stand-alone, if that’s what you’re into.

Ingredients for Fritters:

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa flour
1/2 cup milk (plant or animal)
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil or butter
2 Tbsp raw honey or other equivalent sweetener (optional)
2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
tiny pinch of salt

Directions For Fritters:

Whisk baking soda, cinnamon and quinoa flour together in a bowl.
Add wet ingredients and combine thoroughly.
Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil or butter in a skillet on medium heat.
When skillet is hot, spoon batter into skillet and spread out with the back of the spoon into a thin round shape. Flip when the edges begin to cook and the center begins to bubble ever so slightly. It should only take a minute or two to finish cooking.
Press the pancake with the spatula to see if it is finished cooking. If it is mushy in the middle, it needs more time. If it is firm, it’s ready to eat.

Ingredients for Coconut Honey Butter:

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter (I prefer Kerrygold)
1-2 Tbsp raw honey

Directions for Coconut Honey Butter:

Remove butter from refrigerator and bring to room temp. (Butter should be very soft.)
In a small sauce pan, melt coconut oil but do not make it hot. Heat it just enough to liquify it. Remove from heat.
Whisk honey into coconut oil, and then whisk together with room temperature butter. (I prefer to use an electric hand mixer, but a hand mixer would work fine.)
Spread over a saran wrapped plate or small cookie sheet, and freeze until firm, (or spread immediately).
Cut into small squares and melt over piping hot fritters.

You can add anything you want into this batter. I think pieces of cooked, thick cut bacon would be fabulous in this recipe. Blueberries, and even zucchini or pieces of banana would be super tasty. Or, better yet, add bananas and bacon and you’ll have a scrumptious breakfast feast. But whatever you do, you can make it your own.

Quinoa’s Biggest Fan,
Carrie