Egg-Free, Paleo-ish Breakfasts

Here’s the deal: I can’t eat eggs. It’s something I’ve struggled with all my life, but I’ve never been tested by an allergist. I don’t think I need to, though – stomach cramps, flushed cheeks, and whole body inflammation are pretty self-explanatory reactions, if you ask me. 

Here’s the problem: I love eggs. Sometimes, I ignore my instincts and deal with the discomfort in order to have the smoked salmon + goat cheese omelet at my favorite cafe. Other times, I grudgingly abstain and go in search of lean, protein-packed breakfast alternatives. I’ve tried varying my egg-white-to-yolk ratio, diluting them in a quiche, leaving them raw, cooking them stiff… to no avail. Not much can temper my body’s distaste. 

And not much can replace the incredible edible egg – or so I thought, until I did some highly motivated, frustration-induced search + discovery, the results of which I’m sharing with you. I’ve compiled a brainstorm list of some excellent ways to start the day, egg-free. Try them, and let me know what you think! And if you have any more suggestions, I’d love for you to leave them in the comments. 

 

Egg-free breakfast ideas:

• leftover chicken apple sausage + chopped apple, sauteed, topped with cinnamon-maple yogurt (see picture above).
• smoked salmon with goat cheese and cucumber slices.
• cauliflower porridge (just like oatmeal!): steam and mash with cinnamon, coconut oil, nuts and seeds.
• baked yam topped with cinnamon-maple butter.
• cottage cheese, ricotta, or greek yogurt with fruit and nuts.
• bacon-wrapped avocado wedges: I’ve also done this with prosciutto for dinner. Divine. 
• kale smoothies.
• chia pudding.
• lentils with yogurt + mango.
• sushi/sashimi!
• antipasto plate with dried fruit, nuts, hard cheeses, cured meats.
• homemade energy bars or frozen fruit cream cake.
• ground turkey, browned and mixed with tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella cheese.

 
So as you can see, my breakfasts have taken a bit of a savory turn, but I am delighted with how my body feels after halting the eggs completely and still upping the ante on morning protein. As I play around with ingredients, the ideas just keep coming. I’m so excited about the endless possibilities! 

 Feel free to leave your own tips and tricks below.

Banana Yogurt Pancakes

Banana pancakes aren’t anything new or innovative. I imagine them to be in the same camp as your go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe or the stir fry you make once a week. They are a classic and accepted addition to any breakfast menu. But, like with any template-type recipe, there are numerous ways to spice them up.

These pancakes use whole grain spelt flour, an old favorite of mine. I like it because it’s much more easily adaptable to recipes that use all-purpose or whole wheat flour (as opposed to other alternative flours), and it’s lower in gluten than regular wheat. My belly is happy to receive it. I also think it has a sweeter side than whole wheat; it isn’t as grainy and heavy, rather much lighter and more accommodating to assertive flavors. Any kind of fruit works well with spelt. 

I added some yogurt to the batter as well, in place of milk and other liquid ingredients. It makes them especially puffy and filling, and kind of gives you the feeling that you’ve shoved a complete breakfast into a pancake. Which is great, if you make these on a lazy Sunday morning as I did.

 

BANANA YOGURT PANCAKES :: Serves 4-5

3 ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 T. maple syrup (if you like the batter sweeter, feel free to add more)
1/2 cup whole milk yogurt (or more, if the batter is too thick)
2 cups whole spelt flour
1/4 cup milled golden flaxseed
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
butter for the griddle
sliced bananas, almonds, and cinnamon, for garnish

- In a blender, puree bananas, eggs, maple syrup and yogurt.

- In a large bowl, combine flour, flax, baking soda and salt.

- Preheat a large griddle or pan over medium flame. Rub with butter.

- Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold together, just until combined. Don’t overwork the batter, as spelt is delicate.

- Cook pancakes by 1/4 cup on preheated griddle, flipping when bubbles form on the surface and the edges are lightly golden. Cook for about 2 minutes on the other side.

- Top with sliced bananas, almonds, cinnamon and more maple syrup.

: :  H A P P Y   S U N D A Y  : :

Butternut Squash, Sage & Goat Cheese Omelet

On Sunday, I had some butternut squash leftover from a batch of muffins the week before, so I thought I'd toss it into my breakfast before it went bad. Butternut squash, like pumpkin, is one of my favorite Fall vegetables. I find it especially irresistible when paired with nutmeg and sage– it takes on both a sweet and savory, rich and smooth flavor that is comforting in the best way. Pureed, it is wonderful in breads, pancakes, soups, ravioli and muffins. Cubed and roasted, it can be tossed into pasta, any seasonal stir-fry, and omelets! 

I happened to have some fresh goat cheese on hand, as well as a new jar of ground sage, so those were the flavors of my Sunday morning egg feast. Omelets are pretty easy to make, and you don't really need a recipe, but I've included one below so you can see what proportions I used. I left the eggs whole and cooked them just until the whites were set, because I like my yolks a little runny.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SAGE & GOAT CHEESE OMELET :: SERVES 1

1/4 cup pureed butternut squash, or 1/2 cup cubed squash
1/4 tsp. ground sage
freshly ground black pepper
a bit of ground nutmeg
2 eggs
goat cheese, to taste

- In a small skillet, cook butternut squash, sage, black pepper and nutmeg until tender. If using pureed squash, cook just until hot and the spices are fragrant.

