On Cloud 9 With Cloud Eggs!
We are loving the latest Instagram trend - Cloud Eggs! Have you seen your (millennial) friends post pictures of beautiful cloud eggs for breakfast? They are, in our opinion, some of the most photogenic eggs out there! And they are very simple to make.
Here is the basic run down:
- Heat oven to 450° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate egg whites and egg yolks, placing the egg whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a small bowl.
- Season the egg whites with salt and pepper. Using a whisk or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in Parmesan, ham, and chives. Create 4 mounds of egg whites on the prepared baking sheet and indent the centers of each to look like nests. Bake until slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
- Carefully add an egg yolk to the center of each egg white cloud. Season yolk with salt and pepper. Bake until the yolks are just set, about 3 minutes more
Easy! And as a result you’ll get beautiful, photo-worthy eggs to enjoy for breakfast or as a savory addition to salads or grains. Of course, if all these separate steps sound a bit much for your breakfast repertoire, or you prefer classic versions of your favorite breakfast in Denver, we’d be happy to make you your favorite eggs to order next time you visit us at The Original Pancake House in Denver. Happy eating!
Refresh Your Breakfast!
Though we like to eat a big breakfast of eggs or pancakes (or crepes or waffles!) most days of the week, sometimes we all need something light and refreshing for breakfast on a warm summer morning. Here are a few ideas for a light and easy summer breakfast:
Bagel & Fruit “Pizzas”*
This is a fun and easy breakfast for any warm day. Simply top your favorite bagel with cream cheese and a selection of fresh fruit. We love whole wheat bagels topped with lemon cream cheese and strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries. The lemon adds a refreshing zing to this morning meal.
Blueberry Cobbler Oatmeal**
This breakfast is almost like a summer dessert, especially when made with fresh blueberries. You should prepare the night before, making for a very easy breakfast when you are in a rush in the morning!
Ingredients:
1/2 plus cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup milk, I used almond but any milk will do
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
pecans, optional
honey, optional
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, stir together oats, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Fold in blueberries.
- Divide evenly between 2 small bowls and cover to refrigerate. Leave in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight. Enjoy with a drizzle of honey and your favorite nuts, if desired.
Chocolate Peanut Butter & Banana Breakfast Shake***
This recipe will make you (and the kids!) think you are drinking a milkshake for breakfast! Its cool, delicious, and filling!
Ingredients:
2 large overripe bananas , peeled, sliced and frozen
1 cup almond milk (or more to thin as desired)
3/4 cup ice
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
And don’t forget, when you come visit us for breakfast in Denver at The Original Pancake House, we have several menu items on “The Lighter Side” that will keep you cool like our Fiesta Bowl, homemade Granola, and our Old Fashioned Oatmeal! Have a great summer Denver, stay cool!
*Recipe courtesy of number-2-pencil.com
**Recipe courtesy of Deliciouslyyum.com
***Recipe courtesy of cookingclassy.com
My Breakfast 'Tis of Thee...Patriotic Breakfasts
With the 4th of July just around the corner, we see American flags and the red-white-and-blue just about everywhere we go! For breakfast in Denver this 4th of July, try your hand at a patriotic start to the day. Here are a few ideas to make your breakfast festive!
Patriotic Toast
This is a simple one to whip up and we guarantee the kids will love it! Simply toast your favorite bread and spread with a layer of cream cheese. Then, use strawberries or raspberries and arrange in straight lines across the toast. Alternate the “red” lines with banana slices for the “white” lines. Finally, add blueberries to the upper left corner to complete your “flag” toast!
Stars and Stripes Berry Trifle
Another quick and easy patriotic breakfast, this recipe uses yogurt, angel food cake, and fresh berries. To assemble, alternate layers of yogurt, red berries and blueberries, and angel food cake in a clear glass trifle jar, individual clear cups, or clear mason jars. Top with a bit of whipped cream to make this an extra special treat!
Red, White and Blueberry French Toast
Prepare your favorite French Toast recipe and top with a patriotic medley of fresh berries. We like to use fresh raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries and top it all off with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Yum!
