breakfast recipes

Chocolate Oatmeal Recipe for Busy Mornings: Monkey Business!

February 1, 2016 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CarnationSweepstakes #BetterBreakfast #CollectiveBias

For me, the early morning is a really important time, as it helps me set the tone for the day. I wake up before everyone else in the house, and I do this intentionally, so that I can have some iced coffee in peace and quiet, look over my tasks for the day and prioritize them, and give some thought to the meals we will be eating that day. If I wake up at least 30 minutes before anyone else, I can prepare breakfast from scratch (muffins, for example) or get the ingredients laid out for a green smoothie.

But some days getting extra sleep wins and I find myself “sleeping in” until 5:30 or 6:00 when one of my little early birds wakes me up. On those days, there’s not as much time to give to meal prep, so I need something fast. But my girls have a full day of growing their brains ahead of them at school, so I still want to make sure that I give them a nutritious breakfast, even if it needs to come together quickly.

Today I want to share with you a chocolate oatmeal that you can make in about 3 minutes and that is enjoyed by the girls so much that they lick their bowls once they’ve eaten everything. We call it “monkey business oatmeal.” I hope you enjoy it!

The secret ingredient that really brings some great chocolate flavors is Carnation Breakfast Essentials®. If you struggle with pulling together nutritious breakfast offerings due to time, this is SUCH a great strategy to try! You can find Carnation Breakfast Essentials® in the cereal aisle of your nearest Walmart. By adding a packet to a cup of milk, you can make a better breakfast for your crew without having to take up any more of your time. Love it!

So let’s make this monkey business oatmeal, shall we?

Monkey Business Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Powder in chocolate
3/4 cup quick oats
1 cup milk
1/2 banana

(yield: 1 serving. Very easy recipe to double or triple, though!)

After you have your ingredients together, first add your Carnation Breakfast Essentials® to the cup of milk and stir to combine.

Now it’s time to add your drink mix to your oats (make sure they are in a microwave-safe bowl).

Give it a good stir and then microwave according to the directions on the quick oats (mine said to microwave for 2 minutes).

Once your oatmeal is cooked and cooled off just a bit, slice 1/2 of a banana into small slices and arrange around the bowl. Now your final product tastes great AND looks great!

I want to encourage you to try eating healthier breakfasts for 7 days with your family. This chocolate oatmeal recipe is a great start! If you have folks in your crew who are used to skipping breakfast altogether, and who you don’t think will be ready to sit down to a bowl of oatmeal, try the Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Ready-to-Drink bottles. You can hand one off to that member of your family before s/he heads out the door (and they also make a super yum after school snack, too!).

Having a healthier breakfast will provide lots of great rewards to your family, but if you need some additional incentives, the Carnation Breakfast Challenge has daily missions, and entrants can complete them to win great prizes! My family is going to be taking the challenge, and I feel confident that we can participate because we have great options for busy mornings, as well as for the mornings when mom has a bit more time to plan.

Ready to get started? Follow these easy steps:

1. Sign up at CarnationBreakfastChallenge.com.

2. Complete a simple yet fun breakfast mission for a chance to win. New prizes will be revealed every day!

3. Come back any day in February to complete missions and see new prizes. The prizes range from a Fitbit to a GoPro and other awesome stuff!

4. Head to your favorite store to purchase a Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Nutritional Product and upload your receipt for five extra entries per day.

Want some more inspiration for a breakfast makeover? Head to the Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Facebook page to get some ideas, and then remember to enter the contest!

Great Start Waffles: A Portable Breakfast Made in Minutes!

September 10, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FueledForSchool #CollectiveBias

We are 3 1/2 weeks into the school year already (I know! I’m still seeing “first day of school” picks this week from my friends in the northeast!). And I have to tell you, I’ve learned a few things about getting these kiddos out the door without mom and dad getting more gray hairs in the process.

The most important thing I’ve learned is that it takes some advanced planning to not lose your mind. But here’s the good news: that advanced planning doesn’t have to mean that you just do all the work the night before and stay up late grumbling (been there, done that while making overnight oatmeal). You can plan strategically to include steps in your morning routine that make your life easier, I promise!

Breakfast is one of those areas where, with just a little forethought, you can provide a very filling, protein-packed breakfast that will get your kids off to the right start (and that they will actually eat! Anyone else’s kids turn their noses up at the sight of scrambled eggs?).

