a food wonk.

a guide to food and cooking with ease

breakfast

breakfast banana blender bread

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Are you impressed with my alliteration skills? I thought about throwing a “best” in there, but that would just be overkill. Really though, this recipe is the best. Who wouldn’t want to eat banana bread for breakfast? This is basically how I eat my oatmeal but in loaf form– still super healthy, satisfying, and perfectly sweet. If you thought breakfast couldn’t get easier than making a bowl of oatmeal it just did. It’s great to have this all prepped for breakfast in the morning. You can enjoy it at home or easily bring it to-go.

This beautiful loaf was actually also made by a blender (yes, my little mini blender). I took the rolled oats I always use for my oatmeal to easily create a flour (no need to buy oat flour or any other flour). You can also use the blender to quickly blend the wet ingredients together. Just combine the two parts in a bowl and you’re set!

I love to eat this warmed and smeared peanut butter with a side of coffee. This recipe is totally customizable too. Add different fruits, chopped nuts, or more spices. You could even add chocolate chips.  I hope you enjoy this fun way of mixing up your morning bowl of oatmeal!

Time: 45 minutes
Active: 15 minutes
Serves: 10-12 slices

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rolled oats/oat flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • chopped nuts (optional)
  • cinnamon (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Add the oats to your blender. Blend until a flour forms. This will only take a few seconds.
  3. Add bananas, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk to the blender. Blend until combined. If you like your banana bread to have a little more texture, pulse the wet ingredients to leave some chunks of bananas.
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients in a large bowl and add the baking powder. Add some regular rolled oats for texture. Fold in chopped nuts if you want.
  5. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Top with more chopped nuts. Bake for around 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick comes out clean.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

healthy chocolate granola

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

This recipe was created because I was experiencing a major oat surplus (I went a little crazy at the bulk bins.) What better thing to do with extra oats than make granola? I wasn’t planning on making granola so I just used ingredients I found around the kitchen. It’s pretty hard to mess up granola– all you need is a good base of oats and some other crunchy things and mix it up with something to bind it all together. For this recipe I used coconut oil and honey. Peanut butter and maple syrup would also be great.  I already had some mixed nuts and chia seeds so I threw those in too. I used my other granola recipe as a base and then had the idea of mixing in some cocoa powder to make it chocolatey. Let me tell you– it smelled like I was baking brownies when I put the granola in the oven. So good! I didn’t really measure any of the ingredients (nothing new here) and just tasted the mixture as I went along. It’s easy to make as much or as little granola as you want so the measurements below can just be used as a baseline. This proves that you can make some delicious and healthy granola with just a few ingredients that you probably already have lying around. This makes the perfect snack, topping for smoothies, chia pudding, oats, and yogurt, or by itself with milk!

Time: 25 minutes
Active: 10 minutes
Serves: ~7

Ingredients:

  • rolled oats (4 cups)
  • chia seeds (1/4 cup) (optional)
  • nuts (1 cup)
  • cinnamon (optional)
  • vanilla extract (2 tablespoons)
  • coconut oil (3/4 cup)
  • honey (1/4 cup)
  • cocoa powder (3 tablespoons)

Supplies:

  • large bowl
  • baking sheet
  • small pot

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients (oats, seeds, nuts, spices)
  3. In a small pot, heat the liquid ingredients over low heat. Mix until the honey, coconut oil, and vanilla are melted and combined.
  4. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry mixture. Mix to combined until everything is evenly coated.
  5. Lay the granola out evenly on a baking sheet.
  6. Bake for around 15-20 minutes or until browned and crispy, stirring every few minutes to make sure everything is evenly baked.
  7. Let cool completely before placing it in a container for storage.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

coconut chia pudding breakfast bowl

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Peach season is upon us! My ripe summer peaches go so well with this two-ingredient coconut chia pudding. I’m very loyal to my overnight oats, but I wanted to mix it up and try something new with this recipe. If you’re not familiar with chia seeds, they are tiny edible seeds that are a great source of healthy omega-3 fats and fiber. When mixed with a liquid like water or milk they form a gel-like consistency (they can hold about 10 times their dry weight in liquid!) They gel up quickly in around just 10-15 minutes, or just leave them in the refrigerator overnight.  I know some people might find the texture a little weird at first, but I think they’re really fun to eat because it’s just like a pudding. You can also use a blender to make the consistency smoother. Chia seeds are easy to find in most grocery stores, or you can order them in bulk online off of Amazon. For this recipe, I just combined canned coconut milk (another source of healthy fat!) and the chia seeds. You could use almond or soy milk too (using a plant-based milk will make it creamier.) Just like overnight oats, this is the perfect breakfast to prep in advance to make your mornings easier. This breakfast is also perfect for any vegan or gluten-free friends!  I topped my chia pudding with peaches and my homemade chocolate granola. Feel free to get creative with whatever toppings you like– nuts, seeds, bananas, berries. This recipe is perfect for summer and takes just minutes to make. Let me know what you think!

