I want breakfast at your house!

Honestly though, coming up with meal ideas is my least favorite part of cooking. Your family obviously has no idea how lucky they are or they wouldn't complain. Put some of the responsibility of the meal on the recipients of this bounty and let them tell you some ideas.

That's an incredible breakfast reportorie! Tell me about turkey bacon. Dh only likes applewood-smoked pork bacon. I'd love to find a good alternative that he would actually enjoy. I only use it when making baked beans, but he loves bacon with eggs.

Thanks for mentioning Morning Glory muffins. Haven't made them in years and now that it's apple season it's perfect timing.

My favorite breakfast will probably be a big disappointment to your family since they are used to a nice cooked meal but I love this and eat it almost everyday. And after a few weeks of this maybe they'll be hungry for your old favorites again.

It's Greek yogurt (higher in protein than regular) thinned down with a little water, seasonal fruit (currently it's peaches, my all time fav is blueberries - when in season I'll eat a cup of blues), and cereal. My cereal choices are regular cooked oatmeal in cool months, shredded wheat or Kashi Good Friends (really high fiber but more processed than good ol' plain shredded wheat), and a 1/4 cup of All Bran (high fiber, which is good, but it's also more processed than SW or oatmeal).

That mix gives me a good deal of protein & fiber, which keeps me satisfied until lunch. If I do get hungry mid morning (on a gym day for instance), I have an apple with 1 tb peanut butter.

I hate to eat breakfast out but if I do my favorite is a veggies skillet. Two poached eggs served over cubed potatoes, chopped tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, onions all cooked with rosemary & some garlic. I think they also sprinkle on a little shredded cheese. When I eat that, I don't feel hungry until about 4 in the afternoon. It's probably a zillion calories and grams of fat (because of how restaurants are liberal with oil), but it's a once or twice a year meal so I don't worry too much about it. You could adapt it to your families tastes/needs.

I can't wait to see what other suggestions you'll receive.

Thought of a recipe I've been meaning to try after you mentioned Huevos Rancheros. Bought the can of cherry tomatoes months ago. Maybe this weekend.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lazy Weekend Breakfast

What about a glass of Instant Breakfast? :) I had the energy you do when my kids were at home, had breakfast waiting for them when they woke up. Now it's either yogurt or an IB for me.

DH usually makes himself bacon and eggs. When he does I'll always have an egg.

But nothing beats good old fashioned pancakes, syrup and bacon, along with chocolate milk! Your dh would faint over that one! lol

Lynn, how old are your kids? And how early before they have to leave do they wake up? My DD is laboriously adjusting to the early rising for high school but she never has time to sit down and eat anything that takes more than 5 minutes. Her hair takes longer, don't you know...and I'm really concerned about her drop in nutrition. She used to have a good breakfast in the mornings when we had time, and would take vitamins too (don't want to start a debate here about them-- just that they had been part of her regimen and they aren't anymore, so she's missing those nutrients as well). How long do your kids sit down to eat those amazing breakfasts you make?

Deee: I have asked them for ideas, but the best I got was the French toast or muffins. I'll try it again and see if they come up with anything decent ;^D

Natal: turkey bacon has less fat than regular, and it's cut thinner, as well. That makes for less calories, too, I'm thinking. The only type we like is Oscar Mayer, though. As for the MG muffins, aren't they good? I like to make up a double batch and freeze them. I'm big into making stuff ahead of time for breakfasts and freezing it.

HH: I'll have to try some of the sweetened varieties of Greek yogurt. I had no idea that they were higher in protein, and protein does keep you satisfied for longer in the mornings. Thanks! As for that skillet breakfast, it sounds wonderful . . . minus the onions and garlic. You don't want your doctor to be breathing those in your face when you're not feeling well (LOL!). But for weekends, it sounds delish!

