Lemon-Blueberry Muffins with Chia Seeds

Hey, it's actually been a while since I posted a muffin recipe! I love the lightness of lemon and blueberry in baked goods--it always reminds me of spring--but don't love the thought of eating pure white flour and sugar in the morning.  I have tried to add a little more of the good stuff (in the form of whole grain flour and chia seeds, in this case) to this recipe without making these hockey-puck heavy, and of course, yogurt is always a great substitute for oil or butter.  See what you think, and get creative with alternative flours (rice, spelt, etc.) if you have them on hand.

Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12

1/3 cup milk
8 oz. Greek honey yogurt
1 egg
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

Beat together all wet ingredients (milk through lemon juice) in a large mixing bowl. Add all dry ingredients and combine thoroughly, gently folding in the blueberries at the end.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups and bake 16-18 minutes or until golden on top. Cool 5 minutes or so before removing from pan.


And some other muffin recipes for your baking pleasure...
Basic Breakfast Muffin Batter
Chocolate-Rhubarb Muffins
Cranberry Sauce Muffins
Island Muffins
Lemon-Tahini Muffins
Smitten Kitchen's Pumpkin Muffins

Cook, freeze, and pack it for later: breakfasts

The end of summer vacation means big life changes for many of us as we adjust back to demanding work schedules. For me, this means returning to a lifestyle of driving hundreds of miles every week between various gigs and often eating meals in my car, between lessons, or during rehearsal breaks.  For you, it might mean that your kids have a complicated soccer schedule or something.  I don't know, it doesn't have to be about me.

When I was younger, I used to just stuff my face with Doritos or stop at drive-thrus when I couldn't stand the sound of my stomach growling any longer.  My metabolism used to be much more productive then.  Now I really value trying to maintain a well-balanced diet and eat things that won't make me feel like I want to die thirty minutes later.  So, the challenge is to cook good, healthy food now (or whenever you have the time) and save it for later when you don't have the luxury of sitting down to a civilized meal.

Breakfasts present a two-fold challenge: I am often sleeping as late as I can and running out the door, wondering if I remembered to put on deodorant; and I am usually too stupid to think first thing in the morning and would prefer not to have to make a decision about what to make (Obviously, since I can't even handle the deodorant responsibility with regularity). Therefore, it is important to have some breakfast materials ready for busy days, because skipping breakfast is a guaranty of a pesky blood sugar crash mid-morning, and we all know what that means: bad choices at the vending machine at 10am.

On a less hectic weekend, I can make and freeze enough breakfast material to last several weeks and allow for some variety through rotation.  This can all be done in a couple of hours.

These are not so healthy, buuuut.....

Croissants: buy some at Safeway.  They're delicious and you can freeze them in big zip-top bags.  Pull them out frozen and toast (see below) and you're good to go.  BUT, they're not very filling.  This can be replaced by a good, hearty multi-grain bread, sliced and frozen. Combine either with a

Hard-boiled Eggs: These are a staple all year for me.  You can boil a dozen and work through them in a few weeks.  All you've got to be able to do is peel them in the morning.

Muffins: I have posted many times about my muffins.  I love them because they freeze so well and don't take long to make.  You can pack them full of healthy stuff (bran, flax seeds, nuts, veggies) and it still tastes like you're eating a little cake for breakfast.  Here's a basic dough recipe which can be adjusted to suit your current ingredients on-hand:

Basic Breakfast Muffin Dough

Makes about 15 muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup rolled oats (not quick-cook)
½ cup white flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flax seeds
2 ½ cups shredded fruits and vegetables (apples, carrots, zucchini, etc. in any ratio)
½ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup milk (any kind)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Add-ins:
½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup raisins or other dried fruit bits
½ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
Dash nutmeg

Combine all wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, milk, yogurt, shredded fruit and veggies) in a large bowl.  Add all dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to combine.  Pour into muffin cups and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack and place in a large, freezer-weight zip-top bag.  Freeze up to 4 months.

For some other flavor ideas, check out these older posts:

Chocolate-rhubarb Muffins
Cranberry Sauce Muffins
More Breakfast Treats (Island Muffins and Lemon-Tahini Muffins)

Recipe review: Smitten Kitchen's Pumpkin Muffins

Breakfast Burritos: These can be made with a variety of ingredients to suit your desires, rolled up and wrapped individually in foil, and then frozen.  They are a great, hearty treat in the morning and will definitely allow you to skip the mid-morning munchies.

