breakfast and brunch

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

This easy lemon poppy seed muffin recipe gets a healthy boost with almonds and yogurt to make a moist muffin everyone will declare the very best.

Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

You know how there are some ingredients that you just can’t say no to when it comes to a particular food? Like, for me, the only cake that’s worth its weight in birthday candles is German Chocolate Cake. Or if I’m choosing an artisanal cheese it’s going to be a stinky, gooey, triple cream.

So when my Ali Smudge wanders through the bakery section of the grocery store, I don’t even have to wonder what request she’s about to pose. Because it’s always the same. And it’s always for a lemon poppy seed muffin.

This lemon muffin recipe originally comes from Cooks Illustrated and is one of the best, delivering a solid base for add-ins to make all of your muffin dreams come true.

These muffins bake up light and with a tasty crumb, far from the greasy, heavy versions you’ll find in the grocery store.

see more: 37 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Jumpstart Your Day

continue to the recipe… about Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now

Comfort food cures all our cooking cravings, and there’s no better time to cozy up to hearty soups, easy slow cooker meals, and comforting pastas, than the 31 days of October.

It feels good to fall into fall, don’t you agree?

While I fiercely LOVE the summer months, there is a totally cozy nostalgia that comes with changing leaves, a chill in the morning, and the don’t-want-to-admit-but-I’m-getting-excited-thrill of the holidays peeking just around the corner.

Whether you’re looking for a new killer chili recipe to bust out at your next tailgate party, a simple throw-together weeknight meal, or a healthy-fill-you-up breakfast, these 31 tasty recipes are what you should be making this month.

And since we are in the 31 days of October, don’t you dare forget the pumpkin recipes!continue to the recipe… about 31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now

15 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Get You Through the Week

This list of 15 easy and healthy breakfast ideas will have you out the door and on the go in no time.

We’ve heard it and know it by heart—the oft-repeated mantra, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

But too often the back-to-school rush of packing lunches, figuring out dinner plans, choosing healthy snacks, etc., breakfast can get left behind in the shuffle.

Even if you’re not sending littles (or bigs) out the door, I’m all about having options to mix up my healthy breakfast eating routine, because you KNOW I’m not one to skip any meal, but most importantly not breakfast and my daily time-to-be-just-with-me quiet time.

This list of 15 easy breakfast provides three weeks worth of weekday breakfast options that will get you out the door quickly without sacrificing your diet, sanity, or valuable hair blow-drying time.continue to the recipe… about 15 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Get You Through the Week

Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin

Grab and go breakfasts can be the saving grace of any weekday morning. The eggs in this homemade Egg Mcmuffin sandwich recipe can be batch cooked in the oven, on the stove top, or in the microwave, and make eating a healthy breakfast your easiest decision of the day.

This recipe is brought to you by Kroger

We’re all guilty of it. The alarm blares at some ungodly time of the morning (no matter what time it is) and our first reaction is to fumble about and emphatically hit that snooze button for just.10.more.minutes.of.I.NEED.MORE.SLEEEEEP.

And that my friends is how you your morning time table suddenly becomes irrevocably out of whack. So what’s the first thing to go in your morning routine? Breakfast.

You think to yourself as you hustle out the door, “I’ll just grab something later,” or “Here honey, just eat this pop tart,” and load everyone into the car and buckle up for your day.

But that muffin/bagel/donut you impulsively picked up as your cruised through the drive-thru with your grande skinny latte is loaded with sodium, fat, and calories? Where’s the skinny or the healthy in that? Or worse, you don’t grab anything at all so you overeat at lunch. And your kid finds herself starving thanks to those empty carbs before 1st period is even over.

That’s why having a stash of make-ahead breakfasts ready to run out the door along with you is the secret to your morning’s success.continue to the recipe… about Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin

Red White and Blue Watermelon Blueberry Fruit Salad

Juicy watermelon, sweet bursts of blueberries and crunchy jicama dressed with a simple honey and lime dressing make this red, white, and blue salad a favorite worthy of all the fireworks all summer long.

This is a guest post from my mom. We wrote together while on a family vacation in the iconic epicenter of the USA, Yellowstone National Park in 2013 and I’m giving it a little update today. Back then I was pondering what to write about this tasty Red White and Blue Salad, and so my mom helped me brainstorm what to write. She’s good that way.

