Breakfast

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

- Amanda

One of the perks of quarantine life in our home, and I imagine probably in many, is that our days start a bit slower and somewhat later. The monkeys are still up at the crack of dawn, (that part hasn’t changed) but now they have lots of time to play together rather than Mr. T needing to rush out the door for school. And that means, breakfast can also be at a bit more of a relaxed pace, (if you don’t count our always hungry 3 year-old repeating how starving she is.) Well lucky for her, more time in the morning equals more time for pancakes. Lot and lots of them. In all forms imaginable. (Which usually btw, makes little Miss Sparkle happy enough to muster up a little patience.) One of our current favorites- these Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes I want to share with you today.

These breakfast treats are fluffy and light and have a subtle irrisistible sweetness with the most perfectly crisp edges. I dare you not to finish the first one right off the pan when just intending to ”taste it” for quality control purposes. (I got called out on it by the kids who found their way to the kitchen by following the sweet pancake scent which had wafted through the air all the way to the back bedroom.) I promise that’s usually not my style, I do try to always serve them first, ahem. ( After all, if you’re gonna eat a pancake, you gotta have the syrup right?) But not these guys, don’t get me wrong, the addition of some maple syrup really takes them up a notch, but they are really quite impressive on their own.

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Autumn Pumpkin & Fig Maple Glazed Scones (in APRIL)

- Amanda

One silver lining of this quarantine/ lockdown stuff is that I think we’re all feeling free reign to cook & bake with everything and anything we have on hand even if is sooo not in season. And I am definitely taking advantage of that with these Pumpkin & Fig Maple Glazed Scones. I mean doesn’t the name just sound scrumptious and scream all that is good about autumn. That’s because they are and well, yes they very much do indeed. But on this cold and gloomy spring day here in Istanbul (stuck at home,) I welcome every bit of the coziness that comes with brisk fall days that so often come with the scent of pumpkin baked goods wafting from the kitchen.

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Carrot Cake (Bunny) Pancakes

- Amanda

Pancakes are always a good call for breakfast. But sometimes they can feel a little indulgent. Perhaps the reason they are on constant request in my house. So, I like to include some healthy ingredients whenever I can. These Zucchini Pancakes are definitely one of their favorites. And to think my littlest, despises zucchini. Pancakes are such a good vessel for hiding certain “icky” ingredients, aren’t they? And well, while carrots aren’t necessarily one of those ingredients for us, these Carrot Cake Pancakes are still a win-win for everyone. The littles couldn’t get enough of them and I was certainly pleased that their “treat” breakfast included not one but two vegetables!

And if that couldn’t get any better, with some inspiration from the many wonderful ideas on the internet, I made them into the cutest little bunnies. Miss Sparkle was absolutely tickled. Really the perfect Easter weekend breakfast.

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Carrot, Apple & Zucchini Whole Wheat Muffins

- Amanda

It’s been quite a minute since I last posted on here. But it has definitely been for good reason. Besides the craze that always comes from the holiday season, then the IWI Winter Fest and having my mother visit somewhere in between, I’ve also been pretty busy with dessert orders. And while mom-ing my own two little ones in the midst of it, the days get pretty full. The first part of the year has really flown by. I’m so grateful though, being immersed back into the food world, especially pastry & dessert, brings me a lot of joy and inner peace.

I know so many people say it, but the kitchen is absolutely my happy place and I can understand how it would be for others. There’s a certain therapy that comes with creating something, especially when it’s for the people we love. Right now, we’re all supposed to be slowing down, staying put and isolating ourselves as much as possible. As if the Pandemic we’re experiencing wasn’t stressful enough, it can also be hard to be confined to our homes with busy little ones out of school and needing to release their amazing energy. So naturally, it’s no surprise that I’d turn to the kitchen, to get through the days. But this time, also with the help of my little chefs.

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Apple Cinnamon Baked Overnight Oatmeal

- Amanda 1 Comment

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I feel like I’ve been killing the breakfast game. And not because, I’ve been getting up hours before my kids and slaving away in the kitchen. Because, let’s be honest, I live with roosters who get up at 6 (sometimes before) every morning no matter, and I repeat, no matter what time they go to bed. And that would mean, I’d have to get up during what I consider the middle of the night. And I love them, I do, but I’m not crazy. Instead, I’ve been prepping breakfast the night before, so all I have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven and voila, warm breakfast in their bellies to start the day.

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