Makes 10 

10 large tortillas
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 eggs
1/2 cup milk (any kind)
salt and pepper to taste
pinch paprika
shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup vegetables (broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, whatever)
leftover rice or cooked potato (optional, but I love potato, even mashed)
1/2 cup salsa

Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet and swirl around to coat the pan. Stir fry the vegetables until soft, then pour in the egg mixture.  Stir constantly to create scrambled eggs.  When eggs are done, pour in the salsa and cook off the excess liquid, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese and potato or rice if using.

Heat tortillas in the microwave until soft and pliable.  Fill each tortilla with an equal amount of filling, rolling each into burritos and wrapping each individually in aluminum foil.  Place in the freezer and eat within 4 months to avoid freezer taste.

If you remember to thaw out your breakfast in the refrigerator the night before, bully for you; if not, the toaster (dark cycle for bread, medium cycle for croissants) or microwave (2-3 minutes for breakfast burritos) will do just fine.

Recipe review: Smitten Kitchen's Pumpkin Muffins

The recipe Smitten Kitchen published on her website, which is already adapted from one that was previously published in Gourmet Magazine, is a hot mess of asterisks noting her errors and changed ideas about ingredients.  But what I ended up deciding to do, based on this recipe, is pretty tasty and maintains a nice level of pumpkin flavor-to-sweetness (though I had to figure out how much sugar she was actually asking for).  SK really should redo this recipe so that it's less a catalogue of her mistakes and more a clear set of directions, but in the meantime, here's what I came up with.

Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen's adaptation from Gourmet Magazine

Makes 12 muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15 ounce can)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon powdered ginger

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin. 

Combine all wet ingredients in a mixing bowl: oil, eggs, pumpkin, and sugar.  Add all

remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly.  Pour into muffin cups and bake 30 minutes

or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. 

Cranberry Sauce Muffins

This warm weather is great, but don't you miss the carby, comforting days of November and December just a little bit?  Your former enthusiasm for clean, white snowfall that keeps you inside, watching a movie on the couch? These muffins evoke the flavor of the holidays by using the same spices and fruit you expect from a Thanksgiving meal.  And in keeping with my ongoing love affair with the muffin, they're healthy enough for breakfast or a coffee break with guests, and they freeze perfectly for later consumption.

Cranberry Sauce Muffins

Makes about a dozen muffins

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
½ cup quick cooking oats
½ cup brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons orange rind
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 large apple, grated
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
¾ cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a large mixing bowl, combine egg, milk, brown sugar. And grated apple.  Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly; dough should be thick, but you can add milk if it’s difficult to stir.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with more brown sugar if you like.  Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Cool on wire racks and serve or freeze until ready for use.

More breakfast treats

As long-time readers know, my decision-making skills in the morning are not at their best.  I'm also on the road a lot, and often don't get up early enough to sit down and eat breakfast (today, for instance, I left the house at 5:50 with Verismo Trio to catch a flight to Boise.  Ugh.)  Therefore, I like to bake big batches of muffins and other slightly dessert-like treats and then I can just grab for something in the morning without having to think about it.  Without this crucial planning, I tend to wind up eating Doritos or leftover green beans for breakfast, which doesn't always go so well.  Here are a couple more reasonably healthy muffin recipes--they freeze well and can be defrosted overnight on the countertop or simply microwaved for 20 seconds in the morning.

Island Muffins

12 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup coconut (or canola) oil

1 8-oz. can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained and juice reserved

½ cup pineapple juice from the can

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup finely grated carrot

½ cup raisins

½ cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine carrot, vanilla, pineapple juice, coconut oil, and brown sugar with a whisk.  Stir in pineapple juice, then add all dry ingredients, stirring thoroughly to combine.  Scoop batter into muffin tin and bake 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

*       *       *       *       *       *       *        *        *        *       *

Lemon-Tahini Muffins

12 servings

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup raisins

½ cup milk (cow, soy, almond…doesn’t matter)

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

3 tablespoons tahini (or you could use any other nut butter)

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine milk, oil, tahini, sugar, and lemon juice; combine thoroughly.  Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  The batter will be sticky and a bit on the thick side.  Spoon into the muffin tin and bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Monster Brunch

This is not a role model for brunch.

