Your One Stop Breakfast Idea Shop: Breakfast Blog Post- Take Two

So, I wrote a little bit about breakfast once before, but I feel the need to do it again. I hope to make this your "one stop breakfast idea shop" because it is kind of a pain to search for alternatives (I'm already hungry and it takes 35 minutes to figure out what I can eat? ARG!)

With our work schedules, my husband and I eat all three meals away from each other. Yesterday, he had two eggs (4pts) and toast (3pts) with butter ("It's such a small amount of butter. I won't count that." - However, he had extra points leftover at the end of the day that he didn't eat, so it all evens out in the end?) This morning, he asks me what he should have for breakfast today. I couldn't come up with anything. He doesn't like my staple breakfast foods (yogurt- 2-3pts or Oatmeal- 4 pts). Another problem is that I horde food at the office, so Kashi Blueberry Waffles (2 points for 2 waffles) weren't even an option today. So, I left the house determined to come up with some more breakfast options for him.

The best breakfast has protein, complex carbohydrates (whole wheat vs. juice) for slow-release of energy, and dairy (to delay feelings of hunger so you don't have to eat lunch quite so early).

1. Kashi Blueberry Waffles 1 point each. They're whole wheat and they're DELICIOUS. I do like to top them with something. I tried Laughing Cow Cheese, but it was NOT tasty. I've been using homemade Concord jelly (points value unknown) and Fat Free Cool Whip (1pt for 2 tbsp IIRC). Because I really struggle to get enough protein in my diet, I'd like to try to make some Tofu Whipped Cream as featured on the Biggest Loser. I am a carbo-junky, so this is a good sweeter option that I don't have to feel so guilty about. HG has tons of recipes for french toast, but I'm trying to pretend that they don't exist because I am trying so hard to ditch the carbs and have more protein. She also has amazing swaps on IHOP and Denny's breakfasts, just go to the site and search for yourself.

2. Omelets. So, for most of these, there are "layers" to health value. Are you "hard-core" and go all egg whites or egg substitute and no cheese? Or do you have a few egg whites and a real egg too? Eggs are 2 points each, whereas you can have 3 egg whites for one point. Another idea would be to have 1 regular egg and 3 egg whites, so you've still got 4 points, but it goes a little farther. Do you have a portion-controlled cheese serving? I LOVE the Kraft 100 calories cheese bags. You get multiple types of cheese and I like to watch what it does when it melts. Also, I get a little tired of just laughing cow cheese all the time. You could also buy slices of fat-free American cheese to melt on to something too. I really like portion-controlled items. Anyways, on to the omelet: an egg white veggie omelet with no cheese and some salsa on top. Bulk it up with lots of peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and whatever veggies you like. Veggies are our best friends. They make whatever you're eating look so much bigger so we don't feel like we're deprived and didn't get enough food. They're also 0 points and add a lot of color and flavor.


3. Smoothies. I'm actually not a huge fan of smoothies because I hate cleaning the blender afterwords. I also don't find them to be filling at all. But maybe we can convince ourselves that they're milkshakes and not smoothies? Man, do I love milkshakes! If we do try them, I'd like to make a big batch on Monday to just reblend briefly before heading out the door and maybe add a few extra ingredients to give the flavors more variety. I also have some protein powder that is actually really tasty and doesn't seem too gritty or chalky that I'd mix in. It's Pro-Rated Alpine Vanilla 100% Whey Protein with 4g of carbs.


4. Pigs in a Blanket We made these right before the holiday, but we didn't do them mini. To be honest, they weren't the best, but I still ate way too much of them. :-( It made me a little ill. I think that it we had jazzed them up a little they would have been better.


5. Parfaits. HG has a lot of recipes for them, but they seem like a little too much effort and too many points for how filling they are? I'd just rather eat a simple plain o' yogurt than make more dishes. Also, Jake hates yogurt.


6. Breakfast Sandwiches. I already wrote a little bit about this in my other breakfast post, so I will refer you there. I didn't include egg in that English muffin breakfast sandwich, but I REALLY like them. I add a little bit of butter and mustard and mmmmmmmmmmazing. This breakfast grilled cheese also sounds so amazing. Also, if you get sick and tired of always eating everything on an English muffin you could try sandwich thins. I also like to have just Kraft 100-Cal cheese melted on 1/2 of an English muffin. mmmmm so good.


