Break the Fast

All through high school and college I avoided breakfast due to my failure to wake up on time, having to rush out the house to get to school, or just because I “wasn’t a breakfast person.”  I even skipped lunch at times because I had to rush straight from school to work and didn’t have time.  Looking back, that only left me cranky and a raging binge eater at night time. 

Nowadays, I cannot skip breakfast.  Upon waking, I can feel it inside my body that I must break the fast.  Throughout the work week, I immediately wake and head straight to the kitchen to cook fix  a quick and easy breakfast usually consisting of a yogurt and fruit combination, a peanut butter and fruit sandwich, cereal and milk, oatmeal and fruit, or maybe (very rarely) a quick egg sandwich.  However, on the weekend I have the time to enjoy coffee rather than tea and a breakfast where cooking is actually involved. 

To start my Saturday this weekend, I had a craving for some pumpkin muffins.  So after brewing a pot of pumpkin spice coffee I got to work on the muffins—pumpkin chocolate chip that is.

Ingredients

PreBake

  

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Servings: 12 muffins

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 c whole wheat flower

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Wet Ingredients:

1 egg

1/3 c canola oil

1 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 c light brown sugar

1/2 c turbinado sugar

1 c pure canned pumpkin

Directions: Preheat oven to 350*. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray.  In bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips with wire whisk.  In medium bowl, combine all wet ingredients and whisk until fully combined.  Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients while whisking until thoroughly combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Using a heaping tablespoons for each, evenly distribute batter into twelve muffin tins.  Bake on middle rack for 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted  in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool 3 minutes in pan and remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Nutrition Information from 411 fit: Calories 209.44 g  Carbs 24.01 g  Fat 8.87 g  Protein  3.10 g  Sodium 189.75 mg

These muffins came out pretty near perfect in my opinion of what a muffin should be.  Great taste, great texture.  I was concerned with the amount of fats used, but it made for a moist muffin.  I ended up eating two for breakfast along side my pumpkin spice coffee.

After a night of football, pizza and drinks, and hanging out with friends, Sunday’s breakfast included something a bit more savory and substantial to add to one of the muffins.  A veggie frittata.

 

I began by sauteing some veggies.  Then I added some water and a lid for some steaming.  While that was cooking, I whisked eggs with half & half and feta.

I then poured the egg mixture over the veggies.  This cooked on medium-low stovetop for 5 minutes.

The entire pan was then put into a preheated oven.

The frittata cooked until firm to the touch.

Then it was gobbled up with a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin on side.

Shortly after this plate I went back for another wedge of the frittata.

Veggie Frittata

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray

1 summer squash, chopped (peeled if desired)

1 small onion, chopped

10 fresh green beans, ends cut off and cut in thirds

3 eggs

1/4 c reduced fat feta cheese

3-4 tbsp fat free half & half (I ran out of milk and did not measure exactly)

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.  Spray oven-safe medium sized pan with cooking spray. Saute vegetables seasoned with salt and pepper about 5 minutes over medium low heat stirring occasionally until onions are tender.  Meanwhile, whisk eggs and  half & half in small bowl. Add feta, salt and pepper to taste and whisk to combine; set aside.  Next, add a tablespoon or two of water to pan and cover with a lid to steam beans until desired tenderness is reached and water is absorbed.  Pour egg mixture over the veggies distributing cheese among veggies and continue cooking for 5 minutes on low.  Put pan into the oven to finish cooking.  Bake for 25 minutes or until firm.

Plate up with a serving of fruit, whole wheat bread, or a whole wheat muffin for some added carbohydrates. 

The above portion is 1/4 of the frittata, but I did go back for another 1/4 shortly after eating this and my hub ate the rest. 

Variations of this frittata are endless.  Use vegetables that you have on hand if recreating.  I was actually going to add grape tomatoes as well, but remembered the last time I made this the tomatoes made the frittata a bit watery.    Whatever combination is used, it is sure to be a tasty one.

Question of the Night:  What is your favorite toppings/veggies to add to egg omelets or frittatas?