The Breakfast Switch...

I've already said that I love food but it bears repeating. I LOVE FOOD!!!

Some of my favorite breakfasts include Eggs Benedict, cold pizza, bacon, biscuits & gravy, fruit salad and steel cut oats with berries, chopped walnuts and a little shot of vanilla. I tend to choose savory breakfasts and I really don't think cereal has a place in breakfast-land as it doesn't tide you over for very long; I say it makes a better snack.

I'm always preaching that we eat backwards - we should be eating a balanced breakfast high in protein with whole grains and veggies (traditional breakfast food would look like a spinach and  feta cheese omelet with whole grain toast / english muffin or oatmeal in place of toast) but who has time for this kind of a meal on a work / school day? Our lives are busy and mine is no different so I've devised a plan to help my kids be more in charge of what they're eating for breakfast, give them choices, help them get and stay full longer and help my family save some money, too!

What's funny to me is that there are cookbooks, stores and cooking shows about how to make multiple dinners in one day. Dinners can be overwhelming because we're busy and always running somewhere, right? Well how many people skip breakfast multiple times a week (coffee is NOT food, people) because you don't have time? This concept is not a difficult one so there's no need for a show or a book (and we really don't need another restaurant touting the ultimate breakfast on the go); you just need to schedule a little time, one day a week (about 1 hour), to prep out the grains and away you can go!

I purchase my grains, if possible, in bulk (Costco and GFS are my typical go-to's but I'm planning a trip to Whole Foods soon to see if I can find some of the ones I can't fine easily near me) and I store them in old jars (tomato sauce, apple sauce, jams and jellies, etc.) as they don't need to be sealed specially, just keep the air out until you get to them and they stack nicely in the pantry. I either tape

Whole grains are so good for you; not only are the a good source of fiber (there are better foods but they are one of the cheapest and easiest to store and stretch), they have B and E vitamins, iron and have antioxidants. Plus, they stick to you so you feel full, longer.

I find this to be super important with my kids; they used to eat cold cereal for breakfast everyday but would complain of hunger by 10a and they were taking 2 sandwiches for lunch and coming home and eating everything in sight for a snack. Dinner time was just as bad, they were eating two nights worth if food because they felt so hungry.

I changed their diet, gave them a list of approved foods with recipes (the three oldest are all teens or pre-teens so I trust then in the kitchen with certain restrictions) and made sure they understood how to make some of the foods and watched them go! First of all, they attacked that list like it was a menu at a fast food restaurant  - they had so much fun seeing their food in a different way. They got together and decide who was making what, what was being (or could be) doubled and prepped berries, walnuts, etc. It took a few weeks before it felt like a rhythm was found (and I let them go to school hungry a few times because they decided to goof off instead of planning ahead for their breakfast) but now we've got a bag of brown rice in the freezer (just waiting), a container of steel cut oats, quinoa and two kinds of breakfast risottos in the fridge.

Overnight I noticed a difference in their hunger levels. They dropped down to one sandwich each for lunch, came home for a fruit / veggie snack and ate healthier portions of dinner. It felt like magic.They were responsible for the food (food is medicine!) they were putting into their bodies, they were working as a team toward a common goal (breakfast for the week) and they were experimenting with flavors (one day frozen veggies in the brown rice, the next day making quick congee, the next just adding milk, cinnamon and honey) - there is a lot to be proud of here!

At any rate, try to make the switch and I think you'll be surprised by what you find you're craving.

Breakfast Ideas & Options for Kids

Take a little time to plan ahead and work out a plan with your brother(s) and sister – each of you can help prep for the week by chopping some herbs, nuts or dried fruit. Someone else can be responsible for cooking up the grains or pasta so it’s ready for all. Your mornings can be smoother and more relaxed if you don’t have to schedule in time to wash the cooking dishes and clean the kitchen before you leave for school.

Oatmeal

Packets are good in a hurry but have too much sugar and not enough UMPF!

Make a bunch of the good stuff (not the instant or quick oats – we’re talking steel cut or rolled oats) and keep it in a container to eat from all week. After you heat it up, top with:

·          Milk and honey

·          Chopped nuts with dried fruit

·          Chopped bacon, mixed herbs (dried onions, chopped rosemary, cayenne pepper) chopped dried fruit and some olive oil

·          Frozen fruit (small handful of blueberries, chopped strawberries, etc.)

Quinoa or Wheat Berries

Make a pot a head of time (quinoa only takes 10 minutes or so but Wheat Berries take up to an hour to cook through fully) and top with:

·          Chopped nuts

·          Dried fruits

·          Cinnamon powder

Malt-O-Meal

If you’re going for the stick-with-you kind of breakfast add some:

·          Dried fruit

·          Chopped Nuts

·          Wheat Bran or ground Flax Seed

·          Top with a little bit of cold cereal for some crunch

Barley

Cook Barley according to package directions.

