Top Ten Breakfast Places in Orange County, California

My husband and I love to go out to breakfast. We even call it our weekly date. Orange County California has an abundance of different types to fun places to try. There are some that, quite honestly, I would have loved to have tried and included, but didn't quite get the chance. Hopefully I will be able to have another chance to write another article about one of my favorite meals out and include them. For now, here are some of our favorite restaurants to start our day:

Plum's Cafe: Costa Mesa. Located in a strip mall, this place is so popular that even during the weekdays you need to allow for a long wait. But it' well worth it! The owner is an Oregon transplant who brings wonderful produce, coffee and artwork into her establishment. The menu has some very interesting items-my husband loves the coconut french toast, served with tropical fruit. I love the greek omelet. We both have trouble resisting the Oregon boysenberry muffins! My mom says the lamb/feta burgers served with field greens salad is the best. For my father-the dutch baby reigns supreme.

Bakery

The Omelet Bar: Just a block up from Plum's in yet another strip mall is this rather quirky little place. The wait staff dresses like Cyndi Lauper, but are very good. Lots of very good egg dishes, but good lunch menu also abounds. Lots of old Orange County memorabilia abounds on the wooden walls. The homemade apple butter is really terrific on the english muffins.

Las Brisas: Laguna Beach. Honestly, for us the food is highly over-rated, but the view of the Pacific is what makes this place a destination spot. Plus you can walk the beach trails and shop all over the city, providing you find a parking space!

The Cottage: Laguna Beach. Another local classic spot. Literally a cottage. Sometimes, this place has a dicey reputation, but all the same, it somehow remains a must try spot for vacationers.

Cafe Zinc: Laguna Beach. For the most part-vegetarian, but food is hearty enough that even a meat-lover like my husband doesn't mind starting out the day here. Also has a cute little market attached to it, so you can try out a few of their goodies at home.

All the Ruby's diners: It's a chain, but popular with families. What can I say? Even my infant grandson loves the noise and the trains, planes, bikes (depending on the unit) and cars that glide on tracks along the ceiling.

Alice's in the Park: Central Park in Huntington Beach. If you love tiny little family run places and huge out-of-this-world cinnamon rolls-you have to go to Alice's. Believe me, you will need to walk the park several times to walk off the calories, but the place is terrific and worth every bite.

Cafe Neff: Laguna Niguel Design Center. Only open during this To The Trade areas hours of operation, but it's staff and food is a favorite, not only with the designers and their clients, but with anyone who wants to do a more relaxed version of "the ladies who lunch", plus I've never had anything but absolutely delicious food. They have daily specials and scones of the morning. Maple bacon aroma is too die for! Coffee is quite good.

Ted's Burgers: Just across the street from Cafe Neff in a strip mall, Ted's is a local hangout. Everyone from families, to biker's, senior citizens and law enforcement loves Ted's breakfasts. Nothing to look at, but it's all comfort food based. Portions are so large that even my husband doesn't mind sharing a meal with me!

Pacific Whey Baking Company: four locations. Trendy, but excellent breakfasts and bakery choices. We love to share and ABC omelet and a chocolate pinwheel. While they do have an interesting lunch and dinner menu-trust me, stick to breakfast and desserts.

Corner Bakery: again, it's a chain, but good food and choices. The outdoor seating at most locations make it perfect for one of our typical sunny California mornings. Ours is close enough and allows pooches on the patio, so we take our labrador mix for a walk there and back!

Hopefully, if you live close by you'll seek out some of these breakfast treasures. And if you visit in the future, you look them up and give them a try

Top Ten Breakfast Places in Orange County, California

Carine Nadel loves to try out new breakfast places. To read more of Carine's work, log onto: http://www.Carine-whatscooking.blogspot.com

Dessert For Diabetics - Orange Glazed Pumpkin Bundt Cake and How to Make Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar

Pumpkin is always a favorite fall and holiday item. All our images of fall seem to have a pumpkin in them somewhere. But not only are pumpkins a part of our fall decor, they are also a big part of our diet. And pumpkin is a healthy food we should all enjoy. Help the diabetic in your life to enjoy pumpkin treats, too. Orange-glazed pumpkin bundt cake is a diabetic friendly recipe.

ORANGE-GLAZED PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE

Cake Recipes

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup Smart Balance Butter-Flavored Spread
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 6-cup bundt pan with non-stick cooking oil spray and set aside.

Combine flours, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.

Combine butter-flavored spread, Splenda and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg and pumpkin. Reduce mixer speed to low, beat flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla just until moistened. Spoon the batter into pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

If you wish to use the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl. Stir until well mixed; add water a drop at a time if needed to reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

NOTE: This recipe was adapted from "The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts" by Jackie Mills.

*To make sugar-free powdered sugar:

Put 3/4 cup of Splenda Granular and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a blender and blend until it is a very fine powder. 0 grams of sugar and only 4 carbs per tablespoon.
Now don't tell. Most people won't know the difference.

Enjoy!

Dessert For Diabetics - Orange Glazed Pumpkin Bundt Cake and How to Make Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com
She also shares her vintage recipe collection at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Orange Marmalade Cake With Mixed Berries (A Sugar-Free Recipe)

Citrus and summer fruit are an ideal combination. Mixed berries - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries - are delicious all on their own. When berries are paired with this Orange Marmalade cake you have a celebration of summer.

The recipe is based on a Victorian jam cake recipe and tea rooms still serve it. I lightened the recipe by using butter-flavored Crisco, sugar-free marmalade, Splenda, and light cream cheese. You may serve the cake plain with a dusting of confectioner's sugar, but it tastes best when topped with whipped cream (or sugar-free topping) and berries.

Cake Recipes

If you really want to get fancy double the recipe and make a layer cake. Frost the center layer with whipped cream (or sugar-free topping) and add a layer of mixed berries or sliced strawberries. Put the top layer on the cake and repeat this process. Chill the cake a few hours before slicing. Orange Marmalade Cake takes only minutes to make and freezes well.

ORANGE MARMALADE CAKE WITH MIXED BERRIES

1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco

2/3 cup Splenda

2 large eggs (room temperature)

2/3 cup sugar-free marmalade (or light marmalade)

2 tablespoons light cream cheese

1 1/4 teaspoons orange extract

1/2 cup regular flour (the presifted kind)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (may be omitted)

1/2 cup flour-coated currants (may be omitted)

Put butter-flavored Crisco, Splenda, eggs, and cream cheese in small mixer bowl. Cream ingredients at medium speed until fluffy. Add orange extract. In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Fold currants into batter.

Coat a 9-inch round layer cake pan with baking spray. Pour batter into the pan and spread it out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the cake pulls away from the side of the pan. Makes 8 servings.

Orange Marmalade Cake With Mixed Berries (A Sugar-Free Recipe)

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for the former "Rochester Magazine" in her home town of Rochester, MN. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from http://www.amazon.com. A five-star review of the book is also posted on Amazon. You'll find another reivew of the book on the American Hospice Foundation website, under the "School Corner" heading.