We [heart] heart-shaped eggs and pancakes. Photo courtesy Norpro.

Yesterday we recommended some heart-shaped molds for hard-cooked eggs.

But if you prefer your eggs fried or poached—or would rather have pancakes—try these Norpro Nonstick Heart Pancake & Egg Rings.

Each ring holds 1/4 cup batter or 1 raw egg. A set of 2 rings is $5.61.

Beyond Valentine’s Day, you’ll use them for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, brunches and perhaps a monthly “I [Heart] You” breakfast.

Pair a medium-strength cheese with a
medium-roast coffee. Photo © Natalia
Lisovskaya | Dreamstime.

Often there is more than one food holiday on a particular day. Rarely do we see a trio of food holidays; and January 20th is the only day we know of with four food holidays: National Buttercrunch Day, National Cheese Lover’s Day, National Granola Bar Day and National Coffee Break Day.

In theory, you could celebrate them all at once: A bagel and cream cheese with the morning coffee break and a granola bar and some buttercrunch at the afternoon coffee break.

But we’ve decided to focus today’s tip on something more enlightening: pairing coffee and cheese.

The coffee-cheese pairing is more common than it might seem. The Swiss, Scandinavians and other Europeans enjoy cheese with their morning coffee. Americans regularly breakfast on coffee plus cream cheese on the aforementioned bagels, cheese omelets, cheese danish, grilled cheese sandwiches and Egg McMuffins (grilled cheese, ham and a fried egg on a toasted English muffin).

But let’s take a look at deliberate coffee and cheese pairings.

PAIRING CHEESE WITH COFFEE

As with wine and beer pairings, mild cheeses should typically be paired with a mild roast coffee, medium-strength cheeses with a medium roast and strong cheeses with a strong roast.

COFFEE AND “CARAMEL” CHEESES

Some cheeses beg to be paired with coffee. Two that are known for caramel notes:

Barely Buzzed, one of our favorite cheeses, is a Cheddar rubbed with ground Turkish coffee. It’s equally delicious with coffee or beer. Photo courtesy Beehive Cheese..

COFFEE-RUBBED CHEESE

How about a cheese made with coffee? Utah-based Beehive Cheese Company coats some of their artisan Cheddar cheese in roasted Turkish coffee and lavender buds: an inspired combination that creates an edible rind and adds nutty flavor to the mild Cheddar. We like this unique cheese so much, it was a Top Pick Of The Week. Read our review of Barely Buzzed.
 
As with anything, your own palate and desire to experiment will lead to favorite pairings. Let us know what you come up with.

Make the pancake, use a ghost cookie cutter. If
you have several cookie cutters, you can use
them as pancake molds. Boo-ya! Photo
courtesy KodiakCakes.com.

Here are ten tips for making a flawless flapjack from Joel Clark, owner of Kodiak Cakes. Kodiak Cakes was one of the better-rated products in our review of 99 whole grain pancake and waffle mixes (here’s the review and the entire article).

If your pancakes don’t come out the way they like, pick up some tips from Joel, below.

What’s the difference between a pancake and a flapjack?

While there are many different types of pancakes, from thin crepes to aebleskivers, Danish pancakes in a ball-like shape, more like a muffin than our round, flat pancakes (see our Pancake & Waffle Glossary).

In North America, pancakes contain not just flour and water but a raising agent such as baking powder; plus eggs and and milk to create a thick batter. These flat but thick pancakes are also called flapjacks, griddlecakes and hotcakes

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT PANCAKES

Pancakes need to be made with the right ingredients and cooked the right way. We actually prefer whole grain pancake flour, which has more substance, more nutrition, more flavor and better texture than refined flour pancakes.

Given the best ingredients, here are 10 tips that will help to make you a fabulous flapjack flipper.

Tip 1: Don’t batter the batter. Batter should only be mixed enough to moisten the dry ingredients. Then stop mixing, even if you still have lumps. This is because flour contains gluten, a gluey protein that activates when it gets wet. If over-mixed, it becomes tough and rubbery. Don’t worry about the lumps. They’ll disappear when cooked.

Tip 2: Lay it on thick—or thin. Thinner batter gives the pancake a lighter texture, while thicker batter makes it more dense and heavy.

