Breakfast Archives - Another Root

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Breakfast Cookies

January 20, 2016 By Jaenell Leave a Comment

Fact: I eat cookies for breakfast. Giant cookies packed with dark chocolate, shredded coconut, whole grain oats, Greek yogurt, flax seeds, and almonds. Oh, and sea salt. Because sweet + salty is what makes these Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Breakfast Cookies so dang delicious.

I’m in love with these breakfast cookies on so many levels:

Grab-and-go, for those super busy mornings (or just plain lazy ones… me → guilty)
Freezable — make a double batch and freeze half to keep the breakfast cookie vibes going.
Packed with good-for-you protein and fiber to keep you energized all morning.
Refined-sugar free.
Perfect on their own or crumbled over a bowl of creamy greek yogurt — for breakfast and snacking.
So versatile. The flavor combinations are only limited by imagination (see below for ideas!)
Chocolate for breakfast = win!

And they’re super quick and easy to throw together. All you need is 1 bowl, 3o minutes and a handful of healthy ingredients….

Super Moist Spiced Pumpkin Bread

December 12, 2015 By Jaenell Leave a Comment

Cooler temps haven’t quite settled in for the winter season, which feels a little late here in Michigan — though I’m not one to complain. We had a few days of snow, which Lycka thoroughly enjoyed. And though the days are short and getting ever shorter, we’re still in this weird transition between fall and winter that makes me just want to wait it out indoors, cozied up in a warm sweater and slippers with a really good book.

And with this pumpkin bread. Can’t forget about that! Talk about cozy. Super moist, fluffy and lightly sweet, it’s perfect topped with tangy maple cream cheese frosting. It makes for the best breakfast on the go, afternoon snack, even dessert. Or all three, because why not?

I’m still hoping for a white Christmas though! It’s hard to believe it’s less than two weeks away. Got to get moving on that shopping list — and get a tree. We’re running a little behind this year. But I’m not stressing because I’ve got this dreamy pumpkin bread to keep me calm and happy, and to fuel the busy weekend ahead….

Toasted Coconut Overnight Oats

November 22, 2015 By Jaenell Leave a Comment

Snow!!

I’m looking outside my window right now, cup of hot coffee in hand snuggled up on the couch, and it’s snowing. The first snow of the year in Michigan. The first snow in our new house. The trees that line our street are blanketed in it, making our neighborhood look like a winter fairy tale. A cold one, but still a twinkly and beautiful one. And the pup just Loves it. That’s Love with a capital L. We’re talking bouncing, prancing, diving and nose shoveling. What could be cuter than that? She loves snow = I love snow.

Snowy days like today call for a comforting, cozy breakfast. Something hearty and delicious and soul-warming. Perhaps something toasted coconut-y, like these overnight oats that have me dreaming of breakfast before I even hop into bed for the night. Which is fitting because these oats with their creamy coconut milk and sweet honey taste like eating dessert for breakfast.

But don’t worry, the chia seeds balance that out. 🙂

Today, coffee + slippers + comfy pants + toasted coconut overnight oats = the best morning ever….

Maple Coconut Oil Zucchini Muffins

August 17, 2015 By Jaenell 3 Comments

These healthy zucchini muffins are the lightest and fluffiest that I’ve ever made. Seriously guys, after the first bite, I did a double take and almost had a hard time writing that they’re healthy. But they are! You would never believe that they’re made with whole wheat flour, no refined sugars, healthy fats and lots of veggies packed away into each handheld little one. Perfect for breakfast (I’ll take two please!) or a mid-afternoon snack (again, can I have two?) to avoid the post-lunch desire for naptime.

I made a batch of these over the weekend, immediately ate two (as soon as I was done photographing, which required quite a bit of self control), and then started to panic a little because I loved them so much that surely one batch wouldn’t be enough to last me through the week! Luckily they’re so quick and easy, with little enough clean up, that I could totally make a second batch without eating up too much relaxation time on my weekend afternoon.

All the muffins all the time!

And with zucchini season in full force, these muffins are the perfect way to use up your farmers market haul….

Roasted Cherries with Greek Yogurt and Granola

July 30, 2015 By Jaenell Leave a Comment

You guys. Roasted cherries. Sweet, juicy cherries roasted with a sprinkle of brown sugar, and then layered with creamy Greek yogurt and crunchy granola. There is so much flavor and texture packed into this little bowl. Breakfast just got real fancy.

Around here, weekday breakfasts need to be speedy quick. It’s not that I don’t have plenty of time to eat breakfast — I do wake up a couple of hours before work every day to either fit in a workout, catch up on some reading, watch an episode of Friends (or two, because yes, I still love it!), and savor my morning cup of coffee. Plenty of time, it just takes me a while to get hungry, and by the time I am — I’m rushing out the door to work, jar of overnight oats and/or granola bar in hand.

