Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
- 1 20-oz bag frozen shredded hash browns, about 4 to 5 cups
- 3 teaspoons olive or avocado oil, divided
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 8-oz package mushrooms, chopped
- 1 5-oz bag of baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 10 eggs
- ½ cup non-dairy milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Add frozen shredded hash browns (no need to thaw) to baking dish and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes until potatoes start to brown and crisp. After you remove potatoes from the oven, press down with a spatula to help form the bottom crust more.
While potatoes are baking, add 2 teaspoons of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook until onions are translucent and all the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Add spinach, salt, and pepper to the mixture and stir until spinach has wilted. Once veggies are cooked, take off heat and set aside to cool.
Whisk eggs and milk in a large bowl.
Once veggies have cooled and are no longer hot, add to egg mixture along with 1 cup shredded cheese and stir to combine.
Pour egg mixture into the baking dish on top of the hash browns and top with additional 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until set and eggs are no longer jiggly. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve. Serves 8.
Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup coconut oil – melted
- ¼ cup applesauce
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together: egg, coconut oil, applesauce, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough balls onto prepared cookie sheet. Press cookie dough into a cookie shape with a spoon or your fingers.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges.
Let cookies cool slightly and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes one dozen.
Healthy Vanilla Cupcakes
- ½ cup almond milk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup applesauce at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Sprinkles (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese (full fat) softened to room temperature
- ½ cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper or silicone liners.
Whisk almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl and let curdle for 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
Add sugar and butter to a large mixing bowl and whip with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer.
Add eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined on low-medium speed.
Slowly add almond milk mixture while mixing on low.
Add flour, baking powder, salt, and mix until just combined and batter is smooth.
Pour batter evenly between twelve muffin tins. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean and edges are slightly golden brown.
Let cupcakes cool in the tin for a few minutes, then remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cupcakes are completely cool, frost, top with sprinkles, and serve. Makes one dozen.
For the frosting: Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Using a hand mixer on medium speed, whip all the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping down the sides as needed. If your frosting is runny, keep whipping it and it should turn out thick and fluffy. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer.
Yields enough to frost 18 cupcakes or an 8-9 inch cake.
One-Pan Baked Oatmeal
- 2 medium ripe bananas
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Sprinkle of cinnamon 1 cup almond milk or your milk of choice
- 2 cups frozen berries (any variety)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- Toppings: maple syrup and nut butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray.
Mash bananas in the baking dish.
Add oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon.
Add milk and stir to combine.
Top with frozen berries and shredded coconut.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is nicely golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Portion into six pieces and serve with a drizzle of maple syrup and nut butter.
