Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Most days Brian and I are happy to enjoy big bowls of hot oatmeal for breakfast.  I love how versatile oatmeal is, you can add so many different flavors depending on your mood or the season.  And it's such a satisfying breakfast, one that keeps me full all morning - as my Grandma Helen used to say "It sticks to your ribs!"

Once in a while on the weekends, I find myself craving something a little different in the morning.  I love pancakes but don't love how quickly my body turns their fluffy goodness into fuel and leaves me hungry again in just a few short hours.  The fact is, they're delicious but not very satisfying when they're made with white flour and drenched in syrup - just a big (yummy) stack of simple carbs that give me a short burst of energy and then leave me standing with my face in the fridge looking for something else to eat after an hour or two.

When I saw this recipe for Pumpkin Protein Pancakes I bookmarked it, intrigued by the addition of protein powder, cottage cheese, pumpkin and cinnamon.  I just had a feeling that the day would soon come when I would once again be desiring a stack of pancakes and need to get my fix.

These turned out perfectly sweet without adding any sugar (the vanilla protein powder is sweetened), deliciously fluffy and SOOO satisfying!  I loved the warmth from the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and Brian noted that they "weren't too pumpkin-y".  I had to increase the amount of milk as the batter was way too thick at first, almost glue-like, and while still too thick to pour even after adding more milk I found I could use a large spoon to dollop the batter onto the frying pan and use the same spoon to quickly spread it out into a larger circle (some of them turned out a bit misshapen but still delicious!)  I served ours with sliced banana, maple syrup and some maple pecan granola for a little crunch, alongside a cup of Gingerbread Spice coffee - fall-flavor perfection!  Next time you're craving pancakes, I hope you give these a try!

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
serves 2 (recipe makes 6 medium pancakes, approximately 4'' each)
adapted from Running to the Kitchen

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used ON Vanilla Casein powder)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
scant 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk (start with 1/2 cup, then add up to 1/4 cup more milk depending on consistency)
2 egg whites

Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium-medium high heat and grease.  Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Add up to an additional 1/4 cup milk to mixture if the batter is too thick to incorporate all of the dry ingredients - the batter should be still be a little too thick to pour easily.  Using a large spoon, drop approximate 1/4 cup portions of batter onto the hot griddle, using the spoon to spread the batter out as necessary until you have a roughly 4'' circle.  Cook approximately 2 minutes per side, or until fully cooked, flipping over once. 

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Most days Brian and I are happy to enjoy big bowls of hot oatmeal for breakfast.  I love how versatile oatmeal is, you can add so many different flavors depending on your mood or the season.  And it's such a satisfying breakfast, one that keeps me full all morning - as my Grandma Helen used to say "It sticks to your ribs!"

Once in a while on the weekends, I find myself craving something a little different in the morning.  I love pancakes but don't love how quickly my body turns their fluffy goodness into fuel and leaves me hungry again in just a few short hours.  The fact is, they're delicious but not very satisfying when they're made with white flour and drenched in syrup - just a big (yummy) stack of simple carbs that give me a short burst of energy and then leave me standing with my face in the fridge looking for something else to eat after an hour or two.

When I saw this recipe for Pumpkin Protein Pancakes I bookmarked it, intrigued by the addition of protein powder, cottage cheese, pumpkin and cinnamon.  I just had a feeling that the day would soon come when I would once again be desiring a stack of pancakes and need to get my fix.

These turned out perfectly sweet without adding any sugar (the vanilla protein powder is sweetened), deliciously fluffy and SOOO satisfying!  I loved the warmth from the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and Brian noted that they "weren't too pumpkin-y".  I had to increase the amount of milk as the batter was way too thick at first, almost glue-like, and while still too thick to pour even after adding more milk I found I could use a large spoon to dollop the batter onto the frying pan and use the same spoon to quickly spread it out into a larger circle (some of them turned out a bit misshapen but still delicious!)  I served ours with sliced banana, maple syrup and some maple pecan granola for a little crunch, alongside a cup of Gingerbread Spice coffee - fall-flavor perfection!  Next time you're craving pancakes, I hope you give these a try!

Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
serves 2 (recipe makes 6 medium pancakes, approximately 4'' each)
adapted from Running to the Kitchen

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used ON Vanilla Casein powder)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
scant 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 - 3/4 cup milk (start with 1/2 cup, then add up to 1/4 cup more milk depending on consistency)
2 egg whites

Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium-medium high heat and grease.  Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Add up to an additional 1/4 cup milk to mixture if the batter is too thick to incorporate all of the dry ingredients - the batter should be still be a little too thick to pour easily.  Using a large spoon, drop approximate 1/4 cup portions of batter onto the hot griddle, using the spoon to spread the batter out as necessary until you have a roughly 4'' circle.  Cook approximately 2 minutes per side, or until fully cooked, flipping over once. 

