As I promised on Monday, a new product to show off, a new spin on my Super Star Toast, and something I am going to call  -  Fat Sandwich, Thin Bagel.  Remember my posts from  way back where I created my version of Super Star Toast I and Super Star Toast II, well today I wanted to create something similar with a whole new product.

Just this past month Dempsters has released a product called Thin Bagels.  I myself am a big fan of bagels but tend not too eat them that much due to the heaviness and extra calories.  Dempsters new line contains 100 calories per bagel and of course I was game to receive some in the mail.  Within days they sent me a bunch of coupons and 3 flavors of bagels to try.  They carry Cinnamon Raisin which I loved,  Regular which Zesty Junior devoured in 2 days, and Multi grain ( which I ate three of while testing this recipe for you).

I had a few ideas in my mind as to how I wanted to kick this bagel up and make it a fat sandwich to play on the words thin bagel.  The end result was a combination of high quality breakfast ingredients all packed into one sandwich.  Here is the lowdown.

Ingredients

• One Dempsters Thin Multi grain Bagel (toasted)
• Almond Butter
• Nutella
• Drizzle of Honey
• Banana (sliced)
• Sprinkle of Flax seed
• Dash of dry plain oatmeal
• Unsweetened coconut

Method

1. Toast the bagel, and start adding the toppings.
2. Spread both sides with a little almond butter, follow up with Nutella and sliced banana.
3. The add a drizzle of honey to act as glue for the flax, coconut and oatmeal.
4. Put the two halves together and smile with excitement
5. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Be careful putting both sides together and possibly wear a bib – it could get messy.  But oh my – this was delicious.

You need to try this.  The picture I had with the two sides put together was not great as I was in a rush and the bus was almost coming for zesty Junior.  Trust me though… I ate three of these in a row… they were that good!  I am going to be doing a giveaway soon for some free Dempsters coupons so be sure to check back.  What I really love about these bagels are how crunchy they get in the toaster.  I added a little bit of nutritional information below so be sure to check them out.

Thanks again to the Dempster folks and the folks at High View communications for letting me try this out and share them with you.  Overall it is a thumbs up from the zesty household.  Let me know what you think.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Monday to you!  Did you watch the Scotties Tournament of Hearts Curling Final last night?  It was a great game for sure and came right down to the very end.  Leading up to the game we had both Saturday and Sunday breakfasts.  On Saturday morning, I whipped up a batch of Oatmeal flax pancakes that were so goooooooooooood.  I could not wait for Sunday morning to arrive so we could eat them again.  See we didn’t finish all the batter on Saturday so I just wrapped it up and covered it in the fridge for yesterday.  DELICIOUS!

Pancakes are so simple yet very powerful.  You can do traditional white pancakes with butter and syrup, you could try a whole wheat version, you could whip up a potato pancake or you could try these.

All of the above are good but these oat flax pancakes with a hint of maple syrup will honestly make you smile… I promise.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 Cups milk or soy milk
• 1 Cup Whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• 1 Tbsp. Agave syrup
• 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp. salt
• 1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp. Plain Yogurt
• 1/3 Cup Chocolate chips ( optional )

Method

1. In a large bowl, blend together oats and milk and let stand 5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, baking powder, flax, salt and cinnamon.
3. To the oat mixture, add the yogurt, agave syrup, chocolate chips and the large bowl of dry ingredients.
4. To make pancakes, use approximately ¼ cup batter per pancake. Cook over medium-high heat on a grill or lightly-oiled frying pan.
5. Serve with maple syrup.
6. ENJOY!
   
   

Zesty Tip: While it’s still hot, spread each pancake with natural peanut butter and let it melt and get oozy. Top with sliced bananas and a drizzle of real maple syrup.

OK another week is about to start so keep your chin up (or down if you are walking so you don’t trip) and have a great day.  I am getting some products in the mail this week to give a try so I should be back Wednesday with some fun information on what the mailman delivered to Zesty.  Enjoy the pancakes if you have time to make them for supper and if not try them when you can.

Take care

zesty

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Good day to you!  Is breakfast your favorite meal of the day?  For me, I would have to say yes to that question.  Although I love eating at anytime of the day, breakfast is usually one of my favorites.  Whether it is cereal, oatmeal, bacon and eggs, fresh homemade bread and jam, or an super delicious breakfast sandwich – sign me up because I am ready to go.