Prep: 3 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

  • coconut milk (1 can= around 2 servings)
  • chia seeds (6 tablespoons, 3 tablespoons per 1 cup liquid)

Instructions:

  1. Combine the chia seeds with coconut milk. Mix well. Let sit for 10-15 minutes or leave in the fridge overnight.
  2. Add fresh fruit and other toppings.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

easy homemade granola

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

I love having granola to snack on and add to smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal. Store-bought granola can be expensive and contains a lot of added sugar. Granola is so easy to make at home, all with ingredients you could already have. There are many different ways to make granola, but if you like granola to be really crunchy, I recommend baking it in the oven. In this recipe, I used honey to add natural sweetness and to bind the ingredients together. I also used to coconut oil to blend everything together and to make sure everything got nice and crispy in the oven. You can get creative with what you add in– nuts, seeds, oats, dried fruit, peanut butter, spices. I kept it simple in this recipe, using just a few ingredients that blend well together and add subtle flavors.

Cook time: 20 mins

Active: 5 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

  • rolled oats
  • mixed nuts
  • chia seeds
  • honey
  • coconut oil
  • vanilla extract
  • cinnamon

supplies

  • baking sheet
  • mixing bowl and spoon

Instruction:

  1. Chop nuts into smaller pieces
  2. Mix everything in a large bowl, adding different amounts of ingredients until you get a desired taste and consistency (add more honey if you want it more sweet, more nuts if you want it chunkier and nuttier)
  3. Spread it evenly on a baking sheet and bake for around 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through

photo by Lea Kriesberg

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg

vanilla roasted sweet potato breakfast bowl

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Sweet potato and yogurt might sound like a weird combination– but you need to try this. I usually keep things really basic in the morning, sticking to oatmeal or a simple smoothie. I loved having this in the morning because with minimal prep, you get a breakfast that feels a little upgraded. This breakfast is loaded with protein and nutrients and tastes so good. You can buy any kind of yogurt you like, but in this recipe I used plain Greek yogurt to add protein and lower the sugar content. I made the granola I used in this recipe which was super quick, easy, and cheap, but you can also buy granola. I like making granola because I know it won’t have lots of added sugar and I can control what goes in it. Tossing the sweet potato in a little vanilla extract before roasting is probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Just throw the potatoes in the oven for 40 minutes and they are deliciously soft and sweet. Trust me on this one and go try it.

Cook time: 40 mins

Active: 10 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 3 sweet potatoes (1/2 potato for one serving)
  • yogurt
  • vanilla extract
  • coconut oil
  • granola
  • cinnamon
  • nut butter

supplies

  • baking sheet
  • cutting board and knife

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
  2. Chop the potatoes into small cubes and toss in the coconut oil. Add about a teaspoon of vanilla until evenly coated
  3. Spread the potatoes on the baking sheet and roast for around 40 minutes or until fork tender. Toss around halfway through
  4. Save in a container and assemble bowls with yogurt, granola, cinnamon, and nut butter of choice

photo by Lea Kriesberg

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg

healthy breakfast burrito

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Using the ingredients from my Mexican taco salad bowl, I made a super simple breakfast burrito. Burritos are so easy to make and it is possible to make them healthy. This makes a great breakfast or snack. You can even make a bunch of these, wrap them in tin foil, keep them in the freezer, and pop them in the microwave for early mornings or late nights. I added the bean dip I  made and the salsa I had, but you can add or substitute whatever you like in your burrito.

Cook time: 1o mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

  • whole wheat tortillas
  • eggs
  • spinach
  • olive oil
  • bean dip
  • avocado
  • salsa

supplies

  • frying pan
  • spatula

Instructions:

  1. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan
  2. When the pan is hot, crack in however many eggs you want and add in the spinach
  3. Stir the eggs and spinach around to scramble
  4. When the eggs are cooked, roll them into the tortilla with bean dip, salsa, etc.
  5. Put a little more olive oil on the pan and put the burrito on the pan to get it brown and crispy, about 1 minute each side (this step is optional but highly recommended)

better-than-brunch huevos rancheros

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

Brunch is by far my favorite meal. Through my brunch experiences, I have realized that I love huevos rancheros. While I do love going out for brunch and getting my huevos rancheros in a cute little cast iron skillet, they’re so easy (and so cheap) to make at home. Using ingredients I already had from making my taco salad bowl, I whipped up my take on simple huevos rancheros. Usually they come with a hot chili sauce, but I used salsa to make it easier. I also made a healthy version of refried beans for the taco salad that go perfectly with the huevos rancheros.