I think she pretty much summed it all up, so I’m writing it verbatim, from mom’s mouth to daughter blogger’s post. She’s my biggest cheerleader, and in every way she can, makes my job as a blogger that much easier.

Take it away mom.

continue to the recipe… about Red White and Blue Watermelon Blueberry Fruit Salad

Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata with Goat Cheese

Frittata egg breakfasts are usually a meal to share, but this two-egg, single-serving recipe packed with fresh asparagus, mushrooms, green onion and a sprinkling of goat cheese is the perfect way to enjoy a quick and healthy breakfast idea for one.

When I used to hear of people making frittatas, it sounded so glamorous, so exotic. It was a recipe you’d save to serve for company at a languid weekend brunch with mimosas and sunshine. Sure, frittatas can be exactly that. But they can also be one of the quickest, easiest breakfasts for one you’ll make all week, and that’s why a version of this ingredient combo hits my breakfast table at least once or twice a week.

When I started making frittatas for breakfast it was entirely by accident and purely because as a distracted multi-tasker who put my standard scrambled egg combo of asparagus, mushroom and green onion to cook on the stove, then started doing the dishes, and promptly forgot all about my eggs.

And so when I turned around I was happily surprised to see there was a sight to behold, a puffy mass of softly souffleéd egg cooking gently away in my pan.

This egg scrambling “mistake” wasn’t the first time I’d made a frittata (this one is SO GOOD!) but it is the one that made me realize this frittata-making situation just might be the easiest, hands-off way to make a fresh and fast, healthy grab-and-go breakfast each and every day of the week.

continue to the recipe… about Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata with Goat Cheese

37 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Jumpstart Your Day

What’s the best thing to eat for breakfast? All the good things! This roundup of 37 quick and easy, healthy and delicious breakfast ideas will give you all the sustenance and energy you’ll need to keep you going all day long.

When the alarm goes off in the morning, rudely interrupting your peaceful slumber to alert you it’s time to get going, breakfast is likely the last thing on your mind.

But it should be.

Food is fuel, and after being asleep all night, we need a major refill come AM. It’s time to get the energy we need to be alert and power through our day (with a little nudge from our friend caffeine, of course).

Whether we eat breakfast or not, and what that meal might be determines how we’ll feel for the next several hours — dazed and confused, or energized and ready to slay the day. We think we’ll take the latter.

But let’s be real for a minute. We admit, we’re not always on top of our breakfast game, especially on hectic mornings as we wait out traffic. On other frenzied mornings, it becomes something we sacrifice all together for five more minutes of sleep. And as delicious as those few extra z’s may be, they’re nowhere near as delicious as a hearty breakfast burrito or a piping hot bowl of oatmeal with all the fixins.

We know we can do better, we just need a little inspiration and a game plan.

Even if you’re not a morning person, with a bit of planning, it is possible to hit the snooze and have your breakfast, too. And if you’re not a breakfast person, we bet you will be after browsing through these easy, healthy, and totally tempting recipes.

So let’s rise and shine with this list of yummy brekkies!

How to Make an Easy Breakfast On the Go

We all have mornings where we’re lucky if we can get out the door on time, and with matching socks no less. On mornings like those, breakfast tends to get demoted to the bottom of the priority list, or something that escaped our attention entirely.

That’s where these dishes come in.

You can whip them up on the fly, and some can even be prepped the night before, so no matter how early your AM wake up call, you can just grab and go!

Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups from FoodieCrush

5-Minute Pesto Arugula Breakfast Sandwich from A Couple Cookscontinue to the recipe… about 37 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Jumpstart Your Day

Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs Recipe

Thanks to Taco Tuesday’s Mexican-fest that left you with an extra bag of tortilla chips, salsa and hopefully avocado, all this recipe needs to add is a super simple homemade tomato and chile enchilada sauce and sunny side up eggs to make chilaquiles at home for one of the quickest breakfast or brunch recipes that you’ll totally be making for dinner too.

The first time I spied chilaquiles on the menu was when I actually was IN Mexico, because until recent years, it wasn’t a very common item at any of the Mexican American restaurants I’d been to.

