3 Make-Ahead Holiday Brunch Recipes!

Unwrapping presents may be the main event on Christmas morning.

But a delicious brunch—best enjoyed in PJs—also brings merriment to the morning.

Whether you like sweet or savory, here are 3 make-ahead brunch recipes that feel just right for Christmas morning.

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This Healthy Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is tender, moist, and tastes like a fudgy brownie! This recipe is made with almond flour and perfectly sweetened with ripe bananas and a touch of pure maple syrup. It’s paleo, dairy free and gluten free. It’s the perfect way to use up your overripe bananas!

2 cups extra fine almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon seas salt

3 brown bananas mashed (12-14 ounces)

2 eggs

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Place the bananas in a medium bowl. Use a potato masher or fork to mash the bananas until they’re almost smooth.

Add the eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla to the bananas and mix until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add and stir in half of the chocolate chips.

Carefully pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the bread is fragrant and set through the center. Cool completely. Remove from the loaf pan, slice and enjoy!

Notes: Keep bread covered with foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, then store in the fridge or freezer.Bread freezes well for up to 3 months. Tightly wrap either the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then place in a resealable bag and freeze. Thaw your bread at room temperature when you’re ready to eat.

Festive Egg Bake

If you’re following a low carb diet, yes, you 100 percent can still enjoy a filling and flavorful meal to start your day. This breakfast casserole is the perfect way to change up the typical way to eat eggs. In this recipe, I combine onion, bell peppers, and spinach in the egg-based casserole for a savory breakfast dish that takes just 35 minutes to cook, so you’ll have a family-sized easy breakfast ready in no time.

What’s great about this breakfast casserole is that you’ll have plenty left over that you can easily reheat or even eat cold if you prefer. Meal-prepping for the week just got a whole lot easier and tastier for you!

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium red bell peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

5 ounces roughly chopped spinach (about 5 cups)

12 eggs

Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce, like Cholula

½ teaspoon fine salt

10 twists of freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces (1 cup) crumbled feta or goat cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with butter (don’t be tempted to use cooking spray; it doesn’t work nearly as well).

In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the bell pepper and green onion and cook until the pepper is tender and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the spinach to the skillet and cook, while stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Set the pan aside to cool for a bit while we prepare the egg mixture.

Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Add several dashes of hot sauce, plus the salt and pepper. Whisk just until the egg yolks and whites are blended.

Stir in half of the cheese (we’re reserving the other half for topping the frittata before baking). Transfer the lightly cooled veggies into the bowl, and stir to combine.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Evenly disperse the remaining cheese on top.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (keep an eye on it), until the eggs are puffed and appear cooked, and the center of the frittata just barely jiggles when you give it a gentle shimmy. For good measure, insert a fork about ¼-inch into the center of the eggs and make sure the fork comes out clean

Place the frittata on a cooling rack until you’re ready to serve. Slice with a sharp knife, and serve. Leftovers will keep well for about four days in the refrigerator. Enjoy leftovers chilled, at room temperature, or gently reheat in the microwave or oven.

NOTES

Prepare in advance: Cover and refrigerate the mixture until you’re ready to bake (it should keep well for up to two days). Bake as directed, but know that your dish may require a few extra minutes in the oven since it’s starting off cold.

Change it up: I love the flavors you see here, but you can definitely use other vegetables in similar quantities. More hardy greens like kale or chard will require a bit more cooking time.

Cranberry Orange Granola

This granola is, in a word, delightful. Everyone knows granola is amazing, but this one is off-the-charts amazing, and it’s ridiculously easy to pull-off. All you have to do is toss a mixture of oats, pecans, orange zest with some coconut oil, maple syrup and just the right amount of cinnamon until they’re lightly coated. Then spread the mixture onto baking sheets and pop it in the oven for about 40 minutes until it turns a beautiful shade of golden brown. Then add dried cranberries. This simple exercise will make your kitchen smell like a magical wonderland.

Zest of 1 large orange, preferably organic

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola)

1 1/2 cups raw pecans or other nuts or seeds

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or olive oil)

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey

1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pecans, cinnamon and orange zest. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix well.

Pour the granola onto your prepared baking sheet. Spread the granola into an even layer. Bake for 24 to 28 minutes (if you used honey instead of maple syrup, check at 22 minutes), stirring halfway, until the granola is turning lightly golden in color. The granola will crisp up as it cools.

Let the granola cool before stirring in the dried cranberries. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or keep it in the freezer for longer shelf life.