Category: Breakfast

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Breakfast Burritos

breakfast burrito

The ultimate make-ahead and store in the freezer recipe is breakfast burritos! They are individually-portioned, so you can warm up one for just yourself or warm up a few for your fam and friends.

I have been making burritos this way for years thanks to inspiration from Smitten Kitchen. Cooking the vegetables on sheet pans helps free up your stovetop to cook eggs and sausage at the same time. I’ve also made the veggies a day or so beforehand, which just speeds the process up so nicely and streamlines your cooking.

Roasted potatoes – I definitely eat these by the handful for fuel during burrito building
Roasted peppers and onions with wilted spinach– because why not add spinach to your burrito?!

To make them, you’ll create an epic assembly line of ingredients and roll the burritos up one by one, individually wrapping them. This is such a great opportunity to get kids involved! Oliver learned how to crack eggs and scramble them on this recipe. By the 8th egg, he was cracking like a pro.

burrito assembly
Burrito assembly line

You will be happiest when you customize your burritos to include your fav ingredients. I’m a chicken sausage kinda-person, but maybe you like chorizo best… or even plant-based crumbles? Mix up your veggies- add jalapenos, kale, or eggplant. Be resourceful- use up the extra salsa in the fridge, however many eggs you have, and any cheese you like. And serve with all of the toppings you can imagine- sour cream/yogurt, hot sauce, avocado or guac, you get the idea! There is no bad burrito!!

Occasions to make and eat breakfast burritos include, but are not limited to:

  • Tailgates for noon football games
  • For friends or family who just had a baby/surgery/an adoption or other major life event
  • Birthday brunch
  • Meal prep for any time
  • Breakfast for dinner party!

I hope you give this recipe a try, and if you do, be sure to let me know your favorite way to breakfast burrito.

breakfast burrito

Breakfast Burritos

Morgan
Customizable, make-ahead-able, all rolled up
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Servings 8 burritos

Equipment

  • 2 roasting pans
  • Non-stick skillet
  • Aluminum foil for wrapping

Ingredients
  

  • 4 potatoes, scrubbed and diced to 1/2-inch cubes such as Yukon Gold or Butter potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp dried seasoning mix such as garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, etc.
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 6-oz bag baby spinach
  • 1 lb chicken sausage or other breakfast sausage
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 8 large flour tortillas

Instructions
 

Roast vegetables

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Line each of the 2 roasting pans with parchment paper. Place diced potatoes on 1 tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp or so of any spices you like (such as a combo of garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, etc.) Roast potatoes in the oven for 25 minutes, then turn and roast an additional 15-20 minutes until potatoes are soft when poked with a fork.
    roasted potatoes on a tray
  • Place sliced peppers and onions on the second pan, drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn and roast for an additional 5-10 minutes.
  • When peppers and onions are browned and done, turn off the oven and add the entire bag of spinach to the same tray. Place vegetable pan in the oven for 5 minutes, then turn spinach into hot vegetables until wilted.
    peppers, onions, and spinach on a roasting pan

Cook sausage and eggs

  • Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add loose sausage (squeeze out of casing) and cook, moving around and breaking up with a spatula, until cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
    cooked chicken sausage
  • Transfer cooked sausage to a bowl and wipe out hot skillet with a dry paper towel or cloth (be careful!).
  • Crack all 8 eggs into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Beat eggs by hand using a whisk for 1 minute, until thoroughly mixed and color turns light yellow.
  • Heat skillet over medium-low. Add egg scramble, and stir with a spatula using gentle sweeping motions, until eggs are just cooked through and appear slightly wet. Transfer eggs to a separate bowl (they will finish cooking in the bowl).
    scrambled eggs in a pan

Assemble burritos

  • Set up your building station with cooked veggies, sausage, eggs, shredded cheese, black beans, and salsa in separate bowls. Create a stack of 8 pieces of foil next to tortillas.
  • Place a piece of foil down and lay a tortilla on top. Add 1/8th of the potatoes and veggies, then sausage, eggs, beans, drizzle with salsa and top with cheese. It ends up being about 1-2 tbsp of each ingredient.
    burrito assembly
  • Roll burrito: turn the sides in over the ingredients first (the short ends), then carefully roll the burrito away from you, turning so the seam is on the bottom. Roll the foil around the burrito in the same way.

To store and heat

  • Eat right away: heat burritos in a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
  • Freeze wrapped burritos in a plastic bag for several months. To cook from frozen, bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through. Took cook from thawed, bake for 20-30 minutes at 350.
Keyword breakfast burrito, make ahead

Happy cooking! xo- Morgan

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Trail Mix Granola Bars

Anybody else hooked on bars? If so– the time is now to hit the kitchen and whip up these Trail Mix Granola Bars! I have always eaten granola bars- from the classic Nature Valley, way-too-crunchy honey & oat bars, to Kashi nut and fruit bars, to everything in between! A perfect granola bar is soft and chewy, thick, and full of wholesome ingredients like oats, dried fruit, and nuts.