The thought of mixing chips with enchilada sauce and then topping it all with eggs may not sound as compelling as beef and butternut squash enchiladas or 5-minute chipotle shredded chicken taquitos with my homemade creamy avocado salsa verde but because you can have this entire meal-in-one cooked and on the table in less than 20 minutes, that’s more than compelling to me.

The recipe archives here on FoodieCrush have a well-stocked list of Mexican favorites, but there’s been a hole just waiting to be filled with this skillet breakfast nacho recipe. That’s why when I was leafing through one of my favorite food bloggers new cookbook, The Minimalist Kitchen: 100 Wholesome Recipes, Essential Tools, and Efficient Techniques by Melissa Coleman of The Faux Martha, this recipe was just one that leapt from it’s beautifully, but simply, designed pages.

I’ve known Melissa for years and have first hand seen her work her recipe-making magic in her minimalist farmhouse kitchen and totally enjoyed the labor of her foodie love.

I remember looking at the spices in her kitchen cupboard and thinking to myself, “Really? Is that all she has to flavor everything she cooks with?” And when she asked me to hand her a spatula, I was surprised at the contrast to my own kitchen when I opened the drawer and there in Melissa’s drawer I found just.one.spatula.

But oh the magic Melissa can make when living, and cooking, with less. And not only cooking, but baking the best things, too. She lives what she preaches and does it with ultimate style and loving grace.

What you won’t find in The Minimalist Kitchen are recipes with a laundry list of ingredients or take all day to make. That wouldn’t be very minimalist, now would it? Instead what you’ll find along with 100 recipes for her famous pizzas, easy to succeed at desserts and her make-every-day-of-the-week-hummus, are Melissa’s tricks and tips to making and keeping a minimalist kitchen yourself. This is just one of the ways The Minimalist Kitchen stands out among the rest.

How to Create a Minimalist Kitchen

Here are a few of Melissa’s minimalist tendency takeaways I’m totally working toward myself:continue to the recipe… about Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs Recipe

17 Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham

From ham and bean soup to ham fried rice, these 17 irresistible leftover ham recipes are the perfect way to put those smoky Easter leftovers to good use.

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself with leftover ham this Easter (this is one of my favorite recipes), that means spring pastas, soups, fried rice, and more are just a bite away. Of course it takes a whole lot of restraint not to just channel our inner caveman and snack on the remaining ham straight off the bone — the porky goodness is just way too tempting.

Baked hams are a celebratory food. Since we tend to make them for holidays and special occasions, they’re typically not something we have on a regular basis, so when we do, we know there’s a wealth of yummy ideas for repurposing that ham are at our disposal.

From classic split pea soup made in the pressure cooker, to gussied up grilled cheese, these round-two leftover ideas are so good, they’ll give your holiday ham dinner a run for its money .

So let’s carve in, shall we?

Pressure Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham from Skinnytastecontinue to the recipe… about 17 Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham

The 20 Most Popular FoodieCrush Recipes of 2017

I published many recipes on FoodieCrush this year, and while I thought they were all good, this is YOUR list of readers’ top 20 favorites.

The best recipes are the ones we come back to time and time again — the ones that are the heart of of our ever-expanding repertoire and the ones that keep them asking for seconds.

This last year I tinkered and tested, made a lot of messes, and whipped up tons of winners along with a fair share of losers that you never even got to see. Hopefully I’ve inspired you to make memories in the kitchen and to make something good, because honestly, what’s better than enjoying a stellar meal with the ones you love?

I’m happy to bring you YOUR list of the 20 most popular recipes chosen by readers as your favorites. These are the recipes that were most clicked on/bookmarked/and hopefully cooked with by FoodieCrush readers in 2017. Some are new, some are favorites you obviously keep coming back to for more, but all of them were FoodieCrush favorites.

Happy eating, friends. :)
continue to the recipe… about The 20 Most Popular FoodieCrush Recipes of 2017

31 Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes to Make in December

These 31 Instant Pot and slow cooker holiday dishes are perfect for easy meals when company calls, hearty breakfasts when extended family crashes, and fun treats for all of your holiday mingling this month.

Happy December!

