Heavenly Homemakers

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Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

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This Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe has become a favorite at our house, especially as we’ve kicked off a new school year!

oatmeal chocolate chip muffins

Our kids are forever on the run this year as two of the three boys still at home are taking a variety of music lessons, college classes, and even a couple classes at our local high school.

Oh hey, I haven’t told you yet! Nebraska has changed their home school laws which had been very limiting as to the extracurricular activities our kids could participate in at the public school. As of this year, the only eligibility requirement for participation in public school activities is that home school students take two classes at the public school. Boom. We’re in. Our boys are incredibly excited to play high school soccer this spring!!

This means our high school senior and sophomore guys have quite a crazy schedule to juggle. They are back and forth and forth and back…and it’s a good thing they are responsible and that God made coffee.

Gone are the days of starting our day leisurely at the breakfast table together. We’ve moved our family Bible reading up to a much earlier start time so that we can still make it a priority. And instead of rolling out of bed just in time to head down for breakfast and Bible time together, the older boys have to be actually ready to walk out the door wearing actual clothes and actual shoes.

It’s working, and it’s working beautifully. God knows what we need and He continually provides. While our two high schoolers are running to and fro and doing all their home or college studies in between their public school classes, our 7th grader and I have a little extra quiet time to read his History and Science lessons together.

So now you know a little about our new adventures this year. But what you really wanted to read about today is this Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin recipe. Am I right?

This recipe makes a big tray full of hearty muffins that are filling, but also delicious (because…chocolate chips and butter). They taste fabulous with a cup of coffee and of course, there’s some great fresh fruit available this time of year and we are taking full advantage! So without further ado…

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
 
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Serves: 16-18
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly ground soft white wheat)
  • 1½ cups rolled oats
  • ⅓-1/2 cup sucanat, honey, or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ cups milk
  • ½ cup melted butter or coconut oil
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, sucanat, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Add eggs, milk, and butter, stirring until just combined.
  3. Fold in chocolate chips.
  4. Scoop batter into 16-18 prepared muffin tins.
  5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Make them Dairy Free: Use coconut oil instead of butter and coconut milk instead of regular.
Make them Gluten Free: Use your favorite gluten free flour instead of whole wheat and gluten free oats instead of regular.

Need some protein with your muffin and fruit? So do we! Eggs are always great. And check out this great method for cooking bacon and freezing it for fast breakfast protein!

Tell me about your school year. Are you off to a good start?

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How to make fun and easy Muffin Waffles!

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This kitchen hack is going to make your day. This is your busy morning, picky people, grab it and go breakfast or snack hack. Allow me to introduce you to Muffin Waffles!

waffle muffin 1

Is it a waffle. Nope, it’s a muffin. Ain’t that somethin?

Indeed. I think my waffle iron is going to find a permanent place on my counter-top beside my coffee pot what with the frequency I’ve been using it lately.

First I tried these Waffle Omelets. Then I made Egg and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles. Now we’re using the waffle iron to make Muffins? Yep! Someday soon we might actually use it make regular ol’ waffles too. Won’t that be a treat?

Why make muffins in a waffle iron? To avoid heating up the oven on a hot day! Also, you can make each Muffin Waffle special and to each person’s preferences.

To make Muffin Waffles, you can use any muffin recipe that is your favorite. Allow me to start you off with a huge list of our favorites

Want an even better idea? Mix up a batch of the Basic Muffin Batter I am about to share with you. Then as you make individual Muffin Waffles for your family members or guests, sprinkle in their choice of berries, chocolate chips, or other add-ins!

Basic Muffin Batter

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Basic Muffin Batter
 
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Serves: 18
Ingredients
  • 3 cups whole grain flour (I use freshly ground soft white wheat)
  • ⅓-1/2 cup sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ cups milk
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil or butter
  • Your favorite add-ins like chopped berries or chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Mix together dry ingredients
  2. Whisk in eggs, milk, and oil until barely combined.
  3. For Muffins: Scoop mixture into 18-24 prepared muffin cups. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
  4. For Muffin Waffles: Scoop ⅓ cup of batter into a hot waffle iron. Sprinkle on the add-in of choice. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Spread butter on the hot Muffin Waffle and serve!

