Five 5-Minute Breakfasts

Next week marks back to school for many and for others, it’s still  a return to more rigid schedules. The time crunch is on.

While breakfast is key for maintaining your  energy level,  promoting high productivity and a good mood, the morning rush can take its toll. Without a plan, you can be left with less than optimal choices – fatty sodium-laden fast food fare or simply a cereal bar grabbed from the pantry.

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Here are five breakfasts that can be prepared in five minutes or less. Print this off and post it on your fridge so it’s right there in front of you when you go for your morning meal. In addition, I have included a shopping list to make the task even easier.

For balance, each breakfast menu includes choices from at least three of out four food groups.  Recipe suggestions are for one person but can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled, if you like.

Day 1     
Cheesy Egg Wrap
(Beat 1 egg in a small bowl and place in   a small skillet sprayed with vegetable oil spray over medium heat, stirring and breaking up egg mixture into bite-size pieces, until just cooked through. Place in centre  of a heated   whole grain flour tortilla (in microwave or toaster oven) and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons grated light cheese.  Fold over sides of tortilla over filling; fold up bottom and continue to roll up to enclose filling and serve.)
Orange
Hot beverage (optional)

Day 2  
Scoop cottage cheese topped with  fresh or frozen fruit  (berries, grapes or melon)
Whole grain cereal with 1% or skim milk
Hot beverage (optional)

Day 3
French toast
(Whole grain bread dipped into one beaten egg mixed with 1/4 teaspoon/ 1mL  vanilla extract  and prepared on a non-stick skillet sprayed with vegetable oil spray)
Fresh or frozen berries, thawed
Cinnamon low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt
(Flavour plain low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt with cinnamon and low-calorie sweetener or honey)
Hot beverage (optional)

Day 4
Apple cheese quesadilla
(Spray a whole grain tortilla with vegetable oil spray and place on plate, sprayed side down. Sprinkle grated light cheddar on half the tortilla; layer apple slices on cheese and cover with more grated cheese. Place on skillet over medium-high heat; heat for 2 minutes and then turn over and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Serve immediately.)
Hot beverage (optional)

Day 5
Cheesy Mushroom Egg  Muffin
(Preheat broiler.  Sauté  sliced mushrooms, a sprinkling of dill weed, lemon juice and pepper in a skillet sprayed with vegetable oil spray  over medium-high heat  for 2 minutes. Remove from skillet; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Pour  one egg, beaten,  into skillet; cook over medium heat  until almost set in centre, carefully pushing cooked egg to center of skillet with spatula and tilting skillet as necessary to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath. Remove from heat.

Place English muffin half, preferably whole grain,  cut-side up, on rack on broiler pan. Cover  with   cooked egg and one slice of part-skim mozzarella cheese.  Place under broiler 1-1/2 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to brown. Sprinkle top of each sandwich with cooked mushrooms and chopped green onions. Serve immediately)
Hot beverage (optional)

Shopping list:
Below is a list of items needed to prepare all the dishes on the menu. Some may be staples in your pantry or refrigerator and are therefore listed under this heading. But be sure to check that you have them on hand or add them to the “to purchase” list.

Refrigerator and Pantry staples:
Cinnamon
Coffee or tea
Dill weed
Milk – 1 % or skim
Vegetable oil spray
Pepper
Salt
Whole grain cereal

To purchase:
Apple
Berries – fresh or frozen
Grapes or melon (optional)
Green onions
Lemon
Mushrooms
Orange

Cheddar cheese – light – 1 package
Cheese slices, part-skim mozzarella
Cottage cheese – low-fat – 1 container
Eggs – large (preferably omega-3 variety)
English muffin, preferably whole grain
Whole grain flour tortillas
Yogurt, low-fat or fat-free Greek – 1 container
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Do you have any speedy breakfast ideas to share?
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