Healthy Breakfast & Brunch Party Recipes

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Strawberries and rhubarb are one of the great flavor combinations of springtime. Here the duo stars in a traditional strawberry-rhubarb cobbler, redolent with the aromas of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. If you must, you can top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream but quite honestly, it doesn't need it.

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.

This easy cheese board features a bounty of seasonal vegetables and fresh fruits, which add color and complement the variety of cheeses. We've made cheese suggestions, but feel free to mix and match with your favorites. For the fresh produce, improvise based on what's available at your market and what's in season.

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.

This easy fruit salad recipe is a dazzler: a large bowl of colorful berries served with a cool lemon curd sauce. Use room-temperature fruit in this berry salad (or if you are taking the berries out of the refrigerator, set them in an oven that's recently been on to gently warm them). The flavor of warm or room-temperature berries is so much better, as if they're fresh-picked and still hold the warmth of the sun.

Tomatoes and corn have a natural affinity for one another: the slight acidity of tomatoes balances the sweetness of the corn. Here they partner in a delicious quiche-like pie. The dough is very forgiving and bakes up into a sturdy shell that's great for just about any savory pie or tart. Perfect for a summer brunch or try it with a tossed salad for a light supper.

Celebrate the first cherries of the season with this mint-infused mocktail. Black cherry-flavored seltzer gives the drink the most cherry flavor, but plain seltzer also works well.

This colorful soup is both simple and delicious. Use apples that cook up soft; McIntosh are great.

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

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

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 cheesy-asparagus omelet is easy-to-prepare, satisfies your hunger, and looks beautiful, too!

Sparkling white wine is tossed with fresh melon and served with a light irresistible cake in this special dessert.

Mini muffins are perfect for grab-and-go snacking. Try this recipe with fruity peaches and cream cheese chunks--they bake up in just 35 minutes and are perfect for sharing with family, friends, and coworkers!

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.

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).

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.

Take a bite out of summer fun with this friendly fruit shark. It's sure to be a hit at baby showers and birthday parties alike. For the fruit basket filling, use any fresh, in-season fruits your guests will love. Cantaloupe, stone fruits like peaches and plums, and even orange segments will work well.