Pancake Egg Muffins

With summer quickly drawing to a close, the back to school season is looming large in my head. This year, my kids are in three different schools, and my eldest has leave the house by 7:00! The logistics are pretty daunting. 

I contemplated the situation over a leisurely cup of coffee recently and considered two things that my kids love: muffins and eggs. Then it hit me... what if I combined the two? With pancake batter! Perhaps this could help the morning madness? 

After several attempts, I've perfected the recipe and I'm so excited to share it with you. If you make the pancake batter in advance (it will keep for several days in the fridge), these are ready in 20 minutes. That's usually how long it takes for my kids to finally get around to finding their socks! Pancake egg muffins are delicious and fun to eat, and on those mornings when things feel even more crazed than usual, an out-of-the-ordinary breakfast can lighten the anxiety in the house. Bonus: they're perfect for the lunchbox! 

Heres what you need: pancake batter (recipe below), eggs and a muffin tin.

For the pancakes:

1. 1 cup flour

2. 1/2 cup oat flour

3. 1 teaspoon baking powder

4. 1 teaspoon baking soda

5. 1/2 teaspoon salt

6. 2 large eggs plus 12 for the center

7. 1 cup buttermilk (or plain kefir)

8. 5 tablespoons melted butter (or avocado oil)

9. 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix all of the ingredients except the eggs that you’ll use inside of the muffins in a large mixing bowl until the batter is smooth. Grease a muffin tin and pour a bit of batter into the bottom of each. Crack one egg into each and cover the top with more batter. Bake for 17-19 minutes, depending on how runny you want the eggs. 

Use any remaining batter for pancakes (and freeze them for later if you'd like). as an alternative, you can bake these with fruit instead of eggs. Banana slices and fresh peach are in our current rotation. 

If you make these, tag me on Instagram. I'd love to see!  

Enjoy!  

2016 Lunch Resolutions

Let’s face it: lunch packing can be a real drag. If your family's eating has gotten off course and you're cobbling together whatever you can muster for lunches but yearn for varied and healthful meals for your brood, you're not alone, and it's time for a reboot. 

Lunch should provide the energy that kids need to make it through what often feels like a long day. But unless those lunches are also tasty, they will come back wasted and uneaten at the end of the day. I don't know about you, but when my kids are starving, the cranky factor goes through the roof and pretty much immobilizes them.  And seriously, how disgusting is that sandwich after it’s been sitting in that lunchbox for 8+ hours?! Packing lunch also requires getting groceries and having a plan so that you're prepared, but browsing the aisles with multiple meals and multiple family members in mind can quickly feel like a cringe-causing chore. 

I'm a firm believer in getting the kiddos involved from the get-go for smoother family sailing and created the LaLa Lunchbox app to make this a reality. Here's why: 

1. It takes the stress off of you. Woo hoo! No more arguments in the morning because you ran out of your son's favorite turkey and have exactly 8 minutes to figure out lunch before you all have to leave the house. Pass the iPhone, iTouch or iPad to the kids and watch how fast they choose their lunches for an entire week! When the kids plan their own meals (with as much or as little input from you as you'd like), there's no mystery in "what's for lunch." You can even pack lunch at night and gain an extra ten minutes in the morning. Hello, coffee! LaLa Lunchbox is designed with four categories so that kids develop an understanding of what comprises a balanced lunch. 

2. It saves you time. Scratch the meal planning chore off of your list! LaLa Lunchbox is completely customizable, so if you don't see what you want in the Food Library, you can add it at any time. By the same token, you can remove anything you don't want from the Food Library. We've created this feature to make LaLa Lunchbox available to all regardless of dietary lifestyle. 

3. It saves you money. Remember how awful it felt to throw out a perfectly good sandwich that was uneaten? When your child chooses, she is less likely to waste food and more excited to eat what she has chosen.

4. It’s an inspiring way for them to try new foods. Picky eaters beware! When kids are at the wheel, even the pickiest among them is more likely to try something new. Radishes anyone? 

5. It helps their organizational skills. Planning ahead is an incredibly useful skill! Get them started early. 

Sounds great, right? Don't just take our word for it... see what others are saying. And then pass the meal planning baton to your kids. Download LaLa Lunchbox today and let the kiddos kick their school lunches into higher gear! Your entire family will thank you. 

Happy lunching!

p.s. Here's a list of our favorite lunchboxes. And if you're looking for nut-free lunch suggestions, look no further.