I have a MAJOR LOVE for all things breakfast. In fact, I think that breakfast may just be my most favorite meal of the day. I have a ton of breakfast/brunch recipes bookmarked in cookbooks and online and it is about time I cook some of those up. In an effort to make some grab and go breakfasts that are healthy; I made two treats to share with you, both recipes of Ellie Krieger.
Whether you are dashing out the door or enjoying a leisurely morning, you will love to look in your refrigerator and see these gorgeous Muesli Parfaits. Yogurt, milk, oats, toasted almonds, honey, vanilla and mixed berries....what's not to love? Ellie suggests making them the night before and grabbing them in the morning. I made mine the morning of and they were fine to eat straight away. The recipe makes four servings, coming in at 300 calories, 10 grams of fat, 13 grams of protein, and 6 grams of fiber. They are gorgeous, delicious, and super duper filling. I almost couldn't eat the whole parfait (which is rare for me)!
Muesli Parfaits
Adapted from So Easy by Ellie Krieger, also online at Food Network
1/2 cup unsalted raw almonds
1 cup nonfat milk
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt (I used Greek Yogurt)
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen (strawberries hulled and halved)
Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Chop them coarsely.
In a medium bowl, stir together the milk, yogurt, oats, honey, and vanilla. Divide the oat mixture evenly among 4 small dishes or parfait glasses. Top each with 1/2 cup of berries, then 2 tablespoons of the chopped almonds. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. The parfaits will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
I have about 6 kinds of granola bars in my pantry (proof of my breakfast bar obsession). Naturally, I wasn't hungry for any of those bars and quite frankly, they probably aren't very healthy anyway. I decided to make Ellie's Walnut and Dried Cherry Bars. I have been wanting to make these bars for a LONG time and each time I am missing an ingredient. This time was no different. Halfway through the recipe I realized that I had no applesauce. Drats! Not letting anything get in my way this time around, I decided to make my own applesauce. A quick glance to the fruit bowl and I smiled. There was one apple left. Thankfully, one apple makes about 1/2 cup applesauce, which was more than enough.
Walnut and Dried Cherry Bars
Adapted from So Easy by Ellie Krieger, also online at Food Network
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour OR regular whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 large egg white
3/4 cup chopped dried tart cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Cooking spray
1/4 cup "fruit only" apricot preserves
Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, oil, egg, and egg white until well combined. Stir in the oat mixture until well combined. Add the dried cherries and walnuts.
Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. When the bars are nearly done, put the preserves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the bars come out of the oven, brush with the preserves. Cool completely and cut into 12 bars, about 4x1-1/2 inches each.
Makes 12 servings, 230 calories, 9 grams fat, 4 grams protein 34g carbs, 2 grams fiber
Notes/Results: I bought Ellie's So Easy cookbook a couple months ago and I love it. The recipes are easy, well-written, and all of them have been great. These two breakfast recipes may just be some of my favorites in the book. The muesli parfaits are delicious and something healthy that you would actually look forward to eating. I love that they keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. The parfait itself is delicious, with a mild sweetness from the fresh fruit. I plan on making these a lot because they are gorgeous, taste great and are healthy and filling (which is a hard to find combination). In fact, I might just make some for the girls at work this weekend!
The walnut and cherry bars take a little bit of work to put together, but are SO VERY DELICIOUS that it is well-worth it, especially when you consider that you'll have twelve homemade breakfast bars. These bars should come with a warning though: THEY ARE ADDICTIVE! Yes, it will be hard to stop with one. You will most likely go back for another one. They are moist, sweet,tart and chewy (almost like a breakfast cookie)! I will definitely be making both of these recipes again as I really loved them both!
Happy Eating!!
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