Make Fun Muffin Waffles

There are more waffle iron ideas where this came from, so prepare yourself for the fun. I’d love to hear your suggestions for good add-ins to the Basic Muffin Batter!

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Pray, Trust, Coffee, Repeat.

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Simple Egg and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles

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When it comes to kitchen appliances, I’m sure most of us would agree that we don’t want any gadgets that only serve one purpose. Never shall I own a Quesadilla Maker or a Hot Dog Toaster (yes, that is a real thing).

But a waffle iron? Sure, we can assume they only make waffles and therefore wonder if they are worth the purchase because of the single job they perform. But guess what? I’ve been on a “what else can I make in my waffle iron?” kick lately, and I’m here to share some delightful waffle iron hacks!

The Waffle Iron: Good for so much more than just making waffles. Check it out…

eggs and cheese hashbrown waffles2

It looks like a regular waffle. But it’s eggs, cheese, and hashbrowns, and it’s ridiculously good.

Why Waffle Iron Experiments?

Perhaps it’s the ease of making food in a waffle iron, the fact that I can easily offer a “made to order” option for picky eaters, and that I can make as many “waffles” that we need as we need them. Using a waffle iron instead of an oven on a hot day is also a huge perk because it doesn’t heat up the house!

And the best part: it’s fun. Somehow making food in the shape of a waffle is more fun than making food in the shape of normal.

Earlier this week I shared how you can make Waffle Omelets (otherwise known as Womelets). Later I will show you how you can make Waffle Muffins (perhaps we will call them Wuffins, though we hesitate to get carried away). And who knows what else this summer will bring as we avoid turning on the oven and test our waffle iron to the limits.

Today, I show you how to make Egg and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles. These are hearty and filling, naturally gluten/grain free, can be adapted for each family member’s preferences, and are fun to serve. The only difference is that there is no obvious way to cleverly rename these because saying Washbrowns is just weird.

Simple Egg and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles

Simple Egg and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles
 
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Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 6 eggs
  • 1½ pounds frozen hashbrowns (or freshly made, see link below)
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Add in options: chopped meat, chopped veggies such as onions, pepper, mushrooms, or asparagus
Instructions
  1. Whisk eggs and stir in all other ingredients.
  2. (For picky eaters, leave the add-in options separate to add to each waffle individually.)
  3. Scoop ½-3/4 cup of egg/hashbrown mixture into waffle iron.
  4. Top with add-ins.
  5. Close waffle iron and cook for 3-5 minutes until brown and crispy.
  6. Serve as is or with hot sauce if desired.

Want to make your own hashbrowns to keep in the freezer? Learn an easy method here!

Simple Egg and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles

Recipes for your Waffle Iron

Have any ideas for me? What creative ways have you found to use your waffle iron?

If you haven’t picked up your copy of The Prayer Mugs we’d love for you to get this 96-page parenting prayer packet full of lessons, stories, encouragement, printables, scripture, study guides, and prayer prompts! (Read more about this beautiful resource here.)

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Simple Waffle Omelets – perfect for any meal!

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We might as well just call these “Womelets” because that’s what keeps coming out of my mouth when I try to talk about Waffle Omelets. I’m excited to share this recipe idea with you, but I’m sorry for causing all of you to be in this tricky verbal situation.

The cool thing is that these Womelets (I’ve given up on  trying to say it correctly) really are fun to make and super tasty.

waffle omlet2

Here are some Waffle Omelet highlights:

  • You can make everyone’s Waffle Omelet to fit each person’s preferences.
  • These are super quick and simple to make.
  • You can make Waffle Omelets for a quick dinner when/if you forgot to thaw meat to prep for your meal.
  • You can prepare ingredients ahead of time and store them in the fridge to pull out and make Womelets at the spur of the moment.
  • These are inexpensive!

By the way, have I ever told you what a messy cook I am? Truly. If there are three people standing side by side putting together making food, you will be able to tell which cooking station was mine because of all the food that had been dripped, drizzled, slopped, and spilled in my area.

