Breakfast

What you will find:

• Clean Eating Protein Waffles
• Blueberry Lemon Muffins
• Healthy 3 Minute Eggs “Benedict”
• Steel Cut Oats: A Runner’s Breakfast
• Peanut Butter Granola Clusters

Clean Eating Protein Waffles

“Clean Eating” is a new buzz word in the athletic culture. It is basically what you know you should be eating and eating whole foods verses processed foods. It is perfect for athletes to clean up their diet and insert “clean eating” foods for junk foods.

I found a great resource, the Gracious Pantry blog that houses hundreds of recipes to clean up  your diet. Have fun browsing and enjoying her home-made recipes.

I made 6 of these waffles and had one ready for each morning for a quick protein-packed breakfast on the go. Here is the recipe link.

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Blueberry Lemon Muffins

**Jessica Seinfeld Deceptively Delicious

NOTE: you will need to have 1/2 cup butternut squash puree. Make this first before you continue

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup organic lemon yogurt
• 1 cup organic blueberries (I use frozen)
• 1/2 cup butternut squash puree
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Oven 350, line cupcake tin with liners
2. Beat together: sugar, butter, lemon yogurt, squash puree, egg, lemon extract, lemon zest
3. Slowly add: flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt
4. Add blueberries carefully. (the batter is supposed to be lumpy)
5. Divide batter among the muffin cups (the batter does not rise much)
6. Bake for 13-16 minutes, use a toothpick to check the center
7. wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month

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3 Minute Healthy Eggs “Benedict”

I love when I am able to sit down for a breakfast before work, even if I only have 10 minutes before I have to leave, I crave the chill time. This breakfast keeps me going all day. I would eat this after a run (definitely not pre-run food) or just before I crank out 8 hours of PE with my elementary kids. I justify calling this “benedict” because when I break open the yoke it makes a “sauce.” The lemon zest give this great flavor without the guilt from butter and hollandaise sauce. This breakfast is so fast you will be amazed!

What you will need:

• 2 eggs
• 1 whole wheat/whole grain english muffin
• slice of ham (if you want, I didn’t add it, I like the spinach better)
• handful of spinach leaves
• salt, pepper, lemon to zest
• poached eggs lesson

Poached Eggs in the microwave 101:

• Start with a small custard dish, mug, or microwave safe bowl. I love my 4 oz CorningWare bowl because the egg holds a perfect shape for the benedict.
• Fill the bowl 3/4th of the way or 1/2 of the way in a mug

• Crack 1 egg into the bowl, be careful to not crack the yoke.

• Most Important*** Cover the bowl with a lid or plate (plastic wrap is a serious fail, trust me). Stay near your microwave, it might pop.
• Microwave for 1 minute
• Repeat this process to for the 2 eggs for the 2 slices of english muffin like I did in the picture if you want

• Toast the english muffin and grab a handful of spinach while the eggs are cooking

The 3 Minutes:

1. Poached Eggs 1 minute
2. Poached Eggs 1 minute
3. Toast english muffins, spinach, salt/pepper, zest lemon

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Steel Cut Oats: A Runner’s Breakfast

This Steel- Cut Oats breakfast will keep you movin’ and your blood sugar levels stable until late in the morning. It is perfect for runners and non-runners alike. This recipe is from my favorite cook book mom-a-licious, if you don’t have it, get it! It will help transform your eating habits, promise.

The key to steel cut oats is to soak the oats overnight in the same pan you want to use to cook them in the morning. 1 cup steel-cut oats and 1 cup water. Otherwise it will take 40 minutes to cook instead of 10 minutes. First of all, who has 40 mins in the morning?!

Ok, so you soaked the oats over night.

Directions:

• Add 2 more cups of water or a mix of water and milk
• Add cinnamon and a pinch of salt if you want (I don’t do this step usually)
• Cook for 10-15 mins
• Enjoy with a sprinkle of brown sugar, blueberries, nuts, anything you want

The Benefits of Steel Cut Oats: (From Domenica Catelli)

• less processed than quick and rolled oats
• higher in fiber
• by soaking the steel-oats, breaks down the coating on the oats allowing you to absorb more of the nutrients
• more filling
• high in nutrition for sustained energy throughout the morning

Make extra, refrigerate in little containers, and enjoy on other mornings for easy breakfast. Zap for 1 minute in the microwave and you are good to go.

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Peanut Butter Granola Clusters

*Recipes on Relish

I classify these as treats because of the nutrition facts. The peanut butter and honey contains sugars, but I really enjoy this treat as an easy homemade granola cluster to spice up my bulk granola snacks.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablspn maple syrup
• 1 teaspn EVOO
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked oats
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts any kind
• 1/4 teaspn ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspn kosher salt
• cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Combine peanut butter, syrups and oil in a small pan. Cook over low heat until melted and the mixture can easily be stirred together. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a deep bowl, combine oats, almonds, cranberries, cinnamon and salt. Toss to mix well. Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and, using a rubber spatula coated with cooking spray, stir until everything is evenly coated. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto  prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and crisp. Set tray on wire rack and let cool completely. Store cooled in an air-tight container or tin up to 3 days. Serves 8.

Recipe by Jennifer Perillo.

Nutritional Info (per serving)

• Calories 250
• Fat 10g
• Saturated Fat 1.5g
• Polyunsaturated Fat .75g
• Monounsaturated Fat 2.25g
• Cholesterol 0mg
• Sodium 80mg
• Carbohydrates 39g
• Fiber 3g
• Sugars 24g
• Protein 6g