You’ll feel like you’re in heaven once you taste these mouthwatering breakfast recipes by Alicia! 
There are a ton of mouthwatering breakfast recipes on your site. What do you enjoy making the most in the morning?
This is such a funny question to me, because my husband and I differ greatly on what is “proper” breakfast food. When it’s just me and the kids at home, I often eat a peanut butter sandwich or even (gasp!) leftovers from the night before for breakfast. (I know, I’m a totally weirdo!) Geoff, on the other hand, loves traditional breakfast foods and scoffs at my weird breakfasts. The only day we are all home together for breakfast is Sunday, and that’s when I pull out the big guns and make something special for breakfast (for example these quick & easy crepes, or this overnight French toast). Geoff and I both work full time, and Geoff is in school, so weekday mornings are generally really busy and chaotic. One thing that makes life a lot easier, especially when I’m trying to get both little girls and myself ready for the day, is that I always have something yummy in the freezer for an easy breakfast. Some of my favorites are these lunchbox muffins and these cheddar & scallion waffles. I find that planning ahead and making sure the freezer is stocked go a long way in reducing my morning stress.
You’ve said that your daughter is a picky eater. What are her favorite breakfast recipes?
My little Abby is super picky and has a really hard time with new foods. She tends to get a little hypoglycemic at times, so it’s really important to me that she gets a good healthy breakfast to start the day off well. One of her favorites for breakfast is this banana bread oatmeal, which I love because it keeps her full all morning while she’s learning and playing at school. She also loves pretty much any kind of fruit, so we make a lot of smoothies with frozen fruit and vanilla soy milk. I’ve found that she’s more likely to try new things when she helps me make them, so we do a lot of cooking together. Some of our favorite breakfasts to make together are these perfect pancakes and these bakery-style blueberry muffins.
Where do you find the inspiration for a lot of your recipes?
I’m an absolute Pinterest addict (you can find my profile here), and I love looking at all the beautiful food pictures that come up in my feed. There are so many amazing food blogs out there! Some of my very favorites are Annie’s Eats, Mel’s Kitchen Café, and How Sweet It Is. I love finding a good recipe and figuring out ways to make it my own. Although I do love a decadent dessert now and then, I try to keep most of our meals light and reasonably healthy. I love “healthifying” some of our favorite foods by adding whole wheat, reducing the fat, and/or adding more vegetables. I also absolutely love figuring out how to make things myself instead of paying a lot of money for them at a restaurant or at the store. Some of my favorite DIYs are this ricotta cheese, this strawberry honey butter, and these slow cooker cinnamon almonds. It’s amazing what you can make at home!
What are a few kitchen tips that all moms should know?
I think the first is to not be afraid to try new things. Even if you’re not super comfortable with your cooking skills, there are so many easy and fun recipes to try! There’s really no excuse for getting stuck in a rut and making the same few meals over and over. Another tip is to get the whole family involved. Nothing makes me happier than cooking with my family, and even the little ones can help! Abby helps with washing fruits and vegetables, mixing ingredients, and rolling out dough. Lizzy helps me add ingredients to a bowl, is great at wiping down the counters, and loves to be my little taster. Cooking can be so relaxing and fun, and I love sharing one of my favorite activities with my girls. Believe it or not, it actually makes meal times much less stressful! Instead of me trying to corral the girls, break up their squabbles, and fix dinner at the same time, everyone is engaged and happy and working together.
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Meet the blogger:
My name is Alicia, and food is my love language! I am an RN, a knitter, a runner, a reader, and I love to cook. My husband Geoff and I have been married for ten years, and we have two little girls, Abby, and Lizzy. Abby is six and is spunky and creative, and Lizzy is two and is a little bundle of energy, but sweet as can be. I started my blog, The Baker Upstairs, almost six years ago, when I was a new mommy trying to figure out what to feed my little family. Since then my cooking skills and creativity in the kitchen have really blossomed. I love to try new recipes and share delicious food with readers from all over the world!
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