I am especially good at making a mess of these Womelets, as I often overestimate how much liquid to pour into the waffle iron. Out of the iron the egg mixture will spill, causing a huge mess of slime down the sides and all over the counter-top. Have I no shame?

In addition, you should see me try to take the Waffle Omelets out of the waffle iron without tearing them to bits. Notice, above, how I finally gave up and took a picture of the omelet directly in the waffle iron? It was better this way.

I finally figured out that if I use hot pads and pick the waffle iron up, then dump the omelet onto the plate, it actually comes out easily and pretty. How about that? No mess! (You’ll see below that it folded itself in half while being dumped, but it was the best I could do.)

waffle omlet

I’ve finally learned that for my waffle iron, it takes somewhere between 1/2-3/4 cup of egg mixture to make one nice waffle omelet without spilling over.

Fill your mixture with any combination of meat, cheese, and chopped veggies that you like! I suggest mixing the eggs, milk, and salt in a bowl, then you can add your “fillings” as you make each individual waffle omelet so you can make it according to taste!

Simple Waffle Omelets

Simple Omelet Waffles - perfect for any meal!
 
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Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 10 eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
  • Any variety of chopped meat, diced veggies, and shredded cheeses you like.
Instructions
  1. Whisk together eggs, milk, and salt.
  2. Heat and grease waffle iron.
  3. Scoop egg mixture into waffle iron to fill the bottom about ¾ full. (Mine takes ½-3/4 cup of mixture).
  4. Add in any fillings you like.
  5. Close waffle iron and cook for 3-4 minutes until eggs are cooked through.
  6. Serve right away.

Simple Waffle Omelets

More Simple Recipes

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What to do if you love coffee but need to watch the caffeine. (Have you tried Teeccino?)

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Sometimes a person says something she means but doesn’t really mean. You know what I mean?

Take, for instance, when I say, “I love to drink. Drinking is so fun! Drinks make me happy.” You might think I have a drinking problem. It’s definitely not a problem, though, because I can stop any time I want to.

Now, what I’m talking about, isn’t drinking. No, no. I’m talking about drinking. Understand now? I actually stay away from drinking because my system can’t handle it, I’ve seen too many dear friends struggle with it, and anyway, I have way more fun when I’m drinking instead.

I drink at home and I drink with my family and it’s great to invite friends over and say, “Do you want to come over for drinks?”

Well now. I think after reading that we can all use a drink. What can I get you?

  • Coffee? (Iced or hot? Decaf or regular? With cream and a spoonful of my homemade chocolate sauce?)
  • Tea? (Hot or cold? Sweet or unsweet? Mango or peach? Raspberry perhaps?)
  • Water? (Ice or no ice? With lemon or lime?)
  • Sparkling Juice? (Cranberry is our favorite. Recipe is coming soon.)

Now that we’re all clear (as mud) on where I’m coming from, allow me to explain further.

I always drink a nice amount of water during the day so I stay hydrated and healthy. I actually like water, even if it is just…water. But I also really like to enjoy another fun drink or two throughout the day.

pumpkin_custard_drink

Desserts? I’m over them. Junk food? I really don’t want it. But a variety of drinks? Yes, please. I think they are a ridiculously fun treat even though I don’t even add sugar or stevia to them.

I realize this puts me over the edge into the complete nerd category, but you guys, sipping an iced coffee in the afternoon is as much a treat to me as brownies used to be back in my “I can eat anything” days. Tossing a slice of lemon in my water makes me feel like I’m indulging in something special when in reality, I’m still in my pajamas and I’m about to embark on a science lesson with my kids.

Having a cup of hot tea mid-morning (let’s call it a “spot of tea,” shall we?) in a special mug really hits the spot while I’m answering emails. Enjoying a flavored sparkling water (lime is my fav) with my lunch makes me feel like I’m splurging at a restaurant. And setting out an assortment of hot drink choices for my family before we begin a game night is way, way more fun than one would think.

Coffee Milkshake

This leads me to share about a fun drink many of you already know about (because several of you have mentioned it through the years). A sample of Teeccino came in my last Azure Standard order.