7. Steak and eggs stir-fry

8. Breakfast Burrito or Breakfast Wrap. I really want to try that wrap. I have fallen madly in love with greek food lately. I <3 feta cheese. Please, more feta cheese in my life. Ahhhh. So tasty!


9. Cottage cheese. Add a fruit cup. Or diced tomatoes. Or have a cinnamon apple breakfast bowl. I'll probably try that recipe tomorrow. :-) I also really want to try this Tropical Wonder Breakfast Bowl. Cottage cheese is one of the foods that I'd never tried, but knew I didn't like until Jake gave me some. Now,  I think that cottage cheese is one of the wonder foods. It's low cal and high protein and really versatile.

10. Skillets. When we go out to eat, my husband really likes to order these, so here's a better-for-you, at home version.

11. Oatmeal. I love oatmeal. Jake hates it. Kashi's Oatmeal is SUPER filling, so filling that I actually have a hard time finishing a bowl of it vs. Quaker's oatmeal where I need to eat 3 to feel satisfied. Hungry-girl has a lot of oatmeal recipes, but they all require a stove, and I just don't think that oatmeal should require that much effort: it's freaking oatmeal. I guess I just come from a generation where all oatmeal is instant and why should there be any other kind? Obviously, my blog suggestions are for the Epically!Lazy, such as myself because I do not cook. Ever.

12. Fruit + _______. There is no reason not to have fruit as part of your breakfast. It's easy. No cooking, not refrigeration. Just grab and go. So, add fruit to all of the other suggestions! It's 0 points, and it makes you feel full. Plus, the natural sugars give you a quick energy boost in the mornings, while the complex carbs help your energy stay steady throughout the day.
I like to have some peanut butter with my banana or apple. I will also spread laughing cow cheese on my apple wedges. I will also have a protein shake with a banana for breakfast. A word of caution though, do NOT buy the JIF single serving peanut butters. They are 8 points each. WTF. If I spoon 2 tbsp out of the jar for myself it's only 5! I need to go to whole foods so I can try the Justin's NutButter single serving packets. They also have multiple flavors, which sounds like a nice variety for me. (My husband also hates peanut butter.)

13. Cereal. :-( I feel like cereal is the Debbie Downer of breakfast foods. The serving sizes (typically 1/2 a cup, if you're lucky 3/4) are way to small for the nutritional values. They're not sufficiently filling. The consensus is don't eat cereal. But if you must, these are my suggestions: Life Cereal: 3/4 cup (no milk) for 3 points. I've been told that Kashi cereals tend to me more filling than others. I've had their Granola Summer Berry and it's pretty tasty, but it's also 6 pts for 1/2 a cup. I also must say that I HATE the Kashi Honey Sunshine one. Tastes like springy cardboard. Bleh. So bland. But I would be willing to give some of their other varieties a try. Amy says, "The Kashi cinnamon toast crunch is actually not bad if you eat it fast, but if you let it get soggy it's worse than the original." and "I just recommend never eating cereal..."

14. Juice. It's like cereal - Don't do it. Because it's so high in sugars they're a LOT of points for a small serving size and one serving is NEVER satisfying; I guzzle it down so quickly. Instead, use sugar-free crystal light. They've got tons of flavors and they're colorful and tasty and guilt-free. Also, V8. There is 0 reason not to have a V8 with every meal. The original ones are really low points (1-2 pts depending on serving size).  Chug a quick one if you really can't stand the flavor and you've gotten in more fruits and veggies. Beware of the V8 fusion fruit juices because they're 4-5 points depending on variety. They're pretty tasty too though. Also, I really like the Bolthouse Farms Carrot Juice (they sell giant bottles in sets of 3 at Costco for like $6 because I know they're ridiculously expensive at the regular store). They're 2 pts for 8 ounces. Although it sounds strange, it's actually really good. It's slightly an acquired taste, but not too badly, and it's really creamy and naturally sweet. Mmmmm.


P.S. I hope you enjoy this blog, because writing it made me so freaking hungry. Ooh, also, when I went on Thanksgiving vacation, I learned two new words. "Hangry"- I'm so hungry I'm angry, so get some food in me right now before I introduce you to the beast. and "Fungry" - I'm so freaking hungry right now, I'm desperate enough to eat at McDonalds... Okay, maybe not THAT bad. ;)

Also, thanks to Amy and Carolyn for their contributions to this post.

What is it like feeding the people in your household? Picky eaters- like my husband? Lazy/no time/no cook- like me? Let me know if there are other foods that you eat for breakfast that I missed.