breakfast

Easy Family-Friendly Breakfast Recipes

Cooking, Health & Wellness, kids

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

It’s back-to-school season, so mornings are early and rushed! Unfortunately, this often leaves little time to feed our families a nutritious breakfast. But, as the saying goes, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” and its imperative that our kiddos get a healthy start before their long day at school and activities.

I know that with the early mornings’ limited time, plus a house full of picky eaters and different taste preferences, it feels much easier to resort to packaged donuts and pastries or swing through the fast food drive-through for a chicken biscuit for a quick breakfast. However, I’m here to assure you that making a fast, healthful breakfast for your family does not have to be hard, time consuming or expensive. As long as you’re willing to put in just a little prep work, you and your family can eat a variety of delicious and nutritious every day of the week! Plus, you’ll save money from avoiding coffee shops and fast food restaurants!

Check out my top family-friendly breakfast recipe ideas below!

Apple “Donuts”

Recipe: Food Network

Not only do Apple “Donuts” encourage your children to eat more fruit — it’s also a great recipe for little hands to get involved in making! Slice apples into 1/2-inch circles, and use a small circular cookie cutter or small melon baller to cut a hole in the center of each to make a “donut.” Top apples with better-for-you “frosting,” like peanut butter, cream cheese and greek yogurt. Add more fun with additional toppings, like sprinkles, sliced strawberries, granola and chocolate chips.

One-Bowl, Multi-Flavor Mini Muffins

Recipe: The Baker Mama

This one-bowl muffin batter recipe is easy to make. After adding the batter to muffin tins, simply drop in your favorite mix-ins, like blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar, bananas or sprinkles, to create multiple flavors in one batch. This recipe is perfect for all the different taste preferences in your house or if your kiddos get bored of eating the same flavor every morning. 

Super Pancakes

Don’t settle for boring regular pancakes when you can have “Super Pancakes” filled with superpower ingredients! This recipe is especially beneficial for kids who need help eating more protein, fruits and vegetables. I make these pancakes with Kodiak Protein-Packed Flapjack and Waffle Mix and mix in milk and egg instead of water for added protein! After the batter is made, I mix in mashed banana and grated zucchini (you can’t even taste the zucchini, I promise!). Make a large batch of these Super Pancakes on Sunday morning to quickly heat up for breakfast for 3-4 days!

Photo credit: Confessions of a Midnight Baker

Coffee Shop Dupe Egg Bites

Recipe: Once Upon a Chef

Save time and money by skipping the coffee shop for your favorite egg bites and making them at home! The secret ingredient in these egg, bacon and cheese egg bites is cottage cheese and tabasco sauce! They’re so flavorful and easy to make ahead of time. Store in the fridge for 3 days or freezer for 2 months. You won’t miss your pricey store-bought egg bites!

Quick Caprese Breakfast Sandwich

Recipe: Jones Dairy Farm

This sandwich is low on prep time but full on flavor! Most breakfast sandwiches are time consuming to make, but not this Caprese Breakfast Sandwich with the help of Jones Dairy Farm Canadian Bacon, Egg Life Egg White Wraps and pre-sliced BelGioioso Fresh Mozzarella. Cut the egg wrap down into 4-6 pieces. Lightly toast the English muffin. Top one half with basil leaves, 2-3 slices of mozzarella, 2-3 slices of tomato. Finish with 2-3 egg slices and 2 slices of Canadian bacon.  

Protein Yogurt Parfait

Recipe: Created by ME! My full recipe is available in a previous blog post here

When you’re challenged with food allergies and diet restrictions but still want a high-protein breakfast, this make-ahead dairy, egg and gluten free yogurt parfait is a delectable choice! It’s made with my favorite Super Granola and Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder from Kroma Wellness, along with creamy Coconut Yogurt and Berries. You could add more toppings, too, like honey, chia seeds, hemp seeds, nut butter, etc. Customize it to your preference! This is a great recipe to make ahead in a mason jar to bring on-the-go during busy mornings!

Which of these recipes do you want to try? Let me know in the comments below! For more family-friendly products, activities and recipe ideas, be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Best Protein Yogurt Parfait – Gluten, Egg and Dairy Free!

Cooking, Health & Wellness

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

Scroll to the end of this post for my gluten, egg and dairy free yogurt parfait recipe!

The creamiest dreamiest yogurt parfait for a nutritious breakfast!