I made a BIG DEAL of trying it. As in, I made it, put on my pj’s and slippers while it was brewing, added cream, and snuggled under a fuzzy blanket in the living room so I could sip it slowing and savor it. I only had one kid at home with me at the time, so naturally I made him try it with me. He was a good sport, skipped the slippers, and added sugar to his.

We both came back with a thumbs up. So now I have yet another great drink to add to my drinking repertoire. Can life get any more fun than this?! I think not.

teeccino

What is Teeccino?

It’s an herbal tea, completely decaf, which tastes similar to coffee. But don’t expect it to taste exactly like coffee because it doesn’t. I think it has a unique taste – kind of a mixture of coffee, tea, and chocolate.

It is delicious, though, and I love that it’s decaf so I can enjoy it in the evenings!

All of my family has tried it and enjoys it too. Therefore, I ordered a case which is a variety pack, because of ALL THE FUN this will provide for us.

Now that you’ve heard my drinking confessions, it time for you to share what your favorite drinks are. Also, have you tried Teeccino and do you like it?

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Peanut Butter Muffins (Naturally Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free!)

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Once there was a girl who hadn’t eaten a sandwich in a very long time. Then she finally found a recipe for bread that met her low carb-high protein needs. So she tried making a sandwich with the special bread, and it worked. It made her very happy because chicken, mayo, and spinach inside a bun are so delicious and normal.

You, too, can be this girl. Check out the fancy sandwich!

pb muffin sandwich1

Be very impressed, even if you are still among the many who can eat a “real sandwich” with “real bread.” Those of us who are frequently sandwichless feel so excited about this bread-making breakthrough!

For the record, my natural doctor thinks she is getting to the bottom of why my body can’t handle many carbs without experiencing a major crash. It’s still going to take some time to heal my cells and clear out the bad bacteria, but she gives me hope that I will be normal again. Normal is relative, so let’s not even start making jokes about that. I’m very well aware of and heartily embrace my cRaZy.

peanut butter muffins21

Aren’t these the prettiest buns you’ve ever seen? (Many jokes. We could make so many jokes about that sentence.)

Hopefully you tried this Peanut Bread Recipe I shared a couple weeks ago. How fun that the batter that recipe creates also bakes into such light, fluffy, golden muffins.

peanut butter muffins11

I’m excited to share that my “real bread” eating family loves this bread right along with me. It’s a great way to feed us all protein! My boys really like loading these with butter and honey or jelly. It’s the greatest way to eat PB&J!

Peanut Butter Muffins (Naturally Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free)

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Peanut Butter Muffins (Naturally Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free!)
 
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Serves: 12-18
Ingredients
  • 2 cups natural, unsalted peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • Pinch of sea salt (omit if your peanut butter is salted)
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together in a blender or with a hand mixer.
  2. Pour batter into 12 prepared muffin tins (either well greased tins, paper-lined, or silicone).
  3. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Muffins - naturally gluten, grain, and dairy free

This is the peanut butter recipe I use for this bread.

If you’re more interested in making a loaf of bread with this recipe, you’ll find those instructions here.

pb bread12

Let me remind you that this recipe is not only for people who have dietary restrictions. I like feeding this to my family because of the high protein content. It’s a great way to start the day, and because it is so filling, it sticks with us the entire morning!

I’m very curious, when’s the last time you ate a sandwich? (I think it had been two years for me…unless you count the lettuce wraps I’ve enjoyed!) If you, too, have been sandwichless, you will so enjoy this recipe!

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The Most Amazing Peanut Butter Bread! (Naturally grain/gluten and dairy free, with ingredients you already have!)

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Once upon a time I came across a recipe and thought, “Really? Could it be?” So I blended together peanut butter, honey, eggs, baking soda, and vinegar and made actual bread. It looked like bread and tasted like bread and I was amazed that indeed, it was bread. I was very, very happy. The end.

pb bread4

So what if I already took a bite out of this piece before I took the picture.
Can you blame me?

Be very, very shocked and amazed with me. We can make actual bread that has no grain, no gluten, and no dairy. The bread tastes delicious and had a wonderful texture! It’s as simple as this Whole Wheat Stir-and-Pour Bread because just like that recipe, we simply stir together the ingredients and pour them into a baking pan. It’s ridiculously easy.

