Breakfast, Any Time

If you're like me, you don't mind having breakfast, any time. Today's yummy offerings include Pirate Eggs and Parisian-style Sweet Crêpes. Enjoy!

WHOLE30 VEGGIE-PACKED BREAKFAST FRITTATA

This comes from the Food Network, and begins, "Make this Whole30 (a lifestyle that encourages you to choose whole food over processed, and eschews sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) egg dish for an easy on-the-go breakfast. It's packed with veggies and can be stored in the fridge for the week. Eat it hot or cold, depending on how much time you have."

Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/whole30-veggie-packed-breakfast-frittata-3908443.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 cups packed baby spinach

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), chopped

1 clove garlic, sliced

10 large eggs, beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Hot sauce, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a medium oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is just wilted and still vibrant green, about 1 minute.

Reduce the heat to low and add the eggs, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir gently to distribute the vegetables. Bake until the eggs are set, 13 to 15 minutes.

Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice into 6 pieces. Serve with hot sauce. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

BREAKFAST BURRITO

This is from Ellie Krieger on the Food Network. Active Time: 38 minutes; Total Time: 38 minutes; Yield: 4 servings, serving size 1 burrito; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/breakfast-burrito-recipe-1953146.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil

1/2 small red onion, diced (1 cup)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup drained, rinsed canned black beans, preferably low-sodium

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 eggs and 4 egg whites

1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounce) shredded pepper Jack cheese

Nonstick cooking spray

4 (10 inch) whole wheat tortillas (burrito size)

1/4 cup reduced fat-free sour cream or 2 percent plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup salsa

1 large tomato, (4 ounces) seeded and diced

1 small avocado (4 ounces), cubed

Hot sauce

Directions

Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Cook the onions and peppers until onions are softened and peppers are slightly charred, about 8 minutes. Add black beans and red pepper flakes and cook until warmed through, another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a dish.

Whisk together the eggs and egg whites then stir in the cheese. Spray the skillet with cooking spray, and reheat the skillet over a medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add eggs, scrambling until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon each sour cream (or yogurt) and salsa, then layer with 1/4 of the black bean mixture, 1/4 of the scrambled eggs, some diced tomato and 1/4 of the avocado. Season, to taste, with hot sauce. Roll up burrito-style and serve.

Cook’s Note

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Good source of: Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin K, Calcium, Iodine, Iron, Potassium, Selenium

SWEET CORNMEAL CREPES WITH FRESH BLUEBERRIES

This comes from the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37. It begins, "Cornmeal and blueberries are a match made in heaven. For assembling ease, make the crêpes ahead of time, wrap in aluminum foil, and keep warm in the oven."

Makes 20 crêpes

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/sweet-cornmeal-crepes-with-fresh-blueberries/.

Ingredients

Cornmeal crêpe batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow or white cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbs. grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp. salt

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups low-fat milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling

3 cups fresh blueberries

8 oz. blueberry jam

Preparation

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in bowl. Whisk in eggs; mixture will be shaggy. Whisk in milk 1/2 cup at a time until batter is smooth. Whisk in vanilla. Cover, and chill 30 minutes, or overnight.

Place blueberries in bowl. Bring jam and 1 cup water to a boil in saucepan. Simmer 1 minute. Cool 5 minutes, then fold jam into berries.

Preheat oven to 200°F, if serving right away. Whisk 1/4 cup water into batter to thin. Lightly grease 9-inch nonstick skillet with canola oil. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.

Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot skillet, lifting and turning pan to swirl batter so that it coats bottom of pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and center is dry. Flip, and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Transfer crêpe to plate, and place in warm oven. Repeat with remaining batter.

To serve: Place 1 crêpe on plate, and fill with 2 Tbs. filling. Fold sides of crêpe over filling. Repeat with second crêpe and filling. Drizzle 2 Tbs. filling over both crêpes.

PARISIAN-STYLE SWEET CREPES

This comes from the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37. It begins, "Cafés and brasseries in the French capital sell passersby sweet crêpes slathered in butter, jam, chestnut purée, and (VT favorite) Nutella. The experience is easy to re-create at home for breakfast, Sunday supper, or a snack."

Makes 8 crêpes

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/parisian-style-sweet-crepes/.

Ingredients

Crêpes

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup low-fat milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fillings (optional)

Nutella

Jam

Butter

Chestnut Purée

Preparation

Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in bowl. Whisk in egg; mixture will be shaggy. Whisk in milk 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk in vanilla. Cover, and chill 30 minutes, or overnight.

Whisk 1/4 to 1/2 cup water into batter to thin. Lightly grease 9-inch nonstick skillet with canola oil. Heat skillet over medium-high heat.

Pour 1/4 cup batter into hot skillet, tilting pan to swirl batter so it coats bottom of pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until edges begin to brown and center is dry. Flip; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more.

Transfer crêpe to plate, and repeat with remaining batter. To serve crêpes: Reheat 1 minute in lightly greased skillet. Spread with desired fillings, fold into quarters, and serve.

CHEESY CHORIZO FRITTATA

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "A one skillet breakfast is super simple to get on the table with this cheesy frittata that is loaded with your favorites—chorizo seasoned pork, eggs, cheese and onions. Serve with fresh toppings and sour cream, and your morning is off to a good start."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/cheesy-chorizo-frittata.

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground pork

1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ Chorizo Taco Seasoning Mix

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

8 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend (6 oz)

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves and sour cream, if desired

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°F.

In small bowl, mix pork and taco seasoning mix until combined. In 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add seasoned pork, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; do not drain. Remove from heat.

In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk and salt until combined. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and 1/4 cup of the green onions. Pour egg mixture over pork mixture in skillet. Stir until combined. Transfer to oven.

Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until completely set in center and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top. Bake 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Top with remaining 1/4 cup green onions and the tomatoes. Cut into wedges. Top with cilantro and sour cream.

Expert Tips

Try your favorite cheese, such as shredded Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar, to replace Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend for a different twist.

Skillet (and handle) will be hot, so be sure to cover the handle with a pot holder or kitchen towel before serving.

PIRATE EGGS

When my sister and I were kids, my mother used to fix this for us on a regular basis, except that she called them Gypsy Eggs. Once my brother came along, though, they became Pirate Eggs. The name stuck. Most people from the Northeastern U.S. tend to call them Eggs-in-a-Hole or some variation of that. But whatever you call them, they're good.

The instructions are for one person. Adjust for the number of people you're feeding.

1-2 eggs

1-2 pieces of bread

margarine for the pan

Melt the margarine in the pan over medium heat. Take the bread and cut a round hole in the middle. Place bread in pan, then crack the egg and dump onto the bread so that the yolk is in the hold. If you prefer non-runny yolks (my preference), crack the yolk with the corner of a spatula. Cook on the first side for several minutes, then flip over and cook the other side. You can flip it several times until the egg looks cooked. Enjoy!