I've tried a lot of cinnamon roll recipes in my years of baking and occasionally find a new "favorite". Well, people, this one just rose to the top and clobbered the rest with its gooey, sticky goodness. Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls are, like, an institution.

According to Pioneer Woman (and I completely agree), the problem with most cinnamon rolls is that there's too much bread and not enough goo. People fight over the center of the roll, but with these, there' no need for that because . . .

THE WHOLE THING TASTES LIKE THE MIDDLE.

If you don't like gooey-sticky cinnamon rolls, then you would absolutely hate these. For the rest of you, . . . at least try them once in your life. Life-changing? Absolutely.

I tweaked Pioneer Woman's cinnamon roll frosting because I don't use coffee in anything I bake (or cook). So I added some cream cheese and maple flavoring to the frosting instead. Holy cow -- they taste like maple bar doughnut frosting. Absolutely incredible.

I also use avocado oil instead of vegetable oil and usually swap out the milk for almond milk. It's still super tasty. I'd love to make a gluten-free version of these, but honestly, I'd just rather have the real thing.

You Will Love These Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls

• So gooey and soft!
• Makes a lot (for gift giving!) or a little (for a weekend treat).
• Roll them out, put them in a pan and freeze for later! They thaw and bake up beautifully.

What You'll Need for Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

• Whole milk: Trust me. The extra richness in whole milk will make the most decadent dough.
• Avocado oil: I prefer this to using vegetable oil in baking, but you can use what you have. Just don’t use coconut oil or olive oil.
• Sugar: Just regular, granulated sugar. Don’t make any natural sweetener substitutions here – we’re not trying to make these healthy. There are other recipes for that.
• Dry yeast: Instant yeast and active dry yeast both work.
• All-purpose flour: Same as the sugar. Don’t try to swap out for whole grain or gluten free or you’ll be sad.
• Baking powder: Everyone has this right?
• Baking soda: This too?
• Salt: I use pink salt. Use whatever fine salt you have.
• Butter: Yep, 3 sticks.
• Brown sugar: makes the best cinny filling!
• Cinnamon: Of course.
• Powdered sugar: For the frosting. There isn’t a swap for this.
• Cream cheese: Makes the best frosting!
• Maple flavoring: If you’re looking for a flavoring that isn’t artificial, this is a good one.

How to Make Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

1. Mix the milk, avocado oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool.
2. When the mixture is lukewarm, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
3. After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together.
4. Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape.
5. Drizzle ½ to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
6. Starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
7. Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.
8. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 375 until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
9. For the frosting, cream the powdered sugar, butter, and cream cheese together very well. Add the maple flavoring, half of the milk, and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting thins out and there aren't any lumps.
10. Frost the cinnamon rolls while they're still warm so the frosting melts into the rolls.
11. Try not to eat the entire pan.

Pioneer Cinnamon Rolls Variations

• Swap out the maple and cream cheese in the frosting for strongly brewed coffee (like PW’s original recipe).
• Use a fruity jam filing instead of cinnamon. Strawberry or raspberry would be delicious!
• Use a citrus curd or a creamy citrus filling with orange or lemon.
• Add chocolate chips to the filling.
• Make them dairy free by using dairy free butter and almond milk.

Tips for Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

• Don’t skimp on the ingredients. Yes it’s a lot of butter. Just do it anyway. That’s what makes them so gooey and delicious.
• Don’t overbake them!
• Don’t try to make these gluten free unless you’re an experienced gluten free baker. Even then I’d suggest finding a specifically gluten free recipe for the dough and then adapting the filling/frosting to this recipe.

Storing Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

These rolls store well (with icing) covered for up to 3 days. I suggest warming them up before serving after a day or two. You can freeze them, but I’d suggest freezing before baking.

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Maple Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: About 50 rolls

This is, hands-down, the best recipe for cinnamon rolls in the entire internet. Truly. The entire roll has the taste and texture of the MIDDLE. How's that for amazing? And the cinnamon roll frosting is to die for -- maple + cream cheese is a match made in heaven.

