Double Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles

These fluffy & protein-packed Double Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles are a tasty & filling way to start your day...

This dairy packed recipe was created in partnership with the ADA Mideast. As always, all thoughts & opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

Back to school is just around the corner, & I am sure that most of you all are in full-on prep for the new school year. I know that we are. 

We have been picking up school supplies at the store, doing a little clothes shopping, & making sure all the paperwork is in order for my daughter to start second grade. We have been checking off our back to school to-do list & then checking it twice. 

But did you know that one of the single most important things that we, as parents, can do to make sure our kiddos are ready for school each morning is to ensure that they are eating a healthy, filling breakfast? And one of the best (& easiest!) ways to do that is to make sure to include dairy in their daily breakfast.

In fact, dairy foods happen to be one of the most budget friendly ways to add more protein to your kiddo's breakfast. And more protein means your child will stay feeling fuller longer, which in turn improves their concentration during class. 

Just one serving of milk, yogurt, or cheese includes 8 grams of high quality protein & 9 essential nutrients.

One of my daughter's favorite breakfast foods happens to waffles. This girl would eat waffles every single morning if she could. 

So, I decided to take her most requested breakfast dish & give it a dairy & protein boost by using Greek yogurt instead of oil in the waffle batter. The results? Perfectly fluffy waffles bursting with fresh blueberry flavor! (And also a very happy & full second grader... )

12 Fun & Healthy On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas

These 12 Fun & Healthy On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas are perfect for back to school & busy mornings...

I think by now we are all waist deep into all things back to school- am I right? ;) My kiddos have both been in school for over 2 weeks now, so we are finally starting to find our groove each weekday morning. 

Most mornings everyone gets up & dressed with lunches packed and backpacks ready to roll and with enough time to spare to sit down and enjoy a bowl of cereal before heading out the door for school. But then there are those mornings... I know that you all have to know what I am talking about here.

The mornings when the oldest hits the snooze button one too many times or "accidentally" turns his alarm off and now he is running behind.

The mornings when the youngest has a total meltdown because I wouldn't let her to go to school in her mismatched (and often outgrown) outfit that she picked out all by herself. I mean, I can deal with mismatched every now & again as long as it is at least the right size clothing, okay? ;)

Or how about the mornings when your high school senior forgets that he has an assignment for AP English due that day, and he is frantically doing it at the kitchen table 10 minutes before he has to leave for school? Or when mom (oops!) forgets that she is supposed to provide snacks for the youngest's Pre-K class that day?

Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles

You all won't believe how incredibly easy it is to whip up these Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

One of my longtime favorite flavor combinations has always been peanut butter with banana. I love adding them both into smoothies or enjoying them together over toast for a quick snack. But I am here to tell you all that Jif has managed to take my peanut butter/banana obsession to a whole other level of peanut butter happy with their new Jif Cinnamon Peanut Butter. :) You heard me right, folks. Cinnamon + peanut butter + bananas= my new #peanutbutterhappy.

You all won't believe how incredibly easy it is to whip up these Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles using my new favorite Jif flavored spread...

Easy Bacon & Egg Cups

These Easy Bacon & Egg Cups are perfectly poppable & portable making them great for a weekend brunch spread or for a quick & hearty breakfast on the go...

Okay, so I totally teased you all with this recipe on my Instagram last Wednesday, and for that I do sincerely apologize, folks. It wasn't entirely fair to make you all wait five days on the how-to for these Easy Bacon & Egg Cups, but us bloggers do have this little thing called an editorial calendar that sometimes gets in the way of allowing us to share new recipes with you all sooner. 

But don't fret! The long wait is finally over, my friends. ;) And as I promised my followers on Instagram last week, this easy breakfast recipe was definitely worth the wait. 

You literally need only THREE ingredients to make these Easy Bacon & Egg Cups! (Well five, if you count the salt & pepper and fresh parsley.) These little cups of breakfast goodness are perfectly poppable and portable, making them great for a weekend brunch spread or for a quick & hearty breakfast on the go... :)

Orange Creamsicle Danish Muffins

These easy to make, 4 ingredient Orange Creamsicle Danish Muffins can be on your breakfast table in less than 30 minutes...