Are you scurrying around like little elves, trying to get your holiday shopping done? Is the Instant Pot on your wish list? If not, it should be! It was the most sold item on Amazon last year, and it’s expected to do the same this year. That’s because this appliance is a beast. It functions as a slow cooker or a pressure cooker, slashing most cooking times in half, and leaving you with minimal cleanup.

Isn’t that magic to the ears, especially during the holidays?

That’s why our latest and last installment of the 31 day what to cook series is all about holiday dishes you can whip up effortlessly in your Instant Pot or or slow cooker. From crowd favorite appetizers and hearty breakfasts to soul-warming soups and beverages, we’ve got you covered this holiday season.

continue to the recipe… about 31 Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes to Make in December

31 Pumpkin Recipes to Carve Into This Fall

This round up of 31 favorite sweet and savory pumpkin breakfast, pasta soup, and dessert recipes will get you in the fall spirit.

What ingredient is a better beacon of fall than the pumpkin? The seasonal return of this dimply, round squash is marked by PSL’s on coffee shop menus, and neat rows of Libby’s, prominently displayed on endcaps in groceries everywhere. It’s a sure sign that autumn is here, which means full-fledged pumpkin mania can now ensue.

Like stores racing to put out Valentine’s Day paraphernalia as soon as Christmas ends, hardcore pumpkin fanatics start tinkering with recipes in August, if not sooner. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls on a 90-degree day? That’s love. The general consensus seems to be that late September is when it’s socially acceptable to open up that can of pumpkin (in case you were asking for a friend).

While our Thanksgiving tables would be pretty lackluster without the appearance of that classic slice of whipped-cream dolloped pumpkin pie, there are so many more ways to enjoy pumpkin. We love roasting it for salads, puréeing it into soups, and baking it up into sweet morning treats.

Here are 31 sweet and savory ways to enjoy it this fall.

continue to the recipe… about 31 Pumpkin Recipes to Carve Into This Fall

Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups

This hot homemade ham, egg and caprese-flavored breakfast can be in yo’ belly in just two minutes thanks to a quick cook in the microwave. Yes, this is how you can easily cook eggs in the microwave.

Hi! I’m Heidi and I’ll be serving you today. What can I get you?

One of the recent requests here on le bloggity blog is for more easy recipes for quick breakfasts please!

I totally get it. We all know that a good breakfast is the key to setting up your day for success so if you could create a weekend-tasting breakfast in the time it takes to pour a bowl of cereal, I’m betting you’d totally be into this breakfast that fully supports your snooze button needs. (Have you seen my list of 19 healthy breakfasts when you don’t have time to eat?!!)

And that’s why the microwave is your egg cooking friend.

continue to the recipe… about Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups

Summer Melon Cous Cous Salad with Avocado, Grapes and Mint

Hail all things green! Pillowy pearl couscous provides the bulk of this fresh honeydew, grape, cucumber, and avocado salad tossed with fresh herbs laced in a a ginger lime dressing that goes from breakfast or brunch to lunch and dinner with loads of summer’s seasonal flavors.

While I’m not one to watch much daytime TV, the other day I sat down to lunch and flipped the old telly on while I ate my ad hoc salad made from random tidbits of dinner from the night before. I swear, if anyone bore witness to some of the combinations of odds and ends I toss together for my daily lunches I would surely lose all of my food blogging cred.

If you haven’t watched daytime television in a while, you aren’t missing a dang thing. After trolling up and down all 687 channels trying to avoid marathon episodes of Hoarders!, I flipped over to The Cooking Channel where an episode of The Kitchen was airing. There I saw always poised and perky Katie Lee sharing a recipe with GZ for an exceptionally green quinoa salad, but not green with lettuce as one would expect in the traditional way.continue to the recipe… about Summer Melon Cous Cous Salad with Avocado, Grapes and Mint

Puff Pastry Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche

Thanks to a few staples you can keep in your fridge and freezer, this quick and simple quiche comes together fast thanks to a puff pastry crust filled with custard-ey eggs, smoked salmon, and crème fraîche or goat cheese.

This post has been updated with new photos and a few tweaks to the recipe. Enjoy!

