It Isn't Breakfast, It Isn't Lunch. It's Brunch.
Had you asked me a few months prior I would have told you Brunch was something left in the 90's, or something that older people do. In the midwest the rare occasion brunch even comes up it is as a family thing after church. Once in a blue moon. Maybe. In New York City brunch is a very different story. A favourite pastime enjoyed on either coast that hasn't seemed to reach the center of America just yet.
Forget old timers, brunch is a time to don your high heels and put on your best lipstick. Brunch is a time for mimosas, a time to catch up with your friends, de-stress about your long work week and a time to indulge in your breakfast favourites without having to wake up early for it. Brunch is fantastic.
I had two wonderful brunch dates this weekend! The first on Saturday was with the boy at home, we traded in our brunch best for our PJs and cooked up one of our breakfast favourites-mini omelets!
Here's the recipe if you'd like to try it for a quick and easy breakfast.
They are also great to save for a grab-n-go morning bite on your way out the door!
Mini Omelets
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- I love these because it's a great way to use up whatever you have in your fridge! This time I used tofu turkey, mushrooms, spinach, onion and freshly grated cheese. Dice all the ingredients up you want to use into small pieces. Mix it up and try different combinations. Here are a few tried and true combinations the boy and I enjoy:
- Spinach, feta, mushroom and cherry tomato
- Cheddar cheese, tofu sausage pieces and onion
- Mushroom, green & red pepper, tomato, onion and colby jack cheese
- For the meat eaters you could try cut up breakfast sausage, bacon pieces or ham!
- Mix 5 eggs with a pinch of salt, pepper, a touch of basil and thyme (for a healthier alternative just use the egg whites!) A lot of similar recipes call for an egg per omelet but I think it's unnecessary extra calories.
- Coat a muffin tin with vegetable oil (or coconut oil for you uber conscious)
- Fill the bottom of each circle with your chosen ingredients to about 3/4 full
- Pour the beaten eggs and spices over the top of each until about half way full
- Put the muffin tins in the oven for 20-25 minutes
- Pop out and enjoy or let cool then wrap them up individually to use through out the week!
Sunday I indulged in a more New York traditional brunch date with my old friend. Here's the brunch outfit I put together. A muted dust pink polka dot skirt, a low back three quarter length cream crochet top with a turquoise drop necklace and coordinating flats. I threw on a braided belt to cinch in the waist, a gray clutch and I was ready to brunch!
We met on 39th and 6th ave at the Refinery Hotel, right in the middle of the garment district and ate downstairs at
Parker & Quinn (or P&Q). It was a cute little restaurant with black leather booths and crystal ball chandeliers and classic New York City decorum. The perfect setting for the ultimate NYC Sunday brunch. The service was a little slow but it was worth the wait. I had a yummy mimosa I had been craving, a perfect omelet with delicious golden potatoes and toast I didn't even get to. The restaurant was speckled with both hotel guest, new york brunchers and a table next to us of tourists (easy to spot with NYC tourist books). I loved the atmosphere of this entire hotel, it was very luxurious and modern. After finishing up brunch we headed to the 13th floor for the
Refinery Rooftop.
The rooftop was my favourite spot of the day! Had the sun been hitting us it would have been the absolute perfect time. It was slightly chilly but the view made it worth it. They have the whole rooftop decked out with outdoor sofas, benches and even a sofa swing, complete with lighted trees and flowers. It was unusually empty (thanks to the game) and we enjoyed the perfect spot almost completely to ourselves! I had a 'pumpkin patch' in honor of the fall and my love for all things pumpkin! This has quickly become a prime spot for after hours during the work week since their opening, but I highly recommend it for a nice drink in this cool weather over the weekends as well!
I am loving the New York Brunch scene and know it's definitely going to become part of my usual schedule (most weeks). Can't wait to try out different recipes and find new places to much for brunch!