Today I want to show you one of my girls’ very favorite breakfasts. It’s one of my favorites, too, because it’s easy to pull off on busy weekday mornings. I call it Great Start Waffles. eggo breakfast 2

This meal, believe it or not, will even travel with you if you are pressed to the max for time. I’d suggest a napkin for the ride, but you can most definitely eat this in the car! 🙂

To make your Great Start Waffles, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Kellogg’s Eggo Waffles (we love the Nutri Grain variety!)
1 Tbsp syrup of your choice (search for those without High Fructose Corn Syrup if you can)
1/2 banana, sliced
1 Tbsp peanut butter (look for the variety made with just peanuts to cut down on sugar intake)

Begin by toasting your Eggo waffles to your desired crispness.

While the waffles are toasting, in a small bowl combine the syrup and the peanut butter together. To make the peanut butter cooperate with the syrup and blend well, first heat up your tablespoon of peanut butter in a small microwavable-safe container for 10 seconds. The final consistency will still be thick, and that’s a good thing, because by combining your peanut butter and your syrup together like this, you’ve decreased the probability of having syrup spillovers!

If you haven’t yet sliced your banana, do so now, as well.

Once your waffle is toasted, remove it (carefully! It’s hot!) and apply the syrup peanut butter mixture. Add bananas on top and serve. Your child can simply pick it up and eat it like a piece of toast and get on the move if it’s time to go!

This recipe scales beautifully, so just double, triple or even quadruple it for the size group you need to feed. And if you have hungry teenagers in the house, turn the recipe into a sandwich by adding more peanut butter mixture and a second Eggo waffle on top!

I found everything I needed to make this recipe at my local Target. Did you know they have an entire section of their freezer devoted to waffles?

Just one more reason to love that place, I tell ya! The next time you visit the home of the bullseye, be sure to check out Kellogg’s Back to School packaging on great on-pack offers in store at Target.

Do you have any easy morning recipes or other tips that help you get your family out the door without stress?

16 Breakfast Ideas Worth Rolling Out of Bed For

October 15, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

I’m a morning person, through and through, so I usually don’t have trouble coming up with breakfast ideas. By the time my family is up and ready to eat, I’ve usually been awake for 2-3 hours! Often during that time, I will try out a new breakfast recipe; it’s really awesome to wake up to the smell of something yummy, isn’t it?

If you love the idea of an awesome breakfast but get stuck on the execution part of it, let me help! Try one of these delicious ideas to get your day started right!

German Pancakes by Thirty-One 10
Pumpkin Pancakes by Glued to my Crafts
Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal by Frugal or Free
Breakfast Pizza by Melissa’s Cuisine
Bacon, Egg & Cheese Quesadillas by Love Bakes Good Cakes
French Toast Casserole by Coupon Closet
Bacon & Asparagus Breakfast Pizza by Hot Eats & Cool Reads
Mini Breakfast Pot Pies by The Grant Life
Gooey Yumminess (Sticky Buns Breakfast Ring) by Covered in Mod Podge
Bacon, Sausage, Cheese, and Potato Breakfast Casserole by Practically Functional
Bruleed Orange French Toast by Mom Endeavors
Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Crepes by The Freshman Cook
Red Velvet Waffles by Slap Dash Mom
Funfetti Monkey Bread by What’s Cooking, Love?
Breakfast Quesadilla by The Springmount 6
Blueberry Buckle by A Family Feast

What’s your favorite breakfast recipe? Is it one you know by heart, or do you like to switch things up and try out new ideas?

Want to see the entire 31 Days of Unforgettable Recipes series? Just click the banner below to see the full list!

Fourth of July Recipe Round Up: Simple Breakfasts

June 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

We’re just a few weeks away from the Fourth of July. Based on the Pinterest influx of all things red, white and blue, I’m guessing that many of you are already starting to make plans for Independence Day, especially as it relates to what you’ll be eating that day.

I’ve been doing exactly the same thing, only I’ve been focused on the most important meal of the day: breakfast!

And ok, let’s be real: I may run out of steam by about 10am on the Fourth of July (much like any other day), so breakfast is really the only meal I can guarantee to put some effort into. Ha!

I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite SIMPLE Fourth of July recipes for breakfast. I hope you find a few you love!

1. Red, white and blue parfait. I made this last week and it was a hit all around. Everyone loved how it tasted, and I loved how effortless it was. Simply layer sliced strawberries, vanilla yogurt, blueberries, and a dollop of whipped topping. Done!

2. Watermelon star platter

3. Patriotic oatmeal

4. Red, white and blueberry muffins

5. Strawberry-blueberry tapioca parfaits

What are you going to cook up this Fourth of July? Please share your ideas!