Keeping long-lasting basic ingredients on hand in the fridge, freezer, and panty easily solves the “what’s for dinner” question. And with this super simple, quick quiche recipe, you won’t have to ponder that question for breakfast, brunch or lunch either.

We’ve definitely been on a breakfast kick and quiche has been top of mind. And I don’t mean breakfast for breakfast, but for dinner instead. One of my favorite things growing up is when my dad would break out the big electric frying pan in the evening and sauté mushrooms and bacon for Grandma’s Eggs. What kid doesn’t think breakfast for dinner is some sort of cosmically altered universe? And it’s an easy way for mom and dad to look like we’re ‘breaking the rules’ and going against society.

What rebels we are.
continue to the recipe… about Puff Pastry Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche

Avocado Toast with Tomato and Hard Boiled Egg

Healthful, nutritious, and filling, this avocado toast with hard boiled egg is an easy to assemble open faced sandwich ready for eating on the go.

Are you over the “put an egg on it” movement yet? I know. Me neither. It seems like it’s the mantra for making any favorite recipe a little harder to resist.

It’s the most popular way to sexy things up. Simply top whatever you’re making with a golden drippy yellow yolk that oozes down the edges of whatever it’s topping and BAM! You have one Instgrammable dish. I’m certainly a fan of the egg drip over anything and everything, but it can be a bit of a mess, and far from being hand-held fare.

To make my egg topped avocado toast a little less napkin-needy, I’ve taken to topping it with the simple but mighty hard boiled egg. And this time around, this egg gets a shave. continue to the recipe… about Avocado Toast with Tomato and Hard Boiled Egg

Bacon Broccoli and Potato Frittata

Invented to be the perfect vehicle for any sort of leftover lounging in the fridge or flavor combination you can’t get out of your head, the essence of this frittata’s baked egg goodness is delivered in each and every bacon, broccoli, and potato-filled bite.

This post is brought to you by Kroger

Frittatas are a meal that leads a double life, possessing the wow factor of the uppity and far more finicky egg soufflé with the utilitarian goodness of a hardy egg omelette. They’re comfortingly adaptable. You can add meats, cheeses, and veggies of any sort. You can serve them hot, or serve them cold. You can eat them on fine china or from a napkin in your hand, in the car, on the way to work.

It’s true. Frittatas may just be the ultimate all-in-one food.

Even better, once you have the method and the proportions down, you can customize these custardy skillet bakes to your food craving’s content, making for a delicious breakfast, brunch, lunch, and even dinner that serves a crowd with minimal fuss.

Minimal fuss. Now, THAT is what I call the ultimate crowd pleaser.
continue to the recipe… about Bacon Broccoli and Potato Frittata

German Chocolate Banana Bread

My favorite banana bread recipe gets a nutty chocolate chunk upgrade, making this quick bread a dessert lovers dream.

To say I have a fetish with German Chocolate anything and everything is a severe understatement. Proof in the chocolate pudding is right here.

I could try and blame it on my German heritage, but let’s just say it like it is: I am a load-it-up-with-all-the-nuts-chocolate lover and I have no willpower when this flavor-bomb combo is in sight. I mean, have you ever had Baskin Robbins German Chocolate Cake ice cream?

Has chocolate ever been considered a part of our DNA? Apparently so! Who-da thunk that someone (not me) was likely to investigate?

My favorite part of this banana bread is all the additional fixins, but the secret is what lies under the toppings, and proof that beauty is more than skin deep.

continue to the recipe… about German Chocolate Banana Bread

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Bread

Garlicky chunks of bread are mixed with cream cheese, spinach, and artichoke hearts, then stuffed back into the shell and baked for a show-stopping appetizer everyone will want seconds of!

This post is in partnership with Arla USA

Like so many of my favorite recipes, I keep the originals in my tattered, over stuffed, recipe book I bought when we were first married. It’s filled with the hand-written recipes I’ve discovered have been handed down to me by my mom and grandmothers or shared with me by friends.

This is a variation of one of those special recipes. Its title in my much-better-penmanship-then-than-now-because-all-I-do-is-type is Mark’s Yummy Bread. Mark was the post college boyfriend of one of my besties. He and Julie aka Flash (whose nickname came about because she is so smart and such a thinker she is the opposite of fast) made this stuffed cheese bread for us at a friend party we hosted at our house. Ironically, about a year later, Mark actually bought that house from us. Apparently, we really know how to throw a house party.