Plus, we add vinegar and baking soda to the mixture, so we get to make a volcano. Who says baking isn’t fun?

I originally saw a recipe like this here. I was skeptical because, well, I’ve made a few grain-free recipes with strange ingredients like this, and while everything would look delicious, it seemed to always taste like a soggy banana. (I’m looking at you so called “Amazing Grain Free, Sugar Free Brownies.”)

I decided to take a chance on this bread recipe though, because of this: I wanted to spread butter on something I could eat. (Regular bread isn’t cooperating with me right now.) I also loved the idea of this bread being chuck full of protein. Peanut butter and eggs? Maybe, just maybe, I could fill the hollow places in my sons’ legs.

Indeed.

pb bread21

Worried that the taste of peanut butter will overpower the bread? It has a surprisingly mild flavor. In fact, we were all wishing it tasted more peanut-buttery. Either way, just imagine how good this is with butter, jelly, or honey. I prefer it toasted with lots of butter. This probably doesn’t surprise you.

pb bread12

The Most Amazing Peanut Butter Bread

4.3 from 3 reviews
The Most Amazing Peanut Butter Bread! (Naturally grain/gluten and dairy free!)
 
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Author:
Serves: 12-16 slices
Ingredients
  • 2 cups natural, unsalted peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • Pinch of sea salt (omit if your peanut butter is salted)
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together in a blender or with a hand mixer.
  2. Pour into a well-greased 9x5" loaf pan.
  3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the bread comes out clean.
  4. Allow the bread to sit in the pan for about 10 minutes to cool.
  5. Remove bread from pan and cool on a rack.

Here’s my homemade peanut butter recipe.

Grain Free, High Protein Peanut Butter Bread

After seeing the ingredient list, you might be thinking, “Isn’t this bread kind of expensive?” Sure. It costs more than wheat flour bread. But I think it’s actually saving me money because on mornings I serve it for breakfast, my sons don’t ask for meat. They are full after two slices. Did we ever think we’d see the day?

No matter your diet restrictions or lack thereof, I’d love to convince you to make this Peanut Butter Bread. What do you have to lose? Five minutes?

Ever tried a recipe with weird ingredients that turned out…weird? Do share. I promise this one will pleasantly surprise you!

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A Year of Simple Breakfasts

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In case the title made you think I have 365 Simple Breakfast ideas to share with you, I have to apologize and let you know that while I do have many simple breakfast recipes, I do not have one for every day of the year. (After all, we do eat eggs pretty regularly at our house.) Rather, this post will share how I’m planning to keep our breakfasts as simple as possible this year! I bet the ideas shared here WILL get you through an entire year, with plenty of variety, and all kinds of simplicity!

Take, for example, the breakfast shown in this picture.

a-year-of-simple-breakfasts

One morning last week, I made and served Giant Breakfast Cookies, Bacon, and Strawberry Parfaits. Sounds involved right? Not at all simple! Complicated and time consuming, even!

But it wasn’t! It was so simple! Here’s how I did it:

  1. I had pre-made Breakfast Cookie dough balls in the freezer. (Read the details on how to do that here.) I simply pulled some out, put them on a baking sheet, and slid them into the oven to bake while I continued my morning Bible reading time.
  2. I had pre-made Bacon. (Read the details on how to do that here.) Just after I woke the boys, I threw some bacon in a skillet to reheat and crisp up. It took 30 seconds, no joke.
  3. I had already made the Cream Cheese Parfait filling for another meal a few days before. I pulled out what was left, washed and sliced some berries, and put them on the table.

The boys LOVED this breakfast (who wouldn’t?) and I loved having such a great meal to serve. What I loved more than anything is how simple it was to put on the table.

But what about taking all that time to prepare simple breakfasts ahead of time?

Sounds like the before-hand prep can negate the “simple” in all of this, huh? Sure, it’s easy to put it on the table if you’ve done all the work ahead of time – but who has time to do all that work ahead of time?

I get it. I don’t always have the time to get ahead either. But I’ve found that if take an hour or two in the kitchen sometime during the week – whenever I can find the spare hour or two – I can knock out quite a bit of cooking which saves me all kinds of time and energy later.