I recently had a lovely day off with friends, and we decided to live it up and pig out in the middle of the day.  After all, what is more decadent than heavy brunch food and booze at noon?  New Orleanians know what I'm talking about (though I can live just fine without the "Drive-Thru Daiquiri" shops).




I decided to serve the following menu:

Mimosas with orange, grapefruit, or cranberry juice
Steamed asparagus with creamy mushroom sauce (recipe below)
Red eye beans and rice
Shakshuka (I'm convinced that if there'd been a Jewish community in early New Orleans history, this would be de rigueur on their brunch menus) (recipe below)
[Eric made a decadent scalloped potato casserole, but you'll have to ask him for that recipe...]

Rhubarb syrup-and-gin cocktails 
Chocolate-oat-rhubarb muffins
Rhubarb cobbler




For the steamed asparagus, I just seasoned it lightly with salt and poured this over it:

Easiest Mushroom Sauce


2 teaspoons olive oil
8 oz. mixed mushrooms, cleaned and diced
2 medium shallots
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
½  teaspoon herbs de provence or dried thyme
¼ c. chardonnay
1-2 teaspoons flour, depending on how thick you want it
4 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil and sauté the shallots until fragrant and soft, about 4 minutes.  Add mushrooms and salt and continue cooking until fragrant and the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the dried herbs and chardonnay, then sprinkle with flour and combine thoroughly.   Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, season to taste with more salt and freshly ground pepper.  If the sauce gets too thick, just water it down with some milk.

This works well as a crepe filling (use 2 teaspoons flour for a thicker sauce, and stir in shredded cooked chicken if you prefer), on multigrain toast, over steamed asparagus or green beans, over pasta, or as a pizza sauce with spinach and thinly sliced potatoes, etc. etc.

I also used this opportunity to finally make Shakshuka, recipes for which I have been seeing in cooking magazines and Yotam Ottolenghi's beautiful cookbook for months now.  People of Israel, I know now that you are the chosen ones, because you came up with this perfectly simple and delicious way to enjoy eggs.  Bravo.

All the recipes I read were kind of one-note in the sauce department, so I decided to vary the vegetables a bit.  Here's my version:

Fully Loaded Shakshuka

Serves 4 with some leftover sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used dill, cilantro, parsley, and chives)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When it shimmers, add the onion, zucchini, and carrot and cook until the onion is translucent and the carrot begins to soften, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin, stir, and lower to low heat.  Cover and allow to cook about 15 minutes, or until tomatoes start to break down a bit.

Make four hollows in the sauce, and one at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl, then pour into the indentation in the sauce.  Sprinkle a little salt over the eggs, cover, and continue to cook 8 minutes or until eggs are done to your liking. Remove from heat, sprinkle the entire dish with the fresh herbs, and serve.

Thanks, Tiffini, for the pic!

Chocolate-Rhubarb Muffins (or fun with rhubarb, part 3)

Are you getting sick of my muffins yet?  They're so great, though, because you can put some reasonably healthy ingredients in them, eat them on the run, have them for breakfast or dessert, and they freeze and thaw so easily.  Have I won you over yet?  If not, fine.  More muffins for me.

Chocolate-Rhubarb Muffins

Makes about 20

2 cups chopped rhubarb
½ cup white sugar
¾ c. plain yogurt
½ c. milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup white flout
1 cup wheat flour
½ cup rolled oats (not instant)
¼ cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven at 325°F.  Line a muffin tin with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, combine rhubarb and white sugar; stir and allow to sit 10 minutes.  Add the yogurt, milk, eggs, vanilla, and brown sugar and mix, making sure eggs yolks are broken and evenly distributed.  Stir in all remaining ingredients and pour equal amounts into each baking cup in the muffin tin(s)  ( had to spill over into a second tin.  Bake at 325°F 20 minutes of until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

These are great with peanut butter, or for a more savory option, cream cheese or goat cheese.  