And now, even more years later, we still talk about this bread. You could say it became legendary.continue to the recipe… about Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Bread

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Egg Casserole

This hearty, filling slow cooker egg casserole recipe with Mediterranean flavors, goat cheese, and prosciutto is simple to put together and can be assembled the night before so it’ll cook while you sleep!

This post is in partnership with KraftRecipes.com. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.

We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief because the finish line is close. The end of 2016 is drawing near and holiday reverie is slowly slipping from our candy cane-grubbed-grasp.

There’s just one downside to the holidays. Okay, make that two.

The first one is that the holidays eventually come to an end. I’m a Christmas girl so holiday time for me is honestly the most wonderful time of the year.

The second—and the one we need to watch out for the most—is the supreme pressure we put on ourselves to make the holiday perfect. We overcommit, over-extend and over-do. This year I say we cut ourselves a little slack and take an easier way out—especially when it comes to cooking. How? By taking a few shortcuts to create a homemade holiday from the heart.continue to the recipe… about Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Egg Casserole

19 Healthy Breakfasts for When You Don’t Have Time to Eat

You know what they say.

The early bird gets the worm.

You may not be a morning person (confession: I’m not a morning person), but waking up with the sun is one thing, skipping breakfast is another. I know, the struggle is real, but regardless of what time your alarm clock rudely interrupts your peaceful slumber, forgoing the most important meal of the day is just no way to start the morning.

I know what you’re thinking. “But I’m busy, I barely have enough time to put myself together in the mornings, let alone build a well-balanced, Instagram-worthy breakfast!”

Come on. Can we be real for a sec?continue to the recipe… about 19 Healthy Breakfasts for When You Don’t Have Time to Eat

Cherry Berry and Banana Overnight Oats

Oats, cherries, berries and banana soak in almond milk overnight in the refrigerator to create a no-cook red, white and blue layered, healthy on-the-go breakfast in a jar.

This year I’m partnering with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze to share healthful recipes made with almond milk, like these easy, no-cook overnight oats that will help you serve up your best.

This summer our days have been jam-packed. No lazy days of summer here. She’s been a busy 12 year old with one camp or another almost every week this summer.

Golf camp. Soccer camp. And to continue carrying on my sport-loving legacy, she had her first volleyball camp too.

continue to the recipe… about Cherry Berry and Banana Overnight Oats

How to Make a Blended Iced Mocha

This decadent homemade version of everyone’s favorite blended coffee drink with mocha is made lighter with almond milk, and is so easy once you get the ratio right. Here’s how.

This year I’m partnering with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze to share healthful recipes made with almond milk, like this coffee-infused, frosty chocolate treat of a drink.

Because I may have made a mistake in my mothering tactics.

Earlier this year I introduced my Smudge to the wonderful world of ice blended mochas. Oh man, I LOVE THEM! But at almost $5 a drink, and a whole lot of calories that I we don’t need, I’m not sure what I was thinking.

And so, now, just every single time we get into the car, she smiles that million-watt-just-got-the-braces-off-smile and as sweet as sugar asks me, “Can we go get a MO-KA?”

And then she winks. And then I cave.

I’m such a sucker. I fall for it just about every time. But now, I’ve come up with a solution that’s going to be a lot easier on the old wallet (this ones my fave because it’s so small), and still serve her craving.

AND! My “borrowed” sips are lower in calories, too. Score one for misfired mothering tactics!

continue to the recipe… about How to Make a Blended Iced Mocha

Food Bloggers’ Guide of Where to Eat in Salt Lake City, UT

Just minutes from summer’s outdoor adventure and winter’s world-class ski resorts with what is known world over as “The Greatest Snow On Earth”, Salt Lake City hasn’t relied solely on what mother nature has provided to feed the souls of local residents and worldwide visitors.

In this mountain city that just happens to border the desert, the restaurants and diners, bars and brewpubs, coffee shops and bakeries are just as vital to the local climate and lifestyle as skiing and biking and hiking in the towering Wasatch mountains of which the city is best known for.