Impromptu Sunday Brunch for Two

So, Brian and I were planning on going for a run this morning.  We had every intention, I promise.  But when his alarm went off at 8 am it suddenly dawned on him that he had confirmed a skype-date with our French "family" for today at 8.  So we dashed out of bed and hopped online for a nice long chat with The Moreau's (well, Brian did most of the chatting, my French n'est toujours pas bon).

After we finished up around 9 my stomach was grumbling and I was starting to get a coffee-withdrawal headache (I need it, don't judge me!)  So we decided to skip the run and go straight for brunch, it's a gorgeous day outside though, so I think we will try again a bit later this afternoon for a run.

I've been craving a quiche for the last week but didn't want to make such a large quantity just for the two of us, nor did I really care to wait while it baked in the oven for 30+ minutes.  Once I'd had my first cup of coffee, a great idea came into my mind:  Mini Quiche Cups using pre-made wonton wraps!  And what a brilliant idea it was :-)

You see, I picked up a package of Nasoya Won-Ton Wrappers at the supermarket the other day with the intention of using them to make little mini pumpkin pies (don't worry, there are PLENTY leftover that I intend to use for exactly this purpose).  The wrappers are just very thin pre-cut squares of dough that can be baked or fried, filled with any kind of filling your mind can imagine.  Well, my mind imagined individual servings of quiche, so that's what we had for Brunch, along with a salad of romaine hearts, some salsa (Brian ate the salsa, not me) and  a half of a banana with some almond butter and Bare Naked Maple Pecan Granola (a gift from Mom and Dad that I've been enjoying for the last month or so!)

Between the two of us, we ate 6 Mini Quiches and decided since there were just 6 left we would keep them in the refrigerator for snacks/breakfast/lunch over the next day or two.  But I think they could easily be frozen, then thawed and re-heated for a breakfast on the go!  Another great thing about quiche is the versatility of the fillings:  I used red bell pepper, onion, cheese and some crispy bacon but you could keep it all veggies (I think cooked spinach and mushrooms would be divine!) or fancy-it-up with herbs and goat cheese.  Your imagination is the limit here.  I also think these would make a great party appetizer, maybe even use a mini muffin pan for tiny two-bite quiche...the holidays are coming!



Wonton Mini Quiches
makes 12 mini quiche (I think a good serving size is 2 or 3 quiche per person)
a Jules original

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, finely diced
4 strips thick cut bacon, fully-cooked and crumbled (I bake mine so it's very crispy:  12-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven)
12 Nasoya wonton wrappers
6 large eggs
1/3 cup reduced-fat or skim milk
ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
1/4 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add red bell pepper and onion and saute, stirring frequently 4-5 minutes until translucent.

Spray each well of a regular muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Press one wonton wrapper into each muffin well, ensuring it is pressed all the way into the bottom and along the sides of the muffin pan, creasing the wonton wrapper where it overlaps with itself.

Transfer the cooked bell pepper and onion mixture into the wonton wrappers so each gets 1/12th of the mixture (it should be about 1 teaspoon per quiche) and then add the crumbled, cooked bacon to the quiches.

In a large liquid mixing cup or small bowl with a pouring spout, place all 6 eggs and the milk and whisk until well combined, season with black pepper if desired.  Pour eggs and milk mixture into each muffin cup over the veggies and bacon.  Sprinkle cheese over each quiche.  (Each muffin cup will be about 2/3 to 3/4 full).  Bake at 375 for 13-17 minutes, until eggs are set and wonton wrapper  edges are golden brown.

And on an unrelated note:  Check out this baby we picked up at the Hyde Park Village Art Fair yesterday!  Brian was the one who picked it out but I fell in love with it the moment I saw it.  It's a handmade vase by Glenn Woods made in Palm Harbor, Florida which has a beautiful crystalline glaze design.  We especially loved the colors and the unique rings formed by the mineral crystals after they are heated and cooled.

Impromptu Sunday Brunch for Two

So, Brian and I were planning on going for a run this morning.  We had every intention, I promise.  But when his alarm went off at 8 am it suddenly dawned on him that he had confirmed a skype-date with our French "family" for today at 8.  So we dashed out of bed and hopped online for a nice long chat with The Moreau's (well, Brian did most of the chatting, my French n'est toujours pas bon).

After we finished up around 9 my stomach was grumbling and I was starting to get a coffee-withdrawal headache (I need it, don't judge me!)  So we decided to skip the run and go straight for brunch, it's a gorgeous day outside though, so I think we will try again a bit later this afternoon for a run.

