morning starbucks copycats

don't skip the water bath!

Well folks, it’s been [near] silence on my end for the latter part of summer……let me explain. The heat waves hit and then just kept on comin’ during summer of 2024. We did our best to try to soak up as much as possible before the days get short on us. Many weekends were spent at the dog beach, we grilled more shrimp than you could imagine, we downed milk punch cocktails in at least three different cities, and culminated Summer 2024 with a cross-country roadtrip.

As the whirlwind comes to a close just in time for Second Summer in LA¹ to begin again, I find myself craving routine and stability. It’s fun to fly by the seat of your pants with no obligations or responsibilities for a bit, but I always, always find myself coming back to rest, relaxation, and routine. A large part of getting back into routine for me (especially after travelling) is exercise. It’s one of the first things I abandon when life gets stressful, but it is by far the single most effective tool I’ve found to combat stress, lift moods, and get me feeling like myself the fastest.

Whether it’s hiking, group fitness classes, or an ol’ Jane Fonda VHS, exercise is so important to fit into your daily life. Do you ever find yourself halfway through your exercise to only feel light-headed or without any energy left to take another step? You’re probably not fueling yourself properly. While I am the last person to be offering nutritional or dietary advice, I can offer you some healthy grab-and-go snacks that are perfect to pack and enjoy on your bus ride to the gym, from the view at the top of a mountain, or standing at the water fountain in the gym lobby. We all know the trusty standbys: protein bars, jerky, trail mix. Have you ever thought about expanding that repertoire?

This week’s recipe is not an original idea; it’s a copycat of the Starbucks egg bites. These are not only convenient, but I find their roasted red pepper bites the tastiest! I realized it’s far easier and coast-effective to keep a container of homemade egg bites on-hand for the week as a great grab-and-go option, and I’m here to share with you all how easy these are to make.

The trick here that I must tell you about is the water bath. A water bath is just a pan of hot water placed in the oven, into which you put the baking dish that contains the food you need to cook. This an extra step that will take you a total of 3 seconds and produce so much more deliciousness in each egg bite. Why? Well, I’m no scientist, but I can tell you that the hot water helps keep the temperature surrounding the food more consistent and creates steam within the oven as it warms up. That steam helps slow down the rising temperature of the eggs to give them time to build stronger milk proteins. If the eggs rise too quickly, those milk proteins won’t form and the eggs will deflate once you remove them from the oven and the temperature around them drops. Science! Think of the bath like a little water bed, tucking those egg bites in nicely so they can drift off to their final form as pillowy, delicious goodness. (You can absolutely skip this step with the understanding that you’ll end up with flatter, denser, chewier, less delicious egg discs, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

Now knowing the water bath is a non-negotiable, you can find flexibility and creativity in your egg bite flavors. Mix-in options are endless, and perfect for clearing out your refrigerator of produce. Did a recent farmers market haul result in some wilting greens and wrinkly tomatoes in your possession? Dump ‘em in some eggs! Got a few olives left in that jar you gotta use up? Put ‘em in the eggs. Craving a ham and cheese omelette but just can’t find the time? Toss some deli ham and shredded cheese in the eggs! Whatever you’ve got on-hand will work, as long as you’ve got the eggs.

In all honesty, my favorite part is adding a little cheese! I was recently chatting with someone at YogaSculpt class and she mentioned she blends cottage cheese to a smooth consistency and then adds that mixture to her eggs for additional protein and creaminess — I have yet to try that, but it sounds delicious and ingenious!

Please just know that these egg bites come oh-so-highly recommended for so many gosh-darn reasons:

1. They pack well, making them perfect for a carried lunch.

2. They are simple to customize, making them perfect for picky eaters.

3. They are not expensive, making them a perfect addition to any grocery run.

4. They are easy to digest, making them ideal for soothing upset stomachs.

5. They are quick to whip up, making them perfect for meal prep.

So go forth…..find your new fall routine and bake those eggs, but don’t forget the water bath!²

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INGREDIENTS

• 8 large eggs

• 4 tbsp milk or cream³

• 1-2 c assorted mix-ins

  • Veggies: bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, broccoli florets, asparagus tips, spinach, tomatoes

  • Proteins: cooked bacon bits, cubed ham, black beans, crumbled sausage

• 4-6 oz cheese, shredded or cubed into bite-size pieces

• 1 tbsp garlic powder (or 3 cloves garlic, smashed into paste)⁴

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• Other spices: red pepper flakes, fennel seed, coriander, cumin, cayenne, etc

• Fresh herbs: basil, dill, chives, cilantro, etc

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350* and grease a muffin tin with olive oil.

2. Sauté your mix-ins if you haven’t cooked them through already. You’ll want these pieces to be small — you’ll be biting through these with each muffin, so you might want to err on the smaller side (carefully!)

3. Meanwhile, whisk your eggs into a large bowl with high sides. Add in your milk and season with salt and pepper and any other additional spices or fresh herbs.

4. Once your mix-ins are cooked through, add them to the egg mixture and carefully stir through until evenly dispersed throughout the whisked eggs. Using a measuring cup, pour 1/4 c of egg mixture into each muffin spot. Top each muffin with a few cubes of cheese.

5. Put your muffin tin in a shallow pan or tray of water to create a water bath while baking.⁵ Bake your egg muffins until fluffy and bouncy on top, approximately 10-14 minutes. They should each be puffy on top with golden brown bits at the edges.

To serve: serve immediately with your choice of breakfast drink while on-the-go: black cold brew, fresh squeezed OJ, a little water from the tap. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

1. Little known fact: September and October are some of the hottest months in LA. If you’re looking to come visit and avoid the summer holiday crowds while the beach is still sizzlin’ know that mid-fall might just be for you!

2. While you’re at it, I hear you can BAKE hard-boiled eggs instead of boiling them. To be fair, I’ve never tried but next time I make egg bites, I’ll toss a few whole eggs onto the bare racks and cross my fingers. I’ll report back!

3. I cannot guarantee the results for any other milks (ie: almond, oat, soy, etc) but it should be common sense that you’d want it to at least be unsweetened and unflavored. Sweet vanilla eggs? VOMIT. However, I can strongly attest to the fact that a little watered-down yogurt or sour cream does the trick just as well as regular old milk. The solids and proteins inside yogurt or cream (a liquid-in-fat suspension) just needs a little more hydration to wiggle around the same as they do within milk (a fat-in-liquid suspension). Shake it around and blend it into the eggs just the same - creamy!

4. This is an instance where I prefer to utilize garlic powder as opposed to the fresh stuff. The reason being is that due to the egg’s texture, I want the garlic flavor throughout more silky, rather than getting some chunks in every other bite. I don’t mind that, though! Another way to try to avoid those chunks is to smash the cloves into a paste with a little bit of salt using the back of your knife.

5. This keeps the eggs from rising too rapidly from the heat without building strong proteins, thus resulting in a deflated egg muffin once the temperature around them drops. Still tasty, but the texture isn’t as divine. Don’t skip the water bath! A 9”x13” usually works wonders for a standard muffin tin; you just need the sides of each muffin well to be submerged in a bit of water to create some steam.