simple breakfast ideas

A Simply Stress-Free Christmas Brunch

Hello friends! It’s pouring here in Memphis and dad and Kyle are at the duck club, which makes it a perfect day for writing and recipe testing. Thought I would do a little post to tell you about our Christmas brunch and how I tried changing it up this year to keep things stress-free and with more time to sit around the Christmas tree!

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Usually for Christmas my family drinks coffee and exchanges gifts first thing in the morning and then we tidy up and start making brunch. This year, however, I decided to try mixing it up a little and seeing if we could enjoy breakfast and each other’s company around the table in the den while doing our gift exchange, leaving more time to sit and chat and not hear our stomachs growling while we open gifts! After thinking about what I could prep ahead, I landed on my Crustless Sage and Sausage Quiche. Because it’s only me, dad and Kyle on Christmas morning, we don’t need to go overboard on the food and so we bought some in-season fruits and our favorite whole grain bread to pair with it. The fruits I selected included grapes, oranges and pears and they were so sweet and juicy diced up as a fruit salad. Our bread of choice these days is Dave’s Killer Bread and it was hearty and nutty, toasted up and served with butter. And that was our Christmas brunch! Both dad and Kyle loved the quiche and I’m assuming they were telling the truth because it was almost all entirely gone by the end of Christmas morning!

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The quiche is super savory and so really complemented the sweet winter fruits served along side it. I always have a starch of some sort with a meal and the toasted Dave’s Killer Bread was perfect. I love having home-cooked meals at the table but I don’t think everything has to be homemade, especially if that means sacrificing time with family or friends. I know I could have made some homemade biscuits or bread or sweet rolls but dad doesn’t eat many sweets, and I didn’t want to spend all of my Christmas Eve in the kitchen. So the quiche was my home-cooked item that I prepped on Christmas Eve and placed in the oven Christmas morning and the other items were easily assembled Christmas morning while the quiche baked. It was a fun, relaxing and delicious Christmas morning.


And What About the Leftovers?

That’s another great thing about the quiche! It can be refrigerated and reheated for breakfast, lunch or dinner on any of the days to follow. I cut the remainder of the quiche into small squares, wrapped each square in plastic wrap and stored half of them in the refrigerator and half in the freezer so dad can have a quick protein-packed breakfast once Kyle and I are back in Dallas.

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Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats

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As you all know, I have been on a bit of an overnight oats kick lately.  A bit behind the trend, I'm aware, but, then again, I've never been super trendy.  These have been such a time-saver in the last month, though!  With work fully underway in its busiest time and my Junior League commitments still going strong I need something quick and easy but that still tastes delicious and leaves me satisfied.  I will say it's a toss-up between these and my SunButter Banana Oats for which I like best.  The SunButter oats are a bit more savory, while these definitely have that fruiter juicier taste from the cherries and the yogurt.  I have resolved to alternating for the time-being because I really love them both.  I can keep these in the fridge for a quick breakfast in the morning or a part of a heartier snack. 

Not only are these great for a basic breakfast but these oats could also be a great post-run or post - workout meal or snack (depending on who you are and what type of athlete / exerciser you are) due to their combination of protein and quality carbohydrate.  The protein in this dish is helpful to repair any large or small tears in our muscle as a result of exercise and the carbohydrate repletes drained glycogen (stored carbohydrate) stores and provides the body with more energy.  A body receiving a post- intense - workout meal without carbohydrate may end up having to use protein for energy instead, which could hinder maintaining or building lean muscle.   So, in short, this dish provides the protein the body needs to repair and build muscle and the carbohydrates it needs for energy and to spare protein.

This could be a good post-workout breakfast for early morning exercisers, especially if it's hard to eat something first thing.  If you're someone who has trouble eating before early morning practices grab something simple like a piece of fresh fruit, dried fruit or dry cereal prior to your workout and make sure to refuel with a balanced breakfast of protein & carbohydrate like these Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats!  And if you're an athlete that needs more than this post-workout try doubling the ingredients or add an egg or two on the side!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

 

OH SO SIMPLE CHERRY VANILLA OVERNIGHT OATS

Makes 1 serving (1 "jar")

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons rolled oats

  • 1/4 cup 1% milk

  • 1/2 cup frozen halved cherries (they came whole and I cut them in half w/ a sharp knife)

  • 1/4 cup cherry yogurt (I love mine with Siggi's 2% black cherry yogurt!)

  • 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

To a small or medium-sized mason jar* add ingredients in the following order:

  1. 1/4 cup rolled oats

  2. 1/4 cup 1% milk

  3. 1/4 cup frozen halved cherries

  4. 1/4 cup black cherry yogurt

  5. 1/8 teaspoon vanilla

  6. 3 tablespoons rolled oats

  7. 1/4 cup frozen halved cherries

* my sister - in - law puts her in saved salsa jars , which I think is a great idea too!  I'm trying it next time!

 

WHAT'S IN THIS??

Rolled Oats:  fiber, iron, vitamin D, thiamin, phosphorus, magnesium, protein, carbohydrate

1% milk:  protein, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12, phosphorus, carbohydrate

Yogurt: protein, calcium, carbohydrate

Cherries:  fiber, carbohydrate small amounts of vitamin C & calcium;  currently being studied for their potential possible positive influence on inflammation and post-exercise soreness!

 

NUTRITION INFO (per serving)

265 calories;  15.75 g protein;  42 g carb;  7 g total fat (1.5 g sat, 0 g mono, 1 g poly);  4.5 g fiber;  21 g sugar (0 g added); 253.5 mg calcium;  95 mg Na;  1.75 mg iron