I've been craving a quiche for the last week but didn't want to make such a large quantity just for the two of us, nor did I really care to wait while it baked in the oven for 30+ minutes.  Once I'd had my first cup of coffee, a great idea came into my mind:  Mini Quiche Cups using pre-made wonton wraps!  And what a brilliant idea it was :-)

You see, I picked up a package of Nasoya Won-Ton Wrappers at the supermarket the other day with the intention of using them to make little mini pumpkin pies (don't worry, there are PLENTY leftover that I intend to use for exactly this purpose).  The wrappers are just very thin pre-cut squares of dough that can be baked or fried, filled with any kind of filling your mind can imagine.  Well, my mind imagined individual servings of quiche, so that's what we had for Brunch, along with a salad of romaine hearts, some salsa (Brian ate the salsa, not me) and  a half of a banana with some almond butter and Bare Naked Maple Pecan Granola (a gift from Mom and Dad that I've been enjoying for the last month or so!)

Between the two of us, we ate 6 Mini Quiches and decided since there were just 6 left we would keep them in the refrigerator for snacks/breakfast/lunch over the next day or two.  But I think they could easily be frozen, then thawed and re-heated for a breakfast on the go!  Another great thing about quiche is the versatility of the fillings:  I used red bell pepper, onion, cheese and some crispy bacon but you could keep it all veggies (I think cooked spinach and mushrooms would be divine!) or fancy-it-up with herbs and goat cheese.  Your imagination is the limit here.  I also think these would make a great party appetizer, maybe even use a mini muffin pan for tiny two-bite quiche...the holidays are coming!



Wonton Mini Quiches
makes 12 mini quiche (I think a good serving size is 2 or 3 quiche per person)
a Jules original

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, finely diced
4 strips thick cut bacon, fully-cooked and crumbled (I bake mine so it's very crispy:  12-15 minutes in a 375 degree oven)
12 Nasoya wonton wrappers
6 large eggs
1/3 cup reduced-fat or skim milk
ground black pepper, to taste (optional)
1/4 cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium skillet, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add red bell pepper and onion and saute, stirring frequently 4-5 minutes until translucent.

Spray each well of a regular muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Press one wonton wrapper into each muffin well, ensuring it is pressed all the way into the bottom and along the sides of the muffin pan, creasing the wonton wrapper where it overlaps with itself.

Transfer the cooked bell pepper and onion mixture into the wonton wrappers so each gets 1/12th of the mixture (it should be about 1 teaspoon per quiche) and then add the crumbled, cooked bacon to the quiches.

In a large liquid mixing cup or small bowl with a pouring spout, place all 6 eggs and the milk and whisk until well combined, season with black pepper if desired.  Pour eggs and milk mixture into each muffin cup over the veggies and bacon.  Sprinkle cheese over each quiche.  (Each muffin cup will be about 2/3 to 3/4 full).  Bake at 375 for 13-17 minutes, until eggs are set and wonton wrapper  edges are golden brown.

And on an unrelated note:  Check out this baby we picked up at the Hyde Park Village Art Fair yesterday!  Brian was the one who picked it out but I fell in love with it the moment I saw it.  It's a handmade vase by Glenn Woods made in Palm Harbor, Florida which has a beautiful crystalline glaze design.  We especially loved the colors and the unique rings formed by the mineral crystals after they are heated and cooled.

Blueberry Baked Bliss

If I haven't mentioned it before, I absolutely *LOVE* Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. I've made a number of her recipes and I cannot think of a single one that didn't turn out beautifully. We enjoyed her Banana Sour Cream Pancakes for breakfast and her Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries for dessert. Her Lemon Yogurt Cake is light, tart and perfectly citrusy and the Blueberry Sauce is perfect as an accompaniment to the cake as well as any number of different baked goods (pancakes, cheesecake, ice cream, etc.).

The most impressive thing to me about Ina is her versatility (and yes, I usually refer to her as Ina as though we are on a first name basis). Not only are her desserts excellent but I've been equally as happy with the results of her lunch and dinner recipes. I consider her Greek Salad Dressing a stand-by, and I have frequently used her Mustard Chicken Salad recipe with leftover roasted chicken (using her method for roasting the chicken, of course!!) I've also made Ina's Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts with rave reviews from everyone who has tasted them.

I can honestly say these are just a FEW of the many Barefoot Contessa recipes that I have made and enjoyed. Well a few days ago I had a craving for a blueberry dessert and remembered that I had bookmarked a recipe for Blueberry Crumb Cake by none other than my favorite queen of the kitchen, Ina Garten. I had all of the ingredients on hand so I immediately set about to baking and let me tell you, I have no regrets in spite of the messy kitchen I was left to clean up afterwards :) AND Bonus: Blueberries are perfectly in-season right now and so not only are they readily available in every market and grocery store but they're inexpensive too! YAY for saving money!