Natal . . . that recipe sounds great for a weekend, thanks! During the week, though, I'm not awake enough. Just this morning I was making scrambled eggs. I had the crumbled turkey sausage and bell peppers sauteing in the pan. I (thankfully!) was whisking the eggs first in a separate bowl and instead of adding a bit of skim milk to them, I grabbed the chocolate milk and added that! That wasted eggs and time . . . LOL!

Do you ever use english muffins? We do whole grain. I'm also a yogurt/fruit/granola lover. Also love oatmeal with fruit topping - I use apple, dried cranberries, etc. You can also add some nuts and a bit of maple flavoring.

Another think we like is an apple pancake (it's one big pancake but it's not really a pancake). Google for a recipe or I'll add one later - I'm not at home right now. We also like fritatas with veggies and cheese, etc. You could serve your turkey bacon with it and some type bread.

Smoothies are a quick breakfast for me - often with an english muffin or a boiled egg - but make your own - those frozen ones have way too much sugar (although not bad in fat), but they are pretty good!

Hope this helps. I had to quickly skim through your message, so hope I'm not repeating anything you already have.

tina

(ps - I also pack my hubby's healthy lunch most days!)

Fly, my kids are 27 and 17. DS is now back in Afghanistan again, so he's home (sadly) only on R&R and vacations now. DD is a senior this year, and like yours, takes a long time to get ready in the mornings. But, we've been doing breakfast together 7 days a week since they were born, so it's ingrained in them to just accept it, I guess. Plus, DH & I are in agreement and "No" has never been an option (LOL!).
DD gets up at 5:30AM during the week. We eat at 6:30 and she's done by 6:50. Both she and DH leave by 7AM at the latest. DD's school starts at 7:30 and she doesn't like to be rushed getting there (a 15 minute drive). DH's office is a 30 minute drive from here.

I love a tofu scramble...saute onions/garlic for a couple of minutes, then some mushrooms and zucchini or eggplant, cook a little bit until slightly browned, add cubed tofu (a firm kind works best) saute without mushing it. After hot, stir in a few black olives (Kalamata are good), some halved cherry tomatoes, some fresh chopped spinach and fresh or dried herbs. Cook down until wilted and tomatoes are warm but not too cooked. Sprinkle with some feta or Parmesan cheese. You'll have some liquid in the pan, which I just drain off. If I have it, I sometimes serve with salsa. (kind of a Greek/Mex mix :-)

I make these with 3 eggwhites and no yolks, which ups the protein and lowers the calories and fat even more:

Pumpkin Granola Bars (from SparkPeople)
Ingredients

3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1/4 cup butter at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp molasses
2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tbsp shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions
Blend the pumpkin, egg, butter, honey, and molasses in a mixing bowl or food processor.
Add the oats, sunflower seeds, nuts, coconut, wheat germ, and cinnamon, mix well.
Spread this mixture into a lightly greased 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan.
Bake in a 350*F oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm, cut into 3-by-1 1/2-inch bars.
For very crisp bars, remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely.
Makes about 30 bars.

Calories: 87.4

Total Fat: 5.4 g
Cholesterol: 11.3 mg
Sodium: 16.0 mg
Total Carbs: 8.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 2.1 g

Lynn, I have cooked whole oat groats or steel cut oats in the crockpot overnight with shredded apples and that makes for a quick morning breakfast.

Another idea is crepes, make the batter the night before. In the morning I cook the crepes and fill with yogurt and sliced fruit and drizzle a little jam on top.

German pancakes or dutch babieshe. Make the batter the night before.

French toast can be done as a casserole, make it up the night before and bake the morning of breakfast. One author I have seen calls these featherbeds. You could also stuff french toast the night before, make your egg milk mixture the night before too and cook in the morning.

Dh likes eggs poached in a cream sauce of greens and served on an English muffin. If often just use greens from the freezer that I have chopped from the garden, shake some milk with some cornstarch and then poach the eggs in the sauce. I spread my english muffin with Turkish pepper paste.