I first made my own granola bars by following this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I love this recipe so much, I baked and individually wrapped them to include in gift bags I delivered to guests staying at hotels for our wedding (8 yrs ago!) I’ve customized the recipe below based on the tweaks I’ve used to make them my own. Now you can do the same!

These bars freeze well, and are lovely to gift. Consider making a double batch– one for you, and a batch for a neighbor who is balancing work-from-home and virtual schooling, a college student, new parents, or anyone at all whose day you want to brighten!

A few notes on my Trail Mix Granola Bars:

  • Mix-ins: I tested this recipe using 2 cups total of mixed dried fruit and nuts. You can use all fruit, or all nuts. I used dried apricots (chopped in my food processor), mixed dried berries from Aldi (cranberries, blueberries, cherries), and combo of bagged mixed nuts from Aldi (pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews). Keep in mind that large, whole nuts will really break up the texture of your granola bars, causing them to crumble when cut. I recommend pulsing them in a food processor to cut them down first. I love a mini food processor for this job.
  • Liquid ingredients: Melted butter is a delicious fat that hardens when cools, which is why I love it in these bars. You could sub melted coconut oil, or try using a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado oil if you prefer. Many recipes call for corn syrup, but I use all honey. Raw honey will be difficult to use unless you heat and liquify it.
  • Flavors and extras: Cinnamon can be swapped for a combo nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice. This recipe can handle about 1/3 cup of a coarse, dry ingredient (like shredded coconut)– you could sub wheat germ, ground flaxseed, or chia seeds.
  • Cooling: Cool completely prior to cutting to minimize crumbling! This may involve popping the entire pan in the fridge. Cut the bars on a cutting board using a sharp chef’s knife.

It’s time to raid your pantry and make Trail Mix Granola Bars!

Trail Mix Granola Bars

Morgan
Use your favorite "mix-ins" for a combination you will really love.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 16 bars

Equipment

  • 8-inch square baking dish
  • Parchment paper to line dish

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup oat flour (oats processed in a food processor)
  • 1 2/3 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups dried fruit and chopped mixed nuts ex) dried cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, raisins, dried blueberries, cashews, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
  • 6 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup honey (pourable, not raw)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350. Line baking pan with parchment paper, cut to size, overlaying on two sides of the pan (to easily lift out baked bars). Lightly grease sides of pan.
  • Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: oat flour, oats, sugar, dried fruit and nuts, coconut flakes, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Combine wet ingredients in a large glass measuring cup or small bowl: melted butter, honey, peanut butter, vanilla, and water. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined.
  • Press mixture evenly into baking pan using a flat spatula or your hands. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
  • Cool completely in pan, refrigerating if necessary to set. Cut into squares using a large chef's knife.

Notes

To make nut-free (school/allergy-friendly): use dried fruit and mixed seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame, sunflower, flax, etc.) and substitute sunflower seed butter for peanut butter.
Use up the crumbs! Save crumbled pieces to top a bowl of yogurt.
This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen.
Keyword breakfast, dried fruit, granola bar, nuts, peanut butter, snack

Tried this recipe? Be sure to tag @dinneronthecouch and #dinneronthecouch in your post!

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French-Style Omelet with Goat Cheese and Herbs

This omelet is simple and comes together quickly. A true French omelet is just eggs, butter, and seasoning, cooked using a swirling technique to ensure even cooking. The omelet I made here is less traditional, but also little less tricky, and rolled with goat cheese which makes everything better in my opinion! Here are a few things to keep in mind when making this beautifully cooked, soft, French-style omelet:

  1. Nonstick skillet– You do NOT want your eggs to stick! Eggs are one of the few foods I always prefer to cook in a nonstick skillet. A well-seasoned cast iron pan is also perfect for eggs.
  2. Medium-low– Even cooking throughout is ideal, and if the temp is too high, you’ll get spots that are overcooked and tough. Don’t rush it. Set the temperature to medium-low. Also, you don’t let the eggs brown!
  3. Butter- Since the temperature is low, butter is the perfect cooking fat to use for eggs. The butter shouldn’t sizzle (if it does, the pan is too hot), so once it melts, swirl it in the pan and add the beaten eggs. Of course you could use olive oil or another fat if you prefer!

French-Style Omelet with Goat Cheese

This omelet cooks almost entirely flat, then is rolled at the very end.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine American, French
Servings 1 person

Equipment

  • 8-inch nonstick pan
  • Silicone or rubber (soft) spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp fresh chives, chopped
  • 2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Melt butter over medium-low heat in nonstick skillet.
  • Meanwhile, beat 2 eggs in a small bowl until light yellow color, about 30 seconds.
  • Add eggs to pan and swirl to coat. Immediately stir eggs through with spatula to incorporate butter and lift away from the pan. Cook over medium-low until edges begin to set. Using the spatula, gently tilt skillet away from you and lift edges of cooked egg so that the runny egg is exposed to direct heat and cooks. Continue gently lifting the edges of the egg and tilting the skillet until the runny egg no longer runs off of the omelette.
  • Add fresh herbs, goat cheese, and a little salt and pepper.
  • Turn off heat. Using spatula, slowly roll one side of the omelette toward the center of the pan and continue to roll once or twice more until all filling is rolled up.
  • Transfer to a plate, top with more herbs and enjoy!