New's Year's Eve, Schmeve

Everyone gets all worked up about New Year's Eve parties, but I really like New Year's Day better.  The neighborhood is silent, thanks to hangovers and football games, and you have license to sleep in, schlep around in your pajamas until afternoon, and eat lots of fatty, starchy foods to sop up the leftover alcohol you poisoned yourself with the night before.  I also really love brunch food, but rarely have time to sit around pigging out on eggs and Bloody Marys at 11am.  So, New Year's Day can be pretty decadent, when you think about it.  I'm going to start a new tradition and throw a New Year's Day party this year--it will start at 1pm and go until people are full.  Here's what I'll serve:

Chocolaty Morning Muffins
Morning After Skillet
Coffee-laced Red Beans and Rice
Green Chili Potato Gratin
Cajun Martini (like a Bloody Mary but more...vodka-y)
atomic-strength coffee

Recipe for chocolate muffins

I hate breakfast; I know I need to eat something, but I am always too groggy to decide what it should be.  And I have learned from experience that Chili Cheese Fritoes, at least at my age, will not get you through to lunchtime.

I have taken to making and freezing large quantities of muffins so that I don't have to do much thinking in the morning.  This recipe delivers some healthy ingredients (veggies, grains, fiber...) in a tiny chocolate cake package: a perfect reward for getting out of bed. These are also dessert-like enough to please friends and family who are visiting this time of year, the freeloaders...


Chocolaty Morning Muffins
 Makes about 20


Cream together:
1 ¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
½ cup vegetable or canola oil

Add:
½ cup milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Then add:
1 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 cups shredded zucchini
¼ cup walnut pieces
1/8 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/8 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 °F.  Mix batter thoroughly and pour into paper-lined muffin tin.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.  Cool thoroughly on a wire rack.  Will keep, frozen, up to one month.

Tastemakers invitation: Peet's Café Domingo blend

As a Foodbuzz blogger, I am occasionally invited to participate in a program called Tastemakers, in which a sponsoring product will give me free stuff in exchange for a blog post about said product.  I did this recently with Sargento cheese because I like cheese and free things, but as you can see from my post, it was a little awkward for me.

But when Peet's Coffee sent me an invitation, I jumped at it.  I love Peet's; it's the coffee we most prefer in my house, when it's not too expensive.  I loved the story of Alfred Peet as I learned it in Taylor Clark's informative and entertaining book, Starbucked.  In Clark's recitation of American coffee history, Alfred Peet is the cranky old immigrant in Berkeley, California who reluctantly agrees to apprentice the two scruffy graduate students who would late found a certain big-name coffee shop.  That part's not important.  Peet's coffee was revolutionary in the 1970s, when America was still accustomed to weak, insipid drip coffee served in styrofoam cups for 50 cents in doughnut shops.  After reading about it, I went to find some at my local grocery store, and I've been a fan ever since.  I am also generally a fan of stories about cranky old men, but I'm planning to see someone about that.

Well, I digress, but what I got in the mail was two new medium roast blends and a request to create some recipes for foods that would pair well with each.  My next post will cover more savory recipes to accompany Peet's Café Solano; this post concerns Peet’s Café Domingo, which is described as having "hints of toffee sweetness" (and boy, does it!).

I preferred this new blend to be made quite strong, probably because I'm accustomed to drinking the darkest thing I can find.  It is pleasant, but the caramel flavor I detected limited it, in my opinion, to being appropriate for sweet foods.  I instantly thought the fresh nectarines we had in the kitchen would work perfectly the first morning I tried Peet’s Café Domingo, and I was right.  I also wondered about my favorite sweet nut, almond, and created a variation on my mom's shortbread recipe to go with this blend.  Both work well as pairings with this coffee. There's also a bonus pumpkin-invaded recipe, because it's October and I like to be trendy, which compliments the toffee-ness of this coffee blend.

Breakfast Sundae

It’s so simple, I feel guilty typing this up as a recipe, but it makes me happy every morning.  I know I need to eat breakfast to avoid snacking on Doritos by 10am, but waking up enough to actually think about what to make is a daunting task by the time the coffee is done.  This is easily produced, delicious, and covers most of the nutritional bases to get me through to lunch.  Use whatever fruit is in season.