An alternative to the poached eggs could be to chop vegetables the night before and place in individual ramekins with some milk and thickener. In the morning break the eggs in the ramekins and bake. Huevos rancheros would also work with this method.

Here is a link to a quinoa recipe that I particularly like. Sometimes I soak the quinoa the night before and it cooks much quicker in the morning. I have heard tale that you can even cook the quinoa in a rice cooker but I have not tried that yet.

We also used to eat Cream of Wheat a lot but the special way DH's family did it was to add 1 egg per serving. Mix the yolks with the hot cereal and whip the whites and fold in. Serve with cinnamon sugar. This was light, fluffy and wonderful. I may try it with buckwheat soon as DD and I can no longer eat wheat.

I should also ask, do you make the breakfast burritos fresh or do you freeze them. I tried making them in bulk in the past and freezing but it seemed darn near impossible to get them to heat evently.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cinnamon quinoa

we've really never sat down together for breakfast in the mornings--- my hub (when he's home) leaves early. when all the kids were home, i would be more creative with breakfast- now since i only have one home, he'll eat a bowl of cereal/oatmeal , or an egg sandwich with pepper jack or another type of cheese...and will wolf it down in 5 mins... if he's running late he'll grab a banana or a poptart... :( yes, i buy them and will usually have them in the house. he goes in early-5:45- 2-3 days a week to work out/lift (he's on xcountry and track) and on those days i amke a cup of the carnation instant breakfast to have him gulp in 5 secs flat!

Another idea I forgot was polenta. You can serve it soft and creamy or make it ahead and pour in a cake pan. The next morning cut into rectangles and pan fry in a little oil or smart balance. Serve topped with syrup, honey or cinnamon sugar (we use the sugar free syrup and it is actually not as bad as I had feared). If you want it soft and creamy, it is basically grits and you can also add some low fat cheese for a savory breakfast. If you have a programmable crockpot, you could even set this up to be ready and waiting for you in the morning.

If you are already baking something in the oven, you can cook your bacon in the oven too sprinkled with a little brown sugar or maple syrup (I sometimes add a little cayenne to this for DH and I, not the kids). If you cook it on parchment too, the pan is a breeze to clean too. Trader Joe's turkey bacon is pretty good as well.

Lynn,
When I first switched over to plain Greek yogurt it didn't seem sweet enough because I was used to regular vanilla yogurt. To compensate, I would add a few drops of vanilla. That flavored it and the nice aroma made me think it was sweet. After a few months I stopped adding the vanilla, especially if I have lots of fresh fruit in there. It's sweet enough with the fruit.

I find Greek yogurt to be thicker than regular so that's why I add a little water to make it looser and easier to mix with the cereal.

I like the Fage brand but there are lots of options to try to find the one your family likes best.

This is my current favorite, learned from a nutritionist. Spray glass microwave-safe bowl with Pam. Beat 2-3 eggs (or egg substitute) in bowl. Add a handful of washed baby spinach. Mix. Cover and vent with plastic wrap, cook 3 minutes in microwave. if desired, sprinkle with cheese/and or salsa. I love the jalapeno tabasco on mine. I don't get hungry for lunch until about 1 pm when I eat this.

Wow, lots of great new ideas here . . . thank you!

Oakley, chocolate Instant Breakfasts were pretty much my only breakfasts during the week when I was in high school. I still love them! As for the real bacon, pancakes and syrup, I make (turkey) bacon and fresh blueberry pancakes with maple syrup at least twice a month on the weekends. They are so good, aren't they?

Tina, I'd love to have your recipe for Apple Pancake. I'd forgotten about frittatas. I wonder if you can make them with Egg Beaters? I've never used them before, but it might be an alternative that DH would go for. He never eats the quiche crust anyway.
*I've never bought the smoothie mixes. We learned how to make fresh fruit smoothies from a guy with a smoothie roadside stand on Kauai back in 1996. We'd never heard of them before that, but have been making then ever since. Mine are 2/3 oj(or other fruit juice) to 1/3 vanilla yogurt and then your fruit(s) of choice, pureed together in a blender. I try to freeze cut up chunks of fresh fruits overnight to use, as they keep the smoothies nice and chilled.

