Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Experimenting with Breakfast Foods!

I'm one of those weird people that absolutely loves mornings. Sometimes I'll go to bed super early, just so I can wake up before the sun and the rest of humanity. If I could, I would wake up at 5 or 5:30 every morning. Mornings are when I'm most productive and my mind is most alert. I can crank out a ton of work before Brett even wakes up. 

Another major reason I love mornings is because I love breakfast. I could easily eat breakfast food three times a day. Lately I've been cooking and baking up a storm and so sometimes, due to the overflow of breakfast-like foods in our house, I just have to eat breakfast for lunch...or dinner. It's rough. Like these Lemon Poppy Seed and Yogurt Pancakes. Brett and I were working from home the other day and around lunchtime I began craving something lemon and poppy seed flavored. So...


...these pancakes made with Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt were created. Brett and I loved them!

One of the main reasons I've been cooking and baking a ton is because I've decided that, when I have time, I want to get to the point where I can make most of our staple foods at home from scratch. Brett and I are planning to move overseas next year and I feel like I should get the basics down pat now so that if we don't have access to certain foods overseas I can just make them myself! Mainly, non-dairy foods like yogurt and almond milk have been on the top of my list to learn how to make. Other things are Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, wheat thin crackers, tortillas and granola. 


It's been so fun to learn more about the science behind the foods I love to eat and experiment making them myself...especially when those foods are breakfast foods!

So today I'm going to share with you "What-I-Made-And-Ate-For-Breakfast" and also some of the staple foods that I hope I can still make for Brett and me when we live overseas.


One of those staple foods just happens to be yogurt! I never knew making yogurt was possible a couple of weeks ago. I just thought it fell from the sky into our groceries stores. But seriously, I love yogurt, but non-dairy yogurt is so expensive and probably not as accessible overseas so I've been determined to learn to make it myself. And guess what? It's not hard!


I can make this whole quart of almond milk yogurt using a crockpot and it cost about two bucks! I'm going to keep experimenting with it until I can get a thicker consistency, but I still love it and have been eating it everyday and even using it to bake with.

Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt with grapes, banana, strawberries and homemade granola!

Homemade granola sweetened with applesauce, agave nectar and cinnamon.
Still working on perfecting this!

Overnight oats with 1/2 cup Homemade Non-Dairy Yogurt, 1 mashed, overripe banana, 
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons chia seeds and a splash of almond milk

I even used used my homemade yogurt in these fiberlicious Pumpkin Bran Muffins! Brett and I loved these and have been eating them daily for the past week.


 For our one year anniversary I made these amazing Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Candied Pecans (Recipe coming soon!). I usually don't call recipes I create myself amazing, but these really were to die for. Brett gave me a high five after the first bite. Success! It's definitely going to be a new family tradition to make these on special occasions.


And of course coffee. I've been trying to find the perfect ratio for making iced coffee concentrate and I just came across this recipe yesterday. Pour 1 cup of coffee grounds into a pitcher and then pour in 4 cups of water. Stir and let it sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, pour the mixture through a coffee filter into a clean container (I filtered mine right into our coffee pot!) Now you have the perfect iced coffee concentrate! Mix 1 parts concentrate with equal parts water and there you have it!

This is the coffee grounds and water mixture before I strained it.
Don't worry, it doesn't turn out gritty like that!


Well there you have it: my experiments and breakfast foods from the past week! 

What foods do you try to make at home from scratch?

Do you have a recipe for making homemade yogurt?

Also check out Jenn's blog to see what other people are creating!

Eat Consciously,

Faith


10 comments:

  1. Breakfast is my favorite too! I am a morning person all the way. Those muffins look delish. I just cooked up some granola on Sunday so I may have to try these out this weekend.

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    1. Hey Alexis! Thanks for commenting. We sound a lot alike:)
      I'd love to know your granola recipe!

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  2. Wow! So many amazing meals! I'm trying to stick to a more paleo diet, but seeing those rolls! Oh man, I'm getting quite the craving! I'm definitely going to come back for that recipe, too :)

    I'm really intrigued that you made your own almond milk. And that coffee! Sounds very easy!

    Also, very exciting about the move! I moved from the States to the Netherlands (where I still live) about four years ago. It was a bit crazy at first, but I'm really settled now and love it! Good luck!

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    1. Wow. The Netherlands! So exciting:) And I agree, it will probably be crazy at first, but I'm really looking forward to the adventure.

      I'll be posting the pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe tomorrow so make sure you check it out! Thanks so much for saying "hi"!

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  3. I love making things from scratch - I just wish I had the time to make (almost) everything from scratch..That diary free yogurt looks incredible, I'm going to have to keep checking back for a recipe.
    Food I generally always make from scratch are soup, raw chocolate, granola & this amazing diary/sugar free nutella - yum!
    Right now I'm off to nose at some of your recipes...
    www.cakevsscales.co.uk

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    1. I know. It can be so time consuming! I was just researching recipes for raw chocolate so I'd love to know yours...and for the nutella too!
      I already posted the non-dairy yogurt recipe/process so make sure you check it out. I just need to update my recipe page:)
      Thanks for writing!

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  4. Yum! Those pumpkin cinnamon rolls look so yummy :)

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    1. Thanks! I'll be posting the recipe tomorrow so make sure you check it out...and let me know if you try them!

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  5. I just found your blog right now... And Oh My God how many tasty food! Pumpkin rolls really sound amazing... I look forward to the recipe. You received the new reader ;)

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    1. Hey marina! I'm so glad you said hi! I'll hopefully be posting the Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls tomorrow so come on back!

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Thanks for commenting! I always love hearing from my readers!