breakfast » Living Lou

Baked Lentils on Toast

May is Love Your Lentils Month and because of that I was planning on posting this recipe for Baked Lentils on Toast a few weeks ago, but then May just happened. In a good way. It’s like you blink and suddenly there are leaves on the trees and flowers blooming everywhere. It’s not quite summer yet, but finally that cold spring breeze is gone and you can almost feel summer. I love May.

My mom is from England, and while I don’t think I’ve ever seen her eat baked beans on toast, or enjoy tea and crumpets on a daily basis, we do love the Royal Family. The last time I was in England, a couple of years ago, I remember out hotel would serve baked beans on toast with every breakfast. I thought it was such an odd combination, but I obviously became obsessed. When I saw Lentils Canada was hosting a recipe contest for Love Your Lentils Month I knew I would participate, the question was what to make. I don’t cook with lentils too often, and when I do it’s always Lentil Soup but one day I had a brain wave. What about a take on baked beans on toast, using lentils instead? And voila, an hour or so later I had my first version of Baked Lentils on Toast. Which was much too onion-y. I finally got it right though, and this recipe is a great alternative to a classic.

Baked Lentils on Toast (serves 4-6)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

6 rashers/slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
2 cups dried green lentils
4 cups water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

In an oven safe large pot, cook bacon and yellow onion over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add garlic, cook for another minute.

Remove bacon, onion and garlic from pot and set aside.

Add lentils and water to pot. Bring to a boil, partly cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in bacon, onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, maple syrup, molasses, Dijon and salt. Cover with lid.

Cook for 20-25 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Once finished, stir in lemon juice and serve.

This recipe for Baked Lentils on Toast will be sure to impress even your most British of house guests.

- Lou

Breakfast for Barre Workouts: Cranberry Mango Granola

I find that breakfast is one of the hardest meals of the day. It’s the way to get your day started off on the right foot but it is so easy to make the wrong choices. I often end up just wanting bacon and eggs which is not the healthiest choice. If you’re starting your morning with a workout, a healthy, fast breakfast becomes even more important. This Cranberry Mango Granola makes that healthy breakfast so easy. Create a Yogurt Parfait with protein packed Greek yogurt and top with your favourite fruit and you’ve got a nutritious, energy loaded breakfast. Does it get any better, friends?

I’ve tried really hard to be a “gym person”; running on the treadmill, trying classes, the whole nine yards, but it just wasn’t me. After years spent as a competitive figure skater, I missed the challenge, coordination and artistry that came with skating. I began taking ballet classes as my exercise regime. Ballet is an amazing way to express yourself plus it strengthens, lengthens and tones muscles. Here’s the thing about ballet classes, you often won’t get the cardio workout your body needs. That’s where my new favourite, and the go-to workout for many women comes in – Ballet Barre based workouts. It’s a workout that links classical dance training, strength training and pilates.

Last week, I tried an amazing Cardio Barre class at Barre Beautiful - a new barre workout boutique at Yonge and Eglinton in mid-town Toronto. Holy, was this class amazing – I am completely addicted. My class was taught by the amazing Marvin Vergara, who was so knowledgeable and encouraging – I highly recommend taking any of his classes. The Barre Beautiful workout is an intense 35 or 55 minute workout that challenges stability, balance and muscular endurance while promoting good posture.

Can I just say that this was the best workout I’ve done in ages? I thought my ballet classes were hard, but this took it to a whole new, amazing level. I can’t wait to go back. Plus the studio is absolutely gorgeous – talk about a healthy workout environment. They offer a ton of classes a day, so you’ll definitely be able to to fit it into your busy schedule. And for those of you out there with kids – complementary child minding services? Yes please!

I love to eat my Cranberry Mango Granola for breakfast before a barre workout, or just to start off the day on the right foot.

Cranberry Mango Granola
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

3 cups whole toasted oats (toast in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.)
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconuted
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup flax meal or flax seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of chopped dried mango
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup almond butter
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine toasted oats, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, chia seeds, flax, dried cranberries, dried mango and cinnamon.

In in small pot, bring apple juice, apple sauce, almond butter, honey, vegetable oil and vanilla extract to a boil.

Remove from heat and mix into the dry ingredients.

Press granola out onto a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then turn down heat to 200 and bake for another two hours.

Remove from oven and crumble. Store in an airtight container.

If you’re looking for more Breakfast for Barre Workouts inspiration check out:

Mini Breakfast Quiche
Homemade Granola
Living Lou’s Omelet
Pumpkin Spiced Granola

And my “Breakfast Ideas” Pinterest Board:

What’s your favourite healthy breakfast? Give this Cranberry Mango Granola a try.

