Time for BRINNER (that’s breakfast for dinner).

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Kelly Diamond

Maybe it’s the background on my phone that keeps flashing an amazing diner breakfast, my obsession for maple syrup, or the eggs sitting in my fridge — but let me tell you, I have a craving. And that craving is BREAKFAST FOOD. Might be an issue seeing as how “breakfast” is a good 15 or so hours away, right? Wrong. All wrong.

The solution?
BRINNER.
Yes. Breakfast + dinner.
Combined.
You like that?
You should.

Of course, this craving brings me to Google (the internet’s best friend). The first thing I find is that the geniuses behind theKitchn call breakfast for dinner “brinner” as well. GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE! Because they’re so great, they kick off my brinner must-try list:

BREAKFAST PIZZA by theKitchn

GREEN BEAN, HAM AND CHEESE FRITTATA by Martha Stewart

PEANUT BUTTER BACONWICH by Delish.com

Of course, all of these will be topped by some dark amber pure Vermont maple syrup. AS IF THERE IS ANY OTHER KIND OF SYRUP? Obviously not.

What is your favorite meal of the day?
Social Grocery // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest

A Nutella obsession.

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

I won’t lie. I have an obsession with Nutella — and I’m okay with that. Eat it on cookies, on toast, on sandwiches, on fruit, out of the jar .. it’s pretty much one of the greatest substances ever. For some reason I’m craving it much more today than usual. Therefore, I figured it was best to share my hazelnut love and post a few delicious Nutella recipes. That’s right. You’ll be RUNNING to the kitchen after reading these.

CHOCOLATE NUTELLA COOKIES

{4 INGREDIENTS} NUTELLA BROWNIES

NO-BAKE NUTELLA CHEESECAKE PIE

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SPREAD (HOMEMADE NUTELLA)

How do you eat your Nutella?
Social Grocery // Facebook // Twitter

Picking at Bones With Lots of Bones To Pick–National Food Stamp Challenge

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Nichole Magoon

November is one of my favorite months–mostly, for the delicious meal I engorge myself with on the 24th (and for a few days after that!). But, I also enjoy it because it reminds us to be truly thankful for some of the things we”re very privileged to have in our lives.

Recently I found out about a food challenge in Vermont sponsored by Hunger Free Vermont called the 3SquaresVT challenge (named after the state”s food stamp program). It simply asked people to change their eating and shopping habits for one week to live on the state”s average food stamp allowance: $38.

As a single twentysomething, this wouldn”t be too far of a stretch for me. Resort back to the college ramen and PB & J diet, cut out a beer allowance, and I could survive. But honestly, not for long–I couldn”t do it for weeks and weeks. And if you added kids into that mix? It was a scary thought.

I scoured the internet for more information and found a similar challenge on a national level called the SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge created by FRAC, the Food Research and Action Center.

It challenges others to live on the national food stamp budget of $1 a meal, or $3 a person a day. $21? I was dreading $38! If you want a fun and interesting read, FRAC took it one step further and asked members of congress to participate in the challenge. Click here to read their responses and how cutting their budget to $21 severely impacted their meals and food challenges.

When a budget is so restrictive, every factor that one might usually use in the store (nutrition, health, environmentally friendly) goes out the window–Just the price tag. Fresh fruits and produce are out of the question. Forget organic or diet specific foods, or even whole grain or whole wheat. It”s a whole lot of white breads, pasta, and rice. Is living on $21/week possible? Sure. But more importantly, can you receive all the nutrients you need and still eat healthy on $21/week? That, well, I”m just not sure.

Personally, I”d be picking at bones to savor the last little pieces of food–and now I have quite a few bones to pick with the food stamp system.

Could you do it? Could you feed yourself (and/or your family) on $21/person/week? Let us know, we want to hear your thoughts on this one.

Facebook || Twitter || or comment below

A Very Foodie Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Happy Halloween!

What did you go as this year? While there is always room for a vampire, ghost, witch, Freddy or princess, it”s fun to get spontaneous! Paula Deen asked her fans to post their Halloween costumes — many of which were extremely creative! However, our favorites were obviously the brand and food-related creations. Here are a few we liked the best:

Mrs. Butterworths came to the party and brought breakfast with her!

Does that Crest toothpaste come with tartar control?

I love me a good grape, but I have a feeling those aren”t entirely edible ..

LOVE this group s”more costume! You can”t have a good s”more without some Hershey”s chocolate. Not to mention, the addition of fire is hilarious and epic all at the same time!

This homemade sushi roll costume looks store-bought. The Kikkoman Soy Sauce packet hat is awesome!

And last but not least, the Southern Belle herself as her favorite ingredient! We love you, Paula!

You can find the rest of the costume photos on Paula”s Facebook page.

Have you ever had a food or brand-related Halloween costume? If so, what? If not, what would you be if you had the choice?

+ Social Grocery
+ Social Grocery on Facebook
+ Social Grocery on Twitter

Cereal: A bowl full of history.

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Not sure what it is about cereal. There are so many different kinds, so many different flavors. Spice it up with fruit, eat it plain. Even eat it without milk! Cereal is a big deal — I mean, it even has its own aisle at the grocery store (that”s when you know you”ve hit the big time). For a food that”s such a staple in the breakfast routines of many healthy eaters, I”ve realized that I don”t know much about it. Do you?