Olychick: wow, I never thought to use tofu for breakfast although I love it and use it for evening meals! Thanks for that idea!! Love the recipe for Pumpkin Granola Bars, too. They sound delicious and only 87.4 calories!

Tish: I'd never thought to use my crock pot! I bought it last year and have never used it once. What a good idea to cook the Irish oats with apples. It sounds fantastic!
*As much as I love to cook, I would NEVER attempt crepes during the week. Did you read about this morning's mishap adding chocolate milk to my scrambled eggs (LOL!)? But, it sure sounds good for a new weekend breakfast. Or . . . I could make the crepes the afternoon before. That I can do. Thanks!
*Your Cream of Wheat recipe sounds like how I make my tapioca! I'm definitely going to try that with the CofW . . . yumm!
*As for the Cinnamon Quinoa recipe, that sounds quick, easy and delicious! I'm going to try that one this week! I already have the agave necter and the quinoa, as I make it for dinner sometimes instead of rice or pasta. I just need to get the berries tomorrow.
* question about the poached eggs in the cream sauce, do you crack the eggs in once the sauce is simmering? How long does it take to cook the eggs from that point? I'm going to try it with baby spinach and a sprinkle of nutmeg or perhaps arugula with a sprinkle after of grated Swiss cheese. What a great idea for a heathful, yummy breakfast!
* breakfast burritos, I freeze them and then warm in the MW, wrapped in a paper towel for 2 minutes on high, turning every 30 seconds.
* I have to confess that even though I have the pan for the Dutch babieshe, lately I've been buying them frozen in a bag at TJs. They reheat in the MW quickly and easily and taste great.
* thanks for the reminder about the oven French toast! I have a recipe someplace for it stuffed with a (fat free) cream cheese mixture. I think it was then topped with powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. It was wonderful!
Lynn

Busybee: well, it sounds like everyone is thriving at your place. That egg sandwich sounds yummy and your son certainly is living one healthy lifestyle. Good for him!

Tish: thanks for the heads-up about TJ's turkey bacon. I'll try it next, as I shop there once a week.
*You're polenta idea made me remember a recipe my mom used to make us. She called it fried mush. What it really was though was a batch of Cream of Wheat or Ralston (loved that stuff) that she cooked up and then poured into a buttered bread pan and let it set overnight. The next morning she sliced it, fried it like French toast and served it with syrup. It was wonderful! With all the healthful hot cereal options out there today,not to mention PAM, I'll bet I could come up with something similar that DH would love.

Texanjana: That sounds like a great quick, low fat breakfast! Being from New Mexico, we LOVE salsa, but I'd have to come up with an alternative for weekday meals. The onions and garlic in salsas are no-no's for DH (& DD) during the week). Thanks for that recipe. It's a keeper!

HH: I'm always amazed and impressed by people like you that can eat the plain yogurts. To me, they're just too sour to eat like that . . .but I'm going to give it another try.
Funny quick story: last night I tried a new Greek recipe for dinner. The sauce was Greek plain yogurt, shredded cucumber, a bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper. It did NOT taste very good! Later I realized that in my haste ~ and being very distracted ~ I'd shredded a zucchini instead of the cucumber. The sour Greek yogurt taste came though very well, though (LOL)!
Lynn

These are my favorite ideas:

1. Green smoothie. I use my immersion blender to blend spinach, one banana, some ground flax, a scoop of vanilla protein powder and almond milk. It's fast and delicious. For those concerned about the spinach, you can't taste it. My husband and I are hooked on these.

2. Oatmeal with cinnamon, blueberries, ground flax and almond milk. Nuke for 1.5 minutes.

3. Egg muffin sandwich. Microwave one egg in a greased ramekin. Place between toasted, whole wheat English muffin halves and top with cheese or whatever else you like.

