Breakfast

When I was growing up, most of the parents in our neighborhood were paid on Friday, which meant that many parents (predominantly moms) would try to get rid of the last of the left-overs from the previous week. Pay checks meant then going to the grocery store for the week, something that was frequently a family trip, of sorts.

One of our neighbors, whose older two kids I was friends with, would frequenly place boxes of cereal and a gallon of milk on the table on Thursday evenings with the understanding that those open boxes should be finished off. Sometimes, dinner would also include pancakes, french toast, or a variety of breakfast foods.

"Why can't we have breakfast for dinner?" I'd ask my mom. This was especially heart-felt if Mom was fixing liver and onions for dinner, something I never quite enjoyed. (I still don't.)

But, no...dinner was not a time for breakfast foods, in our house.

When I got older, though, I was able to change that just a little, at least in my house. To that end, here are six yummy breakfast recipes to fix for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, including Red Berry Baked Oats, Cocoa Pancakes, and Raspberry Cream Cheese French Toast. Enjoy!

BREAKFAST BURRITOS [VEGAN]

This is from Robin Browne on One Green Planet, and begins, "If you're looking for a hearty, protein-packed, and filling dish, you gotta try these vegan breakfast burritos. Use your favorite gluten-free tortillas and load them up with roasted garlicky potatoes, cheezy tofu, avocado lime crema, and your go-to salsa! These vegan burritos are bound to bring a smile to anyone's face."

One Green Planet is a great website that is earth-friendly, animal-friendly, and (yes) people-friendly. I highly recommend the site. Give it a look…

For this recipe, Cooking Time is 40 minutes; Serves 4

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/breakfast-burritos-vegan/.

Ingredients

For the Roasted Potatoes:

4 cups cubed potatoes (roughly 1" cubes)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons oil

salt and pepper to taste

For the Tofu Scramble:

7 ounces extra firm tofu

2 teaspoons oil of choice

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/2 lemon juiced

salt and pepper

2 sprigs of green onion

For the Avocado Lime Creme:

1 ripe avocado

1 lime, juiced (1 1/2 Tbsp juice)

1 garlic clove

Other

4 large tortilla wraps

salsa of choice

Prepartion

Preheat the oven to 425ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut 2-3 medium potatoes (I used Russet) into small cubes and then toss them in the oil, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until golden and crispy.

While the potatoes are baking start on the tofu. I suggest pressing the tofu for a few minutes to remove the excess water. Wrap the tofu in a towel and place a heavy object on it for a few minutes. Then heat a pan over medium heat and add the oil to it.

Crumble the tofu in the pan, and further break it down using a spatula. Add in the garlic, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Mix. Cook for 10 minutes or so. Toss in the green onion and set aside.

Prepare the avocado lime creme by adding the avocado, lime juice and garlic to a food processor, process until smooth. Set aside.

Begin to assemble the breakfast wraps once the potatoes are done.

It's best to heat each tortilla in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften them so that rolling the tortillas is easier and they are less likely to crack.

Add potatoes, tofu, avocado-lime creme and salsa to each wrap. You should easily have enough for 4 wraps and some potatoes left behind (but these are perfect on the side).

All these ingredients can be stored in containers in the fridge for leftovers. I suggest reheating before eating.

RASPBERRY CREAM CHEESE FRENCH TOAST

This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 95), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "If raspberries are not available, you can substitute blueberries. Note: You must start this dish one day ahead." Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/raspberry-cream-cheese-french-toast/.

Ingredients

French Toast

12 slices bread, preferably raisin bread

4 oz. low-fat cream cheese

2 large eggs

2 cups low-fat milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

8 oz. raspberries

Raspberry sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbs. cornstarch

8 oz. raspberries

Preparation

To make French Toast: Grease 9×13-inch baking dish. Place 6 slices bread evenly on bottom of pan, and dot with half of cream cheese. Layer remaining 6 slices on top, and dot with remaining cream cheese.

Whisk together eggs, milk, syrup and raspberries in mixing bowl. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover baking dish with foil, and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bake bread 1/2 hour covered; remove foil, and bake 30 minutes more, or until bread begins to puff up and brown.

To make Raspberry Sauce: Combine sugar, cornstarch and 1 cup water in saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 3 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk in raspberries, and cook 3 minutes more, or until sauce has thickened again. Serve French Toast with Raspberry Sauce.

COCOA PANCAKES

This comes from Vegetarian Times (May 2005 issue, page 95), in an article featuring Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI. The recipes begins, "Not only does Inn Serendipity in Browntown, WI feature hearty vegetarian breakfasts (and bedside cordials in the evening), but the owners try to meet any special dietary needs, especially those of vegans. Their vegan cocoa pancakes are among the recipes most requested by vegan and nonvegan visitors. This recipe makes 18 to 20 pancakes—and they can be prepared in just 30 minutes or less!" Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/cocoa-pancakes/.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups chocolate soymilk

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup carob chips

Preparation

Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into mixing bowl. Whisk in chocolate soymilk and oil until just combined. Stir in vanilla extract. Let batter sit 5 minutes before cooking.

