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With these 50 breakfast ideas, get each day off to good start

January 3, 2010 12:36 am

EATING breakfast has been proved to boost alertness, sharpen memory and reduce the risk of overweight, yet half of Americans skip it.

Many Americans are pressed for time, while others aren't sure what to eat, according to surveys.

That's why I've whipped up 50 ideas for quick, healthy breakfasts.

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT

Before we get to the menus, here are three ways breakfast makes life better:

Children who eat breakfast are half as likely to be overweight, according to a study of 300 Australian schoolchildren.

German high school students who ate breakfast showed improvements in memory, alertness and mood compared with classmates who skipped breakfast.

American girls who eat breakfast are more likely to get adequate calcium, important for strong bones, as well as fiber, important for digestion.

All these studies, while done in young people, likely apply to adults as well.

Each breakfast menu I'm providing includes a fruit or vegetable for flavor, fiber and vitamins; plus a protein- and mineral-rich food, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, tofu or nuts. Some breakfasts include whole grains as well for extra energy.

SOME LIKE IT HOT

Hot cereals are my favorite breakfast this time of year. To make hot cereal go from boring to bling bling, try different combinations.

You need at least four ingredients:

a cereal

a flavor

something crunchy

something creamy.

Examples of the first category--hot cereals--are oatmeal, Wheatena, seven-grain cereal, brown rice cereal or even stone-ground cornmeal.

Once you've picked a hot cereal, add a sweet flavor such as chopped pears with ginger, minced apples with cinnamon, cranberries with maple syrup, cocoa powder and honey, or sliced bananas and nutmeg.

Third, add something crunchy, such as walnuts, pecans, chopped almonds, pecans, toasted hazelnuts or sunflower seed kernels. (These nutty ingredients add protein and help you feel full longer.)

Fourth, top your cereal with something creamy, such milk, rice milk, soy milk, vanilla yogurt or lemon yogurt.

An example of a complete meal might be oatmeal with chopped pears, ginger, walnuts and milk. You can easily come up with 20 different combinations from these ingredients.

CHILLIN' BREAKFASTS

Cold cereals are also an easy breakfast option. Look for low-sugar cereals with 10 or more grams of fiber, and top your cereal with low-fat milk and fresh or frozen blueberries.

Flavor tip: If you have a sweet tooth and can't stomach eating high-fiber cereal, consider an artificial sweetener. Or try a teaspoon of honey or sugar--it adds only 16 calories. This is still less sugar than you'd get in some sweet cereals. Post Golden Crisp and Kellogg's Honey Smacks, for example, contain more than 50 percent sugar (by weight), according to Consumer Reports!

A British study showed that eating a high-fiber breakfast (bran cereal, oatmeal, muesli or high-fiber bread) with only a teaspoon of sugar added was fine. In comparison, children who ate low-fiber breakfasts-- such as white bread, Rice Krispies or Coco-Pops--ate about 200 calories more at lunch.

That's because high-fiber breakfasts satisfy your appetite more than low-fiber breakfasts, even if you add a teeny amount of sugar.

A SMOOTH START

Fruit-and-yogurt parfaits are quick and elegant, too. Layer bran cereal and plain yogurt with any one of these toppings for a delicious parfait:

Sweet cherries and chopped almonds (fresh or frozen cherries work well)

Apricots, chopped almonds and a dash of allspice

Sliced strawberries

Smoothies are another quick--and portable--way to start your day off smoothly.

Use frozen fruit if you like a milk-shake consistency, and try these combinations:

Strawberries, bananas and milk

Mango lassi (fresh mango, plain yogurt, ground cardamom, honey to taste)

Banana flip (bananas, milk, teaspoon of honey)

Raspberry smoothie (frozen berries, plain yogurt or tofu, dash of honey)

Blueberry-lime smoothie (blueberries, plain yogurt, lime juice, honey)

TEMPTING TOAST

Toast smells heavenly. Balance your breakfast by serving it with fresh fruit and milk. Consider:

Rye toast topped with melted Swiss cheese

Whole-wheat toast topped with peanut butter

Wheat toast spread with mashed avocado

Whole-grain toaster waffle topped with applesauce, cinnamon and pecans

whole-grain bagel with smoked salmon, cream cheese, optional red onion slices

Savory sandwich: toasted English muffin with two veggie sausage links and fresh tomato slices

CONSIDER CHEESE

Cheese, while high in fat and sodium, is rich in protein. It can fit into a healthy breakfast a few times a week in small, 1-ounce portions. It's especially satisfying when paired with fresh-baked whole-grain bread and sliced fruit. Consider:

Red grapes and brie

Sliced pears and Asiago

Cantaloupe and Monterey Jack

Strawberries, pineapple and cottage cheese

Sliced apples and reduced-fat cheddar

EGGS SATIATE

Eggs are another breakfast favorite. Although high in saturated fat and cholesterol, eggs can fit in a healthy diet a couple times a week. Or, try egg substitutes. Some folks even like to scramble tofu instead of eggs. Here are some menu options:

Scrambled eggs or tofu with toast and fruit

Scrambled tofu with scallions, light soy sauce and pepper.

French toast: Dip two slices of whole-grain bread in a mixture of 1 beaten egg and cup milk. Saute in a nonstick pan until golden. Top with applesauce and cinnamon

Breakfast burrito: Fill two small soft corn tortillas with two eggs scrambled with low-sodium salsa & reduced-fat Cheddar

Huevos rancheros: Saute sliced red or green bell peppers and chopped tomatoes; poach an egg in the juicy veggies. Serve with vegetarian refried beans (available canned) and a soft corn tortilla.

Omelets are another easy breakfast (and a quick dinner, too.) Make them quicker still by chopping extra veggies and cheese one day to use all week.

Basic omelets for one can be made with two eggs or cup egg substitute plus cup veggies and 1 ounce cheese.

Delicious pairings of chopped veggies and cheese include:

scallions and part-skim mozzarella

spinach and Feta cheese

broccoli and Cheddar

mushrooms and Brie

red bell pepper and goat cheese

Many happy mornings to you!

Jennifer Motl welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteating.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.