Serves 1:

1 peach or nectarine, washed and cut into approx. ½ inch pieces
1/3 cup yogurt (I prefer Greek style vanilla or honey flavors)
¼ cup granola
Some almond slices

In a bowl, layer in this order: peaches, yogurt, granola., almond slices.  Enjoy with a medium-bodied coffee like Peet’s Café Domingo.




Toasted Almond Oatmeal Shortbread

This is a slight modification of my mom's Oatmeal Shortbread recipe, so lovingly described here.  The toasted almonds bring out the toffee flavor of Peet’s Café Domingo, I think.

Makes about 5 dozen pieces.  

1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups flour
3.4 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick oats
½ cup slivered almonds.

Preheat oven at 325°F.  In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the slivered almonds, shaking the pan often,  until they begin to turn golden and become fragrant (about 4 minutes).  Remove from heat and reserve.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl.  Gradually add the flour, oats, toasted almonds, and salt.  Press into a greased 13x9x2 pan.   Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges.  Cool 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

And finally...


Pumpkin Harvest Muffins

Because it's October...and I succumbed to the pumpkin trend...

Makes 24 muffins or 2 bread loaves

1 cup white sugar

2 c. brown sugar

1 can (15 oz.) cooked pumpkin

4 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup canola oil

2/3 cup water

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 cup whole grain wheat flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 ½ cups dried cranberries

2 tablespoons flax seeds

½ cup chopped dark chocolate (Ghirardelli’s baking bar, for example)

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, oil, and water; mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine flours, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flax seeds; add to egg mixture and stir well.  Stir in nuts, chocolate, and cranberries until well incorporated.

Pour batter into two medium-sized muffin pans (12 muffins each) or two bread loaf pans.  For muffins, bake approx. 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.  For bread pans, bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of loaf comes out clean.

Guide to edible airport food

I do a moderate amount of traveling, and I rarely bother to pack snacks anymore, although it is in my Midwestern blood to carry sandwiches everywhere and generally be a cheapskate.  It's just not worth the frisking at security, and those guards are never attractive.  Never.

Here's what I've found so far that's edible.  Feel free to comment and your faves, too!


Top picks at DIA (Denver International Airport):

Boulder Beer Tap house   Jeppesen Terminal West, Level 5  One of Colorado’s premiere microbrewery (and the first in the state, back in 1979), Boulder Beer serves up some tasty staples like lagers and porters, and a special collection for connoisseurs, like Hazed and Infused (a hoppy, bitter ale).  The food’s good, too.

Lounge 5280 Wine Bar  B Gates  This stylish, contemporary bar seems like it could be in LoDo, and the wine list really is top-notch.  What’s really special, here, though, are the signature cocktails using fresh herbs and fruit juices.  Ask your bartender to recommend appetizers that will compliment your drink--they’re great at pairings here.

Mesa Verde Smoking Lounge A Gates  I hate cigarette smoke, but their Mexican-inspired dishes are terrific.  Ask to sit on the "patio" and you can avoid the lung cancer.  For a hearty brunch before a long day of travel, try the chilaquiles and a cup of coffee for as satisfying of a meal as you might get at your favorite neighborhood joint.




New Belgium Hub  B Gates  Famed Fort Collins brewery New Belgium has finally set up shop at DIA.  Get a sandwich and sample some of the beers that have earned them cult status in the West.

Paradise Bakery and Café  B and C Gates  Of all the coffee shops in DIA, this is my favorite, because the baked treats are sooo good.  The muffins are a real treat.  The breads they use in the sandwiches are homemade, as are their soups; it’s a great little deli experience in the middle of the airport.  Oh, and the coffee is fantastic.

Rock Bottom Brewery  C Gates  Just like the locations around the Denver area, this chain has a good selection of beers from around the world and a great burger to fill you up for the plane ride.

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MSP (Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport):

California Pizza Kitchen  Concourse F  These guys really do bake up a great pizza.  The crust is buttery, crunchy on the outside and fluffy inside, and just the right thickness to hold up to the generously portioned fresh ingredients they use.  Get the chicken and roasted garlic--it’s fresh roasted garlic and high quality white meat with a light white sauce and sweet red onions.