The cake smelled amazing as it was baking in the oven and when I served it for dessert last night both B and I HAD to have seconds. I'm not exaggerating. It is very much a breakfast or brunch cake but we couldn't wait for breakfast! I especially enjoyed the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg and the note of lemon, and found the dense crumb just perfect for this dessert. I should say that I doubled the amount of lemon zest that the recipe called for and substituted some non-fat greek yogurt for half of the sour cream (and used light sour cream for the other half). I also substituted some light brown sugar for the white sugar in the cake, just because I could :) (You can find my adapted version of the recipe below and the original recipe via Food Network)

When I was making and assembling it, I thought there was too much streusel topping and I certainly think the cake would have been delicious with even half that was called-for, but I like streusel so the abundance did not bother me in the least :)

Next time you've got a container of blueberries sitting in your fridge and you're trying to think of something to serve for breakfast, brunch or dessert I hope you'll try this cake. I don't think you'll regret it!

mise en place

Blueberry Crumb Cake

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 heaping cup fresh blueberries
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling (optional, I omitted)


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan or 8x8 square pan.

For the streusel:
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream/yogurt. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Take 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture and toss with the blueberries (this helps them not sink to the bottom of the pan during baking. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in half of the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. Scatter the reserved blueberries evenly over the top of the batter. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar if desired.

streusel topping before being put onto the cake batter

the finished product

Blueberry Baked Bliss

If I haven't mentioned it before, I absolutely *LOVE* Ina Garten, aka The Barefoot Contessa. I've made a number of her recipes and I cannot think of a single one that didn't turn out beautifully. We enjoyed her Banana Sour Cream Pancakes for breakfast and her Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries for dessert. Her Lemon Yogurt Cake is light, tart and perfectly citrusy and the Blueberry Sauce is perfect as an accompaniment to the cake as well as any number of different baked goods (pancakes, cheesecake, ice cream, etc.).

The most impressive thing to me about Ina is her versatility (and yes, I usually refer to her as Ina as though we are on a first name basis). Not only are her desserts excellent but I've been equally as happy with the results of her lunch and dinner recipes. I consider her Greek Salad Dressing a stand-by, and I have frequently used her Mustard Chicken Salad recipe with leftover roasted chicken (using her method for roasting the chicken, of course!!) I've also made Ina's Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts with rave reviews from everyone who has tasted them.

I can honestly say these are just a FEW of the many Barefoot Contessa recipes that I have made and enjoyed. Well a few days ago I had a craving for a blueberry dessert and remembered that I had bookmarked a recipe for Blueberry Crumb Cake by none other than my favorite queen of the kitchen, Ina Garten. I had all of the ingredients on hand so I immediately set about to baking and let me tell you, I have no regrets in spite of the messy kitchen I was left to clean up afterwards :) AND Bonus: Blueberries are perfectly in-season right now and so not only are they readily available in every market and grocery store but they're inexpensive too! YAY for saving money!

The cake smelled amazing as it was baking in the oven and when I served it for dessert last night both B and I HAD to have seconds. I'm not exaggerating. It is very much a breakfast or brunch cake but we couldn't wait for breakfast! I especially enjoyed the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg and the note of lemon, and found the dense crumb just perfect for this dessert. I should say that I doubled the amount of lemon zest that the recipe called for and substituted some non-fat greek yogurt for half of the sour cream (and used light sour cream for the other half). I also substituted some light brown sugar for the white sugar in the cake, just because I could :) (You can find my adapted version of the recipe below and the original recipe via Food Network)

When I was making and assembling it, I thought there was too much streusel topping and I certainly think the cake would have been delicious with even half that was called-for, but I like streusel so the abundance did not bother me in the least :)

Next time you've got a container of blueberries sitting in your fridge and you're trying to think of something to serve for breakfast, brunch or dessert I hope you'll try this cake. I don't think you'll regret it!

mise en place

Blueberry Crumb Cake

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

For the streusel:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the cake:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (3/4 stick)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 heaping cup fresh blueberries
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling (optional, I omitted)


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round baking pan or 8x8 square pan.

For the streusel:
Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter and then the flour. Mix well and set aside.

For the cake:
Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, lemon zest, and sour cream/yogurt. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Take 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture and toss with the blueberries (this helps them not sink to the bottom of the pan during baking. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Fold in half of the blueberries and stir with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out with a knife. Scatter the reserved blueberries evenly over the top of the batter. With your fingers, crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve sprinkled with confectioners' sugar if desired.

streusel topping before being put onto the cake batter

the finished product