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Ingredients

For the rolls:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 quart whole milk (almond milk is ok)
• 1 cup avocado oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 packages active dry yeast (I used instant yeast that I store in the freezer)
• 9 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (heaping) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (scant) baking soda
• 1 tablespoon (heaping) salt
• 1 ½ cups butter (yep, 3 sticks)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup cinnamon

he maple frosting:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 2-pound bag of powdered sugar
• 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tablespoon maple flavoring
• ½ cup milk
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Mix the milk, avocado oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.
3. After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down.)
4. When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape.
5. Drizzle ½ to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.
6. Starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.
7. Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans. (At this point you can cover them and put them in the freezer. When you're ready to make them, just pull them out and stick them on the counter for a few hours until they thaw and rise, which happened quicker than I though.)
8. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 375 until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.
9. For the frosting, cream the powdered sugar, butter, and cream cheese together very well. The mixture will be very thick. Add the maple flavoring, half of the milk, and a pinch of salt. Beat until the frosting thins out and there aren't any lumps. Add the rest of the milk if you want the frosting to be thinner.
10. Frost the cinnamon rolls while they're still warm so the frosting melts into the rolls.
11. Try not to eat the entire pan.

Notes

Note: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman's recipe

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The post Cinnamon Rolls (Pioneer Woman Recipe) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

If you have mental images of meat grinders and sausage stuffing machines, please send those away. Sausage is simply ground up meat mixed with seasonings, and while we’re not making sausage links, my version uses ground chicken and simple spices you probably already have in your cupboard! It’s a lighter, less greasy protein option than traditional pork breakfast sausage.

I'll show you how to make it into patties, cook into crumbles, and I’ll give you tips for making tasty breakfast bowls. (I mean, really… you can eat these all day long. They’re that good.)

Why You'll Love This Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe

Making homemade chicken breakfast sausage was a revelation to me. It's hard to find good quality breakfast sausage without additives or extra... "stuff"

It’s a perfect addition to scrambles, omelets and breakfast bowls! One of three things I could eat everyday is BREAKFAST BOWLS!

What do I mean by breakfast bowls? Any combination of hash browns, roasted vegetables, homemade breakfast sausage, bacon, eggs (fried/scrambled/whatevs) and something creamy like avocado or a dressing of sorts. Oh, and hot sauce. Always hot sauce.

(Or, if we're talking sweet breakfast bowls, I love variations on chia bowls like in this recipe - Beet Brownie Bowls. But lately I feel a lot better -- and less munchy during the day-- if my breakfast is savory.)

Ingredients for Homemade Breakfast Chicken Sausage

Just ground chicken and a few seasonings. That's it!

I found some organic ground chicken at Costco for this, but you could use ground turkey or ground pork. Personally, I find ground turkey too dry and ground pork too greasy, so I like to combine them. Ground chicken doesn't seem to be quite as dry to me.

Beef has too strong of a flavor, I think. And might be too heavy for breakfast. Or not? Don't people eat steak and eggs for breakfast? I've never had a desire to eat a steak for breakfast.

Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe Tools

Non-stick skillets are fine, but mine has seen better days and needs to be replaced.

I like GreenPans the most. I have a couple of 8" pans and this 10" and 12" set of pans. The bigger ones I replace every other year. The smaller ones seems to last longer and are my favorite pans for making crepes.

I used my big stainless skillet to cook these patties. If you have trouble with meat sticking to stainless pans, here are a couple of tips:

How to Make Ground Chicken Sausage Recipe

1. Put the ground meat into a mixing bowl. Add the spices and use your hands, or a spoon, to incorporate the seasonings throughout the meat. Try not to squish the meat in your fists or it'll get “mealy”. Just gently use your fingers to toss it around. It might make it easier to refrigerate the meat for a bit before forming them.
2. Heat a skillet with enough oil (I use avocado oil) to lightly coat the pan. Once the pan is really hot, add the meat until cooked throughout. I like breaking it up with a spatula until it's crumbly and coated with caramelized edges.
3. Serve with your choice of breakfast goodies.