I decided to do some research. Did you know that the creation of Corn Flakes was actually an accident? In 1894, Will Keith Kellogg (get it, Kellogg”s?), while researching new healthy diets for patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan, experimented with boiling wheat and made a great discovery. While his original intention was to come up with a bread substitute, he realized that after boiling, the wheat berries rolled out into individual flakes. He tried baking them and the result was a crunchy, tasty cereal (then called “Granose”) that was a hit with the patients. It was after this success that Kellogg attempted the process with corn — leading to the start of the classic cereal we love, Corn Flakes. Other favorites came later, like Kellogg”s All-Bran in 1916 and Kellogg”s Rice Krispies in 1928.

Cereal has come a long way since then, with so many different flavors, shapes and treats (granola, nuts, marshmallows, dried fruit, etc.) in each one, you could go months without eating the same cereal twice. What”s your favorite type of cereal? A great way to check out trending cereals is by browsing on Social Grocery. Here are the top 4 most popular cereals on the site as of today:

Do you agree? Cheerios, another classic, takes the cake as the most popular cereal among Social Grocery users. Not only does Cheerios have heart-healthy benefits, there”s just something about it that makes you feel like a kid again. Not to mention, it”s delicious with fruit — I personally love it with some sliced banana!

Are you a cereal person? What”s your breakfast of choice?

+ Social Grocery
+ Social Grocery on Facebook
+ Social Grocery on Twitter

Feeling less than energetic?

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

Are you familiar with this scene? I would be lying if I said I didn”t feel like this practically everyday. I”ve never been the best sleeper — but it”s the worst when you actually do get a full night”s sleep and you still feel like a dead weight. All. Day. And as much as I love my coffee, I can”t drink it all day, every day. I mean, as delicious as an all-coffee diet sounds, that whole “UNHEALTHY” neon sign is blinking in my brain. Nice thought, though.

The problem is that while we may get enough sleep at night (or not), we still have to take care of ourselves during the day. This means eating right and not skipping meals. I”m not sure about you, but it”s unlikely that I ever take the time to actually eat breakfast each day — more than likely I”m running out the door or I”m just too exhausted (see above) to even move, let alone make a meal.

To get your body started off on the right track, start your day off with a quick breakfast — like a whole-grain cereal with milk or a low fat yogurt with fresh fruit. Eating as you start off the day helps boost your metabolism (common sense, right?), so try not to skip it, if possible. Apples or grapes are a great on-the-go breakfast if you don”t have time to sit down and enjoy. In addition, if you can go without it, try to switch out your AM coffee for green tea, instead. If you can”t imagine giving up the java altogether (I”m not strong enough, either) maybe switch out your second and third cups for green tea, instead.

If you start to feel tired before lunchtime, have a snack! It is recommended that we snack between meals — this doesn”t mean having 5 meals a day, but keeping your body fueled and energized. Great between-meal snacks are things like almonds, fresh fruit, salsa and chips, cottage cheese and whole-grain crackers, celery with peanut butter, etc. Also, don”t forget to stay hydrated! Water is your best friend. Literally.

By eating a great breakfast and fueling up between mealtimes, our body should get that extra boost it needs — without the need for excessive energy (such as coffee, energy drinks). This way, your body can energize itself naturally without the caffeine crash, which means a happier you and less headache. Sign me up!

What”s your favorite energizing breakfast? Share with us:

+ SocialGrocery.com
+ Social Grocery on Facebook
+ Social Grocery on Twitter

4 not-so-traditional apple recipes

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Kelly Diamond

It”s October – have you gone apple picking yet?

This post is for all of us who have a bag full of apples sitting in the kitchen waiting to be used. I mean, you can only have so much apple pie before it starts to get boring, am I right?

Don”t get me wrong, I love a traditional home-cooked meal. Who doesn”t? But sometimes we have to step out of the box. This fall season is the perfect time for a little apple craziness! “An apple a day” just got a whole new meaning.

BACON-APPLE-JALAPENO POP ”EMS

This recipe from ErinCooks.com (originally from the Food Network”s Aarti Sequeira) are essentially jalapeno halves, filled with an apple-scallion cream cheese mixture and wrapped with bacon. Really, what”s not to love? These are perfect appetizers for entertaining, football games, or even just as a snack. A great spin off the original jalapeno popper!

BEER BATTERED APPLE RINGS

Onion rings are so last year. Fried apple is where it”s at. Battered in beer. Topped with powdered sugar and caramel sauce for a last kick. This recipe from Foodiddy.com uses granny smith apples, but I wonder how different the taste would be with other varieties. Or even switch from a pale ale beer to a hard cider or fruit ale? The possibilities are endless!

APPLE-BASIL MOJITOS

Tired of the same old hard cider and appletini trends? Go for something fun — like these apple-basil mojitos, for instance. Plus, these can be enjoyed in both non-alcoholic and rum-spiked forms. A real crowd-pleaser! Thank you CheekyKitchen.com for this great treat (also, those polka dot glasses are adorable).

SAUSAGE APPLE OVERNIGHT BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Kiss plain breakfast casseroles goodbye. This bake, loaded with egg, sausage, bread, apples and cheese is delicious served piping hot and drizzled with your favorite maple syrup (Vermont Grade A Dark Amber, anyone?). RealMomKitchen.com knows how to keep this girl happy — sweet, savory and tart all in one for my favorite meal of the day. Definitely a winner!

Have an appetite for more? Visit the U.S. Apple Association”s recipe section for some great dishes.

What”s your favorite apple recipe? Share with us!

+ SocialGrocery.com
+ Social Grocery on Facebook
+ Social Grocery on Twitter

Fridge Notes

Tag Archives: breakfast