Cook: 10 min

Ready in: 10 min

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

  • egg
  • spinach
  • whole wheat tortilla
  • beans (bean dip or canned beans)
  • avocado
  • salsa
  • olive oil

supplies

  • spatula
  • frying pan

Instructions:

  1. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in the pan over medium-high heat
  2. When the pan is hot, crack the egg into the pan to fry it. Cook the egg how you like.
  3.  When the egg is cooked, take it off the pan and add a little more olive oil. Put the tortilla on the pan to heat it up and brown it, around two minutes.
  4. When the tortilla is brown and crispy, add the fried egg, spinach, bean dip, salsa, and avocado.

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg

 

peanut butter green smoothie

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

A green smoothie that tastes good? That’s right. This smoothie is the best of both worlds– a deliciously sweet and peanut butter-y flavor and healthy ingredients. This smoothie is low sugar, simple, filling, and gets a serving of vegetables in. Vegetables like spinach and cauliflower are tasteless and act as a great base for smoothies. Using ingredients you may already have from a salad or that you keep in your freezer, this smoothie is inexpensive and quick to make before class in the morning. As always, you can substitute and add whatever fruits and vegetables you like.

Cook time: 5 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

  • cauliflower
  • spinach
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1 cup almond (or milk of choice)
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1 scoop protein powder of choice
  • cinnamon (optional but recommended)

Instructions:

  1. Throw everything in the blender and top with your milk (or water). Blend until smooth. Add more milk to get a consistency you like.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

simple overnight oats 4 ways

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

The concept sounds a little weird, but overnight oats are one of my favorite breakfasts. Having breakfast in the morning is really important to me because it helps you stay on track for the rest of the day by getting your metabolism started. I never really ate breakfast in high school, but now that I do I can’t start my day without it. Overnight oats are perfect for busy mornings because you will have a delicious breakfast ready and waiting for you to quickly eat before class or to bring with you. Oats are a great way to start the day because they are rich in fiber and are complex carbs which will give you sustained energy throughout the morning. Throwing in some fruit adds lots of flavor and extra nutrients. You can also mix in protein powder or nut butter for added protein. I like adding chia seeds because they add extra healthy fats and fiber. When you soak chia seeds they absorb the liquid and get gelatinous, making the oats like a creamy pudding. By letting the oats soak overnight, they come out soft and creamy without you having to spend any time cooking or preparing in the morning. With all of the different ways you can make overnight oats, it’ll be a while before you get bored of it.  They also hold up well throughout the week, so I like to make multiple containers of it to keep in the fridge for breakfast throughout the week.

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Prep: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 4 tablespoons chia seeds
  • frozen berries
  • 1 banana
  • 1 apple
  • nuts
  • nut butter
  • 1/4 canned pumpkin
  • vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • honey
  • 4 cups almond milk (or your milk of choice)

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Apple Pie Oats:

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Add sliced apple on top
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight and it will be ready in the morning.
  4. Add mixed nuts or peanut butter before eating

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Cinnamon Berry Oats:

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Add frozen mixed berries on top
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Berry Turmeric Oats:

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, cinnamon, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Add berries and honey on top
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight

photo by Lea Kriesberg

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

  1. Mix a quarter cup of oats, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of almond milk into a small container
  2. Mix in canned pumpkin
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight
  4. Add nuts or nut butter and banana on top before eating

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg

easy beet smoothie

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photo by Lea Kriesberg

I had leftover beets and kale from my homemade shroomami bowl. I didn’t want them to go to waste so I threw them in a smoothie. Using beets as a base worked out well because it lowered the sugar content of the smoothie without compromising flavor. Add a little frozen banana and some vanilla protein powder and you have an easy, satisfying, and healthy smoothie that won’t leave you with a sugar crash. As always, add or substitute for whatever you have in your refrigerator. Don’t be afraid to use vegetables as a base for your smoothie. Leave out the protein powder to make more of a snack; add protein powder to make it more of a meal.

Time: 2 min

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup raw beets
  • 1/2 cup kale
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 scoop protein powder
  • 1 cup water or almond milk

Instructions:

  1. Put everything in the blender and blend until smooth

photo by Lea Kriesberg

 

recipe by Lea Kriesberg