Try these simple recipes for a healthy breakfast
Flax-Coconut Pancakes
Elisabeth Prueitt always mixes ground flax into her pancake batter. “I’ve never felt great about the low nutritional value of pancakes — it’s like eating cake for breakfast — but the flax adds fiber, omega-3s, and minerals,” she says.
TOTAL TIME: 0:30
LEVEL: EASY
YIELD: ABOUT TWELVE 4-INCH PANCAKES
INGREDIENTS
? c. white rice flour (see Note)
? c. brown rice flour (see Note)
¼ c. sugar
3 tbsp. potato starch (see Note)
3 tbsp. tapioca starch (see Note)
3 tbsp. coconut flour (see Note)
2 tbsp. flaxseed meal
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1¼ c. milk
¼ c. coconut oil
Fresh fruit
maple syrup
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk the brown and white rice flours with the sugar, potato starch, tapioca starch, coconut flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and milk with the 1/4 cup of coconut oil; whisk into the dry ingredients just until the batter is moistened. Add a tablespoon of milk if the batter is very thick.
Preheat a griddle and brush lightly with coconut oil. For each pancake, scoop 3 tablespoons of the batter onto the griddle, allowing it to spread on its own. Cook over moderate heat until bubbles appear on the surface, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the pancakes until they have risen and are golden brown on the second side, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pancakes to plates and serve with fruit and maple syrup.
Healthier Hearty Omelet
An omelet with everything! We folded in cheese, ham, and home fries, just like IHOP. But we cut out more than half the calories.
LEVEL: MODERATE
INGREDIENTS
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1½ oz. turkey ham
1 tbsp. Chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. canola oil
¼ c. diced onion
½ c. frozen diced potatoes
1 tsp. unsalted butter
1 oz. shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese (1/4 cup)
2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, whisk eggs, whites, turkey ham, parsley, and salt.
In an 8-inch nonstick skillet or omelet pan, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining oil, then add potatoes and cook, covered, stirring every few minutes until potatoes start to brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer mixture to a plate.
In the same skillet, heat butter over medium heat, until just hot enough for a drop of water to sizzle. Pour in egg mixture; it should set immediately at the edges. Tilt pan to let uncooked egg run into the hot skillet. Continue to cook until surface of omelet is no longer liquid.
Place onion mixture across center of omelet. Top with 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Fold egg in half over the filling and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Serve with a mixed green salad and sour cream, if desired. Makes one omelet; repeat to make enough for the whole family!
Morning Glory Muffins
We took the ultimate breakfast muffin and made it healthier by reducing the calories and fat. With a tweak here and there each lightened-up muffin has 75 fewer calories, 5.5 grams less fat, and half the cholesterol of the original!
TOTAL TIME: 0:43
PREP: 0:20
COOK: 0:23
LEVEL: MODERATE
YIELD: 12 MUFFINS
INGREDIENTS
1¼ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
? c. nonfat (skim) milk
.67 c. applesauce
¼ c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. light (mild) molasses
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 large egg
3 medium carrots
½ c. prunes
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 standard muffin-pan cups or line cups with fluted paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir in oats. In a medium bowl, with a fork, mix milk, applesauce, brown sugar, molasses, oil, and egg until blended; stir in carrots and prunes. Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture; stir just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy).
Spoon batter into prepared muffin-pan cups. (Muffin cups will be full.) Bake 23 to 25 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Immediately remove muffins from pan. Serve warm, or cool on wire rack to serve later.
Oat And Almond Breakfast Bars
These delicious breakfast bars are full of old-fashioned, good-for-you oats.
TOTAL TIME: 0:45
LEVEL: EASY
YIELD: 24 BARS
INGREDIENTS
½ c. vegetable oil
½ c. honey
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 c. old-fashioned oats
¾ c. all-purpose flour
½ c. light brown sugar
½ c. sliced almonds
½ c. toasted wheat germ
½ c. raisins
¾ tsp. salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13″ by 9″ metal baking pan with nonstick foil (if not using nonstick, lightly grease foil).
In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, stir oil, honey, vanilla, and egg until mixed. In a large bowl, with a fork, mix oats, flour, sugar, almonds, wheat germ, raisins, and salt until combined. With a rubber spatula, stir honey mixture into oat mixture until blended; scrape into prepared pan. With a wet hand, pat oat mixture evenly into pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until pale golden around edges. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour.
When cool, transfer using foil to cutting board. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 6 pieces. Store in tightly sealed container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.
Healthy French Toast
Our slimmed-down take on this Sunday-morning favorite is practically saintly. Subbing in low-fat milk and egg whites gives it half the fat and a third less cholesterol than traditional French toast. Plus, it’s a cinch to whip up. One more blessing in disguise: You can still serve it with maple syrup, which is naturally fat-free.
TOTAL TIME: 0:23
LEVEL: EASY
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
¾ c. low-fat (1%) milk
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
salt
2 tsp. margarine or butter
8 slice firm whole wheat bread
Maple syrup (optional)
Fresh blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. In a pie plate, with a whisk, beat egg whites, egg, milk, vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until blended. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 teaspoon margarine on medium.
Dip bread slices, 1 at a time, in egg mixture, pressing bread lightly to coat both sides well. Place 3 or 4 slices in skillet, and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides.
Transfer French toast to cookie sheet; keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining margarine, bread slices, and egg mixture. Serve French toast with maple syrup and berries if you like.
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