And…while I could fall back on boxed breakfast food if I really wanted to keep it simple, I don’t like doing that unless I’m desperate or especially over-scheduled. We love homemade food. We love a hot breakfast. There really are great ways to keep it simple!

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven, Freeze, and Warm Up Fast

oven-bacon-2

When to find a spare hour or two for cooking ahead?

It varies, and will be different for all of us depending on our work and family situation. Here are some time slots that sometimes (but not always) work for me:

  • In the morning after breakfast after I’ve gotten my kids going on their school work. This only works on mornings I don’t have any pressing blog work needs or deadlines. And it only works if my youngest is sitting at the kitchen table doing his work so I can bounce back and forth between cooking and helping to keep him on task.
  • In the late afternoon or early evening while I’m cooking dinner. After all, I’m in the kitchen then anyway. If the dinner meal is simple enough (and at this point, all my meals are kept simple) – I can sometimes stir up something for the freezer or put something into the oven to help me get ahead for another day.
  • Anytime I’m cooking something for today, I consider if I can double or triple up so I can have extra for another time. I do this with almost everything.

These “cooking ahead” methods work for any meal, but here are some specific breakfast ideas for getting ahead that help keep our morning meal times super simple!

1. Cook several pounds of Bacon Bits ahead of time.

I freeze these to pull out as needed. For a simple breakfast, pull out a scoop to quickly make Scrambled Bacon Cheesy Eggs.

How to Make Bacon Bits and Why You Should Make Them

2. Make 5-Minute Stove-Top Granola. 

Store it in a jar. Save it for a morning you have no time to cook. Serve it with a variety of your family’s favorite stir-in options.

5-Minute Stove-Top Granola

3. Make Dark Chocolate Almond Granola.

Use the 5-minute stove-top method if you like! This is our favorite granola and making it at home saves quite a bit of money compared to buying it at the store.

Dark Chocolate Almond Granola - A Great Make-Ahead Meal

4. Make Homemade Grape Nut Cereal.

This is super tasty and super easy! I typically double this recipe and keep it in big jars so we can have it on busy “no time to cook” mornings.

Homemade Grape Nuts

5. Make Homemade Cracklin’ Oat Bran.

This is our favorite of the homemade cereal options! It’s also super easy to make and stores great in jars in the pantry.

Make Your Own Cracklin' Oat Bran

Wait! Do I ever buy cereal at the store and serve cereal out of a box?!?

Of course. Remember this post? Just because I can, doesn’t mean I always do. Store bought cereal saves my neck some days. No guilt. ;) Now back to the Simple Homemade Breakfast ideas…

6. Make Breakfast Cookie Balls for the freezer.

As mentioned above, these are awesome to have in the freezer. I usually double the recipe, and freeze the dough in balls so I can pull out just enough for one meal. These can be frozen after you bake them too, but we like eating them fresh out of the oven!

Here’s our White Chocolate Cranberry Breakfast Cookie recipe too. :)

Breakfast Cookies for the Freezer

7. Make Homemade Poptarts for the Freezer.

Like the Breakfast Cookies, we like eating these right out of the oven. Again, I usually double the recipe, then freeze them and pull out just enough for one meal. They bake easily from their frozen state. I can throw them in the oven while I’m reading my Bible in the morning. So simple!

homemade-poptarts-for-the-freezer

8. Make muffins ahead of time and freeze them before baking.

This idea is my favorite. I often mix up several different batches of our favorite muffins, freeze the batter, then quickly bake them as needed!

silicone muffins 1

9. Make Stir-and-Pour Bread.

If I have this bread on hand (usually I make it the day before instead of the morning of) – we can make Peanut Butter Honey Toast or Scrambled Egg Sandwiches.

stir and pour bread loaf 5

10. Have cheese shredded to make it easy to make Scrambled Cheesy Eggs.

We love melted cheese on our eggs. If I have some shredded already, this makes breakfast so much simpler!

