Time for Breakfast

I love breakfast. I don't go out to eat that often, but when I do, I'll order breakfast (provided it's still served at that time of day.) Pancakes, stuffed french toast, crepes - all are my go-to menu items. A weekday breakfast at home has to be simpler and more time-efficient, but I never skip it. If I did, I would probably either pass out or start gnawing on the nearest table.

I don't think I would be able to concentrate on anything. Better focus is just one of several benefits of a morning meal. It can also mean higher daily fiber intake and a lower BMI (body mass index). Hard to argue with those perks.

This write-up from Rush University explains "The Science Behind Breakfast" really well. Eating a good breakfast jump-starts your metabolism, so it will be ready to burn calories throughout the day. Skipping breakfast, however, puts your metabolism in a conservation mode of sorts, telling your body to save rather than expend the incoming calories. Studies show that while breakfast-skippers may consume less calories overall, they generally have a higher BMI (body mass index). It can be inferred that they are making less nutritious food choices later in the day. In other words, they eat fewer calories, but the wrong type of calories.

A lot of people might say, "oh, I just don't have time for breakfast," but I would like to insist that you do. 3 minutes. That's all the time it takes to make oatmeal or an egg on toast. No really, I set a timer to test this. Here's my method...

Oatmeal

Pour some quick oats into a microwave safe bowl. Add water until a few oats begin to float to the surface. Put in the microwave for 1 minute, 20 seconds. (Get out your toppings while the oatmeal is cooking.) Cook about 20 more seconds, until the oatmeal starts to blow up a little.

Peanut Butter Banana

Slice up a banana and stir the slices into the cooked oats. Use a teaspoon to scoop out 2 generous spoonfuls of peanut butter. Smear on top of the oatmeal. Always be mindful when measuring out the peanut butter. After all, it is a calorie-dense fat, with about 100 calories per tablespoon.

Raisin Spice

Stir a small handful of raisins into your cooked oats. Add a generous sprinkle of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg and mix well.

Egg on Toast

Put a piece of bread in the toaster. Check back on it while the eggs are cooking!

Scrambled

Crack 2 eggs into a microwave safe bowl. Add a generous splash of water or milk and whisk with a fork until smooth. Pop it in the microwave for 1 minute. (Remember to check your toast here!) Take the bowl out and flip the egg over with a fork. Then cook for 10-20 more seconds, until no longer runny.

Over Easy

Heat 1 Tbsp. of butter in a pan. Crack in 2 eggs. Allow to cook over low heat for about a minute, until the white looks opaque and "set" (meanwhile checking on the done-ness of the toast). Carefully turn the eggs over with a spatula. Cook for about 15 more seconds, so that the yolk will remain runny.

Once the eggs are done, butter your toast and serve the eggs on top. Season with salt and pepper.

'Til next time,

Eva