Most parents know the importance of breakfast and encourage their kids to eat healthy each morning. But what are parents to do when their little ones insist on sugary, fluorescent-colored cereal? Introduce these kid-friendly and time-constraint-friendly recipes. A couple of them work as the occasional breakfast treat to satisfy kids’ sweet tooth, but they also offer plenty of fiber and nutritional value.
If you’re looking for breakfast in bed ideas for Mother’s Day, look no further: mom will love these tasty brunch items, and kids will love helping out with the easy prep.
Grilled Banana and Maple Toast
SERVES 1
This is like a grilled cheese sandwich, but for breakfast. Made with whole grain bread instead of white bread and filled with fruit instead of sugary jam, it is a low glycemic index food, meaning it will help keep tummies full until lunchtime.
2 slices whole grain bread
1 Tbsp (15 mL) peanut butter
1 banana, sliced
1 tsp (5 mL) maple syrup
Dash cinnamon
Spread peanut butter onto bread slices. Top one slice with banana, drizzle on maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place second slice of bread on top and then grill sandwich using grilled sandwich maker.
If you don’t have a grilled sandwich maker, lightly oil a skillet, heat over medium-high heat and grill sandwich, letting it cook for about 2 minutes on each side. You can also grill the sandwich by brushing it with oil and using a toaster oven with a grill setting to grill for a few minutes on each side.
Serve warm.
Each serving contains: 406 calories; 12 g protein; 13 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 65 g total carbohydrates (14 g sugars, 8 g fiber); 322 mg sodium
Cinnamony Apple Bread Pudding
SERVES 8
Bread pudding is an English dish typically made with generous amounts of sugar. This apple pie-inspired version is lightly sweet and fruity, perfect for breakfast and a practical way to use up bread that’s a bit stale. Note that you’ll need to make the pudding mix the night before.
Pudding
5 cups (1.25 L) sliced apples (Golden Delicious apples work well)
4 cups (1 L) cubed whole grain bread
1/4 cup (60 mL) dried cranberries or raisins (optional)
1/3 cup (80 mL) apricot puree*
1/4 cup (60 mL) almond butter
1 cup (250 mL) milk
2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
Toppings (optional)
- low-fat yogurt
- honey
- your favorite berries
In medium pot with about 1/2 cup (125 mL) water, cook apples until they are soft but still hold their shape. Place cooked apples in oiled 8 x 8 x 2 in (2 L) baking pan and mix in cubed bread and dried cranberries or raisins.
Blend apricot puree, almond butter, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg with handheld blender or countertop blender and pour mixture over bread mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Bake pudding uncovered for 30 minutes. Let cool, and serve topped with yogurt, honey and berries if desired.
*To make about 1 cup (250 mL) apricot puree, a healthy substitute for sugar, place 1 cup (250 mL) dried apricots in small pot and cover them with water. Let boil over high heat and then simmer until fruit is tender and most of the water has been absorbed. Blend until smooth using handheld blender or countertop blender. Extra puree can be stored in the freezer.
Each serving contains: 241 calories; 6 g protein; 8 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 40 g total carbohydrates (13 g sugars, 5 g fiber); 177 mg sodium
Eat Your Protein Breakfast Wraps
SERVES 4
These high-protein wraps have a short preparation time, but to make them even more quickly, replace the sautéed onion, carrots, celery and garlic with a frozen roasted vegetable mix.
What’s appealing about this recipe is its adaptability. Make the basic egg-and-veggie mix with your picky eater’s favorite veggies, and add extra toppings (for example, grilled asparagus, sautéed spinach and mushrooms or black beans) to the wraps of family members who have more sophisticated palates.
1/2 Tbsp (7 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup (250 mL) shredded carrots
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs
3 Tbsp (45 mL) hummus
2 tsp (10 mL) honey mustard
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tsp (10 mL) Italian seasoning
1 tsp (5 mL) Montreal spice mix
2/3 cup (160 mL) cheddar cheese, shredded
4 small whole grain pitas (or other whole grain flatbread)
Salsa (optional)
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrots, celery and garlic until tender. Set aside.
In small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, hummus, mustard, salt and pepper.
Scramble egg mixture, then stir in sautéed vegetables, Italian seasoning, Montreal spice mix and half the cheese.
Assemble wraps, equally distributing egg-and-veggie mixture and remaining cheese among them. Serve with salsa.
Each serving contains: 254 calories; 14 g protein; 12 g total fat (4 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 26 g total carbohydrates (4 g sugars, 4 g fiber); 440 mg sodium