Tips for cooking Breakfast Chicken Sausage in a Stainless Steel Pan

1. Use enough oil. I know a lot of us are still stuck in the fat-phobic mindset of 30 years ago, but you need enough oil to lightly coat the whole pan. You don't have to have an inch of oil in there.
2. Make sure the pan is really hot before you put the meat in. Whatever oil or fat you use should start rippling subtly. Not smoking, though.
3. Don't touch the meat after you put it in the pan. At least for a few minutes. During that time the meat will form a little crust on the bottom. You want that crust. It allows you to move the meat without it sticking. And that caramelization is super tasty.
4. If stuff sticks anyway, just keep cooking and flipping, adding a little more oil if you need it. If it gets ridiculous, add a little broth or water to the skillet and stir it around with a spatula to loosen stuff from the pan.

OR you could toss all the meat in the pan and cook it loose. This is what I prefer. And I like to cook it for a long time so there are a lot of crispy, caramelized bits.

And that's it!

How to Store and Reheat Breakfast Chicken Sausage

Store any leftovers in a lidded container for up to a week.

To reheat, I highly suggest tossing the cold chicken sausage into a skillet and warming it that way. If you’re in a pinch you can always microwave it, too.

What to Serve with Ground Chicken Sausage

Easy, right? In that bowl up there I added some roasted sweet potatoes tossed in my Sweet Potato Fry Seasoning, a runny egg, part of an avocado, and a few shakes of Chalula hot sauce. Steve likes putting sauerkraut on his, too. I do, too, sometimes. But most mornings I'm not ready for sauerkraut that early.

Ground Chicken Sausage FAQs

More Easy Breakfast Skillet Recipes on Perry's Plate

My Potato Chorizo Hash is another breakfast skillet favorite and makes delicious breakfast bowls!

Brussel Sprout Hash uses leftover chopped ham and shredded Brussels for a surprisingly delicious hash for such simple ingredients.

I love the smoky-sweet combo in this Bacon and Sweet Potato Hash. Bacon is always king.

My Chicken Sausage Meal would be a tasty breakfast option, too!

Do crepes count as a skillet meal? lol Because Gluten-Free Crepes are always a favorite around here.

(Not to mention the Chocolate Crepes, too.)

More From Perry's Plate

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Chicken Breakfast Sausage Recipe

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Making your own homemade breakfast sausage is just as easy as making taco meat! It's perfect for meal prep -- cook it loose or in patties for meals during the week. It even freezes well!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds ground chicken (or turkey or pork or a combo)
• 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried minced onion (or ¼ teaspoon onion powder)
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried sage
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• Pinch (or more) of cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Put the ground meat into a mixing bowl. Add the spices and use your hands to incorporate the seasonings throughout the meat. Try not to squish the meat in your fists or it'll get mealy. Just gently use your fingers to toss it around.
2. Heat a skillet to medium-high heat and cook the meat, breaking it up with a spatula until it's crumbly and coated with caramelized edges, about 20 minutes.
3. Serve with your choice of breakfast goodies.

Notes

Instructions for making patties:

1. Form the seasoned, raw meat into 12-14 1 ½-2 inch patties and put them on a plate.
2. Heat a skillet with enough oil (I use avocado oil) to lightly coat the pan. Make sure the pan is really hot before the patties go on.
3. Cook half of the patties at a time, leaving them untouched for the first 2-3 minutes until a crust forms on the bottom. Flip and continue cooking them until they're cooked through and firm when you press the centers.
4. Transfer to a plate and continue cooking the rest of the patties, adding a little more oil, if needed.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Homemade Breakfast Chicken Sausage appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Chia seeds are incredibly nutritious. The fiber content alone makes it a rockstar food, but they’re also a good source of protein and healthy fat.

This recipe is intended to be a springboard for however you’d like to customize it! Swap out the coconut milk for another type, use whatever sweetener you prefer, and add your favorite fruit.

About Chia Seeds

Did you know chia seeds can absorb 10x their weight in liquid?! Amazing.

These little seeds are also packed with a lot of nutritional value. They're a good source of quercetin (a natural antioxidant), fiber, and have good amounts of calcium, magnesium, and a bit of protein.

TIP: Use chia seeds as a vegan egg replacement!

