The start of school is full of preparation: buying supplies and new clothes, summer’s last getaways. Kids have so much energy for these activities … where does all this energy go when classes start? It seems they turn into little zombies after the initial excitement of newness wears off. Walking around with stooped shoulders, dragging heavy backpacks and attitudes, barely staying awake some days.
We could blame long classroom hours and homework, but perhaps a good breakfast could help our kids sustain the energy they need to get through the day. Studies have shown that skipping breakfast makes kids less efficient in problem solving, recalling and using information; it can also affect verbal fluency and attention in class. Sometimes busy mornings offer little time for preparing — or eating — anything more demanding than a cold bowl of cereal. While better than no breakfast at all, this falls short of the nutrients needed by growing, active keikis.
If you start now and put a few things in your freezer or refrigerator, you will have kid-friendly morning foods that you can simply thaw or reheat as needed. Here are a few A+ recipes to get you – and them – off to a good start.
Breakfast pizza
A little pre-cooking and assemblage the night before, and then just 10 minutes in the oven in the morning, makes a batch of these simple open-faced breakfast sandwiches. Recipe from “The Big Book of Breakfast” by Maryana Vollstedt; makes four servings.
8 ounces bulk pork sausage
2 ounces medium mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh ground pepper
4 English muffins, split
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
In a medium skillet over medium heat, combine sausage, mushrooms, and oregano; cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until no longer pink; 6-7 minutes. Season to taste with pepper. Place muffin halves on a baking sheet. Spread tomato paste lightly on each half. Spoon sausage mixture on top; sprinkle with cheese. Wrap each “pizza” with aluminum foil and refrigerate until the next morning. To serve, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove foil from desired number of muffin halves and bake on a small cookie sheet or pan until edges are crisp and cheese is melted about 10 minutes. (Serve with a napkin.)
Breakfast cookies
Yes, they can eat cookies for breakfast and get a healthy start to the day. Crunchy and filling, these will keep the kids going until lunchtime. Recipe from “Morning Food” by chef/author Margaret Fox; makes about 5 1/2 dozen cookies.
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup regular rolled oats, toasted
1 cup Grape Nuts cereal
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon oat bran
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup raisins
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl. Add egg, then oil and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients. Form mixture into balls between 1-3 inches in diameter; place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake 12-18 minutes, depending on size. Check bottoms; watch closely so they don’t burn. Remove cookies from pan and cool on a rack. Store in a covered container.
Scrambled eggs deluxe
Make ahead and freeze, then bake while getting ready in the morning. Recipe adapted from “Fix & Freeze Cookbook” by Better Homes and Gardens; makes three individual casserole servings.
3 frozen hash brown potato patties
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sliced green onion
6 beaten eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 single-serve envelope instant cream of chicken soup mix
2 tablespoons chopped pimiento or minced red bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces fully cooked sausage, sliced
In a large skillet, cook potato patties in 1 tablespoon of the butter, on 1 side only, for 2-3 minutes; remove from skillet. In same skillet, cook onion in remaining butter till tender. In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk and soup mix; beat with a rotary beater until well combined Stir in pimiento or red pepper, and ground pepper. Add to onion in skillet; cook, without stirring, over medium heat until eggs are nearly set, lifting and folding so uncooked portion flows underneath. Remove from heat while eggs are still very moist; cool slightly.
Spoon egg mixture into three greased individual casseroles. Arrange sausage and potato patties, browned side up, in casseroles. Seal with foil, label, and freeze. To serve, turn back foil on 1 frozen casserole to uncover potato only. Bake in 375-degree oven for 35 minutes or until hot.
Apple pecan quick bread
Here’s an easy and fiber-filled bread to bake a day ahead. It’s great toasted and spread with cream cheese for a satisfying breakfast. Recipe from “The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook” by Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey; makes 1 loaf.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped Golden Delicious apples
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, making a well in the center. Set aside. Stir in the liquid ingredients just until combined, being careful not to over-mix. Gently stir in the apples and pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of loaf comes out with moist crumbs attached. Do not overbake. Cool on rack, then wrap until ready to use.