From Mama's Table to Mine (21 page)

What I really love most in the morning is a good farm-raised egg. Sometimes I whip up my
Easy Eggs Florentine
or my
Toasted-Waffle Ham and Egg Sandwich
. They make me feel like I just had a big old diner breakfast, except I’ve taken in fewer than half the calories. Other times, I simply boil an egg, sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper, and eat it walking out the door. Pure protein. Pure delicious.

The fact is, breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. It’s the fuel you need to make the most of your day. So, I say, why not make it delicious, too?

Maple Ham Biscuits
These biscuits smell so darn good when they’re baking that they will wake up even the greatest of sleepyheads in your house. They bring together my favorite taste combination—the subtle sweetness of maple syrup and the saltiness of ham.
Makes about 12 / Serves 12
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1½ cups 1% buttermilk
2 teaspoons light maple syrup
½ cup finely chopped ham
1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the buttermilk and maple syrup until just combined. Fold the ham into the dough.
3.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it a few times, then roll it out to a ¾-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut the dough into biscuits. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and spray the tops lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 15g fat, 352 calories
After: 6g fat, 180 calories

5g protein | 26g carbohydrate | 1g fiber | 480mg sodium

Shortcut

“Cutting in” is a baking term for combining butter or some other shortening with dry ingredients. Using a fork is a quick way to work in your butter, but you can also use a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a pair of knives. The most important thing to remember when cutting in is to work quickly to get the butter incorporated before it begins to melt.

Good Morning Pumpkin-Corn Muffins
These tasty muffins are moist and crumbly with a hint of spicy cinnamon to wake you up in the morning. They can be made ahead of time and reheated the day of or just eaten cold running out the door. These days, when I know I’ve got a busy morning ahead of me the next day, I make a batch of these satisfying muffins the night before, giving me the convenience of an instant breakfast the next day, right along with the comfort of homemade baking.
Makes 12 / Serves 12
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup canned pumpkin
½ cup 1% buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 orange
1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and orange zest. Using a rubber spatula, fold the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.
3.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, dividing evenly, and bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the pan over to pop them out onto a wire rack to cool for another 10 minutes. Muffins can be stored (once completely cooled) in an airtight container for several days.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 8g fat, 218 calories
After: 6g fat, 161 calories

3g protein | 24g carbohydrate | 1g fiber | 221mg sodium

Spread the Word

My Mama used to serve me my breakfast muffin all warm and toasty, with a generous spread of butter melting all over it. These days, I make a lighter spread by mixing low-fat ricotta, honey, and a squeeze of fresh orange juice—a perfect addition to any muffin.

Bobby’s Morning Ritual Smoothie
Here’s a recipe for a protein-packed morning smoothie that I love to make up and take with me out the door. It’s a sweet, creamy concoction that I never tire of. With the addition of the whey protein powder, it’s a complete breakfast in a glass.
Serves 4
1 cup fresh orange juice or juice of your choice
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup coarsely chopped cantaloupe
1 medium banana, thickly sliced
1 cup quartered strawberries
1 cup pitted and sliced skin-on peaches
¼ cup (4 scoops) vanilla-flavored whey protein powder
Ice, for blending
Honey or agave syrup (optional)
Place the orange juice, blueberries, cantaloupe, banana, strawberries, peaches, and protein powder in a blender and top with ice. Pulse until smooth. Add honey, if you like, and pulse twice. Serve cold.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 11g fat, 395 calories
After: 3g fat, 200 calories