First, some background on why I made this recipe…

So, this is a bit awkward and embarrassing for me to admit, but because I know my readership is made up of incredibly supportive ladies, I’m going to follow Natasha Bedingfield‘s advice and “release my inhibitions”…

By the way, I saw Natasha perform at a fundraising gala this past year, and she was phenomenal! “Unwritten” was the best I’ve ever heard it since it was released 20 years ago! Okay, I’ve digressed and aged myself, so let’s get back on track…

Back to what I was saying… Here it goes… I’m embarrassed to admit that I HAVE HORMONAL ACNE.

UGH! I hate seeing that in writing because it makes my hormonal acne so real. It’s not that I don’t believe that I have acne – clearly, I do, as my face doesn’t lie to me in the mirror! It’s just that I’ve had to come to the brutal realization that this is not a random breakout from sleeping with makeup on or “just a phase.” I’ve been dealing with hormonal acne on-and-off ever since having children 6 years ago. It will sometimes clear up for a couple months, so I’ll think I’ve moved past it. Then, low and behold… painful, ugly, annoying cystic acne reappears on my jawline again. I hate this acne, because it feels so odd to have as an adult. I was extremely lucky and did not have acne problems during puberty or my teenage years. The acne didn’t start until pregnancy.

In the past, I’ve managed my hormonal acne with topical prescription products. For this round of acne that started about 9 months ago, I waited a few months before getting back into my dermatologist’s office to start prescriptions again. I was hoping it would clear up on its own. However, I’ve now been on my topical prescriptions (Clindamycin, Winlevi and Tretinoin) for 3+ months and nothing is getting better. In fact, my skin is just getting really, really dry and flaking, which is probably not helpful either.

I’ve decided its time to try a different approach: a holistic treatment encompassing diet and mental health. I’ve gone down a very big internet and podcast rabbit hole exploring hormonal acne treatments, and a common theme I’ve seen is eliminating dairy and eggs (and sometimes gluten) in diet on top of stress management. So, here I go… ready to conquer this approach! Although, it won’t be easy…

You see, I’m a protein girly, so eliminating eggs and dairy throws a major wrench into my usual breakfast eats. I typically love to eat greek yogurt topped with nuts and berries or make a veggie and cheese-filled omelette. The idea of eating oatmeal, toast, pancakes or waffles does not sound satisfying to me, nor do those meals usually have a good amount of protein in them for starting my day and meeting my daily protein requirements. As I discovered in my research for hormonal acne solutions, protein is a key conductor in balancing our hormones, and I try to eat at least 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal.

Loving my protein parfait made with Kroma protein and granola

Then, I remembered Kroma Wellness, a brand dedicated to simplifying eating nutritious, anti-inflammatory, clean food that makes you feel your very best. I’m so grateful that I found Kroma 2 years ago when I did their 5-Day Reset (you can read about my life-changing experience with the Kroma Reset here). I took a look at two of my favorite Kroma products that I always keep in stock – Super Granola and Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder – and got the idea for a dairy-free, protein yogurt parfait!

I have avoided dairy-free yogurt in the past, because it’s usually filled with alien junk ingredients and sugar with minimal protein. But, blending the Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder with a quality pure coconut yogurt (like Cocojune Pure Coconut) amps up the protein content while still getting rich taste, healthy fats and tons of probiotics.

Kroma’s Vanilla Cinnamon Protein Powder adds a decadent dessert-like flavor to dairy-free yogurt, milk, smoothies and baked goods. The powder boasts 20g of protein per serving, has 9/9 Essential Amino Acids, and is loaded with superfoods and adaptogens.

Now let’s talk about what we’re topping our yogurt parfaits with: Super Granola! This is the best granola ever made with a wholesome medley of 10 superfoods that’s light yet satisfyingly crunchy and an irresistible vanilla cinnamon flavor. There is no gluten or refined sugar, which is so rare compared to most granola on grocery store shelves! It’s made with high-quality ingredients and functional superfoods, like crunchy clusters of gluten-free rolled oats, cashews, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, dried blueberries, and mulberries. And, it’s boosted with adaptogenic maca to enhance mood and energy. This granola is the perfect topping to a yogurt parfait, but it’s also great to eat alone as a snack!

Watch me make this Protein Yogurt Parfait on Instagram here:

This DEG Free (Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free) Protein Parfait has now become a go-to breakfast of mine. It makes two small parfaits, so I’ll often make them in mason jars, so I can save the second one for tomorrow. I look forward to this creamy dreamy parfait every morning! Below is the recipe, and I can’t wait to hear what you think after you try it!