Spray large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. When hot, ladle on 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Sprinkle pancakes with several carob chips. Cook 2 minutes, and turn when tops begin to bubble and edges start to look dry. Cook 2 minutes more, and remove to plate. Serve with maple syrup or vanilla soy yogurt and fresh fruit.

CARAMELIZED BANANA NUT OATMEAL

This is from Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN, LD at VeryWellFit. She is also a food blogger and recipe developer at Lively Table. Check it out!

For this recipe, Kaleigh wrote, " Adding more whole grains to your meals is a great way to improve your diet. Not only are whole grains proven to lower the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol, but they've also been shown to help with weight loss and lower blood pressure."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 1

To view this online, as well as the rest of what Kaleigh wrote for this recipe, go to https://www.verywellfit.com/caramelized-banana-nut-oatmeal-recipe-4126741.

Ingredients

1 cup water

1/2 cup rolled oats

olive oil spray

1/2 medium banana, sliced

1 tablespoon walnut pieces

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on taste

Preparation

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in oats and reduce heat to low. Simmer until oats are cooked, 3 to 5 minutes.

While oats are cooking, spray a small non-stick skillet with olive oil. Add sliced bananas in a single layer and cook over medium heat until caramelized, about 3 minutes per side.

Spoon oatmeal into a bowl and top with caramelized bananas and walnuts. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

You can use any kind of nuts, or leave them out, but keep in mind that walnuts provide heart-healthy omega-3s.

This recipe will also work with steel cut or quick-cooking oats, but stay away from instant oats, as they usually contain added sodium.

Cooking and Serving Tips

To make this recipe even easier, cook up a batch of oatmeal on a Sunday to keep in the refrigerator. That way it is already cooked and ready to go in the morning—you just have to add the bananas!

To increase the protein in this recipe, cook the oats in skim milk or soy milk instead of water, or add a dollop of Greek yogurt to the finished recipe.

RED BERRY BAKED OATS

This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "These morning treats are completely different from traditional baked oats. Because you blend the batter, the oats end up being ground into a fine “flour,” so the finished dish has the texture of a moist, creamy cake instead of oatmeal—and you still get the whole-grain benefits of oats in every bite. We use a combination of raspberries and strawberries, but you can use all of one or the other if you’d like. These bake in 6-ounce ramekins; if you don’t have those, you can bake in a muffin pan (you’ll probably get 8 or 10) and reduce the cook time to about 15 minutes."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Serves: 6; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/recipe/red-berry-baked-oats/608b0ef40db90e5f982bc6ee.

Ingredients

6 sprays cookin spray

2 cups uncooked old fashioned oats, or quick-cooking oats

2 Tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp table salt

4 medium bananas, ripe

4 large eggs

1 cup strawberries, raw, sliced

1 cup fresh raspberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a blender, place oats, syrup, baking powder, vanilla, salt, bananas, and eggs. Blend on high speed until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let stand until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir berries into batter (do not blend). Lightly coat 6 (6-oz) ramekins with cooking spray; arrange ramekins on a sheet pan. Divide batter evenly among ramekins. Bake at 350°F until set and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Serve warm.

Serving size: 1 ramekin

TEX-MEX QUINOA BREAKFAST BAKE

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Put a superfood spin on weekend brunch! We’ve skipped the bread and replaced it with quinoa for a hearty, filling upgrade to a standard strata. This new take on breakfast bake packs protein and complex carbs to help you power through your day."

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/tex-mex-quinoa-breakfast-bake.

Ingredients

2 cups Progresso™ reduced sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

1 cup uncooked white quinoa, rinsed, drained

2 tablespoons Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)

1 lb bulk chorizo sausage

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup milk

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles

8 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Sour cream, as desired

Lime wedges, as desired

Preparation

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, mix broth, quinoa and 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 14 to 16 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is soft and translucent. Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup of the Mexican cheese blend. Spread evenly in baking dish.

Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage, bell pepper and onions 8 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and begin to brown and sausage is no longer pink; drain. Return to skillet; stir in milk, green chiles and remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Pour mixture over quinoa mixture in baking dish.

In large bowl, beat eggs with whisk. Stir in remaining 1 cup Mexican cheese blend. Pour evenly over sausage mixture in baking dish.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with queso fresco cheese and cilantro. Serve with sour cream and lime wedges.

Expert Tips

Can’t find raw chorizo? Bulk breakfast sausage makes a fine substitute.

Cilantro stems are tender and taste just like the leaves. To save time, chop the tops straight from the bunch of cilantro instead of picking off the leaves first.

Nutrition: 1 Serving: Calories 370 (Calories from Fat 230); Total Fat 25g (Saturated Fat 11g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 180mg; Sodium 800mg; Total Carbohydrate 14g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 4g); Protein 21g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 20%; Iron 10%

Exchanges: 1 Starch, 2 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 1 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 1