Breakfast is arguably my favorite meal of the day, and lunch, well, I love that too.  Brunch, though?  I just don’t get it.  Seriously, I need to know–is it breakfast or is it lunch?  Do you eat eggs Benedict or do you eat egg salad?  Pancakes or paninis?  Brunch is a big fat grey area, and I don’t like it one bit.  I’m just one of those people.  In fact, I’m morally opposed to breakfast for dinner.

Don’t stone me.

Despite my aversion, this weekend I stepped out of my comfort zone and invited some friends over for a yogurt-inspired brunch.

Take a look at the spread!

When preparing the brunch menu, my goal was to cook up a variety of tasty nibblets that incorporated Activia yogurt (since I had some Foodbuzz freebies to use).  Heavy emphasis on tasty, of course.

The mainstay of our meal was my Western Sausage Crustless Quiche:

By taste alone, you’d never know this quiche is made with yogurt, but the yogurt gives the eggs a noticeably fluffy texture.  Yes, “true” western eggs have ham, but frankly we like sausage better.  Lean chicken sausage, green pepper, onion, and plain Activia yogurt combined to create a hearty egg dish that is healthy enough to eat every day.  Actually, I baked a second quiche to eat for breakfast over the next couple of days.  Cook once, eat thrice I always say.

Alongside the eggs, we had some oven roasted potatoes.  I could eat myself into a coma on these potatoes… and sometimes I do so willingly.  They are so simple, but so satisfying and out-of-this-world amazing when topped with a big ole dollop of ketchup.

Our morning carb came in the form of yogurt biscuits.  I love these things.  They are moist and slightly tangy, and when sliced in half and filled with the western eggs make for a ridiculously good sandwich.

One of the only good things about brunch is that sweets are obligatory, and this Cinnamon Pecan Yogurt Coffee Cake hit the spot.  My favorite part of this cake is the crystallized pecans nestled into the top crust.

Coffee and cake are a match made in heaven.

In addition to all this great food, I had a TON of different yogurts and fresh fruit.  Like a frozen yogurt bar, minus the frozen.  Oh and I didn’t charge my guests by the ounce either…  but I thought about it.  Maybe next time.

Cold creamy yogurt topped with fresh fruit reminds me of summer.  Sweet, sweet summer–it’s just right around the corner.

If there is one clear distinction between breakfast and brunch, it’s that cocktails are accepted (and arguably mandatory) at brunch.

Even though Jarrod loves mimosas, I wanted to make something different for the yogurt brunch.  After some brainstorming, I came up with what I call the Banana Bellini.  It’s made from ripened bananas puréed with yogurt then topped off with champagne and raspberries (because they look pretty).

Bellinis are typically made with peach puree, so I made one batch of banana bellinis with Activia Harvest picks peach yogurt and one batch with Activia vanilla yogurt.

Pinkies up!  We’re getting fancy!

As part of my prep for the yogurt brunch, I had one serving of Activia yogurt each day of the week.  I especially enjoyed the new Harvest Picks mixed berry and the light vanilla.  Not to get into the nitty gritty, but what’s really fantastic is the change I am noticing in my system regularity.  We’ve all seen the commercials on TV.  Honestly, I thought they were hype, but I guess the proof is in the pudding.  Hmmmm poor choice of words, perhaps?

Since each of the brunch recipes incorporated Activia, my friends got a little extra gift at the brunch.   Nothing says I love you like the gift of a regulated digestive tract.

Western Sausage Crustless Quiche (with yogurt)

• 2 links hot chicken or turkey sausage
• 1/2 cup red or white onion (chopped)
• 1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot (or hot sauce of choice)
• 1/4 cup fat-free cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup green onions (sliced)

Note:  The yogurt in the crustless quiche recipe creates a fluffy texture.  Sour cream can be substituted, if desired.  For a “true” western quiche, use chopped ham in place of the sausage.  Short on time?  Once the sausage and veggies are cooked in step one, pour the eggs into the saute pan and make a giant egg scramble rather than baking.

Step One:  Heat a saute pan coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Once hot, add the sausage Saute for a few minutes, then add the green pepper and onion. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Use a spatula to crumble the meat as it cooks, taking care not to burn the veggies. Once the sausage is cooked through, transfer meat and veggies to a glass pie dish that has been pre-coated with cooking spray.

Step Two:  In a large bowl, beat eggs, yogurt, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and hot sauce until combined. Pour egg mixture into the pie pan.

Step Three:  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (or until the eggs are nearly set), then top with cheese and green onions and cook 5 minutes more (or until cheese is melted and eggs are completely set).

Stats on 1/6 of quiche:  161 calories, 8g carbs, 8g fat, 18g protein, 0g fiber

Easy Oven Potatoes

• 1 large russet potato
• garlic salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper (to taste)
• olive oil

Step One:  Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch chunks. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil (approximately 1/2 a teaspoon per potato) and add seasonings to taste. Toss potatoes to coat with seasonings.

Step Two:  Liberally coat a baking sheet with cooking spray, then bake the potatoes at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes, then bake 20 minutes more.

Banana Bellini

• 1 large very ripe banana
• 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 bottle champagne (Verdi Spumante is tasty and cheap)
• raspberries (for garnish)

Step One:  Puree banana and yogurt in a blender or food processor. Pour mixture in a bowl and place in freezer to chill and thicken.

Step Two:  Scoop two tablespoons of the banana puree into a champagne glass. Slowly pour in champagne and garnish with raspberries.

Click here for the cinnamon pecan yogurt coffee cake recipe.

Click here for the yogurt biscuit recipe.

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received Activia Harvest picks yogurt.  All statements in this post are my own unbiased opinions.