Damn Delicious: 100 Super Easy, Super Fast Recipes - Rhee Chung-Ah (2016)

1. PUT THE FAST INTO BREAKFAST

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? But chances are there are plenty of mornings when you barely have time to get a pot of coffee going. That’s where these recipes come in, making it easy to get a good-for-you meal done even when you’re on the go.

STRAWBERRY AND CREAM SMOOTHIE BOWL

The best part about a smoothie in a bowl is how customizable it is. Add toppings like fresh berries, almonds, and your cereal of choice—I like my childhood fave Cap’n Crunch, but Fruity Pebbles or Cheerios are also good additions. Finish the bowl off with a yogurt drizzle to add a little bit of pizazz to your breakfast. It’s like a delicious AM dessert, but nutritious!

SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES

1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole strawberries (see Note)

1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, plus more for topping

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats

¼ cup nuts, cereal, berries, or other fruit, for topping, optional

1. In a blender, combine strawberries, Greek yogurt, milk, and oats and puree until smooth.

2. Top with additional berries, fruit, nuts, or cereal, if desired.

3. Serve immediately, drizzled with additional yogurt.

Note: Frozen blueberries or raspberries can be substituted for the frozen strawberries.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 217 FAT 11.3g PROTEIN 9g CARB 21g FIBER 4g CHOL 40mg IRON 1mg SODIUM 81mg

TIP

When eaten at breakfast, Greek yogurt’s high-protein content can help curb afternoon snack cravings!

MAKE-AHEAD GRANOLA BERRY PARFAIT

I was so hungry one morning that I ran into a local coffee shop to grab a granola berry parfait to scarf down. I was really excited about it, except it cost $9.95. For yogurt. With two spoonfuls of granola. And like four berries.

So, now I make these berry parfaits at home. And because they can be assembled in handy to-go containers two days ahead, there’s no reason to ever go hungry (or spend too much) during those busy mornings. Each serving costs less than $3, and you get more than four berries, too.

SERVES 1
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 10 MINUTES

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon honey

½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

¼ cup hulled and quartered fresh strawberries

¼ cup fresh blueberries

¼ cup granola

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, honey, and vanilla bean seeds.

2. Using a mason jar or another small jar, layer the yogurt mixture, strawberries, blueberries, and granola.

3. Screw on the lid, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 287 FAT 6.1g PROTEIN 13g CARB 50g FIBER 3g CHOL 15mg IRON 1mg SODIUM 102mg

TIP

If serving immediately, repeat the yogurt-berry-granola layers for a pretty presentation. If you are making parfaits for later, it is best to keep the granola on top of the berries to keep it from getting soggy.

BERRY GREEN SMOOTHIE

Good for you? Sure. Delicious? Absolutely. This smoothie is chock-full of greens, berries, and oats to keep you full and refreshed.

SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

1 cup loosely packed spinach leaves

½ cup frozen blueberries

½ cup frozen raspberries

1 ripe banana

½ cup milk, almond milk, or soy milk

2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats

1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste

In a blender, combine the spinach, blueberries, raspberries, banana, milk, oats, sugar, and 1 cup ice, and puree until smooth. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 172 FAT 3g PROTEIN 4g CARB 35g FIBER 6g CHOL 8mg IRON 2mg SODIUM 53mg

PINEAPPLE, AVOCADO, AND KALE SMOOTHIE

The avocado makes this smoothie creamy and packs it full of healthy fats and potassium. For even easier prep, you can freeze individual portions of the fruits and veggies, and then just add in the milk and pineapple juice when you’re ready to blend!

SERVES 3
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

3 cups loosely packed baby kale

1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded, and peeled

1 apple, cored and chopped

1 ripe banana

1 cup chopped pineapple

1 cup milk, almond milk, or soy milk

½ cup pineapple juice

In a high-powered blender, combine the kale, avocado, apple, banana, pineapple, milk, pineapple juice, and 1 cup ice, and puree until smooth. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 257 FAT 10.5g PROTEIN 5g CARB 40g FIBER 8g CHOL 10mg IRON 1mg SODIUM 59mg

QUINOA BREAKFAST BOWLS

If you have leftover quinoa from the night before, you can reuse it in these easy and nutritious breakfast bowls. I prefer to eat my quinoa bowl at room temperature, but this is also really good served warm. Add any of your favorite fruit, such as mango and pineapple for a tropical twist, or try strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries for a fully loaded berry bowl—the combinations are endless!

SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

1 ⅓ to 2 cups vanilla soy milk or almond milk

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved

2 cups cooked quinoa

¼ cup fresh blueberries

¼ cup fresh raspberries

1 ripe banana, thinly sliced

1 kiwi, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon honey, optional

1. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the soy milk, cinnamon, and vanilla bean seeds.