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite sandwiches in the morning.  It is strictly just bacon, egg and cheese but it is the combination of flavors and textures that sends me over the moon.  Oh wait, maybe it is the grease from the bacon and the richness of the cheese, followed by the buttery flavored croissant that makes me smile.  Either or, I am pretty sure you will love this sandwich.

Before we get to far involved, let me state that the choice of bread can be endless.  Today I went with a nice fresh croissant ( bakery purchased) but often times I would go with just homemade bread, maybe a fresh biscuit or even an English muffin or bagel.  No rules on the bread front.

Ingredients

• 1 Croissant
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Slice of real cheddar
• 2 slices of ham( cooked )
• Black Pepper
• Mayo ( optional )
• 1 Tbsp. Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Water

Method

1. Preheat pan to medium high heat.
2. Crack two eggs in a bowl, add water and pepper and whisk together
3. Add the oil in the preheated pan and pour the beaten eggs in moving them around.  Waiting about 1 minute, until the underside of the egg is cooked, gently use your lifter/flipper/turner to get under the egg and fold it over like an omelet.
4. Place cheese slice on top of egg and let melt
5. Let cook another minute or so and remove the pan from the heat.
6. Assemble the sandwich: Slice open croissant, add the ham to the bottom slice, top with egg and cheese and complete the sandwich.
7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Often times if you want a crunch, I will turn on the broiler in the oven and toast both the croissant and melt the cheese at the same time in the oven.  You could also just toast the croissant by itself and add the toppings once complete.

I hope all the US folks had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Let’s not forget that today is the final day for signing up for the book giveaway.  I will be back Monday with ( if all things go as planned on the weekend) a very cool post to share with you.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Canada Thanksgiving!

Ever have a lot of leftover vegetables from the night before and you are unsure what to do with them?  Happens from time to time and I usually create a vegetable hash, veggie cakes or a vegetable puree but today I wanted to share something slightly different.  Although this concoction is similar to a hash with the addition of a very special ingredient.  Eggs.  I love eggs and definitely could eat them everyday.

This recipe is super easy and really has no boundaries.  A quick way to use leftover food from a previous meal and also an excellent way to kick start your day with energy.  Add whatever else you may have on hand in this such as bacon, sausage, parsley or peppers – you name it.  No boundary breakfast.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• Leftover smashed potatoes
• Leftover grilled carrots
• Leftover grilled corn
• 4 Eggs
• Tomatoes
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Salt
• Pepper

Method

1. Preheat saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add oil and potatoes and begin cooking through. Toss in carrots and corn and continue to saute.  Once heated through, create a couple of holes in the pan for your eggs



3. Crack two eggs in each hole you create and let cook sunny side up.



4. Cook until eggs are complete, season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with whole wheat toast and some fresh tomato slices.



6. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: A little sauce goes really well with this dish.  Sometimes I mix together ketchup, hot sauce and some barbecue sauce and serve on the side to dip into.  You can pour it on top if you really love it.

I am on the road this week to Virginia however I will be continuing to catch up on the consulting side and posting on my normal days this week.  I hope you have a great start to your week and I will touch base with you on Wednesday.

Take care

zesty

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Officially it is Friday and I am getting tired…. but I still have some gas in the tank. Today is an action packed day. As this get’s published, I am on my way to my aunts to get settled in for the biggest parade of the year. The Gold Cup and Saucer Parade! The kids will love it as they always do. After the parade we are heading back to the Zesty Aunt for a big barbecue with family and friends. Can you really beat a barbecue? I think not! After the barbecue, I guess we have to suck it up and head home and clean the house a bit. We are hosting a party here on Saturday for my zesty niece…. as she is heading off to School out of province.

I still haven’t come up with the menu for Saturday’s party but I have some time. One thing I did come up with was a delicious raspberry topped french toast that will make your cheeks pucker. And it is EASY! The sauce and the bread makes this dish!  I went with some leftover baguette.