1 T chia seeds + 3 T water and let it sit for 15 min. Add to the recipe when it calls for 1 egg.

Making chia pudding is crazy easy, although it does have an interesting texture that not all of my kids enjoy. I've buzzed it up in my blender to smooth it out and that helps them like it more. 

It's also easily made dairy free and it's naturally gluten free. Yay!

I buy my chia seeds at Costco, but they're available at just about every grocery store and online.

What you'll need for Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk

• Coconut Milk: Both light and full-fat would work here
• Chia Seeds
• Maple Syrup or your preferred sweetener
• Sea Salt
• Vanilla Extract
• Mangoes: I love mangoes here, but you can use any type of fruit you prefer
• Toasted Coconut Flakes: Optional, but delish

Coconut milk to chia seed ratio

I prefer to use ⅓ or ¼ cup chia seeds for every cup of liquid. Use more chia seeds for a thicker pudding.

Because I'm using a thicker liquid like creamy coconut milk, the pudding ends up being thicker than it usually would. I like it this way, but if you prefer a looser pudding, use more liquid or reduce the amount of chia seeds by a couple of tablespoons.

What kind of milk to use in chia pudding

You can make chia pudding with any kind of milk -- regular dairy milk, or dairy free milks like almond milk, and oat milk work well, but I especially love using canned coconut milk. I love all things coconut and the coconut milk makes it super creamy and delicious. And more dessert-like (which is my goal most of the time. Ha.)

You can use full fat coconut milk or light coconut milk in this, depending on your preference. Obviously, light coconut milk will have less fat if you're tracking macros or concerned about that.

What kind of sweetener is best?

I like to use pure maple syrup when I make chia pudding, but you can use honey, any granulated sweetener (like coconut or maple sugar), or a low-carb sweetener like Stevia or monkfruit.

How to make Coconut Chia Pudding

All you need to do is whisk together the chia seeds, milk of your choice, and sweetener of your choice. (And vanilla extract if you like!) Then you chill it overnight (or a couple of hours if you can't wait that long). 

Patience is good here -- you'll want those chia seeds to absorb as much of the liquid as they can.

That's it!

Tips for making chiTips for making Coconut Milk Chia Pudding

Whisk, wait, and then whisk again.

What I mean is... whisk everything together inially, then wait 5-10 minutes. Whisk it one more time and then put it in the fridge for a few hours. 

This prevents the chia from initially sinking to the bottom and creating a big, stiff blob on the bottom. You'll thank me later.

You'll have to stir it one more time before serivng to make sure there aren't any clumps, too.

How to serve Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Chia pudding makes a great snack or breakfast! And can be prepared more decadently for a healthier dessert option.

If you're like me, you'll take a few bites out of the container while standing in front of the open refrigerator.

If you'd like to eat it in a more civilized manner, then add some to a bowl and top with fruit, granola, yogurt, and a sprinkle of hemp seeds, cacao nibs, or other healthy things. Here are a few of my favorite combos:

• Mango + toasted coconut flakes (my favorite with this coconut milk chia pudding)
• Diced apples + a spoonful of peanut butter + pinch of cinnamon or Chai Spice
• 1-2 scoops Chocolate collagen powder stirred in + a spoonful of peanut butter (this PB chocolate chia pudding is Steve's favorite)
• Berries + yogurt + granola

How to store Coconut Milk Chia Seed Pudding

Chia pudding keeps in the fridge for several days. This recipe actually makes a perfect amount to fit in a quart sized mason jar! 

Want more easy, healthy breakfast ideas?

More easy breakfast recipes from Perry's Plate

A Green Smoothie (that actually tastes good)

Best Homemade Granola (with coconut oil & low sugar)

Crispy Oven Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Homemade Chicken Breakfast Sausage

5-Minute Breakfast Salad

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

This creamy coconut chia pudding is a delicious breakfast or snack topped with toasted coconut flakes and sweet mango! Prep a bunch ahead of time so it's always ready when you need a bite.

