Meal Prep- Breakfast Edition

As you can see from my lack of posts I have been busy... as are most of you I would venture to guess. One of my biggest irritations is the assumption that just because people do not have young children at home that they are not busy. We all have our hobbies, jobs, and priorities that make our lives full. Being a parent was and is a choice, a volunteer position if you will, not a job. If you choose to stay home that is a lifestyle choice that makes you busy and stressed in a different way then someone who doesn't stay home or has no children. I find it insulting to say to someone that doesn't have kids that they don't know what being tired and stressed and financially strapped is compared to someone who does... first of all that was your choice and their life is their choice, so don't complain as many people would love to feel the "stress" of children. Secondly, I have two children (young) and my dog wakes me up more at night to go outside or drink water or whatever than they do.

Either way we all need to eat breakfast... whether you wake up and workout first, run out the door, relax with your cup of coffee, eventually you need to eat. I have been meal prepping for years and breakfast seems to be the neglected meal during the week. I make my eggs and oatmeal every morning, but there had to be a better and faster way... so here are three recipes I have been using to make breakfast easier on the family and myself. 

One-Bowl FAST Banana Bread

It has happened several mornings where I notice the fruit flies and rotting bananas on my counter. Instead of throwing them in the freezer for smoothies like I normally do, I thought why not make banana bread?! Charlie has gotten so good at helping in the kitchen and this is so easy and so fast and has ingredients we always have on hand she can almost make it herself. It is so fast to make, aside from baking time, we can easily make it at 5am when we are up and it's done by 6am when we leave for school.

- 2-3 overripe bananas
- 5 Tbsp Melted Butter
- 1.5 Cups Flour (you can replace 1/2 cup with whole wheat if you want)
- 1/3 Cup Sugar (I don’t like my bread overly sweet. But you can go up to 1/2 cup)- 1 tsp Vanilla- 1 tsp Baking Powder 
- pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mash the bananas with a fork and add the remaining ingredients to the same bowl. Mix until everything is combined. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Enjoy!

- 1 Egg (3 Tbsp Egg whites)
- 1 tsp Cinnamon (optional) 
- chocolate chips or nuts or whatever else you like also optional 

Breakfast Bake

This can be made for whatever vegetables/meat or lack of, your family likes. I have made it with the hashbrowns and without, with the sausage and without, and it turns out great every time. Broccoli in the food processor eliminates food waste by using the stems and adds vegetables without adding too much vegetable flavors you, or your kids, may not enjoy. 
Aside from the 12 eggs and milk, the other ingredients are optional! 

- 12 eggs
- 1 Cup Milk
- 4-5 Cups Broccoli (or any other vegetables- peppers, mushrooms, spinach, etc)
- 1lb Sausage (ground)
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheese
- 12 oz Shredded Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

1. Pulse the broccoli in a food processor, or chop the vegetables in a fine dice. 

2. Cook the sausage and set it aside to cool, on paper towel to drain the grease.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and vegetables, cheese and meat. 

4. Pour the potatoes (if using) into a greased 9x13" glass baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over the top. Cover with foil and bake 50-60 min- on the longer side if you used. Remove the foil and bake another 10-15 min until the center is set. 

Instant Oatmeal

This is awesome to keep in a bag, ready to go. I usually use 1/3 cup and this makes enough for a few weeks! I eat my egg bake before I leave the house and eat this when I get to work. You can use whatever dried fruit or nuts you like- personally this apple and cinnamon version reminds me of childhood. Cookie and Kate is a blog I follow and I got the idea for this from her. :) 

- 4 Cups Quick Cooking Oats
- 1 Cup Sliced, Blanched Almonds
- 1 Cup Chopped, Dried Apples
- 1/2 Cup Ground Flaxseed
- 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp Salt

Mix everything together and store in an air-tight container. 

When you are ready to eat, mix 1/3 cup oatmeal with 2/3 cup water and microwave 1.5-2min. Stir and let it sit. Enjoy!