Sausage & Squash Breakfast Skillet

You know, the genesis for the entire #FoodForLife cookbook project started with breakfast.

Friend Ericka posted a picture to Facebook. Giant, swirling cinnamon bun on one plate, browned up bison burger on the second, a caption that read: "Their breakfast vs. my breakfast. I have had to cut out eggs (and nuts). They were causing a lot of inflammation in my gut and all over. Since cutting them out just this week I have noticed a huge difference in how I feel. I'm still trying to figure out breakfast since eggs were life 😫. For now it's, no dairy, no eggs, no legumes, no nightshades, no nuts, no sugar, no gluten, no grains..."

And you know me. I love me the pure food diet conjuring.

Took one read of that caption and sent Ericka an email, begging to get in on her bison-puck breakfast. 

Except, actually. Not quite that. 

I actually messaged her and made her promise to let me join her in her Elimination Eating (so I could actually start fitting back into my jeans after too many lazy days of beer and pasta eating), so long as I could create all new, gorgeous-pants recipes that she'd actually want to eat.

Aka: no more big, brown bison burgers for breakfast. That's just sad.

You know the rest of the story. One week later, we were in my kitchen, churning out an entire cookbook of real food, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, stupid-free recipes. 

And this deliciously simple little skillet is one of them. 

Zucchini. Chicken sausage. Basil and flake salt and nothing but pure, simple beauty for your bellygut.

Toss the waffles, sweet ones. This simple paleo-friendly, keto-lovin' skillet will fill your soul. And keep you from aching craving all morning long. 

But, who cares about the benefits? Because, at the end of the day, this skillet is so good, you'll just want to eat it for the yum.

Sausage & Squash Skillet

Learn more about this recipe on Instagram @cheekykitchen

Makes 2 skillets | 15 minutes

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 summer squash, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 6 links nitrate-free grassfed chicken or turkey sausage
• Fresh chopped basil for garnish (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, melt coconut oil over medium-high heat. Toss in garlic, cooking until aromatics, about 30-60 seconds. Add squash, zucchini and sausage, cook until sizzling. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Try These Twists:

• Add Bacon
• Try Ground Beef

5-Ingredient Protein Breakfast Chocolate

I love healthy food. But I don't always love eating healthy. Mostly, I crave chocolate and Trader Joe's Scandinavian Swimmers. But that is a secret I don't divulge online. 

So this morning, in a fit of breakfast rage, I realized I didn't want to eat an egg or banana or smoothie. I wanted to eat chocolate.

So I made breakfast chocolate. In the blender. It's high protein, just a smidge of sugar. And it's freaking delicious. But don't take my word for it. Make chocolate. Eat breakfast. You deserve.

5-Ingredient High Protein Breakfast Chocolate

Read more behind-the-scenes story of this recipe on Instagram @cheekykitchen

4 servings | 10 minutes

• 3/4 cup creamy maple almond butter (vanilla or chocolate works, as well)
• 1 scoop plant-based chocolate protein powder
• 2 Tbsp raw cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
• stevia (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. (If mixture isn't soft enough to form a thick, doughy ball, add melted coconut oil 1 tsp at a time until the right consistency). Form into a 1" high rectangle. Refrigerate or freeze until firm. Slice into 8 squares. Enjoy with coffee. 

FLAVOR BOOSTERS: This simple recipes benefits from all sorts of easy add-ins. Try one of these:

• Mocha Chocolate. Add 1 Tbsp coffee grounds
• Vanilla. Add 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
• Double Chocolate. Fold in 2 Tbsp mini Enjoy Life! chocolate chips
• Plant-based Protein. Add 1-2 Tbsp hemp hearts to the blender.
• Crunchy Coco. Add 2 Tbsp cacao nibs to the blender.
• Sea Salt & Chocolate. Add a generous pinch of Maldon salt flakes to the blender.

SILVER DOLLAR PUMPKIN BACON WAFFLES (PALEO! GLUTEN-FREE!)

I’m all sorts of cowing out today. Because, these waffles.

But also, because the secret behind the waffles. You guys. I feel like I’ve stumbled onto a pirate ship full of treasure. Here’s why:

THIS PAN

I’ve been totally freaking over waffles lately. They’re all I want to eat. Like, all the time.