Ingredients

• Thick sliced bread
• 2 Eggs
• 4 Tbsp. White milk
• Hint of Vanilla
• Raspberries
• 3 Tbsp. White Sugar
• Dash of Balsamic vinegar
• few sprigs of mint
• Butter for pan

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and preheat heavy frying pan ( cast iron is excellent) to medium heat
2. Slice the bread, crack and beat the eggs in a bowl, add milk and vanilla.
3. In the heated pan, add the butter.
4. Dip the bread into the egg and milk mixture and ensure it is nicely coated.
5. Place in pan and cook on both sides until golden brown.
6. In a separate pan, heat to medium and add the raspberries, balsamic and sugar.  Cook down gently until some raspberries are broken down.  Top with a few more raspberries and fresh mint after it cooks down for 6 minutes.
7. Plate the french toast and top with the sauce.
8. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: The biggest thing with french toast is keeping it hot while you prep the sauce and cook enough for everybody.  The one technique I use is to place it in a very low oven once it is complete.  Turn the oven on to 200 degrees F and let it rest in there while you prepare enough for everyone.

Alright, I have to try and get my head wrapped around that my vacation is over and it is back to the real world on Monday.  I am sure I will figure it out and I will be back with you on Monday morning as well.  Have a super weekend.

Take care

zesty

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Welcome to the day after Canada Day!! We survived and had a great time.  We went down to Charlottetown Summerfest at the waterfront, we had a family barbecue ( which I forgot to take my camera ) but the food was amazing and we stayed up for the fireworks.

I will give you a little recap on the fireworks and include a short video compliments of Jeff Docherty at Jeffdoc.com after I share with you my off the cuff front end loaded waffles that I made this morning.  Because I have the way off today, breakfast can be a little more elaborate.  Not to say this is over the moon but I must say it was pretty tasty and filling. 

For breakfast, are you all about taste or more about wondering if you can make it to lunch before dying of starvation? I think I am a little bit of both.

Ingredients

• 3 Waffles
• Raspberries
• Banana ( sliced )
• Ground Flax seed
• Maple Syrup
• Molasses
• Raspberry Yogurt
• Grapes

Method

1. Cook your waffles according to your liking.  I just used frozen waffles but feel free to make your own in your waffle maker with a simple pancake batter.
2. Top with remaining ingredients



3. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: I may hold off on the yogurt as it was a bit too heavy and it started to make them soggy.  I may opt for a dollop of whip cream or omit altogether.

2010 Charlottetown Fireworks

Again, before we begin, I cannot take any credit for this next piece as Jeff Docherty at Jeffdoc.com uploaded the video and the quality is excellent.  Thanks Jeff.

I hope you have a great friday and a wonderful weekend.  We are contemplating a trip to the zoo, a zesty junior haircut, and possibly some lawn tractor shopping.  I know can you believe it… our grass has started!!

Take care

zesty

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What is in your ultimate bowl of cereal?  For me it is always a combination of flavors and textures and very rarely does it come from one box.  Sounds odd doesn’t it?  Well to be honest I am quite weird anyway so it seems a perfect match.

How do you like your cereal – crunchy or soggy? I was always a big fan of soggy cereal when I was younger especially Raisin Bran and Shreddies.  I think I have grown to like more of the crunch now but love the addition of berries, nuts and raisins in the cereal as well.  I could eat cereal anytime of the day and often devour a bowl in the evening if I have no chips and chocolate left.

Here is the mix I put together today.

Ingredients

• Kashi Cinnamon Harvest
• Kashi Toasted Berry Crumble
• Kashi Honey Puffed
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Skim milk

Tell me your favorite cereal and or cereal combination.  Crazy as you want and as colorful as you want.  Let me know.

Have an awesome Wednesday and I will see you on Friday.  My latest release inside the G! hits shelves tomorrow and the theme is finding your summer sweet spot.  I hit the spot with some grilling.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Friday!  Sorry for the delay in posting.  I actually never had time to write last night as we were at the house until 11:00pm prepping the upstairs for the painter today.  Progress is moving along and things are starting to take shape.  We picked out some plumbing fixtures today which are in stock… whoo hooo.  We seem to be struggling on lighting fixtures but hopefully we can find something we like soon.

On to the food

Take a look at this dish… first glance you may think it is a little odd which may be true but I like to call this – the fridge leftovers plus some eggs.  I had some left over potatoes, corn and mushrooms in the fridge and I was not sure what to do with it.

As you know I really hate throwing out perfectly good food so this is what I came up with.