TIP: We use our Food Processor to shred cheese. I LOVE THIS!!! We can shred a huge 5-pound block of cheese in about two minutes. It’s worth owning a food processor just for the cheese shredding capability! (We have one like this.)

grated cheese

11. Make any of these 49 Breakfast Freezer Food ideas.

Frozen breakfasts are awesome to have on hand for simple meals!

49 Breakfast Freezer Foods

12. Make big batches of Turkey Sausage. 

I almost always make 12 pounds at once (the entire case of ground turkey I get in my Azure Standard order!). I bag it up in 1-pound bags. Since it’s precooked and crumbled, I can throw it in scrambled eggs or make a quick batch of Sausage Gravy.

Homemade Turkey Sausage

 

I would love to hear your ideas for Simple Breakfasts at your house!

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Simple Meals will save you so much time and energy, giving you more time to enjoy your family!

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Hot Vanilla Milk (3 Ingredients)

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Hot cocoa is wonderful. Hot tea hits the spot. I think we all know how I feel about a lovely cup of coffee. (Best thing ever, in case you weren’t sure.) But this Hot Vanilla Milk is a fun option to offer when you need a little variety in your hot drink repertoire.

vanilla-milk

If you want to make it really special, add one of the fun Flavored Whipped Cream options I shared below. As fun as it is to hit a coffee shop sometimes for a special treat, it is not fun to pay $4-$5 per cup of delicious drink. This Hot Vanilla Milk and all the other fun drink options I listed below will save us all loads of money because we can make many great hot drinks at home!

Hot Vanilla MilkYum

Hot Vanilla Milk (3 Ingredients)
 
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Author:
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 3 cups milk (I use whole milk)
  • 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup (give or take)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Whisk milk and maple syrup together in a small sauce pan.
  2. Stir over low heat until milk mixture begins to bubble.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  4. Serve right away.

hot-vanilla-milk

I will now make a list for you of all the hot drink recipes I’ve shared here through the years. With this Hot Vanilla Drink recipe, there’s a hot drink for every day of the week! Plus I included a few fun add-ins to the list. Hot drinks are fun. Hot drinks with flavored whipped creams are even better!

Homemade Hot Cocoa

What are your favorite hot drinks? Do you live in a cold-weather area? My family (here in Nebraska) is doing everything we can to stay warm right now.

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Easy Low Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake Whip

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Who even cares about a cheesecake crust? I’ve always been in it for the cheesecake filling anyway. Therefore, I have been making Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling and eating it with a spoon right out of a bowl.

For breakfast.

pumpkin-cheesecake-in-a-bowl

The way I see it, I’m eating a vegetable for breakfast, so I’m getting nourishment. I’m also eating good fat, so I stay full for longer than five minutes.

What else? Well, there’s hardly any sugar in this, so I feel no guilt that way, nor do I experience a mid-morning sugar crash. I should add to all of the above that this Pumpkin Cheesecake Whip tastes like spoonfuls of holiday happiness.

So between the vegetable thing, the good fats, the low sugar content, and the fact that this tastes wonderful – I think our holiday season will continue to get better by the bowlful.

Also, it only takes five minutes to make. This is what every Christmas recipe should be like.

Easy Low Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake WhipYum

Easy Low Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake Whip
 
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Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 8-ounce packages softened cream cheese
  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups pureed pumpkin
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup plus liquid stevia to taste (I used 2 droppers full of stevia)
Instructions
  1. Blend all pumpkin cheesecake filling ingredients together until smooth.
  2. Chill in refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

easy-low-sugar-pumpkin-cheesecake-whip

Now let’s just say you’re a “gotta have a cheesecake crust” sort of a person. This is no problem. I have a crust recipe that is also low in sugar and incredibly delicious. You’ll find this recipe here.

no-bake-pumpkin-cheesecake

Or say you want a cheesecake crust, but you also want your cheesecakes to be cute and little and ready to serve to individuals. This is also no problem. I have Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups for you. You’ll find that recipe here.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites

Now, it doesn’t take too much reading to realize that these are all the same recipe, just tweaked slightly to make them crustless, regular crust, or individual cup-sized crusts. We aim to please, and also we are suggesting that you eat cheesecake for breakfast, so now’s who’s your best friend?

No need to answer that. I mean, go ahead, though, if you want to.

 

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