- Lou

Disclaimer: I was invited to try a complementary class at Barre Beautiful. The choice to post about my experience and opinions is completely my own.

Diner Style Pancakes

I always have a problem when going for brunch – pancakes or eggs? When I was a kid, going for brunch always meant a huge stack of pancakes, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve started ordering eggs more often than pancakes.

Last year, I was out for brunch with one of my good friends at a favourite 50s style diner, and she ordered pancakes. I obviously, had to try a bite (or two) and was instantly reminded how much I loved their fluffy, sweet nature. I knew right away that I had to recreate Diner Style Pancakes at home and share them with all of you. There is something so comforting about an old favourite. I can remember going for brunch at my cottage with my Dad and ordering pancakes, dousing them with maple syrup and eating only half of one before I announced I was too full.

It’s crazy the way a simple meal can turn your day around. These Diner Style Pancakes are the perfect pick-me-up when I’m having a moment of self doubt, or one of those days when I think that maybe, just maybe I’ve taken on too much (still learning how to say no…). This little face helps on those days too.

Diner Style Pancakes (serves 4-6)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp white sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp butter, melted
butter or oil for frying

Directions

Sift together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients.

Next, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and mix in wet ingredient mixture.

Heat butter or oil in a pan over medium heat. Add batter (about 1/4 cup) and cook until bubbles begin to form and break, then flip the pancakes and cook the other side until brown (turning only once ). Repeat with remaining batter.

I served my Diner Style Pancakes with loads of maple syrup and some fruit on the side.

- Lou

Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread

I have mentioned my goals for 2013 before, and one of those is to use my bread machine more often. It makes baking bread so easy. Over the past couple of years I’ve seen recipes all over the internet for monkey bread and pull apart bread, filled with all types of seasonings; cinnamon and sugar, Parmesan and garlic, the list goes on and on. I first made this Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread last year and have continued to make it pretty consistently since then, but like a lot of favourite recipes, I never thought to share it on here. The dough for Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread is made in the bread machine, but it is rolled out by hand and baked in the oven. I’m sure it could also be made by hand, or with a stand mixer and a dough hook, but I’ve never tried myself.

Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulate sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp instant coffee or espresso
3/4 cup chocolate chips

For Glaze

6 tbsp melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

In the bowl of a bread machine, layer ingredients as per directions. For my bread machine, liquids go first followed by dry ingredients. Set on dough setting.

Meanwhile, melt butter and combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Once dough is done. Roll out into a rectangle, roughly 15″ by 12″. Add the chocolate chips on top of the dough and and fold it over as if you were folding a shirt or a sweater.

Next, knead it a few times. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. Roll out again into a rectangle and using a pairing knife, cut into pieces.

Grease a bundt pan or a small cake pan with a neutral oil or butter.

Next, roll the pieces of dough into balls. Dip the balls in melted butter and roll in brown sugar and cinnamon. Pack into pan. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

If you have a little time this week, this bread is a huge crowd pleaser!

- Lou

Pumpkin Spiced Granola

I’ve had this Pumpkin Spiced Granola up my sleeve for a while, but I wasn’t quite sure what to write about it. It hit me yesterday; I finally figured out exactly why I love this granola. Apart from being utterly delicious, the real reason why I love it is because I can eat it in my car.

Yesterday I tweeted* that I eat more meals in my car than anywhere else. I’m here to tell you that that is a fact. I tend to eat my lunch on the way to class from my internship or from class heading to my internship. However today, I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner in my car – while driving. And this granola was part of all of those meals. It’s an easy thing to munch on while driving, every time I stop at a red light, I can grab a handful of granola. Plus it packs a nutritious punch – lots of nuts and seeds in there for that protein which is pretty important when constantly on the go. While this granola isn’t enough for lunch itself, it’s a good start. I like to pack a bunch of things in my lunchbox – I’ll show you all soon!

*Can’t believe I just said “tweeted”. All my friends know I can’t stand the word “tweet”. No.

Pumpkin Spiced Granola
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

3 cups toasted oats (toast for 15 minutes at 375 degrees)
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions

Preheat oven to 250.

In a large bowl, combine toasted oats, almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and cranberries.

In a small saucepan, bring pumpkin puree, vanilla, canola oil, maple syrup, honey and spices to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir into dry ingredients. Stir in toasted oats.

Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray and press the granola mixture into pan.

Bake for 30 minutes at 250, then turn the heat down to 200 and cook for another 2 hours.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before breaking up and storing in an airtight container.

Please tell me I’m not the only one who eats meals in the car? If you’re like me, definitely pack this Pumpkin Spiced Granola along for the drive.

- Lou