Hitting the snooze button can delay your morning ritual and leave you with little time to grab breakfast. See what Sharp dietitians whip up in fewer than 5 minutes when they are looking for a nutritious and well-balanced breakfast to start their day.
Make-ahead breakfast sandwich
Stephanie Metzner, registered dietitian and program manager at Sharp Rees-Stealy"These grab-and-go sandwiches are a healthy, fiber-filled source of carbohydrates for energy and lean protein to keep you feeling full until lunch. I pair a breakfast sandwich with a piece of fruit to make it heartier on mornings where I feel hungrier. Make a batch of six on the weekend and then warm in the toaster oven for one to two minutes in the morning for breakfast."
Yields 6 sandwiches
Ingredients
6 whole-wheat English muffins
12 egg whites
6 slices low-fat mozzarella or thinly sliced cheddar cheese
Your choice of vegetables, chopped into 1-inch pieces (Metzner likes spinach, red peppers, mushrooms)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toast English muffins cut-side-up on a baking sheet in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Whisk egg whites. Mix in chopped veggies and salt and pepper. Scramble eggs and veggies on stove top. Assemble breakfast sandwiches — place scrambled eggs and one slice of cheese on bottom of English muffin half. Place other English muffin half on top. Wrap each sandwich in a square of aluminum foil. Put all sandwiches in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Low-fat Greek yogurt with blueberries, chia seeds and chopped walnuts
Patti Ennis, program manager of clinical nutrition at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center"I can eat this at my desk, during a meeting or in the car, if I am careful. This breakfast is healthy because you get protein, calcium and probiotics from the yogurt, antioxidants and sweetness from the blueberries, and fiber and healthy fats from the chia seeds and nuts. It is also very satisfying and keeps me full until lunch."
Whole-grain English muffin with nut butter and fruit
Kendra Grinde-Busalacchi, registered dietitian with Sharp Grossmont Hospital"I'm often on the go, so a quick and healthy breakfast is so important for me. The whole-grain English muffin is full of fiber while the nut butter provides a good dose of healthy fats and protein. This is a winning combination for satiety. I add sliced strawberries for additional fiber as well as the antioxidant vitamin C. And the taste of the sweet strawberries with the salty nut butter spread is pretty darn amazing! Other popular fruits to add are bananas or blueberries."
