I like that we’re slowly easing into this year. It feels right. I’ve been hanging out in New Orleans for the week plotting my steps for 2014. Well… plotting as much as one can plot. I want to leave room for surprises. Those are inevitable, and mostly welcome.
While I’ve been daydreaming, I’ve been scrolling through my site just to find my footing. Sometimes I get caught up in creating without taking a moment to look back at all of the treats I’ve made. Today I think we should focus on Breakfast and Chocolate. Essentials.
I’m really excited about this coming year. It feels like a blessing. Coming up I think we should talk about birthday cake, I want to show your more Bonkers Awesome videos, we should talk about letter writing, salt in baking, and meatballs. I’m also taking a trip to Uganda with Compassion International at the end of January! You’ll definitely hear more about that soon!
For now. Let’s breakfast and let’s chocolate as we continue this ease into 2014.
Breakfast is, hands down, my favorite meal of the day. It’s so great I’m convinced it can be eaten at nearly any hour of the day. My favorite breakfasts range from the pretty healthy to pretty-dang indulgent. Here are a few!
Blackberry Apricot Sunflower Oatmeal Let’s start with a big bowl of warmth and health! I love that this oatmeal has both fresh and dried fruit. It’s totally approachable and just the right amount of fancy.
Whole Grain Waffles with Millet, Poppy, Sunflower, and Flax I love LOVE love waffles. I make them on the weekends and find myself eating them all week long, as toast, as sandwich bread, as standing-in-the-kitchen-snacks. These waffles are hearty and packed with seeds, They’re great stacked with maple syrup, and also pretty wonderful as bread for a ham sandwich.
Toasted Oat and Coconut Muesli Call it an oat-kick! I went on a Muesli bender earlier last year. I would take a handful of Muesli top it with frozen berries and almond milk and let it rest in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning I’d have a fruity, chilled, soaked oat breakfast. Seriously healthy and delicious!
Browned Butter Baked Doughnuts Doughnuts reign supreme always and forever. These baked doughnuts are soft and sweet. They’re basically doughnut shaped cupcakes with chocolate glaze and sprinkles. Serve with coffee. Totally breakfast.
Brown Butter Banana Bread with Rum and Coconut I will put brown butter into everything I can. Count on it. Rum and coconut help too, as they always do, as they always do.
Mushroom and Brussels Sprout Hash Savory breakfast is the way to go. Savory breakfast makes room for breakfast dessert (Browned Butter Baked Doughnuts). It’s also nice to get a few vegetables at the start of the day. Mushrooms are softened and browned. Brussels sprouts are shredded and sautéed. Add an egg and breakfast feels pretty easy!
Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding Chocolate pudding is up there on my list of comfort foods. Up there with french fries, rice pudding, and other carb loaded indulgences. This chocolate pudding is creamy, rich, and topped with golden roasted hazelnuts. Beyond!
Chocolate Beet Cake with Beet Cream Cheese Frosting Just like I’ll sneak brown butter into your breakfast, I’ll also wedge beets (yea, the vegetable) into your dessert. I made this beet cake a few years back and it still holds up as TOTALLY AWESOME! Beets are used to moisten the chocolate cake and tint the cream cheese frosting. Beyond the moisture and color, the beets are undetectable as beets. Cross my heart!
Chocolate Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake This pound cake recipe has been in my family for years and years. I add chocolate and orange because I think it’s delicious and I like to occasionally stress my dad out. So, there’s that.
Salty Sesame and Dark Chocolate Cookies Chocolate, sesame, and salt… because yes I added soy sauce to these cookies! Chocolate chip cookies with a major enhancement! These are some of my favorites!
Jess
Everything looks delicious! Maybe I missed it, but what is the third row,left picture in the compilation? It looks like it has ice cream… mmm.. icecream
tgmbookie420@gmail.com
I have a friend who is the executive chef at MeMe’s Bar and Grille. You should stop in sometime if you’re ever in that part of LA.
skinnymuffin09
Chocolate is the best addition to breakfast. I frequent the addition of chocolate chips in my oatmeal for melted chocolatey goodness. Like where your brain is at in the mornings.
Cinnamon Vogue
Breakfast makes me feel bloated. That is not to say I wouldn’t mind something really sweet. Like a Browned Butter Baked donut. :-) My favorite for breakfast is something like a Sri Lankan Chinese roll, a little spicy hot with a cup of sweet black Tea. The combination bounces of each other and it’s just the right amount without making you feel bloated. But I will take these sweet delights for the afternoon Joy.