Tip 3: Add some fun to it. While not a requirement, stir-ins are a fun addition. Consider bananas, berries, chocolate chips, cinnamon and vanilla . On the savoy side, try crumbled bacon or diced sausage.

Tip 4: Be patient. Let the griddle heat up for about five minutes. If the pan is too cool, your pancakes be tough from cooking too long. If the pan’s too hot, you’ll end up with doughy centers. When the pan is hot enough, few drops of water should dance around the griddle; 375°F is usually about right.

Tip 5: Measure, don’t guess. To make consistently shaped flapjacks, use a 1/3 or 1/4 cup measuring cup of batter.

Tip 6: Butter isn’t better. Make a small puddle of vegetable oil on the griddle and pour the batter directly into the middle of the puddle. The oil will surround the edges and make them crispy and tasty. Butter can burn on the pan and cause bitter specs of burnt butter to adhere to the pancake. Cooking spray is fine if you’re trying to keep it lean, but it doesn’t add flavor or make the edges crispy.

Tip 7: Don’t double flip. Flipping the pancake more than once creates a dry pancake. Flipping the pancake at the right time will help you avoid this temptation. Pancakes are ready to turn when the top is full of air holes and the sides start looking a bit dry. Peaking underneath a lifted edge will help you determine the proper flipping-time: Look for a nice golden brown color.

Follow these steps and you’ll have a perfect stack. Photo courtesy KodiakCakes.com.

Tip 8: Don’t flatten the flapjack. A big misconception is that smashing the flapjack will help it cook faster or eliminate the possibility of a doughy center. Don’t believe it! This is the cardinal sin of the art of flapjack flipping and must be avoided! The hot air inside the flapjack helps it cook better. Pressing down on the pancake merely pushes the air out of it and undoes all of the work you did to create a perfectly light and fluffy pancake.

Tip 9: Keep it hot. Who wants a cold flapjack? If you are cooking for a large group and can’t serve them hot off the griddle, the best way to keep pancakes warm is to place them, single-layered, on a cookie sheet in a warm oven. Do not stack them or cover them or they’ll become soggy.

Tip 10: Don’t short the stack. This means to never skimp on the toppings: real butter, warmed pure maple syrup, fresh berries, apple sauce, peanut butter, bananas or all of the above.

Now, you’re ready to flip a stack of super flapjacks. Say that fast three times!

HOW TO MAKE GHOST PANCAKES

1. Place pancake batter in a large plastic food storage bag. Seal the bag, push all of the batter to one end and cut the tip off of the plastic food storage bag.

2. Into a hot pan or skillet, fill cookie cutters with pancake mix. After the tops bubble, pull off the cookie cutters and flip the pancake.

3. Alternatively, you can make round or square pancakes, then use the cookie cutter to cut the shapes. This creates a lot of scraps, but the scraps are delicious with maple syrup; serve them for dessert with ice cream and syrup.
 
Find more of our favorite pancakes and other breakfast foods.

Drizzle with honey: It’s heavenly. Photo
courtesy Bee Raw Honey.

You may go bonkers for a bagel or crazy for a croissant. But let us suggest another breakfast bread:

Raisin bread, regular or toasted. It’s delicious plain, with butter or in this killer combination from Bee Raw Honey:

Fromage blanc and apple slices on raisin bread, drizzled with basswood honey.

You can vary the varietal and the type of honey, the spread (butter, crème fraîche, fresh goat cheese, Greek yogurt, quark).

It’s special occasion breakfast bread.

FROMAGE BLANC: A GREAT “FIND”

Fromage blanc is a type of fresh cream cheese—but not in the manner of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Depending on the manufacturer, it can be very similar to both crème fraîche and quark.

How soft, how tangy a flavor a cheese has, and other factors are production decisions. Fromage blanc may or may not be low in fat and calories. Because there is no federal standard of identity in the U.S., one manufacturer’s fromage blanc could be another’s quark (see our article on fresh cheeses).

The fromage blanc from Vermont Creamery, for example, is extremely soft, with the consistency of sour cream and a similar tang. It is fat free, protein-packed and has a lower calorie count than other brands. The entire eight-ounce container has just 120 calories. Take that, sour cream!

In France, fromage blanc is often eaten with fruit and sugar as a dessert. It is also very popular in cooking because it heats without separating.