4. Scrambled egg, crumbled sausage, diced potatoes, cheddar cheese and salsa wrapped up in a burrito shell. I make a batch of these in advance, wrap in plastic wrap and pull them out of the freezer as needed. They take about a minute or less in the microwave to re-heat.

5. Leftovers. Who says breakfast food needs to be for breakfast? :)

Love some of the other suggestions and have made plenty of notes. Thanks!

I put the eggs in the sauce once simmering and often spoon a little of the hot sauce over the top of the egg to cook it sooner. I'ld say that the eggs take about 3 minutes to cook, depending on how firm you want your yolks. I like mine a little runny, dh likes his a little firmer so his might be given a minute or so more.

Sorry Lynn. You know I love you but my love is dying fast reading your list. I cook and I cook breakfast on the weekends, but you are already miles ahead of me. I'm still shaking my head.....

Love,
Red

Kimberly: wow, you really eat healthfully . . . I'm impressed! I need to get some ground flax seed at TJ's today. Your green shake sounds good, but the green color might put off DD (LOL!). Your burrito wrap is what we call a breakfast burrito out here in NM. Yummy, aren't they? I like your idea of the homemade egg muffin sandwich. That will be quick and easy, as well as yummy.

Tish: thanks. That's something very different than what I've been making . . . and very good!

Red, you are such a brat (LOL)! I know that I've listed quite a few things that I make on a regular basis. Actually I forgot one, so there's really 10. But think about it this way. Over just the past 5 years, minus weekends, gives me 1565 weekday breakfasts. Divided by my repertoire of 10 choices, I've served each of them an estimated 156.5 times. Soooooo, I'm just looking for more choices ;^D . . . and now, thanks to the great gals here, I have a LOT more choices!

BTW, my 10th weekday breakfast that I forgot to mention above is the one I served yet again this morning:

10) Trader Joe's Mintz's Blintzes (made with soy and absolutely delicious plain), yogurt & strawberry smoothies, turkey bacon, oj, coffee.

DH and I usually have a green smoothie everyday. When I first started making them he was put off by the green color too. If you put a bit of unsweetened cocoa and some berries in the smoothie, the color is not green.

I usually make about 6-8 cups in the vitamix that changes a bit day to day, but is generally:

1 cup adzuki beans, 2 tablespoons flax seeds, 1 oz mixed seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower) 1/2 cup pomegranate or other juice, bok choy, kale, baby spinach, a banana and one other fresh piece of fruit, and some mixed frozen fruit (that I buy in bulk from BJ's)

DH and I split this and I try to get DS to drink some too. He goes in phases of when he likes it and won't touch it. :)

DH doesn't mind the green color anymore.

I love all of the great ideas in this thread.

My fave breakfast is cold pizza. If you learn to make your own pizza which is fun, you can limit the fat by choosing lower fat cheeses, and increase the interest by using unexpected toppings.

Kimberly said what I was going to add - why does it have to be different food for breakfast? All of the things in your repertoire sound great, and I think it is absolutely WONDERFUL that you all eat together every day.

But why not soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, or individual pizzas(breakfast style, topped with scrambled eggs and diced bacon and low-fat shredded cheese, or a more traditional kind), a delicious rich chowder (made overnight in the crock pot, as suggested), scalloped potatoes and ham (again, in the crockpot), lasagne, pot pies, many of which can be made ahead and just popped in the oven. Or maybe just yogurt parfaits that they can create themselves with choices of fruit, crunchy add-ins like nuts or granola, some dark chocolate chips, etc. The list of meal choices is endless.

There is no rule that breakfast must generally consist of some kind of eggs, a starchy component, some kind of breakfast meat, yogurt and juice.

But coffee IS essential! LOL

The only suggestion I can think of is whole wheat english muffins with peanut butter.