I want waffles for breakfast and waffles for dinner. I want waffles for dessert and waffles at midnight, when I should be sleeping instead of thinking about waffles.

This is a hard obsession to obsess about, when you’ve gone and given up gluten, beans, flours, and other stuffs that tend to make good waffles. Paleo breakfast foods typically use a magical combination of fibrous bananas and eggs to make crepes and pancakes. But put that batter into a waffle pan and you’ve just got a bubbly mess.

At least, that’s what happened until I discovered two paleo-fabulous finds at Harmons this week. (Mantra break: Forgive me Father, for I am just now coming to appreciate my local Harmons for the gourmet grocery goodness that it harbors inside).

So, this pan. This NordicWare Silver Dollar Waffle Griddle now makes waffles simple, easy, and in totally perfect sizes. When I say I want a waffle, I don’t really want a whole, goddamned waffle. I just want three bites. Three bites of nom, three bites of syrup. And in proper cases, three bites of bacon.

Most waffle irons are too big to give me what I want. They’re just behemoths in the world of breakfast food. And thus I’ve left my waffle iron withered and lonely in the back pantry for sometime now.

But this pan officially changes everything. It heats evenly, makes teeny waffles, and stored itself simply with my other pans. (Mantra break: Oh, Silver Dollar Waffle Griddle, j’adore.)

 

THIS FLOUR

Now, let’s talk about Thing #2. This flour.

GUYSSS! THIS. FLOUR!!

When I saw it on the Harmon’s shelves, I plum near freaked. A flour made–not from rice, not from tapioca, not from those bizarre little fake-grain-blends. Nein. A flour made from green bananas.

WeDo Gluten-Free Banana Flour. Oh myyyy gawwwwllly.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?!!!

It means no more running to the store to make paleo pancakes because you ran out of bananas.

It means no more gagging myself through nasty sweet goodies made with overripe bananas.

It means…OMG! BANANA FLOUR.

If you’re a gluten-free eater. You’ve gotta get this stuff. The texture is fine and the flavor is super-super mild with the teensiest touch of sweetness. It’s everything we’ve been missing as we try to bake goods with mealy, heavy almond flour and unsticky coconut flour. Now, a happy mixture of these three superfood sources–banana flour, almond flour, coconut flour, and  we’ll never have to look at nappy brown rice flour again.

This stuff is the shiz. Get it. Mix it into these waffles. Make your life so happy it hurts.

Like, happy bacon hurts.

That’s a thing, right? It is nowwww. Meow.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE WAFFLES:
1/2 cup Banana Flour
1/3 cup almond flour
2 eggs
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup almond milk + 1/2 tbsp vinegar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

FOR THE SYRUP:
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1/2 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE WAFFLES:
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Spoon batter into a greased Silver Dollar Waffle pan heated to medium-low heat
3. Once the bottom is golden brown, flip and cook the second side. (Use a wooden fork to flip)
4. Cook second side until golden. Serve with syrup. 

FOR the SYRUP:
1. Mix butter and maple syrup ingredients together.
2. Microwave on high until boiling.
3. Remove, toss in bacon and blueberries.
4. Spoon atop cooked waffles. Enjoy!

HONEY-DRIZZLED BACON PORT BREAKFAST SANDWICH

I made something wonderful. With Nature Nates raw honey. 

The brand asked me to create a March recipe, so we pulled together crisp little toasts (go gluten-free or almond-flour toast, if you’re paleo) and melted creamy port up top, then added strips of bacon, a speckling of thyme, and a happy drizzle of honey. It was divine. You must make these delightful little open-faced breakfast toasts.

It will leave you wondering what all the hoopla over pancakes is about. Because Port and Bacon breakfast sandwiches are pure bliss. 

GET THE RECIPE HERE. 

Then, share your own Nature Nate’s honey creations on social media using @naturenates and the hashtag#HoneyMakesItBetter

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3-INGREDIENT PALEO CREPES

When you decide to go grain-free and gluten-free, there are a few fine pleasures you sorely miss. Toast is one. And crepes are another. You can guess pancakes and french toast are a close second. But, we’ll get to those on another day.

For today, I’ve GOT to share our superquick Paleo Crepe recipe, because I’ve told so many hundreds of people how simple they are, then left the conversation sure that they’ll never even give them a go, because I didn’t give them a recipe.