So, I told you all last week when I posted my recipe for an easy to make Cara Cara Orange & Vanilla Bean Curd that I would also be sharing a recipe or two with you all using this creamy, dreamy yumminess. I wasn't lying, folks. In fact, I went right to work on these irresistible & moist Orange Creamsicle Danish Muffins! :) 

They are a take on one of my more popular recipes on the blog- my Cherry Cream Cheese Danish Muffins, but I simply switched out the cherry preserves for my orange & vanilla bean curd. The results? Quick & easy 4 ingredient muffins that taste just like an orange creamsicle! 

These muffins pair perfectly with a cup of your favorite tea or a light roast coffee, and they would make a delicious addition to your spring breakfast or brunch table. From start to finish, these muffins only take around 30 minutes to make, so need to save these just for the weekend! They are totally weekday morning friendly too... 

Apple Pie Cream Cheese Waffle Pockets

These quick and easy to make Apple Pie Cream Cheese Waffle Pockets are stuffed with cream cheese & your favorite apple pie filling...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Pillsbury. 

 The opinions and text are all mine.

Who else is excited that turkey day is almost here?? I have to say I really look forward to Thanksgiving each and every year- especially since I started hosting our family's Thanksgiving dinner almost 4 years ago. 

Now, it isn't a huge production. 

Usually I am only hosting about 8 total for the big dinner, but this year our Thanksgiving dinner table is going to be even more intimate. It will just be my husband and I and the two kiddos since my parents and my sister and her husband are heading to my sister's in-laws for the day. 

At first, I was a little bummed. I mean, I really love hosting this big dinner each November. But then the thought of a smaller dinner with just the husband and the kids grew on me. 

Less pressure (who cares if the house isn't 100% spotless?), more flexible (dinner doesn't have to be ready right at 1:00), and it even leaves a little more time to enjoy a little tradition I started last Thanksgiving with my daughter- making an easy yet special breakfast together for everyone to enjoy while watching the Thanksgiving parade on television.

Last year, my daughter and I made these Turkey Shaped Cinnamon Rolls. Except I cheated a little and used our favorite refrigerated Pillsbury Sweet Rolls® instead of the cinnamon roll dough from scratch. 

With a turkey in the oven and four side dishes waiting to made, there was no way I was making homemade cinnamon rolls that morning too! ;) 

Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Your favorite summer and fall flavors meld perfectly in this creamy & healthy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl...

Did anyone else get hit by that sinus cold/infection thing that has been going around lately? I was down with it for most of last week, and I am so not good at being sick. Or doing that resting thing, but this crud kicked my booty. I found myself napping or lying down whenever I could and heading to bed early almost every night for at least five nights last week. 

And when this mama is down for the count, cooking meals at home comes to an abrupt and grinding halt. My husband doesn't really cook often, so I found myself texting him to pick up pizza or fast food before he came home from work last week more times than I would like to admit to you all. 

Add in the fact that I was in no shape to head to the gym at all for the duration of that yuckiness, and I was feeling pretty sluggish and unhealthy by the time this thing finally ran its course near the beginning of this week. I have eased back into my gym routine, but I am craving healthy foods after all the greasy fast food I consumed last week. 

Wanting to get back to some healthier eating, I decided to finally take the leap and made my first ever smoothie bowl. If you are not familiar with a smoothie bowl, you whip it up in a blender the same as you would a smoothie. But a smoothie bowl is thicker making it perfectly spoonable- like a healthy, cold "soup" that is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Since I am craving fall flavors, but still clinging a little to summer I decided to meld one of my favorite summer flavors (coconut) with one of my favorite fall flavors (pumpkin) in this creamy Pumpkin Spice Coconut Smoothie Bowl... :)

Cherry Cream Cheese Danish Muffins

These 4 ingredient Cherry Cream Cheese Danish Muffins are the perfectly holiday festive weekend breakfast & come together in less than 25 minutes...

We all know the holidays will be here quicker than we are ready for them.  Am I right? ;)  I mean, I am still over here trying to wrap my head around the fact that November is done and over with and we are now officially 4 days into the last month of 2013.  

Yes, folks.  

In just 21 days, Christmas will be here.  

Whoa...