Of course if you are in patriotic mood and don’t have time to cook, come visit us at The Original Pancake House in Denver and we’ll make you one of our famous breakfasts topped with fresh berries! We have fresh berry crepes, pancakes, and waffles! They are all berry patriotic!
Have a safe and happy 4th of July Denver!
Kids in the Kitchen
With school out for summer, there is no better time to slow down and have your kids help you create your family’s meal. Be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, getting the kids involved in cooking helps build positive relationships with food, encourages healthy eating, and is a wonderful bonding experience. Not to mention all the measuring and counting of ingredients might help keep their math-minded brains active! 
Cooking with kids will most likely be a bit messy, but it doesn’t have to be hard. We found a couple fun, delicious, and kid friendly meals that you will enjoy preparing - and eating - together!
Tiny Pancakes*
Inspired by a spanish breakfast staple called a tortillita, these versatile little pancakes can be a perfect meal for breakfast or dinner! Described as either an eggy pancake or a floury omelette, you can add just about any type of savory “toppings” to your taste. Add veggies and protein to make it a complete meal! We love them with ham and cheddar or tomato, spinach and parmesan.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons water or milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
PREPARATION
- Beat together 1 egg, 2 teaspoons water or milk and 2 tablespoons flour. Stir in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of any of the suggested ingredients, finely chopped; season with salt and pepper (or sugar if you are making sweet pancakes). Add a not-too-thin layer of olive oil (or butter) to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, spoon in 8 pancakes, and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 2 or 3 minutes per side.
Granola Breakfast Muffins*
These hearty breakfast muffins are easy to make and include a delightful “crunch” from the granola. Eat them fresh out of the oven or freeze half to save for another day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granola
- ½ cup low-fat milk
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large or extra large eggs
- ¼ cup mild honey, such as clover
- ½ cup buttermilk or plain low-fat yogurt
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle. Oil 12 muffin cups. Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cover the raisins with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain and dry on paper towels.
- Sift together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In medium bowl, beat together the eggs, honey, buttermilk or yogurt, canola oil and vanilla. Quickly whisk in the flour, then fold in the granola and raisins. Combine well
- Spoon into muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool on a rack.
For both these recipes there are plenty of options for kids to get involved. Let them measure, stir, pour, crack eggs and get their hands dirty. Cooking can be a very fun activity for everyone and you never know if you might have a budding chef in your household! From all your friends at the Original Pancake House in Denver, have a wonderful summer!
*Recipes courtesy of The New York Times
Oh! The places they’ll go! Congratulations Seniors!
Congratulations to our all the seniors in Denver who graduated from high school this month! You should be so proud of your accomplishment and all the hard work that went into the past four years of high school. 
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
We would like to extend a very special and warm congratulations to two of our own OPH Denver employees who graduated from high school this month. Please join us in applauding Emily Tautz, one of our servers at our Cherry Hills location. Emily graduated from Cherry Creek High School this May. And from our Denver Tech Center location John Schiefelbein, one of our hosts, graduated this month from Chaparral High School. Way to go Emily and John!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose!
And after graduation, what will all these kids do with their free time this summer? In our humble opinion, we think a good first step would be to join us for a leisurely breakfast to celebrate! Congratulations seniors! Oh! The places you’ll go!
It's time for an EGGstravaganza!
Now that spring is officially here, we have eggs on the brain! Easter is just a couple of weeks away and eggs are truly an icon of the new season. Most folks know that eggs are healthy and delicious, but we thought we would share a few lesser known facts about the incredible egg.
Did you know?
- People have been enjoying eggs for a long, long time! East Indian history indicates that wild fowl were domesticated as early as 3200 B.C. Egyptian and Chinese records show that fowl were laying eggs for man in 1400 B.C. and Europe has had domesticated hens since 600 B.C. While there’s evidence of native fowl in the Americas prior to Columbus’ arrival, it’s believed that on his second
trip, he carried the first chickens related to those now in egg production.
- Egg yolks contain choline, which helps promote normal cell activity, improves liver function, and helps transport nutrients throughout the body. Choline also helps develop infant memory function, so eggs are a fantastic food for new moms!