Protein Yogurt Parfait Recipe:

Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free!

Yield: 2 yogurt parfaits | Servings: 2 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Add coconut yogurt, protein powder and almond milk to a bowl and mix. Add more almond milk, if needed, to reach your desired consistency.
  2. Divide the protein yogurt mixture into two serving bowls. Top with berries, nut butter, granola and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy!
Dairy, Egg and Gluten Free Yogurt Protein Parfait

I hope you love this breakfast recipe as much as I do! Let me know if you try it in the comments, and be sure to connect with me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

Chocolate Chip Banana Carrot Bread Recipe

Cooking, Lifestyle

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly like and recommend. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.

We’re a big banana bread family. During the Covid-19 pandemic, I made one banana bread for every month that the city of Los Angeles was in “lockdown.” I think I made six banana breads, maybe more, as the city continued on with various restrictions. With all that baking, I was able to perfect the BEST chocolate chip zucchini banana bread recipe ever. You can find a version of that recipe as muffins with healthier swaps for flour and sugar here.

Today, we went to make that amazing bread recipe and realized that we didn’t have zucchini on hand. However, we did have shredded carrots, which I thought was even better with the Easter holiday upon us! The result was even better than expected. This banana bread with chocolate chips and carrots is gooey on the outside with a lightly crispy top, and the flavor is both sweet and savory, making it a perfect bread for breakfast, snacks, desserts, and a yummy treat to pair with coffee or tea.

If you’re like me and always looking for ways to sneak veggies into your kids’ food, then this is the perfect recipe for you! My kids are usually veggie adverts, and they devoured this chocolate chip banana carrot bread! My 3-year-old daughter also loved helping me make this recipe. She was the “official banana masher.”

This is a great recipe for your family, and I know you’ll love it! If you kids asked who ate it all, you can just say the “Easter Bunny!”

Watch this gooey delicious bread in action – yum!!

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Banana Carrot Bread

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9-inch bread loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, sugar, egg and egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and shredded carrots and stir until combined.
  3. In the same bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt and stir to combine well.
  4. Fold in chocolate chips and transfer to prepared baking pan.
  5. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

I hope you love this recipe! Let me know if you try it in the comments below, or connect with me on Instagram or TikTok!

XO Maggie

Save on Pinterest to make for later!

Simple Quiche Lorraine Recipe

Cooking

After I gave birth to my firstborn, my neighbor brought over a quiche, and I thought it was the best postpartum food gift ever! Quiche is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a snack, and it was amazing not to worry about cooking or ordering food in those first few days home with a newborn!

I appreciated that postpartum quiche so much that I now I try to give a quiche to all my mama friends with a newborn. This classic Quiche Lorraine recipe is my go-to, because it’s so easy and absolutely delicious. Salty bacon, fluffy eggs, creamy gruyere cheese and a flaky pie crust make this quiche a real winner. I like to use a frozen pie crust to cut time and make this recipe even simpler!

The quiche I made from the recipe below (adapted from Delish.com) is headed to one of my mama friends, and I doubled the recipe to have one for our family.

Easy Classic Quiche Lorraine

Ingredients:

  • 1 9-inch pie crust, frozen
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère, divided
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • Pinch of cayenne
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Chopped green onion (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Allow frozen pie crust to thaw for 10-20 minutes. Use a fork to prick holes around the bottom and sides of the crust. Bake for 5-10 minutes.
  2. While pie crust is baking, cook bacon until crispy in a skillet over medium heat, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  3. Scatter cooked bacon on pie crust with 1 cup Gruyère, shallot and green onions.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, cayenne, and nutmeg and season with salt. Pour mixture over bacon and cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
  5. Bake until crust is golden and eggs cooked through, 40 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

What other variations of quiche do you like? Let me know in the comments below if you try this recipe! Or, connect with my on Instagram and TikTok!

Best Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins Recipe!

Cooking, Health & Wellness, Home, Kitchen, Lifestyle

Hey Mamas! If you’re like me and have picky eaters in your house, it can be a struggle to get kids to eat green vegetables! My solution: Sneak veggies into their favorite foods!