Caribou Coffee  Concourses A, E, F, G, Terminal 2-Humphrey  The local favorite really does serve the best cup of coffee in town (including MSP), and their sandwiches and salads are just fine.

Great River Market and Deli  Concourse G  I’m not usually too keen on the fast-food sandwiches (boring and dry), but this menu really does boast some great ingredients and tasty, fresh-baked bread.  For a comforting breakfast that will last you all day, get the Hashbrown Casserole.

Itasca Grill  Concourse A  Like the popular restaurant in the Minneapolis area, the airport location serves up some artful breakfast/ brunch dishes like cinnamon vanilla French toast, an enormous breakfast burrito, and a bevy of omelets.  For lunch, the turkey apple wood bacon ciabatta is divine, as is the lime-infused grilled chicken and brie sandwich.

Maui Tacos  Concourse C Great fish and fresh salsas top fresh-made corn or flour tortillas for a healthy, flavorful meal I never imagined I could get in an airport.

Northern Lights Grill  Concourse D  This restaurant celebrates local cuisine, from simply cooked wild rice soup to broiled walleye and good old-fashioned Midwestern pot roast.  A great wine list offers something to compliment each dish, and the atmosphere, if you turn yourself the right way, makes you forget about the airport chaos beyond.

Rock Bottom Brewery  Concourse C  As stated above, this chain has a good selection of beers from around the world and a great burger to fill you up for the plane ride.  Good place to bring kids (childless beware: people bring their kids here!).

Skol Café and Bar  Concourse A  This bar is beautiful (That's it to the right)!  Scandinavian design accents the Northern European-inspired snacks and drink available.  Do like the locals do and stick to the vodka--it’s incredibly high quality and a perfectly clean palate cleanser with the smoked salmon toasts.



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Sea-Tac (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport)

Anthony’s  Central Terminal  Like their locations around Washington and Oregon, Anthony’s in Sea-Tac specializes in fresh Puget Sound delicacies like oysters on the half shell. Alaskan King Salmon, and their signature blackberry cobbler made with fresh, local berries.  Local microbrews and wines complete a menu that will give you one last great dining experience before your trip home.

Bigfoot Food and Spirits  North Satellite  This popular Seattle chain is little more than a sports bar: BBQ sandwiches, big burgers, and beers. Along with a few brunch selections and an ample dessert menu.  But it’s all really tasty, reasonably priced (for an airport), and will fill you up for a long time.  Great comfort food.

Ivar’s Seafood Bar  Central Terminal  An iconic name in Seattle, Ivar’s serves up beautiful, perfect fish & chips, as well as just about any other local seafood you can imagine craving.  The northwest chowders are fantastic, and their grilled prawns, halibut, and salmon are as dreamy a meal as you’ll find anywhere in Seattle.  Clams, calamari, and scallops make a tasty snack, too.




Maki of Japan  Central Terminal  Well-made sushi and authentic noodle dishes with pork are your best bet here, and the price is right: 8-piece sushi rolls start at just $4.95.

Mountain Bar Room  Concourse C  The burgers and beer are fine here, but this place is best for breakfast.  Belgian waffles and a “Big Cheese” ham and cheese omelet are more special than they sound.  Anything can be prepared to take on the plane if you request it when you order.

Pallino Pastaria  Central Terminal  The wait can be a bit long for this fast-food stand, but it’s worth it.  Perfectly-cooked pasta is topped with your choice of  freshly made sauces for a meal that would put Olive Garden to shame.  The personal pizzas come in a wide variety of flavor combinations, and many of them can be made into sandwiches, as well.

Seattle Tap Room  Concourse B  This is beautifully prepared gastro-pub fare.  The beer-braised bratwurst plate and meatloaf are both terrific, and the beers on tap represent local breweries from throughout the Northwest (and occasionally the Rockies).

Vino Volo  Central Terminal  This tiny space offers high-end wines poured by the glass and sold as full bottles to take home (they’ll also ship for you).  Not sure what you like?  Get a taste flight and chat up the server--they are well-trained in matching you to your perfect mate.

Coffee:  You’ll have to pick your team here, just like you have to in Seattle-proper.  Seattle’s Best, Starbucks, and Tully’s the three local giants, are all equally represented here.  Good luck.  (I choose Tully’s.)