- The surface of each egg shell contains between seven and seventeen thousand tiny pores.
- In the U.S. alone there are about 300 million egg-laying hens, each of which produce 250-300 eggs per year for a grand total of 75 billion eggs. Wow!
So, now that we have you in the mood for eggs, drop on by The Original Pancake House for breakfast out in Denver. With over twenty egg dishes on our menu, we’ll have your whole family shouting “hooray for eggs!”
Searching for Pancake Restaurants Near Me?
How do you find new restaurants? Do you ask friends for recommendations? Or do you prefer to use technology? If your browser history shows the search term pancake restaurants near me, or other similar searches, you’re not alone. According to a survey of 1,000 American adults by RetailMeNot, 13% of the respondents use food and dining apps like Yelp and OpenTable to find new restaurants. However, the majority (58%) still prefers to find new restaurants through friends or word-of-mouth recommendations.
Technology plays a major role in our daily lives. The answers to most of our questions are now at our fingertips. Technology affects not just how we make our dining choices, but in our overall dining experience. Here’s some other interesting findings from the survey.
- Survey respondents ages 25 through 34 were more likely to research new restaurants on their smartphone than any other age group.
- 80% are likely to try a new restaurant if they are offering a deal.
- 25% said they have at least one restaurant specific app on their phone.
- 25% have used their phone to make restaurant reservations.
- 53% have used their phone to find a restaurant location.
- 32% said they have used their phone to take a photo of food while dining.
- 19% have checked in on social media while dining.
We’re confident that whether you’re searching the internet for pancake restaurants near me, or asking your friends where they like to go for breakfast, OPH Denver is going to come up. We’ll see you soon!
Bring on Spring!
March 20 marks the Vernal Equinox, or the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. On the equinox, the sun will rise due east and set due west exactly twelve hours later marking the beginning of longer, warmer days to come! Each spring we like to start incorporating fresh ingredients into our meals, including these spring fruits and veggies:
Leeks - Leeks are in high season during the spring months and are fantastic additions to any savory egg dish with their mild, onion-like taste.
Asparagus - Thin, tender, sweet, crisp and at its best from March till May, these green veggies are a wonderful addition to quiche along with fresh leeks! We love this recipe for an asparagus, leek and gruyere quiche to include both spring veggies!
Mangoes - Mangoes are in season during the spring months in the warm weather climates where they are grown. You’ll start to see mango pop up in local grocery stores everywhere soon. We love to slice mango for breakfast at home, or include it in a healthy breakfast smoothie for days when we are on the run!
Strawberries - Strawberries are at their sweetest from April through July and we can’t get enough of these delightful and healthy berries! We love them in our Strawberry Crepes or topping a delicious Belgian Waffle!
If you are out for breakfast in Denver, be sure to stop on in and try one of our breakfast dishes featuring fresh strawberries. Happy Spring Denver!
Cold Mornings Require Hot Eats!
Though this February in Denver has been quite lovely, we are fairly certain that Old Man Winter has a few chilly days left for us before spring officially arrives. For breakfast on a frosty morning, we all crave something a bit warmer than cold cereal. Here are a few ideas to warm up your breakfast table!
Cranberry Apple Baked Oatmeal - Oatmeal is so comforting and just the ticket to warm you on a cold day. We love this recipe with cranberry and apple to spice up an old favorite.
Baked Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast - YUM! This new take on French Toast has a delectable cream cheese filling and is very easy to prep ahead of time. We like to fill individual ramekins, but you can also use a big casserole dish if you are feeding a crowd.
Mini Quiche -A great make-ahead recipe with lots of adaptation potential. Throw in whatever you want, and just heat up a handful before you run out the door. These freeze well too, perfect for busy families and busy mornings!
Breakfast Out in Denver at OPH! When the barometer dips, bundle up the whole family and bring them in for a cozy morning at The Original Pancake House in Denver. With a choice of pancakes, crepes, waffles, egg dishes and more, our piping hot plates of delicious breakfast fare will warm you up in no time!