Seriously, the family is getting home-cooked breakfasts on a daily basis and they are complaining? Making such a compliant to my mom would have had me in the kitchen getting breakfast every day for the next month. At the very least, each complainer should provide you with two or more suggestions for "new" breakfast dishes. Really, if you use your 10 menus for weekday breakfasts, you have two weeks of breakfasts with no repetition. That's not too shabby, in my book.

My mom's breakfast schedule went like this, back in the 60s (Yes, I can still remember it):

Daily: piece of fruit, orange juice, milk

Monday: Pancakes or french toast
Tuesday: Homemade coffee cake or muffins
Wednesday: Cold cereal
Thursday: Hot cereal (oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc.)
Friday: English muffins with peanut butter and jelly
Saturday: Waffles
Sunday: Bacon and eggs (cooked by Dad to allow Mom to sleep in)

We never thought that wasn't enough variety--nothing repeated during the week.

Looking at your menus, you seem to have a carb, a protein, fruit and yogurt at every breakfast. And you have them in the same set combinations--i.e. Trader Joe's Orange scones means that there will be sausage. Not bacon, not eggs. Only sausage. I can see how that would get a bit predictable.

I'd make up a chart, with all the carb choices in Column A, all the protein choices in Column B, etc. Then once a week sit down and create "new" breakfast menus by choosing one item from Column A, one from Column B, and so on; a new menu for every day of the week.

Lynn - here is the apple puff pancake recipe:

* 2 apples or pears
* 1-2 Tbsp. canola oil
* 1-2 Tbsp. butter
* 1-2 Tbsp. sugar
* Pinch cinnamon
* 3 large eggs
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup milk
* Powdered sugar and lemon slices, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450�F.

Peel (if you want), core and slice the apples. In a large skillet (if you have an ovenproof one, use it), saute the apples in the oil and butter over medium heat for a minute or two. Sprinkle them with the sugar and cinnamon and cook until they start to turn golden and begin to soften. Remove the apples from the heat.

Whisk together the eggs, flour, and milk. Don�t worry about getting all the lumps out. Now you can proceed one of two ways: 1) Pour the batter over the apples in the skillet and put it in the oven. (If you don�t have an ovenproof skillet, pour the sauteed apples into a deep dish pie plate and pour the batter over them.) The apples will bake straight into the pancake, but it won�t rise quite as high with the fruit inside; or 2) Remove the apples and set them aside to serve on top, then pour the batter into the hot pan. This way the pancake will rise even higher and look more dramatic.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden. Cut it into wedges and serve warm with the fruit and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Serves 4.

I think that I might have given everyone the impression that DH & DD are petty complainers and they're not. It's just that they've had each of my 10 weekday breakfasts an average of 156.5 times in the past 5 years alone(LOL!), and they are hoping for some new ideas. They really don't have time in the mornings to make their own balanced, healthful breakfasts. I do and I love nurturing my little family like that. I also love that, by me making one breakfast for us all, it allows us our close family time together as we start off our days. So, thank you for all the great new ideas and recipes. I shopped at TJs and the grocery store yesterday and picked up the ingredients for a number of new things to try (including ground flax seed w blueberries to add to things). . . thanks to you all :~)

Tina, thanks . . . that recipe sounds wonderful!!! I'm copying it to use either this week or next.

Boop: OMG, that sounds so healthful . . . but green. I know, I really need to get over the "fear" of green blended shakes for breakfast!

Texanjana: I know, so do I! I've gotten many new ideas and recipes to try.

Lucille: I could eat cold pizza for breakfast in high school and college, but have lost my taste for it in the morning. I have had, on the other hand, warm breakfast pizza topped w scrambled eggs, bacon, etc. That I like, as long as the crust is not too thick or hard.

