Sunday, April 28, 2013

What's for breakfast?

Sunday mornings are a time of relaxation in our household.  At some point, we eventually get around to a filling breakfast, but no rush, y'all.

Today's breakfast featured a deliciously ripe cantaloupe, strawberries, and... (wait for it).... Paleo Donuts.  I realize there are probably a zillion Paleo Donut recipes out there, but I'm going to throw mine into the mix as well. I'm also including a super-simple "egg muffin" recipe that might become a breakfast staple in your home! It's so simple, and it's a great recipe for your kids to put together themselves.

We also have plans to whip up some Paleo mayo today to go in some dishes for our fellowship potluck this evening.  (Our church gathers in the afternoon, usually followed by a potluck meal.)  Have you checked out the ingredients in the many versions of mayo stacked on grocery store shelves? Yuck!  Since beginning the Whole30, we have tried our best to steer clear of unhealthy oils (canola, soy, vegetable, etc).  Unfortunately, those oils are in so many things, so we've learned to make our own dressings and dips.

We'll include our (read: Brandon's) paleo mayo recipe soon, but first we need to measure ingredients. We typically just throw things together, which has made putting together our (free) cookbook a little difficult!

Anyway, on with it! Paleo donuts coming up!



Once upon a time in Target land, I came across a donut maker on clearance.  So, believing it was meant just for me, I took this beautiful gadget home.  The nifty thing about this nifty thing is that it bakes up donuts in 5-6 minutes. Swift, I tell you.  But, since not everyone has these thing-a-ma-bobs, I'm also including directions on how to bake them in the oven.  Don't have a donut pan? Aw, well, that's alright. You can turn these things into muffins as well!


PALEO DONUTS

Ingredients:


  • 1/2 cup salted butter (that equals one stick), melted.
  • 1 very ripe banana, smashed
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 6 eggs
  • 1/2 cup of coconut flour 
  • 1/3 teaspoon of baking soda 
  • 1/4th to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depends on how sweet you prefer it)
  • Cinnamon, optional (add as much or little as you like).


Melt banana in a bowl and add smashed banana, apple sauce, and eggs.  Mix well. (I use an electric mixer.) Add in coconut flour and baking soda.  Mix for about a minute. Slowly add in maple syrup. I don't actually measure- I eyeball it. Pour in a little, mix, and taste.  We don't like ours super sweet, plus the banana and applesauce will add a little sweetness to it.  Let sit for several minutes to let the coconut flour soak up some of the moisture. (This is important!)

Spoon mixture into your donut maker (mine makes 5 mini-donuts at a time), close, and let bake for 5-6 minutes. (Or follow the instruction for baking that you normally use.)

WHOLE30 VARIATION: 

If you are on the Whole30 or the 21 Day Sugar Detox, leave off the maple syrup. These donuts are great as a paleo bread with an egg on top!  You can even put some crumbled bacon in the batter!


OVEN DIRECTIONS:


  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Fill donut cake pan rounds 2/3rd of the way full.  If you're using a muffin pan, use muffin liners (or silicone liners), and fill 2/3rd full as well.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes.  Remember, mini muffins will only need about 8-10 minutes baking time.  Insert a toothpick or knife to see if it comes out clean.


OTHER VARIATIONS:

I added in some Enjoy Life chocolate chips to the kids' donuts, and even made a batch with chopped up strawberries mixed into the batter.  Try different things- sweet or savory- to change things up!

Note- I can't tell you how many these will make because, well, it depends.  My recipe made about 15 mini-donuts.  This should make a dozen muffins. I make no promises, though!




Now, on to the easy egg muffins. I started making these long before we took on the Whole30 challenge or even considered going Paleo.  Some of my Paleo pals on Instagram posted really yummy photos of their egg muffins which intrigued me and motivated me to give it a go.  Even if you aren't Paleo, you'll enjoy this recipe. You could add in all sorts of things- veggies, meats, cheeses. 


My oldest is a pro in the kitchen, but if you haven't been training your children to cook or bake, this is a great recipe to start with.  It's nearly fool proof.  Nearly.



The rule is simple. One egg makes one egg muffin.  What you choose to do with that egg makes all the difference.  Add in cooked bacon? Yes. Ground sausage? Yum.  Cajun andouilee? Sounds good to me! Season it how you like, add in some salsa, green onions, or even spinach, and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes.

The possibilities are endless! You can throw a few together and pop them in the oven while you're getting ready for the day, and they'll be ready when you emerge from your bedroom all clean, pretty, and put together.

Each one can be customized to each persons preference.  Does the hubs like jalapenos but the kids prefer a milder flavor?  Would you like an extra spoonful of bacon crumbles? These are like mini-quiches that everyone will love.








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