Pinning for Penrose: Eat-in Kitchen

In our house we have an eat-in kitchen area in front of our big kitchen window.  I go back and forth with what I want to put there.  We have bar space at the island for people to eat, and when we re-do our kitchen counters within the next year (granite and backsplash) we will be adding 2-3 more bar seats on the wall between the kitchen & living room, where we currently just have wood moulding.  I am not crazy about the idea of just getting a table and chairs and calling it a day in there.  I would rather have some comfy seating, more of an informal area, where friends or family could sit and chat while we prepare a big meal.  So, I've been looking at some Keeping Room inspiration on Pinterest....

reading nook // built-in bench // club chairs // lounge area

Don't these just make you want to grab a cup of coffee or holiday beverage and some snacks to relax a little while?  I'm loving this so much more than a plain ol' table & chairs.

This is not one of the most important items on my list of ideas, but eventually I plan to create something like this.  I will have to keep my eyes open for good deals and see what I come across!

 

Plates of Penrose: Brown Sugar Ham French Toast Roll-Ups

These were so good!  Inspired by the French toast roll-ups that I saw swimming around Facebook, I changed it around a little.

Brown Sugar Ham French Toast Roll-ups

We never buy bread in our house. Unless I know we are doing something where we are packing sandwiches (like a day on the lake) or specifically need bread for a recipe, we don't buy it. We never end up eating it or making it more than a couple slices through the loaf, and old, moldy bread grosses me out.

Therefore, in a pinch I decided to use some delicious Pilsbury crescent rolls for the bread (I even had Honey Butter flavor so I chose that!).  I smooshed together the seams and made 4 rectangles, then baked them as directed for about 8 minutes.

I cubed a ham steak and simmered on the stove with some brown sugar for flavor.

While still warm (and easier to roll) I took the "bread", put some ham on it near the edge, and carefully rolled them up.  Then, I rolled them in a raw egg & cinnamon mixture before putting them in a pan on the stove to toast.

Simple, easy, and ready in about 12-15 minutes.  If you are a lover of breakfast for dinner like we are, this is a great weeknight meal! (or anytime meal. They were good!)

You could also modify by stuffing some breakfast sausage or fruit into the middle, but we had a ham steak left-over from another meal so decided to use it!

Plates of Penrose: Quick, Easy & Filling Breakfasts

I'm someone who definitely needs to eat breakfast in the mornings, but typically never sit down to eat it. It has to be something "on the go" or something I bring to work and eat at my desk while checking morning emails.

About a month ago my cousin, who is a Beachbody coach, sent me a sample of chocolate Shakeology.  I have been wanting to try it for a while, but haven't made the splurge.  Which in reality, it comes out to about $4/shake which isn't that bad but the $129 lump purchase made me want to try a free sample first to make sure (1) it actually tasted good and (2) was as magical as it claims to be.

Well, I was really impressed with Shakeology.  My usual breakfast (granola bar, greek yogurt, or bag of cookies) would only sustain me until around 11 when I wanted a snack to hold me over until my 1pm lunch.  I mixed the chocolate Shakeology sample with my iced coffee and it was pretty darn good. I wish that I had my blender at the apartment so that I could've made a smoothie but that is packed away so I made due.  What I was most impressed with is that I drank it on my way to work and did not get hungry at all --like, did not even think about food--until lunchtime.

Another great breakfast option that I came across recently is Refrigerator Granola--perfect because it is made in advance and is a good grab & go solution for busy weekday mornings while I'm more focused on packing Ryleigh's lunch for the day.  #workingmom #needmorehoursintheday

The Yummy Life blog

There are so many great flavors that she gives recipes for:  Mocha, Cherry Chocolate Chunk, Peach Raspberry, and one that I think will be a favorite this fall--Pumpkin Pie.  

I'm a chocolate lover and if I get to incorporate some dark chocolate into a healthy breakfast, it will give me my fix for the day so that I don't find myself with candy for a mid-morning snack.  #sweettooth4life #moderation

If you try any of these, or have other ideas to share, I'd love to hear them!