Healthy Breakfast & Brunch Party Recipes

Cider doughnuts, a New England harvest treat, inspired these spice-happy muffins. A crumbly streusel topping made with a small amount of butter provides a delicious finish.

This refreshing, simple Cuban salad recipe captures the flavors of the tropics. Serve alongside spiced chicken or pork, with rice and beans.

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.

This moist lemon bread is perfect for breakfast or a tasty dessert. It's delicious on its own or topped with the optional lemon-sugar glaze.

Pure maple syrup, as opposed to artificially flavored and colored “pancake” syrup, is an extraordinary cooking ingredient. Here it adds body as well as rich flavor to the dressing, providing a perfect counterpoint to the smoked cheese.

Serve this refreshing fruit salad featuring juicy plums, grapes and berries on its own or with other colorblock fruit salads (like red, green and orange) for a fun, crowd-pleasing rainbow side dish.

For our healthy homemade quiche crust recipe, we use half whole-wheat flour, replace some of the butter with heart-healthy olive oil and add a little sour cream to keep the crust flaky and tender. Making your own quiche crust recipe means you'll skip unhealthy fats, preservatives and artificial color found in many store-bought crusts.

A whole orange pulverized in the food processor gives these nutrient-rich date-pumpkin muffins a wonderful intense flavor.

This easy polenta takes only a few minutes of stirring before it's left to cook on its own to creamy perfection. If you have leftovers, chill them overnight in a greased pan, slice into slabs, brush with canola oil and broil until both sides begin to crisp. Serve as a side dish at supper or for breakfast with maple syrup or honey.

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

You can make these bars ahead of time and freeze them, tightly wrapped in foil, for up to 3 months.

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.

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. To make muffins instead, see Muffin Variation.

Not only is this seeded loaf high in fiber, but the blend of seeds and grains lends it a wonderfully nutty flavor, aroma and texture. A heavy container with a tight-fitting lid works best, as the steam trapped inside the pot helps crisp the crust of the boule. Keep in mind that in a very wide-bottomed pot the loaf will spread out and be fairly flat; in a taller, narrower one it will be thicker and have more height (but may take slightly longer to bake).

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.

Dates are naturally sweet so no extra sugar is needed in this quick-bread recipe. Toasted almonds add a nice crunch and the optional coarse sugar topping--while it isn't needed for sweetness--certainly adds to the presentation.

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.

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.

These muffins are dense, grainy, fruity and delicious. A double dose of apple--diced fresh apple and dark, spiced apple butter (Smucker's brand is good)--makes them extra moist and flavorful.

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

The daily recommendation for grains is to make half of them whole-grains. These bran muffins--flavored with banana, apricot and delicious spices--are a tasty and creative way to incorporate whole-grains into your diet.

This healthy quiche recipe is perfect for entertaining--the quiche can be made ahead and is just as flavorful served warm or at room temperature. Filled with broccoli, fresh rosemary, Cheddar cheese and caramelized onions, this healthy quiche with a whole-grain crust is perfect for breakfast or brunch, or served with a light salad for lunch.

This simple zucchini bread recipe is a great way to use up your summer bumper crop of zucchini. Try it with toasted walnuts or raisins, or add chocolate chips for a more dessertlike bread. Freeze 2-cup portions of shredded zucchini so you can make zucchini bread all year long.

Now everyone can enjoy the essential fall quick bread with this easy gluten-free recipe. Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice add tons of flavor, but stir in pecans or chocolate chips to take it a step further!