Pick some up during your next trip to the market.

This fromage blanc is fat-free and low calorie. Photo courtesy Vermont Creamery.

At the beginning of the year, Nabisco launched BelVita breakfast biscuits, a nutritious alternative to cereal and bread products. They’re whole grain, calorie-friendly, and have been designed to release sustained energy.

We highly recommended them. We didn’t foresee then that these nutritious, slightly sweet, crunchy and flavorful biscuits would become our favorite grab-and-go breakfast and snack. (We also enjoy them as a sit-and-relax breakfast and snack.)

So we’ve promoted BelVita to Top Pick Of The Week. Read the full review and see of BelVita, which means beautiful life, can become part of yours.

The line is certified kosher by OU.

Find more of our favorite:

Grab a packet of BelVita biscuits for breakfast. Photo courtesy Nabisco.

Asians drink soup for breakfast (Japanese miso soup and Thai pho, for example). Americans looking for something quick, hot, nutritious and comforting should consider the option.

All you need to make a bowl of miso soup is hot water and a spoonful of miso paste, available in many supermarkets as well as in Asian food stores.

You can add nutritious vegetables to your miso soup, as shown in the video, or have it plain, as it’s served at Japanese restaurants. The soup can be made in advance and microwaved in a minute, which is especially convenient if you want your soup with veggies.

Beyond a quick cup of soup before you dash out, you can carry a thermos, thermal mug or a portable coffee mug full of soup as you leave. Your soup supply can also be part of a low-calorie, healthful lunch, snack or dinner.

Here are more ways to use the miso paste.

Find more of our favorite soups in our Soup Section.

Want a more conventional breakfast? Check out our Cereals, Pancakes & Waffles Section.

Before we tasted McDonald’s berry healthy summer foods, we would not have imagined that we’d spend so much time eating under the golden arches.

But surprise: We’re fans of two new items: Banana Nut Oatmeal and McCafé Cherry Berry Chiller.

Now available nationally, these two limited-time “Flavors Of Summer” are nutritious options that are made to order from fine ingredients.

Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal

Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal tops brown sugar-laced oatmeal with fresh, plump blueberries and crunchy walnuts. There is a hint of banana—though we wish there wre more than a hint!

Each portion contains two servings of whole grain* and 1/4 cup of blueberries, one of the highest-antioxidant foods.

So good for you: oatmeal with walnuts and fresh blueberries. Photo courtesy McDonald’s.

Those who like to keep track of nutrition should note that walnuts are arguably the healthiest nuts.

People who prefer their oatmeal without sugar can order the year-round menu staple, Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, with fresh apple, raisins and cranberries (it is available with or without brown sugar). If you want the fresh blueberries, just ask.

*Why you need whole grains.

Cherry Chiller: a refreshing fruit slush. Photo courtesy McDonald’s

Cherry Berry Chiller

McCafé Cherry Berry Chiller, a fruit slush, is made to order, with 100% fruit juice, natural cherry and raspberry flavors and crushed ice.

Available through September 3rd, while supplies last, the suggested retail prices are $1.69 (small, 12 ounces), $1.99 (medium, 16 ounces) and $2.29 (large, 22 ounces). In hot weather, the large size will be a godsend.

McCafé Frozen Strawberry Lemonade is also part of the summer menu. The McCafé line includes fruit smoothies and espresso drinks, as well.

McDonald’s is the leading foodservice provider in the U.S., serving more than than 26 million customers daily at some 14,000 restaurants. More than 11,500 are wi-fi enabled.

So, answer your email as you enjoy a leisurely bowl of oatmeal, followed by a Cherry Berry Chiller chaser.

Turn an avocado into a bowl for eggs. Photo courtesy Avocados From Mexico.

We love using avocados as an “edible bowl,” stuffed with salads (bean, chicken, citrus, corn, egg, rice, seafood, tuna), chili, as a shrimp cocktail bowl and as a salsa holder with a side of tortilla chips.

But we hadn’t considered eggs until we received this avocado poached egg from Avocados From Mexico. It pairs an egg and a heart-healthy avocado with a smoky tomato sauce called Diablo Sauce. Make it as a delicious and fun dish for Easter breakfast.

