Hey Curlies,

With my new 4-5 day week work out regimen, I try to not only stick to my meal plan but shorten the time it takes to make breakfast in the morning. I keep my breakfast options limited in general and I stick to 1) Kashi Go Lean Crunch with unsweetened almond milk, 2) rolled oats with raisins, brown sugar, and honey (aka homemade oatmeal) OR 3) a breakfast bake!

I like to do the breakfast bake the night before because it takes almost an hour to cook and 30 minutes to set and I don’t know about you but I don’t like hot eggs (I like them room temp or slightly warm). This stuff heats up awesome in the microwave and doesn’t taste weird when you warm it up. I also like that you can heat so many food groups with just one dish. I really have to thank my mom for showing me the original recipe in the Food Network magazine.

Below are two quick recipes for the oatmeal and the breakfast bake. See http://www.foodnetwork.com for the original recipe for the breakfast bake as I’ve modified it to fit the needs of me and my family. I don’t do the crust and I don’t use regular milk and I use a totally different seasoning!

Happy Cooking!

Oatmeal with Raisins, Brown Sugar and Honey

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup rolled instant oats
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions (look I’m not a chef! lol) – Boil the water in a small sauce pan, add the oats, let it boil for a minute and reduce the temp to low. Add the honey, raisins, and brown sugar. That’s it! (Serves 2-3)

My mom has been doing this recipe for years and just passed it on literally. You can use fresh fruit for the oatmeal and nix the sugar and honey for a healthier option. My Mom uses blueberries and strawberries. Bravo Girl Fitness has an awesome vanilla oatmeal recipe.

Breakfast Bake

Egg Mixture:

• 1 tsp McCormick Grill Mates Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning
• 5 eggs (optional egg whites only)
• 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened almond milk

Base:

• 1 cup mild shredded cheddar cheese or any low fat cheese of your choice
• 1 cup chopped potatoes
• 1/2 cup of diced red onions
• 1 cup sauteed spinnch or 1 cup steamed broccoli
• 1 cup of diced ham or chicken breast (optional)
• 3/4 cup diced grape tomatoes

Instructions: Turn the oven on 375 degrees. Spray a standard casserole dish (I use a 1 1/4 quart stoneware Rachel Ray baker), mix the base with a spoon in the dish. Beat the egg mixture in a separate bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the base. STOP>>>do not mix the two!!! Bake in the oven for 50 minutes. When done just let it set covered for 30 mins on the counter so it can cool off. (Serves 8)

That’s it! FYI – I have a gas stove so you may have to modify the baking time of the breakfast bake if you have a convection oven or standard stove.

Now as far as the calories>>>the oatmeal and the breakfast bake is about 300 calories but depends when you change ingredients.

Happy Eating!

-Ginny

~Embrace the Natural You~