Christmas Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

The slight acidity of buttermilk tenderizes and moistens baked goods while allowing you to cut way back on butter or oils. Here, it also lends a slight tanginess to the winning combination of bananas and blueberries.

Can you really have too much of a good thing when it comes to the combination of coffee and cake? Here, we've created a lighter but still moist and rich Bundt cake, added a ribbon of hazelnut-coffee streusel inside and a drizzle of coffee glaze on top. To say it tastes great with a good cup of coffee is an understatement. Recipe by Joyce Hendley for EatingWell.

Instead of a traditional quiche crust, we use phyllo dough to create light and flaky layers. Turkey sausage adds protein while shredded Gruyère cheese provides a nutty flavor. Serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Dried blueberries give these pancakes a rich blueberry flavor and pecans liven up the texture with a bit of crunch.

Here is an easy way to serve a crowd a hearty breakfast before facing the elements for a day of winter sports. You can assemble it in the slow cooker in the evening and wake up to a bowl of hot, nourishing oatmeal. The slow cooker eliminates the need for constant stirring and ensures an exceptionally creamy consistency. It is important to use steel-cut oats; old-fashioned oats become too soft during slow-cooking.

Traditional waffles are a butter-laden, high-carb indulgence, but they make the transition to good fats and smart carbs beautifully, yielding crisp, nutty-tasting waffles with all the sweet pleasure of the original. The batter can also be used for pancakes.

These crustless mini quiches are like portable omelets. Turkey sausage and sautéed mushrooms keep them light and savory. Small and satisfying, they're also a good finger food for your next cocktail party.

A rich, flavorful syrup infuses this Mediterranean-inspired walnut coffee cake with the bright aroma of oranges and cloves. Heart-healthy olive oil and whole-grain barley flour add subtle complexity and texture to this nutty treat.

A colorful, delicious bake of eggs and whole wheat bread layered with asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, and feta cheese makes a special breakfast or brunch entree. Best of all, you make it ahead of time.

This oatmeal recipe is great when you have guests and want to serve them a special breakfast. Everything cooks in the slow-cooker overnight--all you need to do in the morning is throw together the roasted apple and walnut topping, and serve!

In this apple-cinnamon oatmeal recipe, we use the fruit in two forms, shredded and chopped, to maximize flavor and texture. Enjoy a bowl of this oatmeal and you'll start your day right with whole grains and a serving of fruit.

Toasting the oats for this hearty muffin enhances their nutty flavor; orange zest contributes a citrus fragrance that plays well with the sweet dates.

These high-fiber oatcakes are made with 100% whole grains and no butter. A quick raspberry compote is a nice change from maple syrup.

Glistening like sticky buns, these unusual muffins are packed with wholesome ingredients--vegetables, fruit and whole grains--so you can feel good about serving them to your family. If you prefer to make simple carrot muffins for lunchboxes or breakfasts-on-the-go, omit the topping; sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped nuts over the muffins before baking, if desired.

Serve these light pancakes with our Chunky Blueberry Sauce, maple syrup or honey. Sprinkling the berries on top of the cooking pancakes ensures even distribution. Keep finished pancakes warm in a 200°F oven, if desired, while cooking the rest.

Time to use up those overripe bananas! Turn a classic quick bread gluten-free with this easy recipe. This banana bread is mouthwatering as is, but stir in some walnuts or chocolate chips to take it to the next level.

A frittata is a baked omelet that requires no flipping. This one features tangy goat cheese and sweet red bell peppers. Make it a Meal: Serve with home fries and a salad of mesclun greens.

This healthy whole-grain pumpkin pancake recipe produces fluffy cakes with a beautiful orange hue from pureed pumpkin and light crunch from toasted pecans. If you want to experiment with different types of whole grains, replace up to 1/2 cup of the whole-wheat flour with cornmeal, oats and/or buckwheat flour. Or add extra fiber and omega-3s by adding up to 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or chia seeds.

This casserole featuring eggs, cheese, ham, and fennel would also make a perfect breakfast for a special day.

A dozen for brunch? No problem with our delicious makeover of a classic egg casserole. Assemble the casserole the evening before you plan to serve it.

These lemony cranberry-studded muffins crunch lightly with cornmeal and are topped with a kiss of sugared lemon zest. They're great warm from the oven, but also keep well for a few days and freeze beautifully.

We love the combination of strawberry and orange in this sweet breakfast muffin with a streusel topping. For a less conventional (but equally delicious) twist, try the basil variation. The hint of basil complements the fruity berries wonderfully.

Quinoa is often turned into a creamy hot breakfast cereal in Bolivia, where much of the world's quinoa is grown. This healthy breakfast quinoa recipe is a hot cereal that is infused with an aromatic chai-inspired blend of spices--cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.

Banana bran muffins are great to have on hand for breakfast on-the-go!