Christmas Brunch Pastry Ideas

by Jenni in

Do you make food for brunch on Christmas? It has become a bit of a tradition for me to make a Christmas brunch. Nothing fancy or big, just mimosas (maybe) and a yummy dish for the hubs and I. A sit-down-together breakfast never happens in our house, so why not have Christmas be the time when we are able to enjoy each others company and relax before family and friends start coming around!

This year's Christmas brunch is going to have similar themes to last year's, but add some sweets in as well. The hubs loves salmon and capers for breakfast, so I am thinking I will do some type of smoked salmon dish and something more sweet for me as well. Here are a few ideas I have found for great Christmas breakfast pastries!

Lemon Raspberry Tart

This is just too pretty to not be in the running for a Christmas brunch. Although, someone will need to help me figure out what crystallized ginger is.

Stuffed Caprese Bites

Ok, so these guys may not exactly be a pastry, but there is no reason all bready ooey gooey things need to be sweet. Some people even like salt over sugar. Besides, they just look so yummy!

Pumpkin Sweet Rolls

I bet that go your attention, right?! These look incredible and are, most likely, what sweet treat we will be eating come Christmas morning. The recipe is from Elle Penner, so a bit healthier than the usual.

Homemade Raspberry Danish

We may just be making this one this year because. Every year for Thanksgiving my Grandma gets a raspberry danish. I have not continued that tradition on Thanksgiving morning, but I am the only one who eats it! Eating this entire danish is surely much healthier than the grocery equivalent.

Last Week's Pins- Food

by Jenni in

Although making food is fun, I am not necessarily the chef in our home. The hubs is the one who enjoys finding new recipes, making reductions, and testing crazy things that take hours of kitchen time to make. Me, I like baking and a long time in the kitchen cooking is anything over 30-minutes. 

But, there is something about the summer in Michigan that makes me want to spend all day in my kitchen back home making super healthy snacks. This usually leads me to binge cook when we get back home or make super healthy noms for the family while vacationing on the lake (after camp, of course). 

Well, my need to cook/bake/be in a kitchen and make some super healthy meals took over this past week and almost every pin was something to do with food. Here are a few that I am absolutely counting down to August till I can make! 

Fig, Honey, and Ricotta Tartines



Healthy St. Patrick's Day Recipes

by Jenni in

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner and I cannot wait. The hubs and I will be celebrating this Irish holiday for the first time ever, which is a bit ridiculous considering he is part Irish. Even though we will not be home, I do plan on making some fun foods and [at least] looking at some yummy drinks.

Thank goodness there are so many healthy green foods that taste delicious; it makes this St. Patrick's Day food planning so much easier! Of course, we could make guacamole, it's green, right? But let's take these recipes a bit beyond the normal and do some super yummy, somewhat easy, and very Irish for this holiday celebrating one of Ireland's most well known patron saints.

Also, have you decided what green thing you are wearing yet? The hubs said that mint green was out of the question for a real Irish place, so I am now at a loss. Are forest green pants "green" enough? Hopefully.

Matcha Green Tea Pancakes

{via}

Let's starts St. Patrick's Day off right with some super yummy, pretty healthy, and nothing to do with Ireland Matcha Green Tea Pancakes. No, these pancakes are not from a recipe out or Ireland itself and a I kind of doubt that many Irish people will be eating them on the 17th. But, they are green pancakes that I do not have to feel guilty for eating and that is good enough for me!

Kale and Leek Colcannon

{via}

Colcannon is a traditional Irish food that uses potatoes, kale, cabbage, or leeks. At Halloween it is an Irish tradition to make colcannon and hide coins in it for others to find while eating. Although this colcannon does not come with money, it does come with some seriously good superfoods that taste like good ol' comfort food.

Potato-Cabbage Soup

{via}

Yes, another green dish. What can I say, I love the cheeball in this holiday. This potato and cabbage soup is another Irish dish that is surprisingly healthy, green, and yummy. This recipe is also quite simple and quick o make, as far as soups go.

Spicy Tahini Baked Kale Chips

{via}

This recipe is great at any time of the year and I will alsways find an excuse to make it. Kale chips are amazing. They are yummy, healthy, and take care of that pesky potato chip craving that I get like ALL THE TIME. Yes, I am a recovery potato chip addict. Phew, feels good to get that off my chest.

Roasted Lemon Cabbage

{via}

If you are planning on having corned beef and cabbage on St/ Patty's Day, Kalyn recommends this roasted cabbage recipe and I quite agree with her. If I liked cabbage, I would be making this yummy looking dish right now instead of writing about it to you. Thankfully for all cabbage lovers out there, I am not the greatest fan of this super healthy superfood. Grow-up, taste buds so that I can enjoy this fantastic looking dish.

Lucky Leprechaun Dip

{via}

You had me at tahini. Yes, this dip has white beans, tahini, cashews, kale, and parsley. So far, it sounds like the best green dip to ever be created in the history of man. It is also pre-named for St. Patrick's Day so even the cute name creation has been done for us.

Green Mac n' Cheese

{via}

Homemade mac n' cheese just might be my kryptonite. I cannot say no. This mac n' cheese comes in the green variety and is much healthier than our usual carb and fat filled option. The green in this is from fresh spinach that has been pureed.

Guiness Float

{via}

You read that correct. This is a dessert and an Irish drink all in one. It is also the first (and only) thing on our St. Patrick's Day list that is not green. But, it is Guiness and ice cream, so I think I can survive it's lack of proper pigmentation.

Side note: The Guiness float is not exactly what I would call healthy.