Les: seriously . . . you can eat things like soup and lasagne for breakfast ?!? Wow, my stomach ~ or maybe it's just my brain~ needs "real" breakfast things that early in the morning. I couldn't eat lasagne then unless I was starving. But, I admire anybody who can. Yogurt & fruit parfaits sound yummy, though. And, yes, coffee is always essential ;^D

Camlan: You're right, I need to diversify my menus. I'm blown away, but very impressed, that you can remember your breakfast menus as a kid! They sound a lot like ours when I was a kid.
Thanks again for participating in this "Healthful Breakfast Idea & Recipe Exchange". I hope that you are enjoying it as much as I am.
Lynn

lynn, I have been waiting forever for you to post your Green Chili Quiche! HA! (From a way past thread!) I sometimes get in on the end of convo's and you probably didn't see it)

Maybe I should clarify: your Green Chili Quiche "recipe".

Per Camlan's suggestion, I've mixed up my menus, making papaya & yogurt smoothies for yesterday's breakfast and plain strawberry & yogurt smoothies with today's. I've also changed the meat/protein selections, too, and added Canadian bacon to my selections.
Tish gave me the great idea for fried polenta. I changed it just a bit, buying a box of organic whole wheat hot cereal (mix) and a bag of ground flax seed w blueberries (thanks Kimberly!) at TJ's. I made up a 6-cup version of the hot cereal, adding 4 TBS of the ground flax seed mix to it. When it was done, I poured it into a PAM-sprayed glass loaf pan. After it cooled, I covered it with plastic wrap and refrigerated it until this AM. It slid out easily and in one piece onto a cutting board, where I sliced it into six 1" thick slices (two for each of us). I heated up a skillet using PAM and "fried" them until they were crisp on both sides. I served them with maple syrup, a side of Canadian bacon, strawberry & yogurt smoothies, grape juice and coffee. It was a yummy and very healthful new breakfast that everybody enjoyed. Thanks Ladies!

I've also bought the ingredients for Tina's Apple Pancake, Tish's Poached Eggs in a Spinach Cream Sauce and the Morning Glory Muffins.

I'm planning on trying lots of your suggestions here and I'll bet I'm not the only one! There are so many, that I've had to make a list in my online cookbook so that I can quickly access your new ideas and recipes. You all are the greatest!
Lynn

P.S. Olliesmom, I'm sorry! I'll try to get you that recipe here today .

Lynn's New Mexico Green Chile Quiche

Ingredients:
1 9" unbaked pie shell (I make my own)
6 slices of turkey bacon, diced (or 1/2 cup of turkey sausage crumbles)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups low-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 small (4 oz) can of diced green chiles (I like Hatch the best)
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) Carnation Evaporated milk
3 large eggs, beaten well
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350-degrees
2) Cook bacon (or sausage) in a large skillet over a medium heat. When bacon starts to turn brown, add onion. Continue cooking until bacon is crisp. Drain.
3) Sprinkle cheese on bottom of pie shell. Top with bacon and then green chile.
4) In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, salt and pepper; pour into pie shell over other ingredients.
5) Bake in 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife inserted halfway between the center and the outside edge comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

that with the above recipe, I sometimes add 1 minced garlic clove with the onions to the above recipe. It just depends on whether or not you want garlic in the morning. With DH being a family practice doc, I don't add it if I'm making it ahead of time for a weekday breakfast. But, on the weekends, it's a great addition. Sorry!
Lynn

lynn, i've been following this thread even though we eat 'easy'-cereal,bagels,yogurt,fruit,etc- in the mornings because i do sometimes make breakfast for dinner.
for the quiche recipe, is there a reason you use evap milk rather than skim milk or fat free 1/2& 1/2?? is it just for convenience, or does it bake differently with the evap milk??

Thank you! I can't wait to make it!

And, I think it is great how you make breakfast every morning for your family, and they will always remember and cherish that about you. It is such a great way to start the day. My mom (back in the day) use to wake up before everyone and make us breakfast before school, and always had a snack (mostly dessert-type snack) waiting for us after school. I do the after school snack, but haven't done the sit-down breakfast in the morning, except on weekends. Maybe I should start that...