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Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce can coconut milk (light or full-fat)
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup chia seeds
• 3-4 Tablespoons maple syrup (see note)
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ripe mangoes, cut into chunks
• ½ cup toasted coconut flakes, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together the coconut milk, water, chia seeds, sweetener, salt, and vanilla.
2. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. Whisk again to remove any clumps, and then cover and chill for at least 2 hours. (Overnight is my favorite!)
3. Give it one more good stir before serving.
4. Serve with a few spoonfuls of mango chunks and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes.

Notes

1. You can use any kind of sweetener here. Honey and maple work well. Low carb sweeteners and coconut sugar does, too, but coconut sugar turns the pudding a light brown color.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Nature's Intent Organic Chia Seeds - 3lb Bag - USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Kosher, Keto & Paleo - Good Source of Calcium, Omega 3 and Iron - for Salads, Yogurt & Smoothies
• 
  LETS DO Organic Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, 7 OZ

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size ¾ cup pudding
Amount Per Serving Calories 515Total Fat 32gSaturated Fat 22gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 0mgSodium 87mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 12gSugar 39gProtein 8g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Coconut Milk Chia Seed Pudding appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Out of the Perrys in our household, I'm the last to embrace the green smoothie. After making these for a couple of years now, my husband never gave up on me and managed to find a concoction that I like.

That's love.

Calling this smoothie a "green" smoothie is a stretch because it isn't even green, but it has spinach in it. So it's a green smoothie to me.

Why I Love This Berry Smoothie

This Frozen Berry Smoothie is the perfect blend of refreshing flavors from a mix of berries. It's quick and easy to make, making it ideal for a nutritious breakfast or snack. Plus, it's loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, offering a healthy and delicious choice.

The Best Green Smoothie Ingredients

• Strawberries (Frozen)
• Blueberries Frozen)
• Carrot
• Fresh baby spinach
• Almond milk or coconut milk
• Pomegranate juice

How to Make a Berry Smoothie

1. Combine all ingredients in a large plastic cup or a wide-mouth quart-size mason jar.
2. Blend with an immersion blender, adding more juice or water, if you find it's too thick.

Berries Smoothie Variations

Leave out the juice: If juice isn’t your thing, simply replace the liquids with water or milk.

Sweeter version: Add some honey or cinnamon powder for natural sweetness.

Fibrous version: Add some flaxseeds or chia seeds for extra fiber.

Protein version: Add your favorite protein powder.

How to Serve a Green Breakfast Smoothie

Smoothies are a great on-the-go breakfast or snack, and they can also complement your usual meal.

Smoothie Bowl: This smoothie would make a great base for a smoothie bowl. Add some granola, fresh fruit, shredded coconut, and nuts or seeds.

Sorbet: Enjoy it as is with a spoon for a sorbet-like experience, or pour the smoothie into an ice cream machine to make a proper sorbet!

How to Store a Berry and Spinach Smoothie

Mason jars are perfect for keeping your smoothie fresh, though I recommend drinking it right away! You can store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Spinach Berry Smoothie FAQs

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Berry and Spinach Smoothie (The Best Green Smoothie)

Yield: about 3 cups

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

This was the first "green" smoothie that I could sort of like. It's sweet and a great starter for those who are reluctant to drink veggie-based smoothies.

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Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 3-4 frozen strawberries
• about 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 large carrot, cut into 3-4 pieces
• a couple handfuls of fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup almond milk or coconut milk
• ¼ cup pomegranate juice

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large plastic cup or a wide-mouth quart-size mason jar. Blend with an immersion blender, adding more juice or water, if you find it's too thick.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. If you don't have an immersion blender, go buy one. You'll love it. You can also use a regular blender for this, but you'll end up using a lot more liquid to get it to blend (unless your berries aren't frozen).

2. Feel free to play with the fruits and vegetables in this. You can also add coconut milk (which is fantastic, by the way) or protein powder.

3. My husband likes adding fresh ginger and some fresh lemon juice to his. I'm not digging that yet.

4. I updated this recipe and replaced the cup of pomegranate juice with a cup of almond/coconut milk and just a splash of pomegranate juice. Juice has loads of sugar, yo.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post How to Make a Green Smoothie (Berry Spinach Smoothie) appeared first on Perry's Plate.