Mix together 1 cup cooked Barley, 1 ½ Tablespoon Cream Cheese, 1 Tablespoon Wheat Germ, garlic powder, dill, salt and pepper to taste

Veggie Fritters (patties or drops)

·          Veggies (sauté in oil for about 7 min–brown around edges, sprinkle with salt, cool)

o   Cauliflower

o   Zucchini

o   Broccoli

o   Eggplant

·          Additives

o   Feta / Parmesan Cheese

o   Chopped Walnuts

o   Herbs

o   Red Pepper Flakes

Combine ½ cup AP Flour and 1t baking powder; mix in veggies and additives; slowly pour in ¼ - ½ cup milk (you may not need it all) mix until thick batter forms (lumps are ok); heat oil (1 ½ - 2 inches up side of container); using 2 spoons, drop 1 inch balls of batter into hot oil (use wooden spoon trick to test) – should cook in 3-4 min; remove when lightly browned and drain; sprinkle with a little salt. Dip in chunky tomato sauce or just plain!

Brown Rice – freezes nicely

Cook down the leftover (already cooked) rice in lightly salted water until the grains start to break down and they release their starches (Chinese call this “congee”) and the mixture thicken; or just heat and top with:

·          Scrambled eggs

·          Handful of frozen, mixed veggies

·          Spoonful of giardiniera

·          Milk, Honey and Cinnamon

You’re kind of creating a type of fried rice (with more broken down rice) cereal

Baked Brown Breakfast Rice

Turn oven on to 375F. in oven safe dish, mix together 1 ½ cups brown rice, ½ cup raisins or craisins, 1/3 cup ground flax seed, 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon all spice ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt.

Boil 3 cups of water and pour over rice mixture in oven safe dish, stir. Cover and seal with alumnium foil or lid. Bake in oven for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and leave covered (let stand) for 5 minutes.(6 servings)

[If you want a more breakfast cereal-like texture – stir to loosen grains, add an additional 2 cups of boiling water, and return to oven for another forty-five minutes.]

White Rice

White rice isn’t as healthy for you as the Brown Rice but it’s quicker to cook so these creamy options are perfect with white rice. You can’t make risotto with regular brown rice easily.

Berry Breakfast Risotto (Creamy Rice)

Boil 4 ½ cups of water. In large pan (medium heat), stir together 1 cup white rice, 1 cup cream (½ & ½ or look in substitutions book), ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – cook for 1 minute, stirring gently. 

Turn heat up to medium-high and add 1 cup of hot water – continue to stir frequently, cooking until all water is absorbed.

Continue stirring, adding water 1 cup at a time - allowing each cup to be absorbed before adding the next. Cook until rice is tender and the risotto has a creamy consistency - about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and add 1 cup, each, fresh (or frozen and thawed) raspberries and strawberries. Stir until risotto is light pink, about 1 minute. Serve warm. (6 servings)

Breakfast Risotto

In small pan, combine 3 cups apple juice, powdered cinnamon and nutmeg. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil and immediately reduce to low and lid to keep warm.

In a separate pan (or in the microwave), warm 2 cups milk – DO NOT BOIL. Keep warm.

In large pan, melt 2 Tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add 1½ cups white rice – stir with a wooden spoon until rice begins to look translucent (2-3 minutes). Ladle ½ cup of hot apple juice and stir until it’s absorbed. Continue adding apple juice, a scoop at a time, until it’s all added and absorbed.

Add ½ cup warm milk and ½ cup raisins to mixture – stirring until milk is absorbed. Continue adding warm milk, a little at a time, until it’s all added and absorbed (this should take about 30 minutes).

Remove pan from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of brown sugar and milk.

Pasta

Cook up a pot of noodles and mix up a batch of a cold breakfast plate!

·          Soba noodles with peas, peanut oil, hot sauce and soy sauce lightly tossed – top with sesame seeds on (you can also use whole grain fettuccine)

·          Pastina (baby cereal) – cook up and add the same things you’d add to hot grain cereals

Ramen Noodles (NOT SOUP!!!)

These quick cooking noodles can be used for a quick meal in the morning, too!!! One package should feed two of you, (please don’t be gluttonous!)

Boil the noodles until cooked through – drain noodles.

·          Coat a large pan with ¼ - 1/3 cup of Vegetable or Canola Oil and heat it on medium-high heat

·          Quickly fry the cooked Ramen Noodles (they’ll pick up a nice crunchy brown look) – DON’T BURN or let stick to pan

·          Remove from pan and plate. Top with:

o    Vinegar of choice

o    Mix in some Chopped herbs

o    Small handful of mixed frozen vegetables

o    Toss with 1 teaspoon of Jalapeno Sauce or Red Chili Sauce

Boil the noodles. Break an egg in the water while boiling the noodles. Add ½ of a seasoning packet.

Boil just enough water to cover the block of ramen (don’t put block in water yet). When you reach a boil, add ramen and then a layer of onion and tomato slice or two. Crack an egg over the top and lid pot until egg is cooked through.

Boil noodles and one beaten egg (like for scrambling) for three minutes, drain all but 1 tablespoon water (carefully keeping all of egg in pot). Stir in ½ of seasoning packet, a small fistful of shredded cheese and a spoonful of salsa. Serve in 3 – 4 tortillas for a breakfast burrito.