2. Spoon the quinoa evenly into serving bowls. Stir in the milk mixture.

3. Serve immediately, topped with the blueberries, raspberries, banana, kiwi, and a drizzle of honey, if desired.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 238 FAT 4.6g PROTEIN 9g CARB 41g FIBER 6g CHOL 0mg IRON 4mg SODIUM 84mg

TIP

Quinoa is a good replacement for oats, as it contains roughly the same amount of key nutrients such as protein, fiber, and magnesium.

SPICY MARINARA BAKED EGGS

Who wouldn’t want a complete breakfast that comes together in just 25 minutes? This one lets you combine everything into ramekins and pop them into the oven while you get ready for your day. You can also easily double or triple this recipe for weekend company. They’ll be so impressed, they won’t know what hit them.

SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES

1 cup marinara sauce

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (see Note)

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

8 large eggs

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil four 10-ounce ramekins or coat them with nonstick spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce, red pepper flakes, basil, and oregano.

3. Add ¼ cup of the marinara sauce mixture to each prepared ramekin. Top each with 2 eggs (be careful not to break the yolks), 2 tablespoons mozzarella, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan; season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Bake until the egg whites are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes, or until desired doneness.

5. Serve immediately in the ramekins, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Note: The crushed red pepper can be omitted completely for a nonspicy version.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 293 FAT 18.7g PROTEIN 23g CARB 7g FIBER 1g CHOL 391mg IRON 2mg SODIUM 885mg

BAKED EGGS WITH KALE, TOMATOES, AND MUSHROOMS

This baked egg dish makes for a simple, elegant breakfast—perfect for brunch. The savory veggies serve as a colorful bed for the eggs, and you can add ham or bacon.

SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 7 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 24 MINUTES

4 cups chopped kale leaves

1 pint cherry tomatoes(about 2 cups)

2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat it with nonstick spray.

2. Arrange the kale, tomatoes, and mushrooms in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Add the olive oil and garlic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss to combine, making sure to evenly distribute the tomatoes and mushrooms among the kale leaves.

3. Bake the vegetables for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to blister. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.

4. Make the eggs: Divide the vegetables evenly into 4 mounds on the pan. Create a small well in the center of each mound. Gently crack 1 egg, and slide it into a well, keeping the yolk intact. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

5. In a small bowl, toss together the cheese, thyme, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes; sprinkle evenly over each cracked egg, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Return the pan to the oven, and continue to bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until the egg whites have set but the yolks are still runny. Using a spatula, gently transfer the mounds of veggies with eggs to plates, and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 162 FAT 10.5g PROTEIN 11g CARB 7g FIBER 2g CHOL 189mg IRON 2mg SODIUM 397mg

GUACAMOLE EGGS BENEDICT

Fresh guacamole and an easy blender hollandaise sauce give this eggs benedict breakfast a very California-style twist. You can take it a step further and add bacon or ham, or go more classic with Canadian bacon.

SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

FOR THE GUACAMOLE

2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled

¼ cup diced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

4 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, optional

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 large eggs

2 English muffins, split in half, toasted

2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish, optional

1. Make the guacamole: Mash the avocados in a medium bowl using a potato masher or fork. Add red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, and gently stir to combine. Set aside.

2. Make the hollandaise sauce: Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, Sriracha, and salt in a blender until pale yellow in color, 30 to 60 seconds. With the motor running, add the butter in a slow stream until emulsified; season with salt and pepper (see Note).

3. In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Working one at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl, and slide it gently into the water; repeat with the remaining eggs, keeping distance between the eggs. Turn off the heat, and cover for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the whites are cooked and the yolks are still soft. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs, draining them well.

4. Spoon ¼ cup guacamole on each English muffin. Top with 1 tomato slice and poached egg, and drizzle with the hollandaise sauce.

5. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Note: If the sauce is too thick, add lukewarm water, a teaspoon at a time, as needed until desired consistency is reached. Keep warm in a heatproof bowl set over hot water until ready to serve.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 483 FAT 38.4g PROTEIN 12g CARB 25g FIBER 6g CHOL 416mg IRON 3mg SODIUM 568mg

FRENCH TOAST WITH BLUEBERRY ORANGE SAUCE

Sometimes you want to dress up your French toast with more than just plain old maple syrup, and that’s when you top it with a homemade blueberry sauce complete with a splash of Grand Marnier. Best of all, you can use either fresh or frozen blueberries in this sauce, so it’s great all year long. (And hey, if you want an even more decadent French toast, go ahead and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.)

SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES

FOR THE BLUEBERRY ORANGE SAUCE

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau

3 large eggs

¾ cup milk

3 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

8 (¾-inch-thick) slices challah, brioche, or white bread

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Make the blueberry orange sauce: Combine the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, and orange-flavored liqueur over medium-high heat. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

3. Make the French toast: Whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Working one at a time, dip the bread slices into the egg mixture.

4. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the bread slices to the skillet, two to three at a time, and cook until evenly golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium if the pan becomes too hot, and add butter as needed with each batch.

5. Serve immediately with warm blueberry orange sauce.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 554 FAT 14.9g PROTEIN 16g CARB 86g FIBER 2g CHOL 168mg IRON 4mg SODIUM 528mg

AVOCADO TOAST

Yes, this is a simple avocado toast fancied up with just a few ingredients: lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and freshly ground black pepper. What makes it extra special is the runny poached egg on top. Bacon can also be added for a complete breakfast. Just saying.

SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 20 MINUTES

2 large eggs

2 slices bread, toasted (see Note)

1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish, optional

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, optional

Zest of 1 lemon, optional

1. In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Working one at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl, and slide it gently into the water; repeat with the remaining egg, keeping distance between the two eggs. Turn off the heat, and cover for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the whites are cooked and the yolks are still soft. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs, draining them well.

2. Top the toasted bread with the avocado slices, and drizzle them with olive oil; sprinkle with the red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve the avocado toast immediately, topped with the poached eggs and garnished with parsley, sesame seeds, or lemon zest, if desired.

Note: Any type of bread can be used here, although you can’t go wrong with freshly baked, thick, crusty artisan breads.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 317 FAT 21.5g PROTEIN 9g CARB 23g FIBER 6g CHOL 186mg IRON 2mg SODIUM 468mg

TIP

This breakfast provides a good balance of macronutrients: complex carbs from the bread, healthy fats from the avocado, and protein from the eggs.

MINI LOX TOAST

Re-imagine your favorite bagel and lox with these cute bite-sized toasts topped with whipped feta, thinly sliced smoked salmon, arugula, and capers. After all, finger foods just taste so much better, especially for breakfast! But be wary of its size. I ate about 10 of these before I realized there were only a few left for my guests. Oops.

SERVES 6
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES

FOR THE WHIPPED FETA

8 ounces crumbled feta cheese

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 (16-ounce) sourdough loaf, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups loosely packed arugula

3 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

2 tablespoons capers, drained

1. Make the whipped feta: Combine the feta cheese, cream cheese, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the cheeses are whipped and the garlic is finely chopped; season with salt and pepper to taste. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

3. Brush each slice of bread with olive oil. Put the bread on a baking sheet, and bake until crisp and lightly golden around the edges, 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Top each slice of toast with whipped feta, arugula, smoked salmon, red onion, and capers, dividing the toppings evenly. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 486 FAT 26.6g PROTEIN 20g CARB 43g FIBER 2g CHOL 68mg IRON 4mg SODIUM 1145mg

BAKERY STYLE CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

Skip the morning bakery run and whip up these muffins right at home—they’re easier to make than you think, and you can load up on as many chocolate chips as you like. Or swap out the chocolate chips for blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries. After you’ve stuffed your face with muffins straight out of the oven (be careful not to burn your tongue!), freeze the rest in individual servings for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS
PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 27 MINUTES

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

⅔ cup granulated sugar

½ cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or more if desired

2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, melted butter, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla.

4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Add the chocolate chips, and gently toss to combine.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, dividing it evenly. Sprinkle the tops with sparkling sugar. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

6. Cool on a wire rack before removing the muffins from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 279 FAT 14g PROTEIN 4g CARB 42g FIBER 1g CHOL 42mg IRON 1mg SODIUM 264mg

OVERNIGHT BLUEBERRY CROISSANT BREAKFAST BAKE

This fun twist on a traditional French toast bake uses buttery, flaky mini croissants instead. Start this the night before to give the croissants a chance to soak up all of that sweet egg batter. To finish it off, drizzle the bread pudding-like goodness with cinnamon-cream cheese glaze. This recipe is a good way to use up day-old croissants, and you can also swap the blueberries for any other berry combo.

SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 55 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING

10 mini croissants or 6 croissants, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 ½ cups milk

3 large eggs

2 tablespoons maple syrup, or more to taste

Zest of 1 lemon

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

FOR THE CINNAMON-CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons milk

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Make the blueberry croissant bake: Lightly coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Arrange a layer of croissants evenly in the prepared baking dish; top with an even layer of blueberries.

2. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, maple syrup, lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the mixture evenly over the croissants and blueberries. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

5. Make the cinnamon-cream cheese glaze: Combine the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and cinnamon in a small bowl, and stir until smooth.

6. Serve immediately, drizzled with the cinnamon-cream cheese glaze.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 468 FAT 24.2g PROTEIN 13g CARB 52g FIBER 2g CHOL 203mg IRON 3mg SODIUM 393mg