Easter Brunch

I love the Easter Season for several reasons

ONE I am reminded how much each and every one of is loved because Jesus gave his life for each one of us!

TWO Spring is here and the days are getting warmer and the sun is out longer.

THREE I love brunch and you cannot beat a good Easter brunch!!

So here are some ideas for your Easter brunch or any spring brunch you have coming up!!

Maple Sugar Crusted Ham 

(This recipe is for half a ham double for a whole ham)

Ingredients

·      Spiral Cut Ham (I buy one with no nitrates)

·      1 Cup Water

·      ½ Cup Avocado Oil

·      ½ Cup Coconut Super

·      1 tsp Vanilla Extract

·      1 tsp Maple Extract

Directions

1.     Place Ham in roasting pan with water and cover with foil. Place in 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.

2.     While Ham is in oven mix the oil, sugar, vanilla and maple extract in a bowl

3.     After 15 min take foil off Ham and cover with sugar mixture then place back in oven for 10 minutes uncovered.

4.     Take out of oven and let set for 5 minutes before cutting.

Spring Vegetable Egg Casserole

Ingredients

·      1 Cup Chopped Asparagus

·      1 Cup Chopped Mushroom

·      1 TBSP Avocado Oil

·      ½ Cup Onion

·      6 Eggs

·      1 Cup Non-Dairy Milk

·      1 TBSP Garlic Powder

·      1 TBSP Thyme

·      1 TBSP Everyday Seasoning (I use Trader Joes)

·      Salt and Pepper to taste

Direction

1.     In a heated skillet add oil, asparagus, mushroom and onions. Cook until cooked through

2.     Spray 8X8 baking pan and then add cooked veggies

3.     While veggies are cooling mix eggs, milk, garlic, thyme, everyday seasoning as well as salt and pepper together then pour over the veggies then mix them all together in pan.

4.     Place veggie and egg mixture in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until it is cooked through.

Rosemary Thyme Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

·      10 mini potatoes

·      5 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme

·      1 TBSP Avocado Oil

·      1 TBSP Rosemary

·      Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1.     Wash and chop potato’s

2.     Place potatoes, oil, thyme, rosemary and salt and pepper in and bowl and toss together

3.     Place potatoes on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray and place in a 400-degree oven for 20 min or until bottoms are golden brown.

Berry Baked French Toast

Ingredients

·       10-12 slices gluten free bread toasted (I use Canyon 7 Grain)

·       1 cups Blueberries

·       1 cup Chopped Strawberries

·       10 large eggs

·       2 cups nondairy milk

·       1 cup maple syrup

·       1 tsp nutmeg

·       2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 350-degrees

2.     Spray 9"x13" pan with nonstick spray or coconut oil

3.     Line bottom of pan with the bread overlapping each piece.

4.     Press bread down to sort of mold together.

5.     Spread berries over the toast in the pan.

6.     Whisk eggs, milk, syrup and spices together well.

7.     Pour over the berries and bread.

8.     Bake uncovered for 50-65 min until done.

Tip: Serve with fresh Coconut whipped cream

Honey Glazed Carrots

Ingredients

·      12 Petite Carrots

·      1 TBSP Avocado Oil

·      1 TBSP Honey

·      ½ tsp Garlic

·      Salta and Pepper to taste

Directions

1.     Wash and pill carrots in not bought that way

2.     Place carrots in bowl with oil, honey, garlic, salt and pepper toss together

3.     Place carrots on cookie sheet and place in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes

Citrus Salad

Ingredients

·      1 Bag Spring Mix Salad

·      ½ Bag Arugula

·      ½ Cup Pistachios

·      ½ Cup Sunflower Seeds

·      1 Orange peeled and segments cut up

·      1/3 Cup of Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar

·      ¼ Cup Olive Oil

·      Edible Flowers (optional)

Directions

1.     Toss together salad, arugula, pistachios, sunflower seeds and Orange Segments in bowl

2.     In a separate bowl wisk together vinegar and oil then toss into salad mixture

3.     Top with edible flowers

Mini Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Ingredients

·      1 box Simple Mills Vanilla Cake Mix

·      2 Cup Finely shredded carrots (removes excess moisture with paper towel)

·      1 Cup Crushed Pineapple (make sure to buy in own juice)

·      ¼ Cup Chopped Walnuts

·      2 tsp Cinnamon

·      1/8 tsp Cloves

·      ½ Cup Daiya Spreadable Cream Cheese

·      ½ Container Simple Mills Vanilla Icing

Directions

1.     Mix Vanilla cake mix as box states

2.     Mix in cinnamon and cloves

3.     Fold in carrots, pineapple and walnuts into cake mix

4.     Poor cake mixture into well-greased mini cake molds (you can also make regular sized cake)

5.     Cook in 350-degree oven for 20 mins or until cooked through

6.     Once cooked let cakes cool

7.     While they are cooling add Cream Cheese and Vanilla Icing into sauce pan and stir until melted together.

8.     Removes cakes from molds and spoon glaze over the cakes.

Tip: You can top with more crushed walnuts

HAPPY EASTER and Enjoy Your Brunch!!