Great for picky eaters: I have THE BEST banana bread recipe (originally adapted from Delish.com) that I’ve converted into muffins with hidden zucchini! My kids have never once said, “Ewe,” “What’s the green stuff?” or “I can taste vegetables!” when I serve them these muffins! SCORE!

Why this is the best Banana Zucchini Bread Muffin recipe: When I say this is the best banana bread recipe, I truly mean it! During the pandemic, I made one banana bread loaf for every month we were locked down in LA County. I tried six variations of banana bread, so I can attest that this is the very best recipe! Utilizing three bananas is the perfect amount of flavor and sweetness, and the full fat sour cream makes the bread so moist! You will never need to try another banana bread recipe again… This is IT! You’re welcome.

Original recipe swaps: I make a couple swaps for these Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins from the original Banana Bread Recipe from Delish.com to make them kid-friendly and mom-approved. First, I add half of a grated zucchini. Secondly, I add mini semi-sweet chocolate chips! My kids go nuts over chocolate anything, so this is a special treat. In my opinion, regular sized chocolate chips overpower the the banana flavor, so I prefer to use mini sized chips. I haven’t tried the muffin recipe without the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips yet, but I have made the original loaf recipe without them, and it was still soooo gooood!

Make it even healthier!: Recently, I completed a 5-day wellness reset that eliminated sugar, gluten and dairy from my diet, and I saw some phenomenal health benefits (like my average resting heart rate dropping by 9 heartbeats per minute – wow!). Since then, I’ve been testing swapping out sugar and gluten in some of my favorite recipes, like this one! If you want to go gluten- or sugar-free, try Bob Mills Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour and Truvia Sweet Complete Monk Fruit Sweetener. I could not tell the difference when we made these swaps! So good!

Mix-ins and frosting ideas: If you want to add some more oomph to this recipe, add 1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans and walnuts are my favorite) or coconut! Or, add a cream cheese frosting for a real decadent treat that’s totally approved by the health food gods because we’re already eating zucchini – LOL! My favorite is a vegan cream cheese frosting recipe from Peanut Butter & Jilly found here.

I prefer using mini chocolate chips in this banana zucchini bread recipe!

Tips for the best Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins:

  • You can’t have bananas that are too ripe for this recipe. The more ripe, the better!
  • Shred the zucchini with a VERY fine grater. You don’t want chunky zucchini in your muffins!
  • Be sure to drain and soak the moisture from the grated zucchini with a paper or cloth towel. Do not skip this step of the recipe or else you’ll have watery batter!
  • This recipe makes about 18 muffins, so I always give a few to our neighbors and teachers. Everyone will love these muffins!

Can you convert muffins into bread loaves? Yes! To be honest, my most favorite way to make this recipe is a large 9×5 loaf pan instead of muffins. However, my kids love the muffins and they’re much easier to transport and serve to kids in muffin form.

How to Make One Banana Zucchini Bread Loaf:

  • Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment and grease with cooking spray.
  • Follow recipe as written below, but bake for 1 hour instead of 25 minutes. Let bread cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

How To Make Multiple Mini Banana Zucchini Bread Loaves:

  • Preheat oven to 350º. Line four  3.8×2.5-inch loaf pans with parchment and grease with cooking spray.
  • Follow recipe as written below, but bake for 30-35 minutes. Keep an eye on it, as all ovens cook at different speeds. Let bread cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

BANANA ZUCCHINI BREAD MUFFINS

Yields: 18 Muffins | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

*Note: Some people like to add Xanthum Gum to their recipes using gluten free flour, but I don’t believe it’s totally necessary if you’re making muffins. The label on Bob Mills Gluten Free Flour has instructions on how much Xanthum Gum to add if you wish to try it.

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375º. Line two muffin pans with 18 baking cups.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In another large bowl, mix together melted butter, sugar, egg and egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and grated zucchini and stir until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined. 
  4. Fold in mini chocolate chips and transfer to prepared muffin pan cups.
  5. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe! I’ve had so much fun making (and eating!) these Banana Zucchini Bread Muffins that I’m determined to add zucchini to other favorite recipes! What should I try next: a chocolate-zucchini cake, blueberry-zucchini muffins or chocolate chip-zucchini cookies?! Let me know in the comments below, or connect with me on Instagram or TikTok!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of this post contains affiliate links for the products I use and LOVE. If you take action on these links (like clicking, buying, etc.), I may receive compensation at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own, and I’ll only recommend what I truly love. For more information about affiliates and your privacy, view our Terms & Conditions page here.