The recipe was developed by Chef Ina Pinkney of Ina’s Restaurant in Chicago. It yields two portions.

AVOCADO POACHED EGGS WITH DIABLO SAUCE

Ingredients

Preparation

1. Prepare Diablo Sauce at least 20 minutes before starting eggs. In a large skillet, heat oil until hot. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, paprika, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently. When sauce is almost finished, place a steamer basket over one inch of water; bring water to a simmer.

2. Meanwhile, cut avocado in half and remove seed. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each avocado half to create a flat surface. Carefully scoop out about half of the avocado flesh without breaking through the flesh at the base; reserve for garnish, toast spread or later use. Season with salt.

3. Into each avocado half, crack one egg; season with salt. Place avocado halves in steaming basket; cover until eggs are poached, about 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Transfer each avocado half to a serving plate. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with Diablo Sauce.

Find more egg recipes in our Egg Section.

Find more avocado recipes at AvocadosFromMexico.com.

Pizza is one of our favorite foods. We’ve eaten leftover cold pizza for breakfast.

But there’s a healthier way to start the day: with a breakfast pizza on a whole-wheat pizza crust with fresh basil, sliced tomatoes, scrambled eggs (egg whites or whole eggs) and shredded mozzarella cheese (lowfat).

It’s easy to make breakfast pizza: It takes no more time than eggs and toast: time-to-table is 15 minutes.

This recipe and two more are from AllWhites egg whites, which has many more delicious recipes on its website.

This recipe serves four.

A scrambled egg breakfast pizza. Photo courtesy AllWhitesEggWhites.com.

SCRAMBLED EGG MARGHERITA BREAKFAST PIZZA

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. Heat oven to 450° F.

2. Spray a 10-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook eggs over medium heat. As egg starts to set, use spatula to lift edge of cooked eggs, letting uncooked egg flow to bottom of skillet. Cook until eggs are set but still moist.

2. Place pizza crust on large cookie sheet. Top crust with cooked eggs, chopped tomatoes, basil and cheese.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

 
More Breakfast Pizza Recipes

Nabisco has introduced belVita Breakfast Biscuits: lightly sweet, whole grain, crunchy breakfast biscuits in Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry and Golden Oat. The concept is popular in Europe, and a welcome addition to American breakfast options.

“Breakfast biscuits” may not sound sexy, but think of them as very nutritious and tasty cookies. Yum!

According to survey data, 63% of Americans admit they are energy deficient in the mornings and 48% say that it is difficult to find a breakfast food that is both nutritious and delicious.

Nabisco, part of Kraft Foods, worked with nutritionists to create a cereal and breakfast bread substitute that provides nutrition plus sustained energy to help fuel the body throughout the morning. The sustained energy release results from both the ingredients and a special baking process that helps preserve the integrity of the grain, so that the carbohydrates are slowly released.

The company’s nutritionist spokesperson and author of The Sonoma Diet, Connie Guttersen, recommends the biscuits as a balanced breakfast with a piece of fruit and a serving of fat-free or low fat dairy—a banana, yogurt and nonfat latte or fresh strawberries and nonfat Greek yogurt, for example.

A “sustained energy” breakfast includes these delicious oat biscuits. Photo courtesy Kraft Foods.

Healthful food is always a good thing, but belVita biscuits taste great, too (although the Apple Cinnamon flavor could have used more apple and more cinnamon). The portion of four large, crunchy biscuits is very filling with a cup of coffee, tea or milk.

More Ways To Enjoy belVita Biscuits

The biscuits are also delicious with cheese; we’ve been serving them with Brie and goat cheese. All three flavors have a touch of sweetness and a rustic texture that work well with cheese. (The biscuits evoke Carr’s Whole Wheat Crackers, called Wheatmeal Biscuits in the U.K., a longtime favorite with cheese).

More ways to enjoy belVita:

 
Great taste and crunch, a bundle of nutritious benefits and the convenience of grab-and-go portioned packs should make these biscuits a winner. Nabisco only needs for you to try them and like them as much as we do. (The only thing we don’t like is the small “b” in belVita. It looks like a typo.)

The biscuits are certified kosher (dairy) by OU.

belVita Biscuits Nutrition

 
There’s more information on the company website.

Find more of our favorite crackers and bread products.