Thursday's Tip--A Plethora of Breakfasts

Dear Friend, do you struggle with what to cook your dear ones for breakfast? As you know, breakfast is a very important meal, probably the most important one for the day. Breakfast shouldn't really be a heavy meal, per se, but it should be really nutritious. So, the sugary, cheap cereals are out, right? Yes, that's right--so are the PopTarts and the Toaster Strudels (I used to love those things!). These are processed foods. They have tons of sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives in them. Things foreign to your little ones' bodies. Now, I'm sure occasionally (think once or twice a year), you wouldn't see any harm done from eating the above mentioned foods (if you could call them that), but leave it as a rare treat.

Today's tip is to give you some ideas of what to cook for breakfast--now that you know not to buy cheap, sugary cereals. If you like, have a cereal morning--we usually do this for Sundays. It's quick and doesn't require much preparations. However, make sure your cereals are as natural as possible. We like the Cascadian Farms or Kashi brands. These are natural (and yummy) cereals with no preservatives. Preservatives will be listed as BHT in the ingredients. They may be a little more pricey (not much, though), but if you have cereal only once a week, they will last at least 2 Sundays! :o)

On Saturdays when your hard working husband is home, cook him the Breakfast Bar. :o) Grits, eggs, biscuits/toast, bacon, the works. He will love it. :o)

During the week, serve some of the following breakfasts: Breakfast casserole (this is mostly eggs, which are very healthy in protein and Omega 3s)--recipe can be found just about anywhere, Egg Omelets (I add a little buttermilk to my eggs, before I fold it over, I add cheese, cut up mushrooms and a little ham), Fruit Salad (cut up apples, bananas, pears, grapes, oranges, add some raisins and a wee bit of coconut, if you're really lucky, mix up some cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla and put in with the fruit....YUM-O), Hashbrowns (this morning we had hashbrowns and Salmon...very healthy...cut up a couple of potatoes into small pieces, cook in a small bit of healthy cooking oil, add some salt and garlic...put a couple of pieces of Salmon in the skillet...sprinkle some lemon pepper on top..cook about 6 or 7 minutes on low heat..yum), Muffins...our favorites are Blueberry Muffins, Banana Muffins, and Oatmeal Muffins, using leftover Oatmeal...all are yum and I can post recipes if wanted...this may not sound very healthy, but you can make all these muffins from scratch...you KNOW what is in them, unlike the premixed muffin packages, Oatmeal...the old standby...VERY healthy...don't buy the packages unless you read the ingredients...just get the plain ole oatmeal, cook it, add some maple syrup and raisins, GREAT filling breakfast...you can also go to Candy's website at Keeping the Home and get her Baked Oatmeal recipe, it is sooo good. How about Pancakes? Wouldn't that make your little ones smile? Pancakes have always been my favorite Breakfast food. Mix 1 cup of AP flour, 1 tp salt, 1 or 2 tp Baking pwder, 1 cup milk (reg or buttermilk), 1 egg, and you have a great pancake recipe, from SCRATCH. Stay away from premixes! They put caseinate and other things in the boxed kind, which can cause food allergies. DO NOT use artificial flavored syrups. The only kind of good syrup out there on the shelves is Maple Syrup. Make sure it is 100% Maple Syrup. It is the real deal. It is pricey, but aren't your kids worth it? If you only have pancakes once a week, a bottle will last you a few weeks. Scrambled Eggs and Toast never fail. Better yet, put the eggs ON the toast, add a little mayo and that's a great sandwich! Have you tried French Toast? Mix up 3 eggs, add some cinnamon and a little sugar (no more than a tp) Dip some bread (preferably homemade, but yeah, I know...:o) in the egg mixture and 'fry' in the skillet that has a little butter (NEVER use margarine, EVER) or olive oil in it . Top with a small dollop of butter and maple syrup and mmm, mmm, good!

Well, there's you some ideas for some fresh, EASY, from-scratch breakfast foods to get you cookin'. If you don't have time for anything but prepackaged, put the kids at the table while you bake. The smell will keep them there. :o) Or, you could set out some coloring books, crayons, blocks, or some old, new toys for them while you cook. Or, you could set the youngest ones on the counter to participate or be a spectator! Mine love to do this. Watch out for them, tho! :o) Accidents can happen quickly!

I'll leave you with a pix of my dear one, Erin, picking some Huckleberries off of our tree. I loved the pigtails. I think I'll do her hair like this every day! :o)

Have a great breakfast tomorrow!