Celebrate Easter Sunday with a special brunch featuring classic and seasonal dishes.  Pick the perfect recipes to share with your family and friends.  Enjoy!

Chunky Apple Muffins

For the muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup white whole wheat flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup melted coconut oil slightly cooled (you can substitute with canola oil)

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2 eggs

¾ cup cooked plain oatmeal 

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup finely chopped apple (you may use with the skin on or peeled)

For the streusel

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons old fashioned oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ cup chopped pecans

¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 12 count muffin tin and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.  

In a large bowl, whisk coconut oil (or substitute), brown sugar, eggs, oatmeal, and applesauce.  Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Stir in chopped apple.  

Spoon the batter into the 12 muffin cups.  

In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon.  Add the butter.  Using your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like wet sand and clumps when you press it together.  Sprinkle the streusel over the batter in the twelve muffin cups.  

Bake for 13-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  

Serves 12, each serving contains;  Calories 220, Carbohydrates 32 g., Protein 3 g., Fat 9 g., Cholesterol 32 mg., Fiber 1 g., 

Healthy Breakfast Tacos

Tomato Salsa

1 large red tomato, diced

3 tablespoons diced red onion

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper, (remove seeds to decrease heat)

1 clove garlic, minced

Juice from ½ lime

¼ teaspoon salt

Tacos

1 green pepper, diced

3 scallions, chopped 

6 eggs, beaten

2 cups spinach, chopped

Extra Virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Salt and Freshly ground pepper

8 tortillas, wheat preferred

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 ripe avocado, sliced

Lime wedges for serving

For the Tomato Salsa;  In a small bowl, combine the tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, and salt.  Chill until ready to serve.  

For the Tacos;  In a small nonstick skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the green pepper, scallions, and a pinch of salt and pepper, sauté until lightly brown, about 5 minutes.  Scoop a large spoonful of the salsa into the pepper mixture and stir.  Remove from the heat and set aside.  

Brush a large nonstick skillet lightly with olive oil and bring to a medium heat.  Add the eggs, let them cook for a few seconds and then stir.  Add the green pepper mixture to the eggs.  Continue to stir and scramble the eggs until just set.  Remove the pan from the heat while the eggs are slightly runny and stir in the spinach and half of the extra cilantro.  

Assemble the tacos with the egg mixture, a scoop of salsa, the remaining cilantro and a few slices of avocado.  Finish with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt and pepper, if desired.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.  

Overnight French Toast with Almonds and Blueberries

1 pound whole-grain bread, diced (about 1 inch pieces)

3 cups blueberries, fresh preferred, (you may also use strawberries) 

8 large eggs

3 ½ cups reduced-fat milk 

½ cup unsalted butter, salted

3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup sliced almonds (or chopped pecans)

Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  

Toss bread and blueberries in the prepared pan.  Whisk eggs in a large bowl.  Add milk, butter, brown sugar, ginger, vanilla and salt; whisk to combine.  Pour the custard over the bread mixture.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Coat a piece of foil with cooking spray and cover the pan, coated-side down. Place another 9 x 13-inch baking dish on top as a weight.  Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to a day.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the top baking dish, leaving the foil in place. Let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats.  

Bake the casserole, covered for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.  Let stand for at least 10 minutes.  

Serves 10, each serving contains;  Calories 387, Carbohydrates 36 g., Protein 16 g., Fat 20 g., Cholesterol 180 mg., Fiber 5 g.

Baked Oatmeal

(modified from an Eat This Not That recipe)

2 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

2 cups reduced fat milk

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons canola oil

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large banana, halved lengthwise and sliced

1/3 cup raisins (I was asked if you could use dried cranberries, I would say yes)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.  

Mix oats, walnuts, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and allspice in a large bowl.  Combine milk, yogurt, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl.   Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stir until completely incorporated.  Stir in bananas, and raisins.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  

Bake until golden on top and firm to the touch, 45 to 50 minutes.  

Serves 4, each serving contains;  Calories 327, Carbohydrates 46 g., Protein 9 g., Fat 13 g., Cholesterol 8 mg., Fiber 4 g.,