As the epicenter of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints—aka the Mormons—Salt Lake City may be considered modest by some larger city’s standards.

Far from mundane or chaste, Salt Lake City’s original landscape was ripe with a convivial spirit, even boasting a stretch of what is now downtown’s Main Street as “Whiskey Street”, named by the founder of Salt Lake City himself, Brigham Young, where gentiles (including Mr. Young) were able to quench their thirst and enjoy in the revelry.

Today, that spirit for food and drink is alive and well and totally on point with those bigger locales thanks to award-winning craft breweries, nationally recognized 4-diamond restaurants, plus favorite local haunts that have stood the test of time.

Following are a few Salt Lake City standouts from local food bloggers, who are dining in and dining out, and always taking in the scene.

continue to the recipe… about Food Bloggers’ Guide of Where to Eat in Salt Lake City, UT

Spinach, Artichoke and Goat Cheese Quiche

This fluffy, savory quiche pie recipe made with eggs, artichoke, spinach goat cheese, and Almondmilk makes weekend brunches a tasty breeze!

This is another recipe I’ve created in my partnership with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, a breakfast or brunch dish that’s lightened up thanks to Almondmilk.

My friend Kelley makes a really great quiche.

The first time I ate one of her quiche creations was at a local blogging brunch where we all brought something along to add to the potluck party. I was immediately smitten with Kelly’s quiche-ing skills, likely due to the fact I am always enchanted by a baked custard of any kind. And hers was delicious.

Quiche is one of those recipes specially reserved for brunching. Why we don’t eat it for regular old breakfast any day of the week is a mystery to me. It’s mix of humble ingredients combine for a deceptively grand appearance, and is truly a dish with an alter ego.

With Mother’s Day rounding the corner of the calendar, a good quiche is always an impressive entertaining option. Because they require minimal work (especially if you use a store-bought pie dough) any level of home cook can prep ahead and then sit back and enjoy being queen for a day.continue to the recipe… about Spinach, Artichoke and Goat Cheese Quiche

Curried Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe

Curry and onion powder add an exotic heat to the traditional egg salad sandwich, making it fit for an every day breakfast, lunch or elegant brunch.

This post is the first in my year-long partnership with McCormick, because I’m a firm believer that we can all use a little spice in our lives.

Back in the day I could peel an egg like no other.

As a kid, I vividly remember my Uncle Tom showing me a magic trick. “Hey, Heidi, do you want to see something special?” Well, of course I did! I was 10 years old! How could I not?

Uncle T knew how to make a presentation out of just about anything so when he showed me how he could peel an entire shell from a hard boiled egg in one movement, I was transfixed! The shell easily fell from the white orb in his large hand in one complete, in-tact ribbon.

It became my mission to master the peeling of an egg just like Uncle Tom did. And I did! For years.

And then my success came to a screeching halt.

I don’t know what my deal is, but for the life of me I can no longer peel an egg without it ending up as a shaggy semblance of what I see others pulling off all of the time.

That’s why today’s recipe is an egg salad sandwich instead of deviled eggs. Because who wants to see a deviled egg that looks like it’s been hacked with a jig saw when you can be making this delicious curry-spiked egg salad sandwich instead?

continue to the recipe… about Curried Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe

Caprese Avocado Toast Plus 10 Avocado Toasts You’ll Love Forever

Cottage cheese subs in for mozzarella in this healthy and simple avocado toast that’s perfect for a favorite breakfast, lunch and snack, plus 10 more toasts to try.

Does the world really, Really, REALLY need another avocado recipe post?

Likely, not.

I mean, the recipe isn’t really even as much a recipe as it is a formula. Toast. Avocado. Extra stuff you put on top depending upon your cravings and whatever is in the fridge.

And flaky salt. Always flaky salt.

But when I made my breakfast the other day and stopped myself mid-bite to get a snap of it for Instagram, realized that this hum-drum and routine breakfast for me is indeed a blog-worthy recipe/formula to share.

Because often those routine recipes are usually the best. Even if they’ve already cycled through the trend scene.

continue to the recipe… about Caprese Avocado Toast Plus 10 Avocado Toasts You’ll Love Forever

Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast Cups

Individual servings of french toast are an easy make-ahead breakfast, and this recipe can easily be doubled to feed a crowd!

