It's finally here, Spring, my personal favorite. Let's appreciate the beauty of this country we live in, all over again.  The trees are beginning to bloom, the daffodils and the tulips will dazzle us with their beautiful colors, and the air is crisp but at the same time, inviting.  It’s time to come out of hibernation!

                                                      Photo courtesy of Pexels

When we lived in Pennsylvania, the joke in our neighborhood every late Fall, when the nights got shorter and the temperatures began dropping, we would all say, “well, I’ll see you in the Spring!”   We were all going into hibernation!  The kids were never quite as motivated to get outside in the freezing cold temperatures, unless perhaps, we were going sled riding.  That was the exception.  But, it just wasn’t the same as fun evenings out riding bikes, going to the park, or just plain chatting with friends and neighbors.  That’s what spring is all about, the renewal and the refresh. 

The older I get, the more I love daffodils.  They are always the first flowers to bloom in the Spring.  When I take our dog, Geno, for a walk, and I start to see the greenery shooting up from the ground, nothing fills me with more excitement than this.  It means that Spring is coming!  The long, dark winter days have finally come to an end.  Now that we live in North Carolina, fortunately it tends to come a little sooner than when we lived in Pennsylvania, and I am beyond grateful for that.

                                                           Photo courtesy of Floraly

Of course spring doesn't always just come with flowers and fun... it also comes with work!  Whether that work comes in the form of cleaning, yard work, dieting, exercising, or shopping.  In my opinion, all of these tasks are just easier in the spring.  The sun is out, it's brighter, and lighter, and that makes it so much easier.  

Since spring is a sign of renewal and rebirth, many people love to take advantage of the nicer weather to get outside and take a walk!  Walking is so good for the soul, and I believe our dogs agree.  Our dog Geno loves taking a walk at our local park. Today just happens to be "National Take a Walk in the Park Day"  There are dogs everywhere enjoying the same thing he loves.  Here is our Gene Bean enjoying his walk now, just not at the park in this particular picture!  

Eating healthier for me usually doesn't start until spring mostly because we don't have to wear shorts in the winter, so what are a few extra calories in the winter when all we are wearing are sweatshirts and sweat pants :)  I personally love scrambled egg bites.  A few years ago I started on a health journey because I kept seeing pictures of myself with my baby granddaughter and I just didn't quite like what I saw.  My most favorite breakfasts consisted of these yummy little egg bites.  The addition of the cottage cheese adds much more protein to your diet.  Two of them were plenty for me and I found them to be very satisfying.  I found this yummy recipe, courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen.  

Cottage Cheese Egg Bites (5 Different Ways)

Nutrition

Cottage Cheese Egg Bites (5 Different Ways)

Ingredients

Base recipe:

8 large eggs

1 cup 2% cottage cheese (do not use fat free)

2 tablespoons water, plus more for the water bath

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Flavor options:

Spinach, Feta & Sundried Tomato:

1 cup baby spinach, finely chopped

½ cup sundried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Breakfast Sausage & Cheddar:

3.5 oz. frozen maple apple chicken breakfast sausage (I use Applegate Farms), thawed and chopped into ¼-inch pieces

⅔ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bacon & Gruyere:

6 slices bacon, baked until crispy and chopped into bits

⅔ cup shredded gruyere cheese

The Denver Omelette:

3 slices ham, chopped into small bits

½ green bell pepper, finely chopped

¼ sweet onion, finely chopped

⅔ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Caprese:

2 roma tomatoes, finely chopped

4 tablespoons basil pesto

⅔ cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (or 2 to 3 ounce goat cheese crumbles)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place a silicone muffin pan (with 12 individual cups) onto a rimmed baking sheet. Spray the muffin cups generously with cooking spray.
• In a large high powered blender, add the eggs, cottage cheese, water, salt, and pepper. Blend for about 15 seconds until the cottage cheese is fully blended. Gently tap the blender pitcher on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles.
• Fill each of the 12 muffin cups about ¾ of the way up with the egg mixture.
• VARIATIONS: Feel free to make any of the following versions below:

Spinach, Feta & Sundried Tomato: Divide the chopped spinach and sundried tomato between the 12 egg cups and use a spoon to gently stir them in. Top each egg cup with a sprinkle of crumbled feta.

Breakfast Sausage & Cheddar: Divide the chopped sausage between the 12 egg cups and use a spoon to gently stir it in. Top each egg cup with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar.

Bacon & Gruyere: Divide the chopped bacon between the 12 egg cups and use a spoon to gently stir it in. Top each egg cup with a sprinkle of shredded gruyere.

The Denver Omelette: Divide the chopped ham, pepper, and onion between the 12 egg cups and use a spoon to gently stir them in. Top each egg cup with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar.

Caprese: Divide the chopped tomato between the 12 egg cups, add about a teaspoon of pesto to each cup, and use a spoon to gently stir them in. Top each egg cup with a sprinkle of shredded mozzarella.

• Carefully transfer the sheet pan to the oven and pour about 2 cups of water onto the baking sheet – this will help the egg bites to cook evenly and stay fluffy! Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the egg bites are set and do not jiggle when you poke the top with your finger. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing the bites from the pan.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Store leftover bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 1 month.

Reheating: For refrigerated bites, microwave for 30-45 seconds. For frozen bites, defrost in the microwave until thawed, then microwave for 45 seconds-1 minute.

For a sweet and delicious side dish to your breakfast, try our Pear Halves from Annie's Kitchen.  They are a popular item in our shop! 

This is the first blog I have ever written, so I hope you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. 

Thank you to all of our past, present and future Harvest Array customers.