ChrystinaNoel
I love how much you hang out in New Orleans. Next time I go to that city I’m going to have to come back and check your blog to see where I should be hitting that I haven’t already.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
Lots of yummies to read about – and they all sound wonderful. Hope you have a great New Year and your upcoming trip to Uganda sounds amazing -can’t wait to hear more!
Stephanie @ Velez Delights
Happy New Year! Loving this post :)
Melissa @ Treats With a Twist
You’re so right. I need to take a look back. I actually made a list of recipes I loved that didn’t get much love that I’d love to revamp. But also I think I need to put a little more real life in there (like random passions posts) because there are some topics I just can’t stop thinking about.
The Wooden Spoon
Uganda! Have a great time! Can’t wait to hear about it!
Gabby
I agree with 100% of your words on breakfast. All day, every day.
meganmarie013
I love this.
Dana
I like to have chocolate for breakfast. The best way to start the day!
Carla @ Gluten Free Recipe Box
Yum!…chocolate hazel nut pudding! I love your site! I often convert your recipes to gluten-free. Thank you for all that you share and the research that goes behind it all.
Andrea @ The Skinny Chronicles
You just inspired me to buy a waffle maker! Looking forward to some new breakfast variety.
Sara
I worked with a Compassion site in Uganda during the Peace Corps! I’d love to know what area you’re heading to…anywhere near Masaka?
Monica
So awesome! We had a snow day today and my son & I made the baked donuts! Such fun and tasty. We saved the extra glaze as a “dip” so it was fondue style. : ) Thanks for sharing such great posts (keep the chocolate recipes, coming!) and Happy New Year! 2014 is going to be wonderful!
sundiegoeats
Chocolate pudding, rice pudding, and you forgot bread pudding please. Best comfort foods ever.
Shikha la mode
Can there just be a giant breakfast party with all of these wonderful things?!
Kristen O
Wow, so awesome that you’re going with Compassion Int’l! I look forward to hearing about that! Also, I am making the brown butter doughnuts today!! So excited :)
Lenio
Indulgent sweet breakfasts are perfect for winter!
I’m based in Uganda, let me know if you need any tips or fun things to do (good places to eat)! Such a great country :)
Mallory @ Because I Like Chocolate
I must check out this chocolate hazelnut pudding. Who wouldn’t go for a Nutella-like pudding?
Carlinne @Cook with 2 Chicks
Thanks for all of the breakfast ideas!
Molly {Dreams in HD}
um, yes please!
Molly {Dreams in HD}
https://www.dreamsinhd.blogspot.com
Arthur in the Garden!
Breakfast is my favorite meal!
meredith s.
Uganda?!?!??! I lived there for 4 months! You are going to love it! Drink lots of African Tea, Krest, and Stony soda. The best place for Indian food is Naawab (it’s on the top of a mall in Kampala!), and be sure to try a Rolex. I hope you fall in love with that place as much as I did!
gracebeekman
Such a great list of breakfast recipes! I may have to have breakfast for lunch and dinner as well! ;)
Thanks for sharing!
https://sometimesgracefully.com
Michelle @ A Healthy Mrs
Great compilation! Happy 2014, Joy!
Erin
aaaaand…now I’m hungry :)
Also, Uganda? It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been with the warmest people. I lived there for all of 2012. Gotta tell ya, though, the dirt of Africa, it’ll never leave your shoes.
magnolia harvest
Your blog is an exciting adventure ! Do you do all your own photography
? Happy New Year from DeAnna
@. Magnoliaharvest. WordPress.com
Kim T
Hi Joy, Happy Ney Year! When is your second cookbook coming out? Thanks, Kim
Sarah Cross Mills
Has anyone tried baking the Chocolate Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake in 3 mini-loaf pans? Adjust baking time and temp?
malin
I have not tried to make this specific cake in another pan, but I usually change pans and only change the cooking time, never the temp. At least that works for me… I never use a timer when I cook, I don´t trust it anyway.
Ellen
I LOVE breakfast food, but I don’t like actual morning food…so nighttime breakfast food it is for me-which means adding chocolate to it works perfectly:)
Whitney
Excited to hear about your upcoming trip to Uganda! My husband and I spent three months in Kenya the other year and just loved it! Compassion International is a great organization too.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I love the recap/trip down memory lane. I know you’re a huge breakfast fan but seeing these all together really shows that loud and clear! :)
Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic
Breakfast with a side of chocolate is the best kind of breakfast! Enjoy New Orleans!
AmberLove
I swear I gained 5 lbs just reading this. XO!