Ingredients

• Mushrooms
• Corn
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Large Potato ( cooked and cubed)
• 1 Tbsp. Butter
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Add butter to a saute pan and heat to medium heat
2. Add mushrooms and begin to brown ( about 3 minutes )
3. Toss in potatoes and cook for 6 minutes; stir in leftover corn and mix thoroughly.
4. Create two hallow areas in the pan to crack the eggs.
5. Cover pan and let the eggs cook for about 4 minutes.
6. Remove and plate



7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: Never waste food!  That is my tip.  Just try making crazy dishes like this one and see what you like.

Alright – I have to run to a meeting and figure out some house stuff.

To Do List

• Meet with the railing people
• Pick out some lighting… please
• Order the quarter -round molding
• Confirm cabinet arrival on Monday

Hope you have a great day!

Take care

zesty

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Hi everyone! I’m Brandi from BranAppetit! First, I just want to thank Zesty for the chance to guest post – he has some amazing recipes and I’m a bit intimidated to post mine. Since the holidays are coming up, I keep thinking of possible breakfast items to have with family. Typically, the lunches and dinners are planned down to the smallest detail, but breakfast is often left out.  I don’t know about you, but breakfast is my favorite meal of the day!

I would rather have a big and satisfying breakfast than go through the day hungry, just waiting for that 10 course dinner. My family has some traditions for breakfasts, but mostly at Christmas. My mom and her best friend, Jill, always make their own breakfast casseroles – a mix of crescent rolls, sausage, cheese, and eggs – and we have that along with fruit, coffee, and juice when we’re opening presents together.

I’m not sure what will be on the breakfast table this holiday season as our schedule is changing, but I’ve been thinking of a few things I’ve made lately that would be perfect for a family breakfast or brunch.

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

I actually found this recipe through Cooking Light and made a few changes by only using  ½ cup regular flour (the rest was whole wheat) and they turned out great! I had never made cinnamon rolls before, but this recipe really was easy to follow. I prepped them the night before so the only thing we had to do in the morning was bake them. Plus, they taste sinful and you can still feel good about eating them.

Pumpkin Stuffed French Toast

This is so tasty and so easy. It encompasses all the great flavors of fall, and it’s a great thing to make for a large crowd, too. It doesn’t take any longer than regular French toast, so as long as you have the filling ingredients, you’ll have this made in no time.

Frittata

One of the easiest things to make, really. As long as you have eggs, some veggies and some cheese, you’re set! The best thing about frittatas is that you can use leftovers to make an awesome breakfast. Roasted veggies? Toss them in. Kale and scallions? Go ahead. I think everything tastes better with eggs and cheese.
Do you have any family breakfast traditions for the holidays?

Zesty Here…

Thanks Brandi (BranAppetit) for some great breakfast food.  Everything looks very good.  I would definitely love to be sinking my teeth into that breakfast.  However I am sinking my teeth into a Holiday Inn Express Breakfast nonetheless.  I hope you have a great day.

Take care

zesty

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Welcome back from the weekend!  We had a great couple days off.  We did some family visiting, some relaxing as well as spending time preparing for the week.

The next couple weeks will be the biggest in Zesty history.  Now zestycook.com being only 6 months old – that is not that big of deal.  However this will will mark the launch of the new and improved look for zestycook as well as the much anticipated free E-Book feature recipes from myself as well as other amazing foodies.  I am very excited and looking forward to sharing with you all the hard work.

As for today’s post, I was debating what to post especially with all the sweet treats last week so I opted for a breakfast post.  I do eat breakfast everyday… but I rarely post breakfast recipes.  Even though there will be no recipe today, here’s a breakfast I prepared yesterday.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Let me know what you think of this somewhat balanced breakfast.

Granola with Yogurt & Berries

• 1/2 Cup Fibre Flax Granola
• 1/2 Cup Vanilla Yogurt
• Strawberries and Blueberries

Multi Grain Toast, Raspberry Jam and Eggs

• 2 Pieces of Toast
• 2 Eggs Soft Boiled (7 minutes)
• 1 Tbsp. Raspberry Jam

Multi grain toast with oatmeal on top (love the oatmeal).

2 Soft boiled eggs (cooked just right)

Yum!

Raspberry jam on toast with spoonful of egg… oh I really love that.

Me trying to get fancy with the camera… not sure it worked

So there you have it!  A zesty Sunday breakfast – pretty easy, pretty tasty, and (for the most part) healthy.  I hope you have a great Monday whether you are at the office, in the classroom or at home.

Take care

zesty

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