Now that some people have power restored in NYC, I think it’s fitting to do a post about creating a cozy, romantic home.  One extremely romantic way to take a morning at home to the next level, is to serve your loved one breakfast in bed.

Breakfast in bed isn’t really a new thing, so why is it always so special?  Is it that your partner wants to pamper you?  Is it that it’s really nice not having to get out of bed and prepare your own meal? Is it that it comes with flowers and you would never add that to your own meal?  Maybe it’s all of  the above.

Well, loving to serve it and loving to receive it, I wanted to inspire you with a few ideas to make breakfast extra special!

Let me start by sharing my breakfast inspiration with you: monogrammed trays from Designdarling.com.  These truly darling trays usually feature three initials each, but my husband, Douglas Elliott (designer) and I prefer our everyday initials. Leave it to the designer to opt for customization! 😉  Design Darling has many fantastic home accessories that are exceptionally priced. They’re great for hostess gifts, but so stylish that you’ll want to keep them for yourself.

As far as breakfast is concerned, Douglas and I like to eat gluten-free as much as possible, and he also prefers sugar-free.  In an effort to please both our waistlines and taste buds, I’ve learned how to make healthy meals taste yummy.  I start with Pamela’s wheat-free/gluten-free pancake mix. The mix is a rice-based flour, consisting of both brown and white rice. I find it comes out tasting closer to a French crepe.  I follow the recipe for pancakes exactly but I use low fat milk, instead of water.  Once everything’s mixed, I take out my fabulous Presto electric griddle, (the secret to all great pancakes), and just heat and pour!  While the pancakes are cooking, I chop up strawberries and mix them with a tablespoon of sugar-free, vanilla syrup.  It makes them taste like strawberries and cream, without having to use cream! Next, I heat up sugar-free maple syrup for him and maple agave for me. I love the agave because it tastes just like really good maple syrup, but it doesn’t raise the glycemic index and it’s totally natural.

Of course, breakfast in bed is not complete without coffee and a rose.  Our Keurig machine takes care of the coffee element with ease,  and I just step out into my garden for the rose. That stated, if you are a Manhattanite without a rose garden, nothing does the trick like a dozen roses from your convenient local deli – one of the wonderful perks of living in NYC.

Want to mix it up a little?

Try out different flavored syrups, like vanilla or caramel.

Try making a heart shape with your whipped cream.

Try grilling bananas – they’re fantastic!

Add other fruits to the mix like blueberries for a splash of color.

You can always add eggs or bacon if your love has a savory-tooth.

Have fun experimenting! I hope it ends up being a very romantic morning.

Love – Marisa