Food 6 years ago

Glowing Sunday Brunch

Hey Everyone! It’s Tieghan from Half Baked Harvest here. I’m back today sharing a very spring inspired brunch that Chriselle and I recently had while I was in LA.

If there’s one thing I really love, it’s brunch. A delicious avocado toast, something sweet, plenty of fresh fruit, and a good cocktail… of course. Now that spring is here, I think we can all agree that eating healthy and eating for beauty, is what we all want. Therefore, I created a few “glowing” brunch recipes that not only taste delicious but are healthy enough to leave our skin radiant. Promise, it’s not too good to be true.

Let me break it down for you…

Shop the Glasses | Shop the Pitcher

To kick off our brunch, I started with a Ginger Pineapple Carrot Spritz, because everyone knows all good brunches start with a cocktail. Unlike most sugary cocktails out there, this one is totally healthy, loaded with vitamin-rich carrots, infused with ginger, and topped off with bubbly (and gut healthy) kombucha. Simply add tequila or vodka for more of a boozy drink. Also, this is a pitcher-style drink, which means you add all ingredients to a pitcher, chill, and simply serve when guests arrive. Perfect for entertaining.

Ginger Pineapple Carrot Spritz

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

2 cups fresh carrot juice
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup tequila or vodka (optional)
1-inch fresh ginger, sliced
1 bottle ginger kombucha
edible flowers and carrots, for garnish (optional)

1. In a large pitcher, combine the carrot juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, tequila, and ginger. Chill 2 hours or overnight.
2. Just before serving, add the kombucha. Serve over ice and garnish each drink as desired.

Shop the Bowls

Our second item on the menu is one of the prettiest, a Glowing Strawberry Smoothie Bowl! I love a good smoothie, but I love a smoothie bowl even more. Smoothie bowls are great because you can add as many fun toppings as you wish. My personal favorite toppings are granola, fresh berries, a sprinkle of seeds, edible flowers, and a small drizzle of honey.

Pro tip: If you’re going for the prettiest, most Instagram worthy smoothie bowl, add edible flowers. They are your best friend when it comes to making your food look Insta worthy. Trust me.

Glowing Strawberry Smoothie Bowls

Prep Time 10 minutes
Serves: 4

4 cups frozen strawberries
2 bananas
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons maca powder
2 cups almond milk, or nut milk of choice, plus more as needed

Toppings:
Gr8nola
fresh strawberries
chia seeds or hemp seeds
nut butters
edible flowers

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding in more milk if needed to thin. Divide the smoothie among bowls and top as desired.

Shop the Flatware

For our third recipe, I went with something savory, not to mention a total crowd pleaser, Jammy Egg Avocado Toast with Spring Herbs and Hemp. For me, no brunch is complete without avocado toast, it really is the best. Plus my avocado toast is just a bit more special than rest (wink, wink). I like to make my toast using plenty of lemon, flaky sea salt, fresh spring herbs, soft-boiled eggs, and a sprinkle of omega-3 rich hemp seeds.

Avocado Toast Bonus: Avocados are full of fatty acids and antioxidants that help to moisturize and soften skin cells, prevent wrinkles, and slow down the visible signs of aging. Cool. Cool.

Jammy Egg Avocado Toast with Spring Herbs and Hemp

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

8 large eggs
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly torn
2 tablespoons chopped chives
zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 slices whole grain bread, toasted
1-2 avocados, lightly mashed
flakey salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons raw hemp seeds
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
fresh chive blossoms, for serving

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a gentle boil. Carefully lower eggs into the water and cook 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water and let sit 2 minutes, then drain. Peel eggs and tear into large pieces.
2. In a small bowl, combine the green onions, basil, dill, chives, lemon zest and half of the lemon juice.
3. Spread the avocado on toast and drizzle with lemon juice. Add the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Top with greens and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

And lastly, something a little sweet to finish out our brunch, my Almond Honey Cake with Strawberries. This cake is light as can be, gluten-free, and topped with fresh ricotta cheese, strawberries, and a drizzle of raw honey for a touch of sweetness. It’s delicious, and it doubles as a really pretty centerpiece for your brunch table!

Almond Honey Cake with Strawberries

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 1 (8 inch) cake

4 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Toppings
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
honey, for drizzling
edible flowers, for decorating

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round springform pan. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.
2. Separate the egg whites and yolks. Add the egg whites to a clean mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment beat on high speed until you have soft white peaks. With the mixer running, slowly add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, almond flour, baking powder, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Stir a small scoop of the egg whites into the batter to lighten the batter, then fold in the remaining whites with a spatula. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before topping.
5. To serve, invert the cake onto a cake stand and spread the ricotta over the cake. Top with strawberries and honey.

The best part about this brunch menu is that it’s quick and easy to prepare. There’s no need for stress when hosting with this menu, it’s perfect for laid-back spring and summer entertaining. Hope you all enjoy these spring-inspired recipes! Until next time, 

xo Half Baked Harvest

Credits:

Photography by Karla Ticas

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