- Crack eggs into a bowl, then gently pour into the skillet over the squash, being careful not to break the yolks. Sprinkle with more black pepper and top with chunks of goat cheese.

- Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until egg whites are almost set. Remove cover and broil on high for a few minutes, until top is cooked and cheese is starting to brown. Loosen omelet with a spatula, then slide onto a plate and enjoy! 

Cinnamon Pear Pancakes with Spiced Honey

Earthy, bold flavors are what come to mind when I think of Autumn. Toasty hazelnuts, spices, pumpkin, beets, and fennel are a few favorites, not to mention fruits like figs, persimmons and apples. I was home last weekend to find my mom’s tree overflowing with pears, so I gathered as many as I could carry to bring with me back to the city. I let them sit in the fruit basket for the week to ripen some more, and come Saturday morning they were ready to be devoured.

 

Instead of maple syrup, I topped the cakes with a spiced honey that was so good I could barely contain myself. I actually don’t think you should make these pancakes unless you’re going to serve them with the spiced honey! The gluten and grain-free batter uses almond flour, which adds a heartiness and buttery flavor that satisfy much more than the refined flour and sugar-filled breakfast of stomach-pains past. 

 

CINNAMON PEAR PANCAKES WITH SPICED HONEY :: Makes about 10

Be sure to use pears that are not overripe, otherwise they’ll turn to mush when you try and grate them. If you have some super soft pears that you’re just dying to use, puree them in a blender with the eggs before mixing with dry ingredients. You may need to add less water or milk to the final batter. 

2 cups almond flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 ripe but firm pears, cored and grated
3 eggs
water or milk to thin the batter, as needed
1/2 cup honey
1/8 tsp. each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
1 Tbsp. butter or coconut oil
more butter or coconut oil, for the pan

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs and add grated pears (about 2 cups). 

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and stir until moistened. Add water by 1/4 cup until desired consistency is reached– not too thin, but not too sticky.

Heat a griddle or nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add a tablespoon of butter or coconut oil. Scoop batter by 1/4 cup onto the griddle, and gently shape with the back of the spoon to help them spread. 

Cook for 3-4 minutes each side– you want to wait for bubbles to form before flipping them. They burn easily, so keep the heat lower than you think you need to, and be patient with them.

Meanwhile, combine honey, spices, and butter or coconut oil in a small saucepan over very low heat. Stirring occasionally, warm until honey is smooth and resembles the consistency of maple syrup. Keep warm until ready to serve.

When pancakes are finished cooking, pile onto a plate and drizzle with warm spiced honey. Accompaniments: broiled pears and a slice of bacon.

This month, I'm baking for power

In this month's column, I introduce you to my world of baking without flour and sugar. What?! Blasphemy, you might be thinking. This is tricky terrain, no doubt about it. Don't think that I haven't had my fair share of bitter chocolate cupcakes and unsalvageable cookies by trying to make them more virtuous than they are by nature. This has surely been the case! 

However, I've slowly learned my way around the flour-free kitchen and I have some tricks to share. My reason for bending the baking rules? I love a good breakfast treat. Who doesn't? But when the usual suspects are laden with refined grains and tons of sugar, they don't help us out nutritionally – and that also means mentally, physically and spiritually, if you ask me.

TRICK #1: ALMOND FLOUR.

Elana's Pantry is my go-to resource for all things almond flour, closely followed by Caitlin of Roost. Both of these ladies make do wonderfully on a grain-free diet, and every single recipe is an inspiration. I've learned to really love the texture and flavor almond flour brings to baked goods and pancakes, but I've found in my own kitchen that it works best when used in combination with other flours. Therefore....

TRICK #2: MILLED FLAXSEED.

Flaxseed meal! Who would've thought? I first discovered the magic of flax in these pancakes, where the little pulverized nutritional powerhouses turned into fluffy, cakey goodness on a hot griddle. My guess is that because ground flax absorbs so much liquid and reacts especially well with beaten eggs, there's almost no need for flour at all. Make sure to buy milled flaxseed, rather than just ground flaxseed – the finer consistency will give you more of a flour-like texture. I bought a small coffee grinder just for this purpose, and it makes the perfect flax for baking.

TRICK #3: DATES INSTEAD OF SUGAR.

Don't get me wrong – I love sugar. I just hate what it does to my body and mind. The solution? Dates! Dates are incredible. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, fiber, and a carmely, toasty sweetness that reminds me of brown sugar and molasses. The best way to use them is soaked in warm water, pitted, chopped, and blended in with the liquid ingredients. You could also eat them with a smear of peanut butter. Delish!

These three tricks are what helped me create the following recipe for DATE & ORANGE POWER MUFFINS. You can forget ginormous cafe muffins and sugary pastries that leave you hungry an hour later, because just one of these muffins has a crazy amount of protein, healthy fat, fiber, vitamins, and deliciousness that will keep you satisfied in every sense of the word. Please make these, and don't forget to head on over to the column for more fun tidbits!

DATE & ORANGE POWER MUFFINS :: MAKES 10

1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
6 dates, pitted and chopped
3 eggs
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil or butter
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)
1 Tbsp chia seeds

• Preheat oven to 350’ and line 10-12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, mix almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda and sea salt.
• In a blender, mix dates, eggs, oil and orange juice on medium speed until smooth.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Fold in sunflower, pumpkin and chia seeds.
• Divide batter among muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Serve, or let cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.