3 Breakfast Ideas for a Better Morning

It's time to put down the cereal box. With food blogger Tieghan Gerard's new cookbook, Half Baked Harvest Cookbook, you'll forever enjoy flavorful, creative, exciting and mindful breakfasts. Read on to get a taste of what your breakfast could be like and then go out and buy the book—stat.

Whipping the egg whites separately from the yolks creates the fluffiest, lightest omelet you'll ever taste. Add on creamy crie, artichokes, spinach, a handful of blueberries and a drizzle of honey and you won't want to eat omelets any other way.

What You'll Need

Serves 1

• 3 large eggs, separated
  
• ¼ cup whole milk or heavy cream
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  
• ¼ cup marinated artichokes, quartered
  
• Handful of baby spinach
  
• 2 oz. Brie cheese, thinly sliced (rind on or off)
  
• ½ cup honey
  
• Pinch of flaky sea salt
  
• Fresh blueberries, for serving
  

Directions

Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs yolks, milk, and a pinch each of kosher salt and pepper until combined.

Step 2: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, about 1 minute. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture until just combined. It is okay if the mixture is not completely smooth; just be careful not to deflate the whites.

Step 3: In a 10- to 12-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook without moving until the top of the egg just begins to set, about 4 minutes. Add the artichokes, spinach, and Brie to one side of the omelet, cover the skillet, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until the cheese just begins to melt. Carefully fold over the empty side of the omelet to enclose the filling and cook for 1 minute more.

Step 4: Remove the pan from the heat and slide the omelet onto a plate.

Step 5: In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the honey over medium heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a pinch of flaky salt.

Step 6: Drizzle the omelet with the honey butter and top with blueberries.

While it sounds like an odd combination, don't let the list of ingredients fool you—these bagels are next level delicious. The savory runny egg, creamy avocado, rich burrata and crispy salami meet their match in tart raspberries and a sweet honey drizzle.

What You'll Need

Serves 2

• 2 sesame seed bagels, halved
  
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 4 slices deli salami
  
• One or two 4 oz. balls burrata cheese
  
• ½ cup fresh raspberries
  
• Honey, for drizzling
  
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 6 fresh basil leaves, torn
  
• 2 Perfectly Poached Eggs
  

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 2: Place the bagels on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Rub each with ½ tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the salami on the baking sheet around the bagels. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the salami is crisp—watch closely, as it will cook fast toward the end!

Step 3: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and break the burrata over each bottom bagel half. Top with fresh raspberries and drizzle with honey. Add the salami and avocado and season with salt and pepper. Add the basil and top each with an egg.

Step 4: Finish with the top halves of the bagels.

What You'll Need

Serves 4

• 4 eggs
  
• 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
  

Directions

Step 1: Crack each egg into a small prep bowl.

Step 2: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer over medium heat. Add the vinegar. Using a wooden spoon, gently swirl the water in a circular motion to create a whirlpool. Carefully slide one egg into the water. It will swirl around in the water and look crazy. Once the egg has stopped moving, use the spoon to gently lift the egg off the bottom of the pan. Cook the egg in the simmering water for 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully remove it with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining eggs.

The best thing you can do is leave the dough to rest overnight before you bake. Try it and you'll see why.

What You'll Need

Makes 12-15 rolls

Dough

• ¼ cup warm water
  
• 1 tbsp instant yeast
  
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
  
• ½ cup whole milk, warmed
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for greasing
  
• 1½ tsp kosher salt
  
• 3½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  

Filling

• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out (optional)
  
• Pinch of sea salt
  
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
  

Frosting

• 6 tbsp (¾ stick) unsalted butter
  
• 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
  
• 1¼ cups confectioners' sugar
  
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• Milk or water, as needed
  
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
  

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the warm milk, eggs, melted butter, and salt and mix on medium speed until combined. Gradually add 3 ½ cups of flour and mix until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If the dough feels sticky, add the remaining ½ cup of flour.

Step 2: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it into a smooth ball. Grease the mixer bowl lightly with butter and return the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Step 3: Meanwhile, make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean seeds (if using), and salt and mix well.

Step 4: Lightly dust your work surface with flour again. Turn out the dough, punch it down, and roll it into a rectangle about 10 x 16 inches. Position the dough with a long side closest to you. Spread the ½ cup of softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the filling and lightly push it into the butter. Starting with the side closest to you, pull the edge up and over the filling and carefully roll the dough into a log, keeping it fairly tight. Pinch the edge to seal.

Step 5: Slide dental floss or a thin piece of string (it works so well!) under the log and wrap it across and around the roll. Keeping one end in each hand, tighten the floss so it starts to cut through the roll, making 12 to 15 rolls, each ¾ to 1 inch wide.

Step 6: Place the rolls cut-side up in a generously greased 9 × 13-inch baking dish. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Step 7: If time allows, once the rolls have doubled in size, place them in the fridge overnight or for up to 24 hours. When you're ready to bake, let the rolls sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. (This allows the dough to develop more flavor, but if you are short on time, you can skip this step and continue on with the recipe.)

Step 8: Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Step 9: Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Step 10: Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the butter is lightly browned and smells toasted. Immediately remove from the heat. Let cool.

Step 11: In a medium bowl, beat together the cooled browned butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until smooth. If the frosting is too thick for your liking, add a tablespoon of milk or water to thin it.

Step 12: Spread the frosting over the warm rolls. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve.

Recipes and photographs reprinted from Half Baked Harvest Cookbook: Recipes from My Barn in the Mountains. Copyright © 2017 by Tieghan Gerard. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.