Notes

Feel free to switch up the herbs and type of cheese to make it your own. And remember, when using nonstick skillets, never use metal utensils or you will scratch the coating.
Keyword eggs, goat cheese, herb, omelette

Tag @dinneronthecouch when you make this, so I can cheer you on!

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Peach and Sour Cream Scones

Q: When is the best time of day to eat scones?

A: Breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, or dinner. Also dessert.

So maybe I just asked and answered my own question, but I hope you’ll agree when you try these Peach and Sour Cream Scones!

Warm scone, vanilla ice cream, more peaches!

Flaky, buttery, and just sweet enough– to me, they are perfect. The recipe calls for peeled, diced, FROZEN fresh peaches– this step is important to keep the butter cold while you mix the dough. I first found this recipe in NYT Cooking, but made it over a few times changing some ingredients and following a BRILLIANT technique I learned over at Basically (def check out the videos). Use a bench scraper or flexible plastic placemat (my fav) to fold the dough onto itself like a letter going into an envelope, then pat out and cut. The folds are what create pockets and layers for super FLAKY scones! Give it a go!

peach scones

Peach and Sour Cream Scones

Morgan
Folding the dough onto itself before cutting it makes for ultra-flaky layers.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 8 scones

Equipment

  • Baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Large bowl
  • Whisk or fork
  • Pastry slab or countertop for rolling dough
  • Pastry brush for egg wash
  • Bench scraper or plastic placemat cut into 1/4 size

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, cold (1 stick)
  • 1 cup diced peaches, frozen
  • 1 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugar).
  • Cube cold butter in 1/2-inch squares with a knife. With your hands, work butter into flour mixture by squeezing and flattening it with your fingers and hands. It should become flat shards and pea-sized bits. Mix in frozen peaches with your fingers.
  • Create a well in center of the flour mixture and add sour cream. Using a fork, gently stir in sour cream until incorporated. Use your hands to fold dough onto itself once or twice.
  • Turn out dough onto a floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Using bench scraper, fold one short side of pastry toward the middle, and then the opposite side onto itself like you are folding a piece of paper to fit in an envelope. Using more flour if necessary, flatten dough again to 1-inch thick. Cut dough into 8 even squares.
  • Place dough squares onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and brush with egg wash. Bake 18-23 minutes at 400 until golden brown. Cool slightly before eating.

Notes

Scones will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Keyword butter, pastry, peach, scone, sour cream

If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me @dinneronthecouch so I can cheer you on!

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It’s Smoothie Time!

chocolate-berry anyone??

Morning smoothies are a way of life in this house. All three of us drink them for breakfast almost daily, and, as a mom and RD, I love that for a few reasons:

  1. Smoothies are EASY to make— throw ingredients in a blender and GO.
  2. They are nutrient-dense— pack a ton of nutrition in a single portion.
  3. Smoothies taste delicious and there are ENDLESS options for flavor combos!

Let me break down some of the best ingredients you’ll want to consider when you make these at home…

  • Protein source- while each individual person has specific protein recommendations, at least 20g protein per serving is a good starting point. Protein satisfies your hunger and fuels your body to do work! Don’t skip this! Ingredients that count as a protein source include:
    • Protein powder: Grass-fed whey, plant-based protein including rice, pea, and hemp, and collagen are my top choices.
    • Greek yogurt: If powders aren’t your thing, add 1 full cup of plain Greek yogurt to get your 20 grams of protein.
  • Fiber- promotes healthy digestion, can help steady blood sugar, and may improve cholesterol levels. Fiber is best consumed in whole foods like veggies, fruits, seeds, and whole grains. Get these in. Smoothie-friendly fiber foods are:
    • Ground flaxseed
    • Kale & spinach
    • Berries
    • Frozen cauliflower
  • Fat- it’s satisfying, and has positive effects on heart and brain health. Also… PEANUT BUTTER! Go for about 1 tbsp per serving. Here are some options:
    • Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter
    • Coconut flakes or coconut oil
    • Chia seeds
    • Avocado
  • Fruit and/or vegetables- nature’s multivitamin! Fruits and veggies contain tons of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber (reminder- good for your gut!) They also hold lots of antioxidants, nutrients that protect your body’s cells from aging and damage. Eat ’em up- about 1 cup in your smoothie!!
    • Frozen berries
    • Frozen cherries
    • Mango, banana, peaches
    • Frozen cauliflower
    • Baby spinach or baby kale (mature greens are kinda tough)

You can do this! Play around with the above ingredients until you find a combo you love. Here’s my #1 fav way to smoothie to get you started:

Cherries and Cream Smoothie

Sweet and satisfying!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 serving vanilla collagen protein
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1 tbsp cashew butter
  • 1 cup frozen mixed berries and cherries
  • 1/4 cup frozen cauliflower

Instructions
 

  • Combine ingredients (in the order they are listed) in a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

If smoothie is too thick, add more water or almond milk until desired consistency.
Keyword berry, cherry, collagen, dairy-free, smoothie