Easy Sheet Pan Meals

If you are anything like me I look for ways to cook faster. I want to eat healthy but I do not have all day to do it. This is why I love sheet pan meals! They are fantastic if you need something quick. Here are a few of my favorites.

Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Hash

INGREDIENTS

• Coconut or Avocado Oil

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 2 medium zucchini, sliced

• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup frozen, canned, or roasted corn kernels

• 2 tablespoons Avocado oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 6 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet with coconut or avocado oil.

• Place the sweet potatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, black beans, and corn in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Add the avocado oil, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss to combine.

• Bake, stirring halfway through, until the sweet potatoes are tender, 15 to 18 minutes total. Remove the pan from the oven and create 6 wells in the vegetables. Gently crack an egg into each well, keeping the yolk intact (or break if preferred); season the eggs with salt and pepper.

• Return the pan to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set, 7 to 9 minutes.

• Garnish with cilantro, limes or salsa.

Chicken Fajitas

INGREDIENTS

• 3 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• dash of red chili pepper (optional)

• salt and pepper

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into thin strips (thighs will also work)

• 1 red pepper

• 1 green pepper

• 1 yellow pepper

• 1 onion, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil

• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

• 8 corn tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F. Mix spices together in a small bowl and set aside.

• Place sliced peppers and onions on baking sheet, top with sliced chicken. Sprinkle spice mixture and garlic on chicken. Top all ingredients with avocado oil and mix until well combined.

• Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through.

• Place tortillas wrapped in foil in the oven the last 5 minutes of cooking to heat through.

• Once the chicken and peppers are out of the oven, drizzle lime juice over the top and mix together.

• Serve in tortillas

• Suggested toppings -  cilantro, salsa, avocado, cashew cheese, cashew yogurt

Roasted Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

Asparagus

• 1 pound thin/medium asparagus, ends trimmed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Shrimp

• 1 1/2 pounds medium uncooked peeled tailless and deveined shrimp* (You can buy frozen shrimp already deveined and with no tails)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice or more to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F.

• Line a Sheet Pan with foil and lightly grease with avocado oil.

• Add asparagus and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss until evenly coated then line asparagus in a single layer. Roast for 4-6 minutes depending on thickness.

• Remove pan from oven and push asparagus to one side of the pan (keep in a single layer). Add shrimp and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 2-3 minced garlic cloves (or more to taste), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes and fresh parsley. Toss until evenly coated then line shrimp in a single layer.

• Roast for 6 minutes or just until shrimp is opaque.

• Remove pan from oven and drizzle with lemon juice. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pasta, rice, etc.

• Serve over gf pasta, rice, quinoa.

Chicken and Veggies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium chicken breasts, boneless skinless cut into ½ inch pieces

• 1 cup broccoli florets, frozen or fresh

• 1 small red onion, chopped

• 1 cup grape or plum tomatoes

• 1 medium zucchini, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper (optional)

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

• ½ teaspoon paprika

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

• Place the chicken and veggies in the baking dish. Sprinkle all the spices and garlic evenly over the chicken and veggies. Drizzle with the olive oil.

• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are charred and chicken is tender.

• Serve over quinoa or rice.

The great thing about sheet pan meals is you can swap in any protein or vegetables you and your family enjoy. So you can make them every week and just mix it up. These also work great if you are food prepping. Once they are done split them up into to go containers and you are ready to grab and go!

Chocolate Muffins

Today I am sharing one of my families favorite muffin recipes. These taste like they are sinful and they help me stay on track with my sweet tooth.

One of the easiest, cannot mess up recipes!!

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Almond Butter (feel free to use another nut butter)

• 2 Medium Ripe Bananas

• 2 Large Eggs

• ¼ Cup Honey

• 1 Cup Gluten Free Oats

• 4 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• ½ tsp Cinnamon

• ½ tsp Baking Soda

• ½ Cup Cacao Powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F

2. Prepare muffin pan with either muffin papers or cooking spray

3. Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth

4. Pour the batter into your prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity ¾ full

5. Bake for 10-12 min. Or until toothpick comes out clean

Tip: Feel free to add chocolate chips or walnuts for a little extra wow!