18g protein | 32g carbohydrate | 15g fiber | 82mg sodium

Nutritional count does not include honey or agave syrup

Warm-You-Up Cinnamon Streusel Oatmeal
I’m not ashamed to admit that on some particularly busy mornings I turn to a trusty packet of oatmeal for my first meal of the day. Now, that’s all fine and does the trick of getting me some energy to start the day. But nothing beats a piping-hot bowl of homemade oatmeal. If truth be told, it doesn’t take all that much longer to whip up these individual-sized, streusel-topped oatmeal bowls. As an added bonus, the oatmeal is great heated in the microwave for an easy, hot breakfast throughout the week. You can store them covered in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Serves 4
Streusel
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons low-calorie butter substitute spread
¼ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Oatmeal
1 cup skim milk
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups rolled oats
1.
To make the streusel: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, flour, and ⅛ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Add the butter substitute and stir until the mixture comes together. Stir in the pecans. The consistency of the streusel should be pasty, not crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2.
To make the oatmeal: Preheat the broiler. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, orange juice, the remaining ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, the salt, and ¾ cup water to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oats and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, 5 to 6 minutes.
3.
Divide the oatmeal among four 6-ounce ramekins and top each ramekin with the streusel mixture. Broil, 6 inches from the heating element, until the topping is bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 12g fat, 382 calories
After: 12g fat, 280 calories

7g protein | 38g carbohydrate | 4g fiber | 228mg sodium

Walk It Off

On your next commute into work, if you take public transportation, get off a stop early and walk the rest of the way. It’s just another way to sneak a little more exercise into your day.

Tomato Grits and Sausage
I’ve lightened up this Southern classic and given it a savory depth by swapping out cream or whole milk for chicken broth. I’ve also swapped out the traditional higher-calorie pork sausage and replaced it with flavor-packed turkey kielbasa. This is a stick-to-your-ribs type of breakfast that powers me up for the busiest of days. But don’t feel like you have to limit this dish to the morning. It’s great at any time of the day.
Serves 6
3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 can (10 ounces) Ro-Tel or other diced tomatoes with chiles
1 cup quick-cooking grits
¾ cup grated low-fat Cheddar cheese
8 ounces turkey kielbasa, coarsely chopped
½ cup coarsely chopped scallions (white and light green parts only), for serving
1.
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and tomatoes to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly whisk in the grits, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the Cheddar and remove from the heat.
2.
Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat, stirring until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir half of the sausage into the grits.
3.
Spoon the grits into bowls and top with the remaining half of the sausage and the scallions.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 52g fat, 726 calories
After: 9g fat, 170 calories

13g protein | 10g carbohydrate | 2g fiber | 756mg sodium

Make It Quick

For Southerners, quick-cooking grits are heaven sent. Most of us simply don’t have the time for the long-cooking stone-ground kind. And instant tastes nothing like the real thing. Done in less than ten minutes, quick-cooking grits are a pantry staple.

Fried Salmon Cakes and Eggs
This breakfast packs a real punch because it’s loaded with nutrients and protein and tastes great. To save on time in the morning, I make up my salmon patties the night before and keep them covered in the fridge so they are all ready to be browned the next morning. They are also great for lunch, served with a side salad.
Serves 4
1 can (8 ounces) water-packed salmon, drained
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons plus ⅓ cup dried bread crumbs
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh dill
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
4 large eggs
1.
In a large bowl, combine the salmon, mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons of the bread crumbs, the egg white, dill, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into 4 equal-size cakes. Put the remaining ⅓ cup bread crumbs in a bowl and turn the cakes in the bowl to coat each one.
2.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the salmon cakes and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Be sure not to move them around the skillet until they set. Flip them when you can easily slide the spatula under. Place them on a plate while you make the eggs.
3.
Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Crack in the eggs and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, until the edges are firm. Cover and cook over low heat until set, 2 to 3 minutes. Place one egg over each salmon cake and serve.
BREAKIN’ IT DOWN
Before: 27g fat, 389 calories
After: 16g fat, 277 calories

21g protein | 12g carbohydrate | .5g fiber | 677mg sodium

Homemade Bread Crumbs

All you need to do to make fresh bread crumbs is pulse up some crustless bread slices in the food processor. I like to use fresh whole-wheat bread that contains no nuts or seeds. While you’re at it, you might as well pulse up some extra. Place the extra bread crumbs in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer. That way the next time you need bread crumbs you’ll have them on hand. They’ll keep in the freezer for 6 months or so.

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