So here it is. The world’s simplest recipe for the world’s most delicious Paleo Crepes. Egg, Banana, Coconut Milk. That’s it. Those three snappy-fast, whole-food ingredients are all you need to make a piping hot homemade breakfast. If you’re concerned about the banana in the mix mussing up the tender, crepe-like flavor, don’t worry. Stick to slightly green bananas and you wont even notice anything but golden crepe goodness.

FAVORITE HEALTHY CREPE TOPPINGS

Once you’ve prepped your crepes, stuff ’em with any of your favorite add ins. Here are a few of our all-time favorite crepe combos:

• Sliced Bananas & Maple Syrup
• Strawberries, Sour Cream & Maple Syrup
• Raspberries, Lemon Curd & Cream
• Blueberries, Almond Butter & Honey
• Scrambled Eggs & Salsa
• Pesto, Tomatoes & Pine Nuts
• Sauteed Mushrooms and Crisp Onions
• Melted Dark Chocolate & Orange Slices
• Hummus & Tzaziki
• Ricotta, Honey, Oranges & Fresh Mint
• Garlic Sauteed Spinach & Parmesan 

With your whistle whet, it’s time to get you this recipe! All you need are three basic ingredients and one blender. That’s it! No whisking. No mixing. Just blend, cook, and serve. You’re grain-free crepe life just got gooood!

3-INGREDIENT PALEO CREPES

Serves 2

Quick and simple, these 3-Ingredient Paleo Crepes cook up into perfect, lacy pancakes. Serve with your favorite fillings--berries, cream, Nutella, and beyond!

Prep Time 5 min

Cook Time 10 min 

Ingredients

1. 1 banana
2. 1 egg
3. 3-4 tablespoons coconut or almond milk
4. *coconut oil for cooking

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender. Batter should be thin. Pour into a nonstick ceramic skillet with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or butter heated until melted over medium heat.
2. Use a spoon, if needed, to spread the batter very thin in the pan. Once the bottom browns, flip with tongs or a spatula, and cook the other side until golden brown. Top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

2-INGREDIENT PALEO PANCAKES

Whether you’re a paleo eater, a gluten-free eater, or just looking for a quick way to shake up your breakfast routine, this yummy recipe is a keeper. 

I first learned about 2-ingredient Paleo Pancakes a year or so ago, when I go serious about focusing on paleo-friendly food for my family. A long time baker and cupcake lover, I wasn’t sure I could live without those baked morning basics–French Toast, Pancakes, and Waffles. So happening upon a supremely simple recipe like this one here was a lifemaker. 

There are a lot of paleo pancake recipes out there. People have gotten all sorts of excited about the basic combo of bananas and eggs. But I like to stick to the basics. Why add 7 other ingredients when two simple ones make splendidly simple, totally delicious pancakes? Yeah. I agree. Two ingredients is brilliant enough. We don’t need to go bollocks it up with a bunch of other add-ins.

If you do want to play, however, this recipe is great with a sprinkle of cinnamon. A teaspoon of vanilla. Or a splash of fresh lemon juice. Boost the protein in your pancakes by adding 1/2 cup of almond flour and 1/4 cup of almond milk. Or, just keep it plain like we do. Dirty one bowl and one dish, and enjoy a plate of healthy, gluten-free pancakes in 5 minutes flat.

Keep in mind, the ripeness of your bananas will alter the taste of these pancakes. I prefer to use a banana with green tips. It keeps the flavor only mildly tinted with banana, and still has enough start to keep the texture of the pancakes pretty durn perfect. A ripe banana or green banana also work. Ripe bananas will give you a sweeter pancake, and green bananas may take just a  bit more blending to get the batter properly pureed.

No matter what color your banana, you seriously can not go wrong with these yummy pancakes. Whip ’em up and enjoy. They’re gluten-free, guilt-free, and deeelish.

2-INGREDIENT PALEO PANCAKES

Two healthy ingredients are all you need to make these splendid gluten-free pancakes. Topped with a smidgen of honeyed blueberries or pure maple syrup (and lots of butter), this recipe is a great way to start the day without grains!

Ingredients

1. 1 banana
2. 1 egg

Instructions

1. Place banana and egg in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a nonstick ceramic skillet heated to medium-high. Flip once the edges of the pancake have set. Enjoy!