This Summer Berry Salad makes a great side dish everyone is sure to love!

In my 15+ years as a recipe developer I’ve been dedicated to creating recipes that make the most of seasonal ingredients. This berry salad is a perfect example of that! Summer ripe berries are delicious on their own, so I just tossed them in a little dressing to compliment their natural sweetness.

The acidity from the orange adds some brightness and the vanilla gives it a “creamy” note without any dairy. (Sneaky, right?) You’ll definitely be asked for this recipe if you take it to a potluck brunch!

Berry Salad Dressing

I really love orange with berries. And I love vanilla with berries. And I love orange and vanilla.

So, recipe math suggests... berries + orange + vanilla = steller combo.

And it was. Holy cow. I LOVED the way this vanilla orange honey dressing added a little more sweetness and citrusy goodness to this mixed berry salad recipe.

Summer Berry Salad Ingredients

• Fresh orange juice & zest
• Fresh Lime juice
• Honey
• Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Sea salt (just a pinch!)

How to wash and store berries for mixed berry salad

Berries are notorious for molding quickly -- especially after washing. Here's a little trick to store berries after washing so they don't spoil as quickly.

TIP: Soak berries in a very large bowl with 3-4 Tablespoons of white vinegar for 15 minutes or so. Rinse well. Spread them out on a clean kitchen towel to dry COMPLETELY before transferring them to a paper towel lined lidded container to chill.

This vinegar soaking method also helps to remove any pesticide residue if your berries aren't organic. Organic berries can be pricey and when my kids can eat entire containers in minutes... I don't always buy organic.

How to choose good berries for berry fruit salad

1. Zest the whole orange (about 2 teaspoons) and juice it (about ½ cup). Whisk together the orange zest, juice, juice from the lime (about 4 teaspoons), honey, and the first 5 ingredients in a medium to large serving bowl.
2. Trim the greens off the strawberries and quarter them. Add the strawberries to the bowl along with the rest of the berries.
3. Stir gently to coat everything in the dressing. Serve immediately or chill and serve within 2 hours.

TIP: Make sure your raspberries aren't too soft or they'll break apart in the salad and become part of the dressing. Actually that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're not wanting that, choose ones that are more firm. And fold them in at the very end.

How to make mixed berry salad

Just whisk the dressing together in a big bowl, add the berries, then fold them carefully to get them all coated well.

Like I said before, if you're worried about your raspberries falling apart, fold them in after you've mixed the dressing into the salad to avoid breakage.

Can this Berry Salad Recipe be made ahead of time?

Berries start to break down really quickly after coated in citrus. You can probably get buy with an hour or two ahead of time, but no longer than that. Just keep it chilled until you're ready to eat.

Alternately, you can put the berries in a serving bowl and keep the dressing in another container, then combine them right before serving. That will save you a few minutes of prep time.

What to Serve with Berry Fruit Salad

If you're serving this fresh berry salad as part of a brunch spread here are some things that would go well with it!

Gluten-Free Crepes

Coconut Chia Pudding

Sweet Potato Hash with Chorizo

Quick Ham & Brussels Sprout Hash

Chicken Sausage Breakfast Bowls

Keto Breakfast Tacos

Best Homemade Granola

Berry Salad Recipe FAQs

More Fruity Salad Recipes on Perry's Plate

If you like this mixed berry fruit salad, try one of my other salad recipes with berries and other types of fruit!

Melon Salad with Ginger Mint Dressing

Cantaloupe, Prosciutto, & Burrata Salad

Strawberry Cobb Salad

Spring Greens & Strawberry Salad

Mango Cucumber Rice Salad

Asparagus and Grilled Melon Salad

Blackberry, Bacon, & Egg Salad

Grilled Jerk Chicken & Mango Salad

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Mixed Berry Salad

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This is the best berry salad I've ever had! Beautiful fresh mixed berries tossed in an orange vanilla dressing makes a colorful side dish for any meal or brunch.

