Brunching + “mom’s” Coffee Cake

How was everyone’s weekends?? Sadly it’s Monday, but the good news is that it’s almost over and it makes me happy looking at beautiful food pics from the weekend!

Saturday, surprisingly, I had nothing to do. I was so excited! Unfortunately I guess I thrive on a tight schedule and ended up feeling like I wasted a day, but it was still a nice day.

Especially because it started with this

I decided to get my butt to Hot Yoga on Saturday morning, but opted for the not-quite-so-early 9:00AM class (as opposed to the 7:15). This gave me time to get up, eat, and digest.

Oats:

• 1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup milk
• pinch salt
• 1/2 banana
• Topped with:
• 1/3 of Natures Valley PB granola bar, crumbled
• fresh strawberries
• coconut
• regular PB
• White Chocolate Wonderful PB

I can’t get enough of that “cleaned” feeling you get after sweating the week out in a hot room. I was happy I decided to eat breakfast first too, because I was still hungry when I returned home!

Quick pita with hummus, spinach, and hot sauce to take the edge off.

And this guy for something sweet with my cappuccino

Then is was time to bake!

Sunday, my friend had some people over for a relaxing brunch. She was taking care of the main courses, so I thought a quick bread or muffin would be great to snack on before we sit down to eat!

I immediately thought of “my mom’s” sour cream coffee cake! It’s DELICIOUS! It’s always a crowd pleaser and requested at many family gatherings. So when I asked for the recipe, I was slightly surprised (but I guess not really) that she directed me to Miss Betty Crocker!

Totally one of those situations where like your Grandmother’s “famous” cookies are just the recipe on the back of the box of whatever…

Either way, I was happy it was online, although there are KEY changes to the recipe that make is My MOM’s!

Mom’s Changes:

• Use the whole container (16oz) of Sour Cream instead of just the 1.5 cups called for
• No glaze
• ADD Chocolate chips in the filling/topping! BEST PART EVER!

Of course I took it one step further and made it “healthier”, and I’m just going to call it exactly what it is:

Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake
(adapted from Betty Crocker)

Coffee Cake:

• 1.5 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
• 1.5 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
• 1.5 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6T butter, softened
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup apple sauce
• 2 cups Non-fat plain Greek Yogurt (such as Chobani)

Filling:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts**
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips**

*I didn't measure out my chocolate chips or walnuts, but just sprinkled them on each layer so I had a nice distribution (see photos), feel free to increase nuts and chocolate as needed :)

Heat Oven to 350. I greased 1 large loaf pan and 1 mini loaf pan, or you can use a bunt pan like mom.

In a small bowl mix filling ingredients together, set aside. I was making a mini-loaf, nut free, for my friend to I just mixed the cinnamon and brown sugar and added the chocolate chips and nuts separately later.

In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in apple sauce, beat on low. Add in flour mixture alternately with Greek Yogurt, beating on low speed until combined.

Add half of the batter to your pan, then sprinkle with half the filling. Repeat.

Bake for 50min-1 hr. The mini loaf took 30-35min.

Cool for 10 min before removing from pan, then cool another 10 minutes.

At this point you’ll be so overcome by the smell that you’ll have to decide to “present” the coffee cake to guests in slices so that you can cut into it RIGHT away :)

Brunch was fabulous as you can see…

Is that not the most gorgeous fruit and cheese platter ever!??

Mmmmm Cheese

And pastries! Danish Pastry House of course!

Have you ever had a kumquat!? I never had!! You just pop the whole thing in your mouth, peel and all! Its an orange the size of a cherry tomato and bursts in your mouth the same way! SO GOOD!

The main course was…

Spinach, feta frittata!

Roasted potatoes, onions, carrots, and chicken sausage. So simple yet SO good!!

And French Toast Strata (with cream cheese)… holy mother of brunch! SO freaking good!!!

Needless to say I was full :)

p.s. my shoulders are still so sore from yoga! Must get back into it!!

What’s your favorite dish to bring/make for Brunch??