Spring Brunch Recipes: Welcome the Season

by Maria Noël Groves, RH (AHG), Registered Clinical Herbalist & Co-op Wellness Educator

Whether you’re celebrating Easter, throwing a Welcome Spring party, or just planning a cozy Sunday morning brunch for your family, breakfast food holds a special place in the months of April and May. Maybe it’s because brunch basics like eggs, maple syrup, and pork traditionally come into season this time of year. Or perhaps it’s how early blooms, spring greens, and perfect eggs symbolize the start of the green season and new life. Either way, I urge you to lay out some bright tablecloths pick up some flowers, and enjoy a delicious breakfast with your loved ones this month! Here are a few of our favorites...

Simple Crepes, Three Ways
This recipe makes about 10 medium-size crepes. For a crowd, set up a buffet of crepe toppings.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbls sugar or maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbls butter, melted

Combine ingredients. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium. Once hot, use a cold stick of butter to treat the pan, then ladle some of the batter. Tilt the pan around to help spread the batter to the edge of the pan. Let brown on one side, flip, and brown on the other, remove.

• The French Canadian: Serve with brown sugar (or maple syrup) and butter.
• The Parisian: Serve with steamed asparagus, ham, melted brie, and a pinch of fresh or dry dill weed
• Dessert for Breakfast: Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the batter. Serve with a sauce of raspberries simmered with sugar and a dollop of creamy ricotta sweetened with a bit of maple syrup.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
This recipe makes pancakes more virtuous and delicious. Makes about 8 medium-sized pancakes.

• 1 egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 Tbls melted butter or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup stoneground whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 peeled, grated apple
• 1 Tbls dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves and nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients until smooth. Cook in skillet until golden on both sides. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

• Variation - Bananas Foster Pancakes: Skip the apples and cloves. Slice a very ripe banana into thin rounds. When you pour each pancake, place three banana slices on the top. 

Breakfast Skillet Eggs with Home Fries
This recipe serves two and can be multiplied for more. Be sure that your pan size allows the potatoes to be in a single layer with some space in between, otherwise they won’t brown well. Cutting potatoes small, using cast iron, and adding a lid ensures the potatoes bake on the stove top. For a crowd, bake the potatoes and onions in the oven and serve with scrambled eggs on top.

• 1 Tbls or more extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped into about 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 ounce cheddar cheese, cubed (optional)
• 2 to 3 large eggs (local, free range, pastured)
• Needles from 4 sprigs rosemary (or 1 tsp dry)
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• Two handfuls of fresh arugula or other tender green
• Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste

Heat medium cast iron skillet over medium heat while chopping potatoes. Add oil, toss the potatoes in the pan, cover. Chop onions. Toss potatoes; when they’re a little golden, add onions to the pan, keep covered. Add more oil if necessary. Prep eggs and cheese. Whisk them together with salt and pepper. Add rosemary and crushed red pepper to skillet. Keep tossing the potatoes and onions, add some salt and pepper to them. When they’re cooked and golden, push them to the side of the pan and pour the eggs/cheese in the middle. Scramble everything together until the eggs are cooked. Serve on a bed of greens. 

Maple Cardamom Bacon
For just a few people, make this on the stove top in a skillet with a lid. If you have a crowd, bake it in the oven.

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 Tbls real maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
• Pinch black pepper (optional)

Lay out bacon slices in a single layer in a covered skillet on medium/low heat or in a lined, rimmed baking sheet in the oven at 400°F. Cook until partway done. Flip, sprinkle with cardamom and pour maple syrup, continue cooking until crisp. Remove from pan immediately, sprinkle with pepper, and serve.

Blog Inspiration
Need more ideas?  Here are some of my fave food blogs...

• Smitten Kitchen - breakfast recipes - spring recipes
• Sprouted Kitchen - breakfast recipes
• 101 Cookbooks - breakfast recipes - spring recipes

For recipes and more, visit www.WintergreenBotanicals.com.