Toasty Buns=Tasty Brunch

Brioche is delicious, let's start there. I have a hard time imagining anything made from eggs and butter wouldn't be tasty, for obvious reasons. Some of the best French toasts I've ever had were made with brioche. But brioche is also hard to come by, unless you happen to live down the street from a boulangerie. So, I make my French toast with the poor-man's brioche––slider buns.

I know, you're thinking how intrepid that is and I'm blushing just thinking about all the compliments your internal monologue is surely bestowing upon me. Thank you! But speaking seriously, the only thing that goes better with tiny buns than sliders is surely french toast slathered with fresh fruit compote. Plus, slider buns are about 100 calories each, so split it half... Well, screw the math: Let's make brunch!

Brioche-style French Toast with Compote
--3 slider buns, tops and bottoms separated so you have 6 pieces of toast
--2 eggs
--1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1 tsp butter
--1 ripe pear, cored and chopped into chunks
--1 cup blackberries
--1 TBSP honey
--1 tsp maple syrup*

[*Please note, Aunt Jemima, not maple syrup. Maple syrup is delicious and comes from trees (yum, trees). If it doesn't say "Maple Syrup" on the label then it's made out of corn syrup. Corn syrup, while also delicious, is not the same as maple syrup. Okay, tirade over.]

Crack the eggs into a bowl and use a fork to whisk them into an egg wash (but not an over-beaten egg mess). Add the cinnamon to the eggs and stir one more time to spread the spice out a bit. Dredge each bun piece in the egg mix, soaking for about one minute total per bun piece.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the buns and cook until each side is golden brown.

While the toast cooks, add the pears and blackberries to a smaller skillet. Heat on medium-low heat. You do not need to add any oil to the pan as the juice from the fruits will both lubricate the pan and slowly carmelize. Add the honey and maple syrup and stir to combine. Stir the fruit regularly so that it begins to soften and is warmed throughout.

Serve the toast topped with the compote and enjoy! The compote creates a lovely syrup, don't you think?

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Calories: 378 per serving

Tempeh Time!

Tempeh. The word itself even sounds a little weird, I realize. But it actually tastes good, and that is what's important. And is full of protein. And easy to cook. And I needed tasty, protein-packed, simplicity after my workout. I was beat. This getting in shape business is hard.

Stir fry is an easy way to pack in a lot of veggies in a short amount of time. Cook times are relatively short (in fact the most time you spend is the prep time to chop all those veggies) but the payoff is big. If you're tired of chicken or pork or tofu, tempeh does provide you with a different flavor and texture and works well in stir fry. Don't be scared, tempeh won't hurt you. And especially after kicking your own ass at the gym, you need lean proteins and veggies to feed those battered and bruised muscles!

Tempeh Stir Fry
--TBSP seasame oil
--2 TBSP canola oil, divided
--2 TBSP soy sauce, divided (I use the low sodium kind)
--8 oz. package of tempeh (found in the refrigerated section with the tofu), sliced into strips
--small onion, diced
--large shallot, diced
--ginger, minced
--garlic, minced
--medium jalapeno, sliced in rounds
--medium red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into strips
--small yellow squash, sliced into strips
--small zucchini, sliced into strips
--medium carrot, peeled and sliced into strips
--small package button mushrooms, sliced
--1 bunch red chard, stems removed and cut or ripped into business card sized pieces
--1 pear, core removed and sliced into thin slices

Heat the sesame oil, 1 TBSP canola and 1 TBSP of the soy sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the tempeh strips until browned on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add remaining TBSP of canola oil to the skillet. Sauté the onion, shallot, garlic, and ginger for a few minutes until fragrant and tender. Add the jalapeno, bell pepper, squash, zucchini, and carrot pieces and sauté for several minutes, stirring regularly. When the veggies begin to soften add the mushroom pieces, again stirring regularly.

Add the remaining TBSP soy sauce and stir to combine into the veggies. Add the tempeh back into the mix and also add the chard pieces at this time. Mix it all up and sauté for a few minutes to allow the tempeh to get warmed up and the chard to begin to wilt. Remove the stir fry from the heat and stir in the pear slices. The cold, crisp pear will provide a nice flavor and texture contrast to the warm, tender veggies!

Serve! This is not a meal that re-heats well so adjust ingredient quantities as needed to avoid leftovers.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 35 minutes (most of it prep time)
Serves: 4 bowls
Calories: 300 per bowl

Pita Pear Pizzas

If we're lucky, we'll still have some delicious pears for a few more weeks. Pears, like grapes, do best in wine country climates like the Pacific Northwest (or the Western Slope in Colorado), where the combination of hot-cold and wet-dry work together to create supple sweet luscious fruits. Beyond being eaten plain--like an apple--pears work well in hearty salads, warmed as a compote, or baked and softened as a side or dessert.

Or, in our case, on a pita bread pizza! When my friend Cha-Cha and I get together it usually means business. But as two busy girls on the go, we were both exhausted from our respective workdays and wanted something healthy and filling to mow down on as we sunk into the couch to become zombies in the warm glow of the television. Cue the pizza idea--and one that works well with kids or adults alike because of the versatility. When making a mini-pizza you can make it anything you want. I of course, had to make ours a little fancy...just like us.

Pear Pita Pizzas
--2 round whole wheat pitas
--2 TBSP tomato paste
--1/4 cup grated cheese (mozzarella or a pizza/Italian blend)
--2 pieces of bacon
--sliced mushrooms
--1 pear, sliced or chopped into chunks
--fresh spinach leaves
--crushed red pepper
--2 TBSP feta crumbles
--balsamic vinegar
--olive oil
--black pepper

Place the pitas on a cookie sheet. Use a spoon to coat the top of each pita with the tomato paste. Feel free to season with oregano, pepper, or whatever your heart desires. Sprinkle with some of the grated cheese, but leave enough to put a little more on top.

Chop the bacon into smaller bits and fry over medium heat (I use scissors to easily chop mine) to desired crispy-ness. Drain on paper towels and place on the pizza.

Add the sliced mushrooms and pear pieces, evenly distributing the ingredients both around the pizza and between the two pizzas. Top with some spinach, the remainder of the cheese, the feta crumbles, and a few healthy dashes of crushed red pepper flakes. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (just a little as it goes a long way) and a few cranks of fresh black pepper.

Heat in the oven at 300 degrees for 10 minutes or until shredded cheese is melted and pizza and ingredients are warm throughout.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 pizzas
Calories: 477 per pizza