You don’t have to ask me twice to test new breakfast recipes. It is the meal that I most look forward to in a day. It is the best opportunity to set the tone for the day, fuel your body and give you energy for your daily tasks.
I know that most people say they aren’t hungry when they wake up, they don’t have time or they just don’t want to eat. But the benefits of eating breakfast far out weigh the list of why people don’t eat it!
Benefits of breakfast
- Boosts your mood and energy levels
- Helps to prevent over eating later in the day
- Stabilizes blood sugars
- Increases nutrient intakes
- Improves concentration and focus
Don’t let breakfast just be a special occasion meal that you eat on weekends and on vacation, enjoy it everyday and you will reap the benefits!
Enjoy!
Meredith McGrath RD, LDN
#1: Sweet Potato Ham Hash | #2: Chicken Sausage Breakfast Burrito | #3: Bacon Apple Pie Oatmeal |
#4: Country-Style Waffle Sandwich | #5: Hearty Breakfast Skillet
#1 Sweet Potato Ham Hash
Even when a recipe is simple, I still look for every corner to cut! Getting pre-diced veggies from Redner’s produce departments takes this from SIMPLE to SUPER EASY. And although we are talking breakfast, this is one of those perfect meals that placed right in the middle of the dinner table!
Serves 6
Total Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 package Hatfield Ham Steak, diced into bite size pieces or use leftover ham
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, wash and diced with skin-on into bite size pieces
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 2 scallions, chopped
- Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet on medium- high heat add the olive oil. Once the oil has been heated, add the onions and sauté until the onions become translucent, then add the peppers until they become soft, lastly the garlic and potatoes.
Turn the heat on high, continue to stir the potatoes until they begin to brown; then add the diced ham and toss until ham is heated. Stir in the fresh parsley and scallions.
Serve hot.
https://simplyhatfield.com/recipes/sweet-potato-ham-hash/
#2 Chicken Sausage Breakfast Burrito
If your family needs a bit more convincing on the concept of eating breakfast, this one is a winner! Handheld and custom built, there are so many ways to get this one done! Make them the night before after dinner, wrap, and toss in the airfryer for a few minutes or set up a small buffet with the ingredients. Everyone gets a tortilla and the mess is still minimal!
Serves 2
Total Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 package of al fresco Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausages
- 2 flour tortillas
- 3 Eggs
- Pico de gallo salsa (or any salsa of your choosing; hot sauce optional!)
- ¼ yellow onion
- 1 can pinto beans
- Handful grated cheddar cheese
- 1 Avocado
DIRECTIONS
Finely dice the ¼ yellow onion. In a small pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion pieces until golden. Remove once cooked.
Whisk together the three eggs until fluffy and cook in pan over low heat to make scrambled eggs. Remove once just cooked.
Slice Al Fresco Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausages and sauté in the pan until slightly browned. Remove once cooked.
Heat the two tortillas over low heat until warm as you heat the pinto beans in either a pot over the stove or in the microwave.
Assemble burrito toppings on the tortilla and top with pico de gallo salsa, sliced avocado and cheddar cheese.
#3 Bacon Apple Pie Oatmeal
Well this one was shocking even for me! Admittedly I am not a huge hot oatmeal fan. I do like chilled overnight oats and there is chance this can easily be converted into that! However, this was satisfying! This can easily be placed in a small thermos and enjoyed later on in the morning once you beat the morning rush to work.
Serves 4
Total Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- ½ lb. Sugardale Bacon, chopped
- 1 large granny smith apple, chopped
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups oats
- 1/2 cup pecans
DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until it begins to crisp.
Once cooked, remove from pan using a slotted spoon. Add the apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir until the apples are soft, about 4 minutes.
Add the milk and increase the heat to medium high until it comes to a gentle boil.
Reduce heat back to medium, add oats, and stir frequently until the milk is fully absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Return bacon to oatmeal and mix until heated through.
Top with pecans and serve warm.
https://www.sugardale.com/recipes/bacon-apple-pie-oatmeal
#4 Country-Style Waffle Sandwich
This one took the top spot for me! Not only am I a sucker for waffles, it’s portable and can be made ahead of time! So I did eye roll when I saw that I had to prepare the sausage patties. But knowing that I already had all of the ingredients in my pantry AND I could freeze any leftovers to use for another time, I was totally on board. With that being said, the recipe calls for making ¼ lb. patties; I did HALF of that for each patty to make them a bitter thinner and smaller and it worked out great. Worst case scenario for the big eaters in your house, they can grab two patties…I would rather load up on veggie toppings.
Serves 4
Total Cook Time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 recipe Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 8 frozen waffles
- Toppings (optional): Sliced cheese, spinach, avocado slices, hot sauce, salsa, sour cream, sliced peppers
Country-style Beef Breakfast Sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tsp. fresh sage
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
DIRECTIONS
Prepare Country-Style Beef Breakfast Sausage. Basic Country-Style Beef Breakfast Sausage: Combine 1 pound Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner), 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon garlic power, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Lightly shape sausage mixture into four 1/2-inch thick patties. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add patties; cook 10 to 12 minutes or until instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 160°F, turning occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat separate skillet over medium heat until hot. Add eggs; cook and stir until eggs are scrambled or prepare as omelet as desired. Toast frozen waffle according to package directions.
Top each of four waffles with a sausage patty. Divide eggs evenly among sandwiches. Top with remaining waffles.
https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/recipes/recipe/6183/country-style-waffle-sandwich
#5 Hearty Breakfast Skillet
Don’t let the total time scare you, it goes really fast and doesn’t require much attention! I really enjoyed this and enjoyed the leftovers for dinner even more! Feel free to get creative with seasonings and additional ingredients like diced peppers.
Serves 4
Total Cook Time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb PERDUE® Fresh Ground Chicken
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup sweet onion, diced
- 1 medium sweet, crisp apple, diced but not peeled
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 cup shredded potatoes
- 4 large eggs
DIRECTIONS
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté, until slightly soft, about 2 minutes. Add the apples and sauté 2 more minutes. Add the ground chicken or turkey, dried sage, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until meat is cooked through. Transfer to a large bowl.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shredded potatoes in a single layer and the remaining salt and black pepper. Cook potatoes without stirring for about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Turn the potatoes and cook 5 to 6 more minutes until brown all over. Top potatoes with the chicken or turkey apple mixture and remove from heat.
Using a wooden spoon, make 4 indentations into the chicken or turkey-apple mixture. Crack 1 egg into each indentation.
Place the skillet in a pre-heated 375 degrees F. oven for about 15 to 18 minutes or until eggs are cooked to your desired doneness. Remove from the oven and serve right in the skillet.
https://www.perdue.com/recipes/hearty-breakfast-skillet/