Boosting the breakfast quotient

A lazy weekend breakfast is my idea of perfection. With no ominous schedule pressing down, dishes like pancakes, French toast and omelets can unfold luxuriously alongside the morning paper and a bottomless cup of coffee. On the other hand, weekday mornings demand the completion of a long list of dull tasks in a really small amount of time. Teeth must be brushed. School uniforms, clean. Water bottles, filled. Belts, belted. Backpacks, packed. Keys, located. Regrettably, I hear myself barking orders at my four fellow family members like a dyspeptic drill sergeant. This, as most will agree, is not a time of day that lends itself to thoughtful meal prep.

And yet, it’s the time of day that food matters most. The body is an empty tank ready to receive the right stuff. Too often, however, it’s given something high in fat or sugar, or worse, nothing at all. An alarming number of children and adults start the day either without breakfast or with food that doesn’t advance their wellness, even as health care practitioners and educators remind us that good food in the morning pays dividends by staving off moodiness, boosting mental acuity and assisting in weight management.

Just as it is on the weekends, a weekday breakfast can be a satisfying adventure, requiring only a little planning and effort. Some easy breakfast ideas:

Layered up. All of us like to eat pretty things, and a layered yogurt parfait is exactly that. Fill a glass with yogurt, fresh berries, dried cranberries and granola. With the exception of granola, you can assemble this the night before. Here’s your chance to integrate low-fat Greek-style yogurt, which is thicker because it’s been strained more than regular yogurts and provides more protein and fewer carbohydrates.

Pop the top. Store bought muffins are loaded with sugar and fat, but homemade ones can integrate super-food ingredients like pureed vegetables, fruits, whole wheat flour, applesauce and bran. Here’s a tasty apple muffin recipes and another for savory Greek pizza muffins. Make two batches at a time and freeze them.

Something fishy. People look at me funny when I suggest bagels with smoked salmon and cream cheese as the perfect weekday breakfast for kids. Why not? Our children love the assertive flavors of things like crawfish and boudin. Smoked salmon with cream cheese on a healthy bagel is rich in protein and minerals and is a fabulous, super easy way to start the day. A couple of suggestions: wild salmon is healthier than farm-raised; and there are better bagel selections today than ever, including appropriately-sized bagels and bagels made with whole grains or sprouted wheat, often found in the freezer sections of health food stores.

Haute oat cuisine. Forego instant oatmeal for regular whole oats. Yes, they take longer their cook, but those extra few minutes provide infinitely better texture and more nutrients. They’re also a terrific canvas for culinary creativity. Add cinnamon, grated apple, banana, dried fruit and nuts to keep things interesting.

Scrambling for Time. To a kid, anything taste better in a tortilla, and a scrambled egg is no exception. Warm flour tortillas quickly between paper towels in the microwave; scramble eggs and top with shredded cheese and salsa. Scrambles are also great way to work in finely chopped vegetables.