Mother's Day Brunch & Desserts

Give your Mom five star treatment from the moment she wakes up! Doesn’t she deserve it after all the support, unconditional love, and hard work she has given over the years? Start off with a delightful breakfast. A fruit salad, gourmet iced coffee or a raspberry-orange sunrise, and a muffin or a slice of a quick bread. Try to remember your mom’s favorite foods and serve them for an early dinner. Don’t forget dessert! Try one of these pie recipes below to wow your mom with the final touch of the day. She will be impressed by your thoughtfulness and effort – a sure win!

Sources & Recipes: 

1. Gourmet Iced Coffee 

2. Raspberry-Orange Sunrises

3. Fruit Salad

4. Monkey Bread

5. Lemon Blueberry Bread

6. Blueberry Power Muffins with Almond Streusel

7. Cranberry Orange Quickbread

8. Golden Raisin Oat Bran Muffins

9. Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

10. Mile High Toasted Coconut Cream Pie

11. Apricot Raspberry Pie

Spicing Up Life with Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a good source of manganese, iron, fiber and calcium. Just 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon daily lowers blood sugar, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides, which is especially beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on the blood, which means that it can help improve circulation. It can even act as a preservative when added to food by inhibiting food spoilage. 

Studies have shown that if you consume a half teaspoon of cinnamon powder mixed with 1 tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast it can significantly relieve arthritis pain... so much so that after a month of following this simple regiment, one can walk without pain. Studies have also shown that smelling cinnamon can boost both cognitive function and memory.  

To get your daily dose of cinnamon, try sprinkling it on oatmeal, applesauce, yogurt, sweet potatoes, and grilled fruit. Here are some cinnamon inspired recipes to try: 

Recipes:

1. Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apples 

2. Cinnamon Crisp-Topped Cream Cheese-Banana-Nut Bread 

3. Banana-Cinnamon Waffles 

4. Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies 

5. Fresh Fruit Salad with Nutmeg-Cinnamon Syrup 

6. Cinnamon-Date-Pecan Rolls 

7. Cinnamon Apple Raisin Bread Pudding 

8. Pumpkin-Cinnamon Streusel Buns 

9. Cinnamon-Apple Cake

Power Fruits - Part 2

The BLUEBERRY

Studies have shown that the antioxidants in blueberries make it a potent protector against heart, brain and age-related maladies. Blueberries are one of the most potent antidotes to oxidative stress, a process that ages you. Blueberries also help your brain produce dopamine, a chemical that enhances memory, coordination, and feelings of well-being.

Recipes: 

Blueberry Tart 

Blueberry Muffins 

Blueberry-Buttermilk Pancakes 

Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping 

The CHERRY 

Cherries are a top source of perillyl alcohol, which kills cancer cells but spares healthy cells. Cherries are also believed to reduce inflammation. Tart cherries (particularly Montmorency) contain significant amounts of melatonin, a hormone that helps normalize your sleep cycles. Melatonin also scavenges free radicals (molecules that attack healthy cells), and having low levels of this hormone has been linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Recipes:
Oregon-Chocolate Cherry Cookies 
Fresh Cherry Tart 
Tiny Cherry and Almond Tea Cakes 
Cranberry-Cherry Crumble

The STRAWBERRY ! (my favorite) 

Strawberries have many nutrients, such as: vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids. They also have added benefits of fighting cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis -- and they keep you in optimum health for decades to come. 

Recipes: 

Strawberry Cream Cake 

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries 

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Strawberries

Christmas Breakfast

Christmas morning and the day after Christmas are two days when my family enjoys a relaxing breakfast with the whole family. My aunt, cousin and grandma usually stay over for Christmas weekend and I always look forward to breakfast. On our breakfast table we have: eggs, bacon, toast, an assortment of fruit, cranberry bread, an apple coffee cake with a high amount of cinnamon (my father has an extreme addiction to cinnamon), and some leftover Christmas cookies. Below are some great recipes to accompany your breakfast meal. 

1. Classic Banana Bread 

2. Quick Sticky Buns 

3. Cinnamon-Apple Cake

4. Brunch Parfaits

5. Banana Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nuts and Coconut

6. Morning Glory Muffins

7. Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

8. Cranberry-Sweet Potato Quick Bread 

9. Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls