Lunch Time

Avoid the weekend wait times—and keep your slippers and pajamas on—with these better-than-restaurant recipes.

BY KIMBERLY LORD STEWART

Brownie Tahini Waffles with Chocolate Tahini Sauce

Even sleepyheads will come out from under the covers for these dark-chocolate waffles with a nutty richness from tahini, a Middle Eastern paste made from ground sesame seeds.

SERVES 2–4

1½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 ⁄3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 ounces

85% dark baking chocolate

6 tablespoons tahini

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk or milk substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla Oil for waffle iron

SAUCE: 4 ounces 85% dark baking chocolate

2 tablespoons tahini

GARNISH:

1 cup whipping cream,

1 tablespoon sugar; whipped together

Shaved chocolate (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir well.

2. Melt 3 ounces chocolate and 6 tablespoons tahini in the microwave for 30 seconds, then in 10-second intervals if needed. Stir well each time.

3. Whisk eggs with milk and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients. Add chocolate and tahini, and stir well.

4. Oil waffle iron well; heat iron to medium. Spoon up to 1 cup of batter on waffle iron (will depend on size). Cook until done. Do not overcook; waffles should be crisp just on the outside edges. Keep warm, and continue in batches until done.

5. Melt 4 ounces chocolate and 2 tablespoons tahini in microwave for 30 seconds, then in 10-second intervals if needed. Stir well each time.

6. Top warm waffles with whipped cream, chocolate tahini sauce and shaved chocolate.

*Serves 2–4, depending on waffle iron (consider doubling the recipe for larger appliances).

PER SERVING: 732 CAL; 17G PROTEIN; 32G FAT; 95G CARB (44G SUGARS); 936MG SODIUM; 8G FIBER

Tea-Thyme Cider

Place 6 sprigs of fresh thyme in a pitcher. Pour 12 ounces freshly brewed hot black tea over the herbs. Let steep 15 minutes. Cool, and remove sprigs. Fill each glass with ice. Add one-third tea, onethird apple cider, one-third soda water. Garnish with lemon and apple slice. (Want a spirit? Add 1 shot of bourbon.)

Tropical Morning Muffins

A coconut trilogy adds high fiber and an intense tropical vibe to these pineapple–macadamia nut muffins.

SERVES 8

½ cup palm coconut shortening, or softened butter (such as Nutiva)

¼ cup honey

1 cup mashed bananas (2–3 ripened bananas)

1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup white wholewheat flour

¼ cup coconut flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ⁄3 cup shredded coconut ¼ cup macadamia nuts, chopped

½ cup dried pineapple, diced

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Cream shortening or butter with honey, bananas, egg and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft and well-blended.

3. Add flours, baking powder and salt; stir until combined. Mix in coconut, nuts and pineapple.

4. Fill muffin liners ¾ full with batter. Bake 15 minutes, until tester toothpick comes out clean.

PER SERVING: 300 CAL; 5G PROTEIN; 16G FAT; 38G CARB (19G SUGARS); 184MG SODIUM; 5G FIBER

SERVE HOT OR COLD, WITH OR WITHOUT ALCOHOL.

Turkish Cardamom Coffee Mocktail

Place 5 heaping tablespoons strong ground coffee and ½ teaspoon ground cardamom in a French press or drip coffee maker filter. Add hot or cold water accordingly—5 cups boiling water if using a French press, 5 cups cold if using a drip coffee maker. Allow to sit 5 minutes in French press before pushing plunger down.

If hot: Serve with warm vanilla almond milk and sweetener, if desired. If desired, add coffee liquor to taste. If serving cold: pour coffee over ice halfway up a tall glass. Add one ounce of coffee liquor, if desired. Top with soda water and serve with lemon.

Nondairy creamers and coffee drinks have come a long way as well. TRY So Delicious French Vanilla Coconutmilk Coffee Creamer, Ripple Half-and-Half or Califia Double Espresso Cold Coffee.

Chicken Chorizo Bowl with White Bean and Pumpkin Seed Pesto

To take the stress off your morning, all but the poached eggs in this pictureperfect dish can be made ahead of time. Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you off; most of it is blended in the food processor. SERVES 4

CHORIZO: 1 pound antibiotic-free ground chicken or turkey

2 tablespoons ancho chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cloves ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground allspice ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 3 tablespoons cider vinegar Hefty pinch cayenne (optional)

2–4 tablespoons olive oil (may need more if poultry is lean)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all chorizo ingredients, except oil, in a food processor. Pulse until completely mixed.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add poultry mixture, and sauté until well-browned. Add more oil if it sticks to pan.

3. While chorizo is cooking, prepare white bean pesto. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat in a small skillet; add scallions and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until soft.

4. Wash out food processor well. Add in all pesto ingredients, except beans, with onion-garlic mixture. Pulse in short bursts, until finely chopped. Place beans in a bowl, add pesto, and stir. Set aside.

5. Prepare poached eggs to your liking (3 minutes for soft yolks, 4 minutes for medium, 5 minutes for hard).

6. In shallow individual serving bowls, spoon warm chorizo, white bean pesto, mashed avocado, salsa and tomatoes in a circular pattern. Repeat for each serving bowl. Top each bowl with poached egg(s). Season with cumin, salt and pepper. Serve with tortillas.

PER SERVING: 962 CAL; 59G PROTEIN; 60G FAT; 53G CARB (5G SUGARS); 1,527MG SODIUM; 15G FIBER

PESTO:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 scallions, sliced with half the green stems

1 clove garlic, minced ½ bunch cilantro ½ bunch Italian parsley

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt Juice of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained

4–8 eggs (1 or 2 per person)

2 avocados, mashed (or prepared guacamole)

1 cup prepared salsa 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

Ground cumin, for garnish Salt and pepper 4 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed

Virgin Paloma

Rim a glass with salt, and fill with ice. Pour over ice ½ ounce lime juice and 6 ounces grapefruit soda. Garnish with grapefruit slice. (Want a spirit? Add 1 shot of tequila.)

AARON COLUSSI; FOOD STYLING: ERIC LESKOVAR; PROP STYLING: NICOLE DOMINIC

No-Fail Spinach and Swiss Soufflé

This no-fail soufflé recipe means you won’t have to tiptoe around the kitchen. The bread cubes give it enough structure that you can even open the oven for a peek as it bakes. SERVES 6

Soufflé dish, 8-to-10-cup size 10 ounces baby spinach 6 cups ½-inch artisan whole-grain bread cubes

8 ounces semi-skim Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese, grated

6 eggs, divided 3½ cups milk or milk substitute ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease soufflé dish well.

2. Place spinach in a large skillet with ¼ cup water. Steam until spinach is wilted. Drain, and chop finely. Set aside.

3. Toss bread cubes and cheese in a large bowl.

4. Divide 2 eggs into whites and yolks. Whisk the 2 yolks with 4 whole eggs, milk, nutmeg, salt, pepper and spinach. Pour over bread, and let sit 30 minutes.

5. When a half-hour has passed, gently stir bread and egg mixture. Whip 2 egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.

6. Fold in 1 ⁄3 of egg whites into bread mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until all whites are incorporated.

7. Pour into greased baking dish. Bake 1 hour, plus 10–15 minutes until the center is just set. If top browns too much, cover with a loose foil tent.

8. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 430 CAL; 30G PROTEIN; 19G FAT; 35G CARB (12G SUGARS); 1,052MG SODIUM; 5G FIBER

Coconut-Ginger Fizz

In a jar or shaker, add ½ cup coconut water, ½ cup nonalcoholic ginger beer, ½ cup soda water. Shake, and strain over crushed ice. Add fresh mint. (Want a spirit? Add 1 shot of St-Germain.)