Brie and Blackberry French Toast

I can’t believe that it’s already Christmas Eve! Where does the time go? Fortunately, all of my gifts are bought and wrapped, and I’m ready for Santa to come tonight even if the holiday did sneak up on me. What I didn’t prepare for was a delicious Christmas breakfast. So I scrolled back through my Instagram and found one of my favorite easy and slightly decadent breakfast recipes that would be perfect for tomorrow morning.

This brie and blackberry French toast is super easy to make and the perfect sweet (but not too sweet) breakfast option. Don’t have blackberries? No problem! Strawberries and blueberries would also work great or even a frozen berry medley that you might have on had for smoothies! So let’s get to it:

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• 4 pieces of bread of choice

• 4 eggs

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 4 oz brie (or more or less depending on preference)

• 1/2 cup blackberries

• 1 tsp chia seeds

Instructions:

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cinnamon.

2. Dip the slices of bread (both sides) into the mixture, fully coating.

3. Cook the bread in a greased pan over medium heat on the stovetop until golden brown, flip and repeat on the other side.

   Once cooked, spread the brie on one side of one piece of the warm bread and top with a second slice. This should melt the brie. If not, you cant return them to the pan for a few minutes to do so. Repeat with the other slices.

4. In the meantime, heat up the berries in a sauce pan over medium high heat. As they start to cook down, mix in the chia seeds to form a bit of a jam. Top your French toast with the blackberry mixture and a drizzle of maple syrup and enjoy!

Let me know how you enjoy yours and what you think in the comments below. Merry Christmas!

Spicy Honey Smashed Potatoes with El Yucateco

This post is sponsored by El Yucateco® and all opinions are my own.

Can you even believe the holiday season is already upon us? It certainly came up quick, but I am definitely ready! I'm that person that had out the lights and festive colored pillows on November 1st. There's really nothing I love more than the holidays, and more specifically, the delicious holiday food!

So, of course, I've already been recipe testing some new ideas and was really feeling like it's time to spice things up this season! That's where this spicy honey smashed potato recipe comes in. I love a good potato recipe, but I wanted something a little more fun, delicious, and with that extra flavor!

These potatoes are made with El Yucateco® Red Habanero Hot Sauce which is the #1 habanero sauce in the US and is made from the whole fruit of the pepper. It's a non-vinegar based hot sauce with the most perfect flavor that really is the star of this recipe. Whether you're heating up the holidays with these smashed potatoes, spicing up your own favorite holiday recipe, or just looking for a delicious gift or stocking stuffer, El Yucateco® is the way to go!

So let's get to it!

Here's What You'll Need:

• 1 lb creamer potatoes

• 1 tbsp El Yucateco® Red Habanero Hot Sauce

• 1 tbsp ghee (or unsalted butter), melted

• 1 tbsp EVOO

• 1 tsp honey

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 green onion, chopped

Instructions:

1. Cook your creamer potatoes until tender and easily pierced by a fork. You can do this by microwaving them for about 5 minutes or by boiling them.

2. In a bowl, mix together the El Yucateco® Red Habanero Hot Sauce, melted ghee, EVOO, honey, salt, and pepper.

3. Toss the potatoes with the mixture.

4. Spread out the potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet, reserving any extra sauce.

5. Using the bottom of a jar or mug, smash the potatoes on the baking sheet.

6. Bake the potatoes in a preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.

7. Flip the potatoes and bake for an additional 10 minutes until crispy.

8. Drizzle any extra sauce over the top of the potatoes and top with the chopped green onion.

9. Serve and enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Creamy Cashew Brussels Sprout Pasta

There’s nothing better than an easy-to-make meal with simple ingredients that still really brings the flavor! And this creamy cashew brussels sprouts pasta is just that. It’s so creamy and dreamy without the dairy, and it’s so quick and easy to make! The sauce itself is vegan and gluten free, and the entire meal can easily be made both. Not into brussels sprouts, switch them out for your favorite veggie or just enjoy the pasta and sauce on it’s own!

Here’s What You’ll Need:
(Makes 2 servings)

• 2 tbsp cashew butter

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 tsp nutritional yeast

• 2 servings of gluten free pasta (or pasta of choice), cooked

• 1 bundle of brussels sprouts, de-stemmed and sliced

• 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat up 1-2 tbsp avocado oil (or oil of choice) in a pan on the stove top over medium high heat. Once hot, add in the brussels sprouts and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the brussels sprouts are softened and charred.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the cashew butter, water, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and black pepper until it creates a sauce (add more water as necessary).

3. Add the pasta into the brussels sprouts, and toss everything with the sauce.

4. Serve and enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Autumn Harvest Salad

Fall is my favorite time of the year! I love the weather, the colors, and the holidays. But most importantly, I love the flavors, specifically the produce. That’s why this salad combo is one of my favorites and an absolute go-to. It’s packed with brussels sprouts, sweet potato, and apple and all brought together by a delicious spicy honey mustard vinaigrette.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 8-10 brussels sprout, de-stemmed and sliced

• 1/3 of a sweet potato, cubed

• 1-2 cups of your greens of choice (I used mustard greens)

• 1/3 Granny Smith apple, cubed (can sub with another apple or pear)

• 3-5 cherry tomatoes, sliced

• 2 tbsp chopped pecans

• 2 tbsp blue cheese crumbles

• 1/4 tsp chili powder

• 1 tsp spicy honey

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• 1 tsp EVOO

• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Toss the brussels sprouts with 1-2 tbsp avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1-2 tbsp avocado oil, the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Roast both in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.

2. Make your dressing by whisking together the apple cider vinegar, hot honey, mustard, EVOO, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

3. Assemble your salad - add the greens to a bowl and top with the apples, nuts, cheese, tomatoes, and roasted veggies. Drizzle the dressing over the top of everything.

4. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Cauliflower Parmesan

With the kickoff of fall, it’s about time that one of my favorite cozy cauliflower recipes finally makes its way over to the blog. If you follow me on Instagram, you know this is one my favorite fall/winter dinners to make on repeat, and it never disappoints. It’s so good, the entire family will love it, and it’s pretty easy to make as well! It’s vegetarian and can easily be made gluten free. It would also be a great, fun recipe to get the kids in on! So without further ado, let’s get to it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 head of cauliflower, sliced lengthwise into 4 “steaks” about 1.5” thick

• 2 eggs, whisked

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs of choice

• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1 cup marinara sauce

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Set up a dipping station of 3 shallow bowls - one with the eggs, one with the almond flour, and one with a mixture of the bread crumbs, shredded parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

2. Dip each cauliflower “steak” into the eggs, then the almond flour, back into the eggs, and finally the bread crumb mixture.

3. Lay each piece on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 30 mins (flipping halfway through).

4. Evenly pour the marinara sauce over the cooked cauliflower pieces and top each with shredded mozzarella.

5. Broil in the oven for 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts.

6. Serve with your favorite side(s) and enjoy!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!