Breakfast #2: Breakfast for Brunch

April is segmented into each of the most popular 6 “meals” of the day (Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, and Dessert), with each meal suggesting 3 categories of breakfasts befitting that meal. With Traditional I was aiming for a cultural experience – something traditional for a specific culture. While Vegetarian and Egg-free are straightforward, sought after niche breakfast categories.

As there will be over 18 suggestions, I will do my best to narrow down what I prepare and only develop some recipes. I hope you find inspiration and learn something for your breakfast, whatever time of the day.

Traditional: Karjalanpiirakka (Karelian Pies)

I doubt you will meet any people more humble and intelligent (with that combo) than the Finns (suomalaiset). With no expectations or biases, I visited Finland in 2013 to stay with my roommate’s family friend and had the best travel experience of my life. We flew in to Helsinki (via Riga) at exactly 22:59 and watched the sun set from the propeller airplane. It was my first experience with the late night summer sun and it was intoxicating.

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Everything was new and the food was great! I had several dishes I will never forget. My host served this incredible shredded carrot dish that I wish I had the recipe for and at the outdoor market in town I tried reindeer for the first time (sorry Rudolf).

For breakfast one morning we tried these soft pastries called Karelian pies that I had no idea what was in them. I remember being impressed they held their shape so well and the pudding in the middle did not drip out all over the place as I had anticipated.

I am infuriatingly disappointed that I will have to wait to make these myself, as I could not find any rye flour in the 4 grocery stores closest to me. I tried to order it on Amazon Fresh, but due to complications with you-know-what (Covid-19) I was unable to checkout. Rye flour is most common and a prevalent cornerstone in Finnish foods. I had to find out why, and decided to do some research.

Why Rye is so Finnish? Rye (ruis) makes a healthier flour because it is fiber dense (4x more soluble than wheat) and less insulin is needed to combat the glucose. This brown Nordic bread is referenced in old stories and poems, and the ruis is happy to grow over a short summer in various soils. Finland (Suomi) has short summers and over 2,000 years of rye cravings initiated from (not unfounded) myths of the benefits for farmers and horses. (References: 1, 2, 3)

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Karelia is a region of Finland that makes terrific rye foods. Such as rice-pudding pies! These look super easy to make and once the dough is made, you could get single servings of pre-made rice pudding from the grocery (check near the packaged pudding and cheese section) to make the assembly straightforward.

Basically, roll out the dough into a small oval (side of your hand), place a couple of dollops of rice pudding, fold up the edges around the pudding and crimp them in to the wavy design, similar to a pie. Then bake!

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While Karelin pies are a common breakfast food, they are not eaten by everyone everyday. Typically other flat (often round) rye breads with typical European style additions and sides. This could include a selection of cured meats (salami), salmon, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, drinkable yogurt / yogurt, fruit, muesli, juice, and possibly alcohol (cognac).

Vegetarian: Smothered Sweet Potato Fries

Eat them savory-style, or devour them sweet-style! However you enjoy this orange nutrient packed morning glory, you can add it to your breakfast (or better yet, brunch) routine. As a proud member of the morning glory family, it only makes sense that sweet potatoes were destined to be on the breakfast menu (1).

Savory-Style (2 servings):

• 1 large sweet potato cut into fries or frozen sweet potato fries
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into slices
• 1/2 a yellow onion, cut whole onion into slices (french onion soup style) and use half, save half
• garlic (measure that with your heart), diced and pressed
• 1/2 tsp herbes de provence
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 avocado, pitted and chunked
• 2 sunny side up eggs [Optional]
• 1 tsp coconut oil [Optional]
• 1/2 cup sour cream [Optional]
• Chives for decorating

Preheat oven to 375F. Oil a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil using a silicone brush and scatter sweet potatoes, bell pepper onion, and garlic. In the remaining tablespoon of oil, add herbes de provence and brush on to the sweet potatoes, coating all. Bake for ~40 minutes, flipping half way through, until crispy but not burnt. (Extra oil will make them soggy and take longer to bake. They will dry some after resting from the oven.)

In a small skillet, heat coconut oil and fry 2 eggs (with 10 min remaining on the potatoes). Remove from skillet. When the sweet potatoes are done cooking, let sit on the counter and sear the avocado in the small skillet on medium high heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine everything into a wide bowl or plate and serve with a dollop of sour cream and chives on top.

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Sweet-Style (2 servings):

• 1 large sweet potato cut into wedges or frozen sweet potato fries (half width-wise then cut into wedges)
• 1/2 cup candied walnuts pieces (or pecans)
• 1 green apple, cored and chunked
• 1 large carrot stick [optional], peeled / quartered / halved
• 2 Tbps olive oil
• 1/2 mulling spices (or similar – cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, etc.)
• 2 Tbsp honey or agave

Preheat oven to 375F. Oil a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil using a silicone brush and add sweet potatoes, apple, and carrots. Mix the remaining oil with spices of choice and brush over the sweet potatoes. Bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring twice. During the first stir, drizzle on honey (or agave). Test if they are done by stabbing a fork into an apple.

Serve topped with candied nuts.

Egg-Free: Chicken and Cornbread Waffles

A friend posted a photo of corn bread with chicken tenders (“tendies” if you will) and I inquired if that was his version of chicken and waffles, to which he challenged me to make cornbread waffles. Now, here we are.

Before you ask, no they really do not taste like cornbread, however the texture and aftertaste hint at the cornmeal. Yes they are delicious and I do recommend them. Also, I am not a big fan of cornbread (or bread in general, I know – how crazy!), but my husband and I still enjoyed these.

Simplest way to make: mix the batter for cornbread – straight from the corn meal box, with the addition of buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice, let sit for 10 minutes before adding). Pour appropriate amount of batter into your waffle maker, let it heat the waffle for you, and serve with your favorite tendies or nug nugs (chicken nuggets).