Warm wishes from your friends at The Original Pancake House in Denver!
Celebrate National Grapefruit Month!
Did you know that February is National Grapefruit Month? Slightly sweet, slightly tart, and pretty in pink, grapefruits have graced the breakfast table as far back as anyone can remember! We think this oh-so-healthy breakfast staple deserves some celebration. Here are a few fun facts about grapefruits!
- Grapefruits are naturally loaded with the antioxidant Vitamin C, plus Vitamin A, and plenty of potassium. They contain no cholesterol or sodium and only 52 calories per serving! With all these healthy vitamins, grapefruit juice helps boost the immune system during the winter months when colds and flu are at their peak.
- Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in pink and red grapefruit juice may help prevent certain types of cancer, heart disease and stroke.
- The most popular varieties cultivated today are red, white, and pink hues, referring to the internal pulp color of the fruit. The family of flavors range from highly acidic and somewhat bitter to sweet and tart.
- When buying grapefruit, the best ones will be heavy for their weight- this indicates they have much more water and are ripe.
With all its tart, juicy goodness and amazing health properties, we like to make sure we include grapefruit with all our morning meals. Next time you head out for breakfast in Denver at The Original Pancake House, be sure to ask your server for fresh grapefruit sections to accompany your meal!
Breakfast Restaurants are Serving Up Eggs
How many eggs are consumed in America? Keep reading to find out this and more.
Eggs are a staple item at breakfast restaurants and in our homes as well. It’s really no mystery why. They’re the perfect source of complete protein and can be prepared in endless ways. So just how many eggs do you think are being prepared at breakfast restaurants in the United States? In 2015 an estimated 231 million cases of shell eggs were produced. Of that, a whopping 20.8 million cases went to the foodservice industry. That’s a lot of omelettes!
Here’s some more “eggstraordinary” facts about the egg industry.
- As of January 1, 2017 there were 372 million egg-laying chickens (“layers”) in the country.
- Of those 372 million layers, 314 million of them are for producing shell and table eggs.
- Iowa is the number one egg producing state in the country.
- When analyzing the cost of high-quality protein, eggs are the most affordable choice at 55 grams of protein per dollar spent. Compare this to 90% lean ground beef, which provides 16 grams of protein per dollar spent.
- In 2016 per capita consumption of eggs was estimated at 267.4 per person.
- The Guinness World Record for the largest omelette was set in 2012 by a group of Portuguese chefs. They used a total of 45,000 free range eggs to make it and and it tipped the scales at 9,702 pounds and 8 ounces.
Easy Ideas for a Healthy Breakfast in Denver
Find it challenging to start your day with a healthy breakfast in Denver? Keep reading for some fast and easy ideas.
It can often be a big challenge to eat a healthy breakfast in Denver when you’re constantly rushing to get out the door. But making the effort will really pay off because it’s the most important meal of the day, after all. If you’re watching your budget and your weight you might not want to buy your breakfast at cafes or coffee shops. The money and the calories can definitely add up! Here are some super easy ideas to start your day with a healthy breakfast in Denver.
Avocado Toast. This isn’t a new idea but it certainly has been trendy lately. And for good reason. The healthy fat in avocado spread onto some multi-grain toast makes for a tasty and healthy breakfast. For a good dose of protein top it with eggs cooked to your liking or some lean breakfast meat like turkey sausage or Canadian bacon.
Nut Butter Toast with Fruit. Spread your favorite nut butter onto multi-grain toast and top with sliced bananas or strawberries. Add a sprinkle of hemp or chia seeds for heart-healthy omega fatty acids.
Smoothie. There may not be a faster, easier and more portable healthy breakfast! Add some Greek yogurt for protein and a variety of fruits and veggies for plenty of vitamins and fiber.
Quinoa Salad. Quinoa is rich in protein and makes a deliciously unexpected breakfast. You can make it sweet by adding lots of fruit, fresh mint and a little honey and lime juice for a dressing. Or make it savory with hard boiled eggs, chopped fresh tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar. Make several servings in advance and you have breakfast in a hurry for the week.