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Ingredients

• 1 orange
• 1 lime
• 3-4 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 ½ - 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• 1 pound mixed berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

Instructions

1. Zest the whole orange (about 2 teaspoons) and juice it (about ½ cup). Whisk together the orange zest, juice, juice from the lime (about 4 teaspoons), honey, anthe first 5 ingredients in a medium to large serving bowl.
2. Trim the greens off the strawberries and quarter them. Add the strawberries to the bowl along with the rest of the berries.
3. Stir gently to coat everything in the dressing. Serve immediately or chill and serve within 2 hours.

Notes

• Make sure your raspberries aren't too soft or they'll break apart in the salad and become part of the dressing. Actually that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you're not wanting that, choose ones that are more firm. And fold them in at the very end after mixing the salad together.

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Ginger, cinnamon, and a hint of nutmeg, folded into naturally sweet fruit and whole-grain (or gluten-free) oats feels wholesom & satisfying.

Pro tip: prep it the night before, pop it in the oven in the morning, and suddenly you’re a breakfast hero. Serve it with a dollop of yogurt, lightly sweetened whipped cream, or some dairy free ice cream, depending on which way you want to swing.

Why You'll Love This Pear Crumble Recipe

Low in sugar and accented with whole grains, this pear crumble makes me feel like I'm eating dessert for breakfast. It could probably even double as a dessert later that evening. The pears were so sweet on their own, which allowed me to cut way back on the sugar. I loved the nutty addition of buckwheat flour in the oat mixture, but you could substitute whole wheat, almond, or coconut flour if you like.

And no, that's not ice cream in the bowl, but Greek yogurt with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup. I made this two days in a row, which tells you how much we liked it!

Ingredients for Healthy Pear Crumble

• Pears
• Lemon juice
• Maple syrup
• Ground ginger
• Ground cardamom (or Cinnamon)
• Melted butter
• Rolled oats (quick oats would also work)
• Sliced almonds
• Buckwheat flour (wheat, almond or coconut flour would work, too)
• Milled flax
• Raw sugar

How to Make Pear Crumble With Oats

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Place the chopped pears in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle/drizzle remaining filling ingredients over the top and mix well. Use your hands -- it's fun.
3. Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle evenly over the pears.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the juices that have collected at the bottom of the pan are bubbly.
5. Serve with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Pear Crumble Recipe Variations

You could also make this with chopped apples, peaches, or berries. Just adjust the spices to suit your taste.

What to Serve With Baked Pear Crumble

This fruity fall favorite stands well on it’s own, but it would also be delicious as part of a breakfast spread along with some Berry Salad, Chia Seeds Pudding with Coconut Milk, Green Smoothie Drink, or Bacon and Sweet Potato Hash for a savory option.

Topping Suggestions

We love pear crumble with Greek yogurt and a tiny drizzle of maple syrup ontop.

How to Store Baked Pear Crumble

Leftovers can be stored for 3 days in an airtight container.

Leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.

How to Reheat Pear Crumble

To reheat this crumble, you can microwave a portion few about one minute, or warm it in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.

More Easy Fruit Desserts on Perry's Plate

If you like this recipe, try another one of my desserts with fruit! Some are naturally sweetened and could also be passed off as breakfast. (I love when that happens.)

Apple and Cranberry Crisp

Paleo Apple Crumble

Apple-Pomegranate Breakfast Crumble

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Recipe for Pear Crumble With Oats

Yield: Serves 5-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

If you have a plethora of pairs, this is a great way to use them up in a delicious, sweet breakfast!

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Ingredients

• For filling:
• 4-5 pears, cored and chopped (peeling optional)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom (or ¼ teaspoon cinnamon)
• For topping:
• 4 Tablespoon melted butter
• 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats (quick oats would also work)
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 2 Tablespoons buckwheat flour (wheat, almond or coconut flour would work, too)
• 1 Tablespoon milled flax (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon raw sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the chopped pears in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle/drizzle remaining filling ingredients over the top and mix well. Use your hands -- it's fun.
3. Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle evenly over the pears.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the juices that have collected at the bottom of the pan are bubbly.
5. Serve with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Notes

Nat's Note: You could also make this with chopped apples, peaches, or berries. Just adjust the spices to suit your taste.

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This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

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The post Healthy Pear Crumble With Oats appeared first on Perry's Plate.