Really good breakfasts, the kind where you can take a few moments to savor each bite, are so wonderful on the weekends that I crave that same feeling during the week. And these brown sugar roasted cherries, with their beautiful deep purple color and bright tangy flavor, bring a little bit of Sunday morning laziness to my everyday. Did I mention that they’re make ahead-friendly? Oh yes! They check off multiple boxes on my rushed morning meal list:

Make ahead? Check.
Less than 5 minutes in the a.m.? Check.
Super yummy? Check.
Portable? Check.
Fresh and seasonal? Check check.

Who wouldn’t want to start their Thursday off with a big bowl of sweet cherries roasted to caramelized perfection, a scoop of thick tangy Greek yogurt and crunchy granola loaded with almonds? If you’ve got a couple of extra minutes, maybe layer it up into a mason jar for an extra f-a-n-c-y parfait? Yes, please and thank you!

…

One Bowl Healthy Carrot Banana Muffins

July 14, 2015 By Jaenell 1 Comment

Bonjour from Paris!!

These delectable, completely stackable, perfectly portioned little muffins are packed with all the goodies. Banana, carrots, shaved coconut, applesauce — a little bit of everything that I could find in my pantry and fridge that was not only super yummy but packed with vitamins and fiber — perfect for packing up and carrying onto the plane over here. And thank goodness that we can bring snackies from home, because I sure didn’t want to spend much of our honeymoon fund on mediocre airport food — not when we were on our way to one of the culinary capitals of the world. No thank you! I’ll take all of the wine and cheese and breads please. 😊

I don’t know about you, but I’m a super nervous flyer. One little bump when we’re up in the air and my mind jumps to the absolute worst. Especially when we’re going over large bodies of water… Like the, erm, Atlantic Ocean… But K is so amazingly supportive, holding my hand and telling me it’s gonna be okay (even if he’s a bit nervous himself). And having a homemade snack that brings me back to my kitchen and “grounds” me is certainly helpful….

5-Minute Yogurt + Granola Parfait

June 7, 2015 By Jaenell Leave a Comment

5-Minute Yogurt + Granola Parfaits

First things first: the pop of red from the raspberries in these parfaits is making me so happy right now! I definitely don’t get enough color in my morning meals, and red just says, “Let’s get this day STARTED!”

Lately I’ve been a bit obsessed with breakfasts. From muffins to scones to poached eggs, and now these cups of creamy, tangy yogurt layered with crunchy granola, walnuts, chia seeds and tart red raspberries.

I’ll take two please!…

5-Ingredient Whole Wheat Flaxseed Bread

May 15, 2015 By Jaenell 12 Comments

Well hello there, homemade bread.

This wonderful bread is 100% whole wheat, loaded with fiber and healthy fats, and made with just five ingredients. Plus some water and salt, but I don’t count those since they’re always hanging around the kitchen.

You can tell a great loaf of bread from the sound of the crust. Just a little squeeze and these loaves crackle and crunch before giving way to the fluffiness inside. Topped with a bit of local butter and strawberry preserves, and we’ve got ourselves a winner.

Last weekend marked my first time making homemade bread — two beautiful whole wheat flaxseed loaves that filled our apartment with warmth and the best smells ever. I mean seriously. Next to freshly cut grass, the wafting and lingering aromas of bread baked lovingly and with true intention is definitely a top contender for my favorite smells of all time. I so wish I could send you smells through the interwebs. K and I love this stuff so much, one of the loaves managed to disappear within 24 hours of coming out of the oven. Whoops!…

12 Healthy Cinco de Mayo Recipes

May 2, 2015 By Jaenell Leave a Comment

Eating spicy, salty, crunchy, creamy, fresh Mexican foods never needs any justification, and happens all too often (or maybe not often enough!) in our house. And the arrival of Cinco de Mayo gives us just one more reason to reach deep into our recipe archive for some old favorites, and to look to some of our favorite healthy food bloggers for a few new ideas and twists on some classic recipes.

Without much ado — because you don’t need me talking at you right now with all of these delicious dishes just waiting for you — I give you 12 recipes to help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the coming days, and to celebrate the versatility of Mexican food year-round….

Whole Wheat Raspberry Pistachio Muffins

April 29, 2015 By Jaenell 9 Comments

Three words: roasted salted pistachios.

Completely wonderful all on their own — they transform sweet treats with their salty, crunchy goodness. I’ve always been one to add just a bit more salt to baked goods and other sweets than the average recipe calls for. I’m not a huge fan of anything cloyingly sweet (it hurts my teeth!), and I love the interplay between sweet and savory that salt brings to the table — resulting in wonderfully balanced in flavors.

Tart red raspberries burst with summery brightness, and crunchy pistachios play very well in the light, airy muffin batter.

Yup, this is pretty much my favorite muffin, or even dare I say baked thing, that I’ve ever made. :)…