Paleo Lent Week 7--- the home stretch: brinner is a winner!

Easter is just around the corner, so take a break, it's been a long 40 days and serve up some meat-less BRINNER (breakfast for dinner) this Friday night!

It's a shame that most breakfasts are eaten on the run. Even when you take the time to make a more complicated breakfast, your family is too busy and just won't sit around the table. (I know in my house PaleoHubby has worked out, showered, eaten, and is at work before I even roll out of bed!) Learn from the past and try this tip from my childhood and enjoy breakfast again! When I was young, it was a treat to have breakfast for dinner, so serve breakfast foods for dinner this Friday, and get the best of both worlds; talking and relaxing at the end of the long week, and delicious, comforting foods. But regardless of whether you choose dishes that you know like the back of your hand or try something new (like the paleo recipes for pancakes and muffins below!), breakfast fare remains the perfect antidote to dinnertime doldrums and a break from routine that allows you to revisit the often neglected breakfast goodies.



Coconut Flour Pancakes
Makes approximately six pancakes

Ingredients:

• 3 organic, cage-free eggs
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (plus extra coconut oil for cooking the pancakes)
• 3 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons raw honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preparation:

1. Using a wire whisk, mix together eggs, melted butter, milk, honey, and sea salt.
2. Continuing to whisk, add the baking powder and coconut flour until thoroughly mixed.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter (or coconut oil) in a skillet on a medium flame.
4. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet making pancakes about 3-4 inches in diameter.




Gluten Free Chunky Monkey Muffins
Makes approximately twelve muffins

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 eggs
• 1/3-1/2 cup honey
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup chopped crispy pecans
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes
• 1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and greased the muffin pans.
2. In a small bowl, mix together coconut flour, sea salt and baking soda.
3. In a large bowl, mix together eggs, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla.
4. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet till thoroughly mixed.
5. Fold in mashed bananas, pecans, coconut flakes and chocolate.
6. Scoop batter into muffin tins to 3/4 full, top with more pecans (optional)
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes. When done, let it cool and serve

Omelet Muffins

Ingredients:

• 6 Eggs

• Veggies**

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

• 1/4 cup water

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 6 muffin tins coconut oil or for easier removal line with paper baking cups. The baking cups also help the muffins hold their shape. (when lent is over, use a slice of ham or bacon so line the tins! YUM!)

2. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add vegetables, salt, ground pepper, and any other ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Spoon or scoop into the muffin cups.
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a knife inserted into the center of a muffin/omelet comes out almost clean. The omelets will continue to cook for a minute or two after removed from the oven.
5. Remove the omelets from the muffin cups and serve, or cool completely and store for another day.


**Popular Veggie Combinations at the NJ Paleo Girl House

1 orange bell pepper diced
1 yellow summer squash halved and sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 scallions diced
1 cup fresh basil leaves diced
Spoonful of chopped sun dried tomatoes

1 small white onion
1 green-bell pepper
1 tomato
1 cup Spinach

1/8 vidalia onion
1 small green bell pepper
1 green chili, slice thin, deseeded and deveined
1 tomato
Garnish omelet with sprinkle of paprika



Paleo Hash Browns- "Squash Browns"
Makes approximately six squash browns

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups Spaghetti Squash
• 1 small onion (finely chopped) *optional
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• One pinch each of salt and pepper
• 1 egg-beaten
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Preparation:

1. Cook Squash. Or use up last nights leftovers!
2. Shred/scoop squash out of shell.
3. Pour coconut oil in a frying pan on medium heat.
4. Mix squash, salt and pepper, egg, and onion in bowl
5. Scoop 1/2 cup mixture into the frying pan, and flatten.
6. Flip when edges are golden brown
7. Cook until golden and crispy

8. Remove with spatula and blot on paper towels