10-Minute Breakfast Recipes

No matter how short on time you are in the mornings, breakfast shouldn’t fall by the wayside. In 5-Minute Breakfast Recipes, I wrote about the importance of eating a morning meal and offered a few suggestions for balanced breakfasts when you have just a few minutes to spare.

Have just a few more minutes? Then check out these four breakfast recipes, which will help boost your creativity in the kitchen, and keep things interesting—a key component of success in any health plan. Perhaps best of all, you’ll only need ten minutes or less for each recipe, including prep time.

Breakfast #1:  Homemade Muesli

Popularized in the 1900s by the Swiss, muesli is available today in most health food stores.  The problem with store-bought muesli is that—inevitably—it contains some ingredient that you don’t like (or can’t eat). The best solution is to make your own muesli, and it couldn’t be easier. Simply include whatever ingredients appeal to you and feel free to experiment.  The following is a mixture I enjoy and keep on hand for busy mornings.

Yield: 10 servings

Equipment
Measuring cups
Container with lid for mixing and storage

Ingredients     
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup whole flaxseeds
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 cup desiccated, unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup goji berries
1 cup raw pecans, roughly chopped
1 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped

Preparation
1. Add all ingredients to your storage container, put the lid on, and toss well.
2. Enjoy your muesli with milk, a non-dairy milk alternative, or yogurt of your choice.
Notes: If you have an extra minute, lightly toast the nuts in a skillet to add a nice dimension to the flavor. If you’re on a gluten-free diet, use oats that are labeled “gluten-free.”

Breakfast #2:  Spanish Tortilla

In the US, the word “tortilla” typically conjures up images of a simple flour- or corn-based bread, but in Spain, tortillas are a little different. They include potatoes, eggs, onions, and garlic (in my kitchen, I add greens, too!). Spanish tortillas are delicious and don’t take much time to cook. They also taste just as good cold. Make this recipe fresh in the morning or make it ahead of time for a quick and easy breakfast or snack the following day.

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Equipment
6 to 8-inch nonstick omelet pan
Nonstick spatula
Standard dinner plate
Chef’s knife
Garlic press
Whisk

Ingredients
1 cooked medium-sized potato,roughly chopped1/2 small onion, finely diced
3 to 5 leaves of Swiss chard, washed, drained, and roughly chopped
2 eggs
1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee

Preparation
1. Whisk the eggs and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil  and sauté the onions until translucent and lightly browned.
3.  Add the chopped potato and garlic. Lightly sauté for one minute (keep moving the garlic so it doesn’t burn!) and add the chard.
4. Once the greens have wilted (another 1 to 2 minutes), then add the eggs.  Move the pan around in a slightly circular motion to coat the pan. As the eggs begin to cook, use your spatula to continually scrape down the sides.
5. Carefully check the underside of your tortilla for doneness. Once it’s cooked on the bottom—but still runny on top—invert a dinner plate over the pan and turn the pan upside down (the tortilla should turn out onto the dinner plate). Then slide the tortilla, uncooked side down, back into the pan and finish cooking, another 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Enjoy your Spanish tortilla on its own or with a simple side salad.

Note: The classic Spanish omelet recipe calls for slicing the potatoes very thinly and sautéing them, but that takes longer. Try it if you have the time!

Breakfast #3:  “Creamy” Scrambled Eggs with Sautéed Spinach

As someone who doesn’t eat dairy, when I read about Coi chef-owner Daniel Patterson cooking “creamy” scrambled eggs sans cream, I was intrigued.  As Patterson promises, this poached scrambled technique results in super creamy scrambled eggs—in under a minute!

Yield: 1 serving

Equipment
Small saucepan with cover
Medium skillet
Bowl
Sieve or finely slotted spoon
Wooden spoon
Whisk

Ingredients
2 eggs
3 to 4 large handfuls of spinach, washed, drained, and roughly chopped
Olive oil for sautéing
Salt and pepper

Preparation
1. Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil.
2. As you wait for the water to boil, heat the skillet over medium heat, and add olive oil to the pan when it comes to temperature.
3. Quickly sauté the spinach and set aside.
4. Whisk the eggs and pour into the boiling water. Cook, covered, for approximately 20 seconds.
5. Pour the eggs and water into a sieve set over the sink. Drain well (to avoid watery eggs)
5. Serve the eggs with sautéed spinach and add salt and pepper to taste.

Breakfast #4:  Almond Cinnamon Oatmeal

This recipe boosts the protein content of plain old oatmeal and makes it taste much better, too. You can make a big batch at the beginning of the week and re-heat individual servings as you need, or make a fresh batch from scratch while performing other morning tasks (like packing lunch or making coffee). It just takes a few minutes and you’ll need to stick around to stir the oatmeal periodically.

Yield: 2 servings

Equipment
Small/medium saucepan
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Mixing spoon

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups filtered water
Handful of berries, fresh or frozen
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons almond butter or other nut butter
Milk or non-dairy milk alternative
Pinch of salt

Preparation
1. Combine oats, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.
2. Stir occasionally and cook until all the water has been absorbed.
3. Remove from heat and stir in almond butter.
4. Top with berries and milk.

Notes: If you can soak the oats the night before, they’ll cook more quickly. To do this, measure the same amount of water per batch of oatmeal (e.g., two cups for two servings) and cook the oats in the same water you soaked them in. Again, if you’re on a gluten-free diet, look for oats that are labeled “gluten-free.”