Long weekends are always super weird ‘cause all the days end up blending together and then Monday feels like Saturday, and Wednesday feels like Friday, and everything is all out of whack.
But then you get to enjoy leisurely breakfasts for five days straight, and revel in the knowledge that you have minimal responsibilities for the next few days, and all the confusion melts away into a nice cozy puddle of vacation bliss.
This week I actually made quite a few recipes, most of which are breakfasty because breakfast is the best meal.
If you’re someone who skips breakfast, I don’t even understand.
Breakfast is my absolute favorite meal of the day, and if it was an option, I would legitimately eat it for lunch and dinner all the time. I mean, there are just so many possibilities! Eggs prepared in multiple ways, pancakes, waffles, yogurt bowls, avocado toast, oatmeal…
The other day, my friend asked me what I would want my last meal to be, and I wish I was lying when I said, “Oatmeal!”
In my defense, I make a damn fine bowl of oatmeal. 😉
All of these recipes are totally amazing and taste a million times less healthy than they are. My favorite kinds of recipes are ones that fool your friends and family into thinking they’re eating something super heavy, but it’s actually, like, a broccoli in disguise.
Ah, the tomfoolery!
Banana Chia Almond Butter Muffins from Emilie Eats
Okay so you see how each muffin looks like someone tore off a little bit of the top? I have no idea how that happened.
…………………….
OKAY FINE IT WAS ME. Are you happy?!!!!
I have this bad habit of “trying” things when they come out of the oven when they’re too hot to actually slice or take out from the pan.
Muffins, quick breads, cookies…it all gets slightly deformed in about five minutes after coming out of the oven.
Girl’s gotta taste test! And I’m patient, but not with something I made. Like if I slaved away at the oven, I’ve gotta have it NOW.
These muffins are awesome! Vegan, with no added sugar (I omitted the coconut sugar), and made with spelt flour. They’re super moist and soft from the banana and applesauce, but have a bit of crunch from the chia seeds.
SO GOOD. They won’t last long 😉
Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Waffles from The Ambitious Kitchen
These waffles were a total crowd-pleaser. When my grandmother who normally finds something to criticize with every single thing I cook or bake asked if there were any extra waffles that she could take back home, I knew this recipe was a keeper.
Monique never ever disappoints, and I adore so many of her recipes. This was the first time I tried her waffles, and it won’t be the last.
I ate these with Trader Joe’s mixed nut butter (which by the way if you haven’t tried go get it! It’s the best for topping things or dipping) and a strawberry sauce I made by just roasting some strawberries in the oven and then mixing the juicy result with a bit of maple syrup and vanilla.
Such a mouthwatering combo! Oh and they freeze super well, so you can give yourself a mini surprise when you open the freezer in a month and find a waffle waiting for you to gobble it up. Best gift ever.
Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Pancakes from Emilie Eats
OMG, this is another recipe from Emilie, and if you haven’t realized yet, I am currently OBSESSED with her recipes. Girl knows her vegan food!
This was actually my second time making them, and this time I begrudgingly shared them with my mom who basically yelled at me for not letting me eat them the first time I made them :p
JOEY DOESN’T SHARE FOOD!
I ate these with my favorite Santa Cruz dark roasted creamy peanut butter and some pure maple syrup. Mmmmmm!!!
Banana Cacao Avocado Acai Bowl from Hummusapien
Another recipe that I’ve definitely made before…like, at least 10 times. This one is a gem, especially for us smoothie bowl lovers who agree that if it doesn’t pass the floating spoon test, what’s even the point?
This time I actually did something different and added half a scoop of chocolate Vega protein powder for extra staying power and muscle fuel. I didn’t think it was possible, but it was even more delicious.
Creamy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce by Chocolate Covered Katie
Katie’s blog was actually the very first blog I found when I started my own health journey. I used to make her recipes almost daily, and then I found tons and tons more food blogs and somehow forgot how amazing were all of Katie’s recipes.
Well thank goodness I randomly decided to try them again because trust me when I say, each and every one of her recipes is a WINNER.
From her oatmeal to her baked goods (ugh her banana bread is so dreamy) to the secretly healthy cookie dough dip I shared last week to now this dreamboat savory recipe, this girl has a knack for making foods that taste totally gluttonous but are actually super healthy.
This sauce was absolutely amazing, especially considering it supplied me with a serving or two of veggies and elevated my brown rice pasta and shrimp dish to an impossible level.
I’m not a huge fan of traditional alfredo sauce, opting instead for classic tomato sauce, since the former tends to leave me with a heavy, weighed down feeling in my stomach that I really don’t care for.
This sauce, however, was creamy, rich, but also incredibly light. I may or may not have eaten a couple spoonfuls of it straight from the blender. Oh and I totally recommend adding a couple spoonfuls of a good Dijon mustard. You’re welcome :p
That’s all for today, loves. Let me know if you try any of these, and enjoy the rest of your long weekend!
Xoxo,
Nicole
[…] decided to gently remind me that it needs food again. We packed some snacks with us, including the muffins I made a couple days ago, so after a quick muffin snack, I was feeling much better. However, […]