Make-ahead breakfasts are my jam. And we aren’t talking jam on toast.

We’re talking about a lot more than that. So much so that you’ll probably find as many make-ahead breakfasts here as you will grilled cheese sandwich recipes.

And with my ever-professing love of cheese, that’s sayin’ somethin’.

Holiday visits are the perfect reason to break out the casserole dishes, the mini cocottes and even those mismatched, odd-ball ramekins rattling around in your cabinets to create individual breakfasts you can make the night before, then pop them in the oven.

This 5-ingredient breakfast is the perfect way to ease into your day.

continue to the recipe… about Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast Cups

Lemon Poppyseed Bread with Cranberries

This easy to make lemon poppyseed quick bread is studded with cranberries, and uses creamy Greek yogurt to add flavor and extra protein to each sweet slice.

This post is brought to you by Fleishmann’s® Simply Homemade® because sometimes a little shortcut in the kitchen is just what you need.

Picture this. Or rather, smell this.

The wafting scent that hits you when you stride through the front door.

Something’s baking in the oven. Something slightly sweet. Something in need of a slather of butter.

Something you didn’t have to spend the morning, afternoon or evening slaving over. But still smells—and tastes—like you did.

continue to the recipe… about Lemon Poppyseed Bread with Cranberries

5 Meals to Make With Leftover Chili

Chili dinner leftovers have found a new life in these recipe variations to take care of breakfast, lunch or dinner all week long in 5 ingredients or less.

Today’s post is sponsored by Reynolds™ and their cool new containers that make leftovers bearable. Dig in!

I always start with the best of intentions.

To save money. To save time in the kitchen. To make one big meal on the weekend and eat it for the week. And then, the leftovers sit in the fridge, and by the time the next weekend rolls around the garbage can is calling.

My husband isn’t a huge fan of leftovers. Me? I can stand at the fridge and eat pasta, casserole, rice or stew straight from container. It drove my mom nuts when I was a kid. “Don’t eat the leftovers! There won’t be enough for your father for dinner!”

This past weekend I made a big batch of Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Chili because it’s fall, because my slow cooker is calling, and because we have a busy week ahead of us. Sure we dug into deep into the chili that first night, but what to do with the rest of it?

I put my thinking cap to task and came up with 5 meals that’ll take care of those leftovers for every day of the week.continue to the recipe… about 5 Meals to Make With Leftover Chili

← Previous

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

31 Days of Comfort Food Favorites to Make Now

15 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Get You Through the Week

Healthy Homemade Egg McMuffin

Red White and Blue Watermelon Blueberry Fruit Salad

Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata with Goat Cheese

37 Easy Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Jumpstart Your Day

How to Make an Easy Breakfast On the Go

Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs Recipe

How to Create a Minimalist Kitchen

17 Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham

The 20 Most Popular FoodieCrush Recipes of 2017

31 Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Holiday Recipes to Make in December

31 Pumpkin Recipes to Carve Into This Fall

Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups

Summer Melon Cous Cous Salad with Avocado, Grapes and Mint

Puff Pastry Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Quiche

Avocado Toast with Tomato and Hard Boiled Egg

Bacon Broccoli and Potato Frittata

German Chocolate Banana Bread

Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Bread

Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Egg Casserole

19 Healthy Breakfasts for When You Don’t Have Time to Eat

Cherry Berry and Banana Overnight Oats

How to Make a Blended Iced Mocha

Food Bloggers’ Guide of Where to Eat in Salt Lake City, UT

Spinach, Artichoke and Goat Cheese Quiche

Curried Egg Salad Sandwich Recipe

Caprese Avocado Toast Plus 10 Avocado Toasts You’ll Love Forever

Cinnamon Raisin Baked French Toast Cups

Lemon Poppyseed Bread with Cranberries

5 Meals to Make With Leftover Chili

How to Make the Best Potato Salad

How to Make Classic Macaroni Salad

How to Make the Best Grilled Salmon

My Mom’s Homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

breakfast and brunch

Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

How to Make an Easy Breakfast On the Go

How to Create a Minimalist Kitchen

Follow @foodiecrush on Instagram

5 Quick and Healthy No-Sweat Simple Meals