I agree with Olliesmom - even if you don't think you have enough diversity in your breakfasts, I think it's great you make breakfast every day. I have good memories of my own mom making doing the same thing. :)

Thanks Olliesmom and Kimberly. My grandmother once told me when I was a kid that I probably wouldn't be able to remember 1/100 of the gifts I got in my life, but that my happy family memories and traditions would be with me forever. She was a wise woman and right. I'm just trying to give my little family that kind of memory . . . happy family time together that they can count on every day.

Busybee: I don't know if it would make a difference or not. It's a recipe I got a while back and just adapted it to my own, adding the green chiles, etc. It would be worth a try. I should probably try it myself, as I'm so into cooking healthfully.
Lynn

Lynn, while I don't have any personal suggestions after reading all the great tips from everyone else, I couldn't help but think of your request when I was searching the web today for some new recipes. Did you see this link on easy breakfast ideas in IVillage? Maybe there's something there that would appeal to you.

Here is a link that might be useful: More breakfast ideas

Lynn, your list of breakfasts is amazing, but what's even more incredible these days is that you make it a priority to sit down as a family for breakfast. It's such a rarity in our fast-paced world. Growing up we always sat down as a family for breakfast and I have fond memories of that.

Our children ate on the run, for the most part, but did have something before leaving the house, even if I handed it to them on their way out the door!

Here's a recipe for steel-cut oatmeal done in the crockpot overnight:
Slow Cooker, Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal
By Monica Servings: 5 1-cup servings
Ingredients
2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped)
1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into 5-6 pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground flax seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional garnishes: chopped nuts, raisins, maple syrup, additional milk or butter
Directions
Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.

To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup fat-free milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot.

Recipe can be doubled in 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Increase cooking time 1 hour.

I don't have time for a cooked breakfast since I leave the house before 7 am to get to school with time to get the day organized before the kids arrive and I can't seem to get up any earlier than the last possible minute! DH does not like to eat breakfast, so I make smoothies with OJ, yogurt, fresh blueberries, strawberries and a banana. A piece of whole wheat toast finishes the meal. Peanut butter on the toast sometimes, too. DH is retired now, but can I get him to make the smoothies for me??? NOOOO.

I used to drink Instant Breakfast when I was pregnant (33 years ago!) just to get something healthy in my stomach. I often got a little dizzy mid-morning and the doctor said not to drink it b/c it was loaded with carbs that cause blood sugar to spike and then plummet. He said just milk is better than adding all those sugars. Too bad. I really liked it, but haven't had it since.

Lynn, I have a big glass of the 'Green Machine Smoothie', which is one of the Naked Juice drinks. It's a lot of protein(Dr. Oz says 'protein in the morning')it's filling, and has a good pineapple flavor. I usually have it with a piece of Oatnut bread toast. I DO have 2 eggs twice a week, also.

I've also added a package of the French Vanilla flavor Instant Breakfast to my coffee, which is pretty good. ;o)

Nanny: thank you for that link! I've found some great ideas there and have bookmarked it so that I can go back and copy them to my cookbook program. That Baked Banana Oatmeal sounds yummy. Everything we eat doesn't have to be super low in fat and calories, but I'm going to see if I can adapt that one a bit to make it a bit more healthful. I can't wait to try some of those recipes!

Bannie: that recipe sounds fantastic! I'm copying it to my cookbook in just a sec. Thanks!!!

Cyn: your smoothies sound yummy and your breakfasts on the run are healthful and sound great to me. When I was in high school, my weekday breakfasts consisted solely of one chocolate Instant Breakfast, which I loved. When I got pregnant with Emily, I had 24/7 morning sickness for 3 months and lived on vanilla Instant Breakfasts! I still love them!

Patty: IB in your coffee??? Now that's a cool idea! As for your shakes, I have to commend you on eating so healthfully! I just love breakfasts too much to give up those homey, tasty, comforting meals to drink very-good-for-you green shakes (LOL!). Was it hard for you to get used to that kind of breakfast?