Doc A's Breakfast Recommendations - Not Just Eggs?

[Virginia Beach Bum]

Breakfast On the Go


Do you have trouble finding the time to cook breakfast? Are you guilty of sometimes skipping this first meal of the day? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you're in danger of sabotaging your diet. Skipping breakfast can cause dangerous cravings to return and can encourage you to overeat throughout the day. Don't fall into this trap just because you can't spare five minutes to grab something quick from the refrigerator.

For those mornings when you just don't feel like cooking, try keeping the following on hand:

Phase 1:

Deviled or hard-boiled eggs
Celery sticks with natural peanut butter (trans-fat free)
Single serving nonfat or 1 percent cottage cheese cups
Precooked turkey bacon
Precut vegetables in plastic sandwich bags
Individual, low-fat cheese slices or low-fat cheese sticks
Sliced turkey or other low-fat meat
Tomato or vegetable juice cocktail in single-serving cans
Ready-made hummus
Plain fat-free yogurt
Phases 2 and 3—all of the above, plus:

Low-fat plain yogurt
Nonfat artificially sweetened yogurt—limit to 4 ounces daily
Whole-wheat bread or whole-wheat English muffins
Berries (prepared the night before)
Sugar-free bran muffins (without raisins)—choose a small muffin and check the ingredient label for the fat content

[recipelover]

"Bump"

[recipelover]

Just bumping this up as an answer to the posting by "withoutaclue" and also for anyone else who needs it.

[withoutaclue]

Just bumping this up as an answer to the posting by "withoutaclue" and also for anyone else who needs it.

thanks very much, it definately gives me a better idea!

[ami]

Think fast: What is your morning routine like? Do you frequently miss out on a healthy breakfast because you’re running late for work or busy getting the kids off to school? Too often, the pace of everyday life leaves us with little time to cook and prepare healthy meals — especially breakfast. It may seem easier to grab a bagel or doughnut on the way to the office or skip breakfast altogether, but these habits won’t help you reach your weight-loss goal. Fortunately, there are a number of delicious South Beach Diet-recommended breakfast options that are easy to make on the run or prepare ahead of time and grab as you’re heading out the door. Try some of these healthy Phase-specific choices:

Phase 1

* Precooked deviled or hard-boiled eggs (hard-boiled eggs will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a week)
* Celery sticks with natural peanut butter
* Single-serving nonfat or one-percent cottage-cheese cups
* Precooked turkey bacon
* Individual low-fat cheese slices or reduced-fat cheese sticks
* Sliced turkey or other reduced-fat meats
* Tomato or vegetable-juice cocktail in single-serving cans
* Reduced-fat or nonfat plain yogurt

Phases 2 and 3 All of the above, plus:

* Reduced-fat or nonfat artificially sweetened, flavored yogurt (limit to six ounces daily and make sure to avoid yogurts with added sugars)
* Whole-grain sliced bread or whole-grain English muffin topped with low-fat cheese or part-skim ricotta cheese
* Fresh berries or other seasonal fruit

[ami]

A Hearty Breakfast Sandwich

Tired of the same early morning meal? No worries! This rise-and-dine sandwich is deliciously healthy and features a traditional breakfast meat, Canadian bacon, to help keep you feeling full and satisfied all morning.

Egg, Bacon, and Tomato Sandwiches (Phase 1)

Description
Oven-baked tomatoes, smoky Canadian bacon, and a touch of mustard make an outstanding breadless, low-fat twist on eggs Benedict. A little vinegar is the simple secret to a perfect poached egg.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (optional)
4 (1-ounce) slices Canadian bacon
1 tablespoon white vinegar
4 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Heat oven to 400° F. Season tomato slices with salt and pepper; place 4 of them in a single layer in a nonreactive baking dish, spread with mustard, and sprinkle with tarragon, if using.

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Lay 1 bacon slice over each mustard-spread tomato slice. Transfer to the oven and bake until tomatoes begin to bubble, about 10 minutes.

Fill a straight-sided skillet or wide saucepan with 2" of water. Add vinegar and bring to a gentle simmer. Crack each egg into a separate cup or bowl. Carefully slide each egg into the just-simmering water.

Cook until desired doneness, about 3 minutes for soft-centered; remove with a slotted spoon, placing 1 egg atop each bacon slice. Top with remaining uncooked tomato slices and serve.

Nutritional information:
140 calories
7 g fat (2 g sat)
7 g carbohydrate
13 g protein
0 g fiber
580 mg sodium

[ami]

Family-Friendly Breakfast Ideas

Do you love a big, hearty breakfast? If so, you’re in luck! On the South Beach Diet, we understand the importance of starting your day off with a healthy, satisfying morning meal. With some forethought, planning, and ingredient swaps, you can easily prepare a nutritious breakfast your whole family will love. Check out these family friendly breakfast ideas:

French Toast With Syrup. French toast is an all-time family favorite that can be enjoyed starting on Phase 2. A quick and healthy way to prepare it: Whisk eggs, fat-free or low-fat milk, sugar substitute, almond extract, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. Soak slices of 100% whole-wheat bread in the mixture, and cook the bread slices in a nonstick skillet or on a nonstick griddle lightly coated with extra-virgin olive oil until golden brown. Be sure to use a sugar-free syrup, such as maple, or create homemade syrup by heating blueberries or strawberries with fresh lime juice and a sugar substitute in a saucepan.


Veggie and Turkey-Bacon Scramble. Bacon and eggs are a classic morning meal that can be enjoyed on all Phases. Preparing these scrambled eggs is simple: Just heat a little extra-virgin olive oil in a nonstick skillet, add one or two whisked eggs and once they’re just beginning to set, sprinkle in chopped veggies, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, and some chopped precooked reduced-fat turkey bacon. Experiment with different veggies, lean meats, and seasonings to keep your traditional egg breakfast interesting.


Oatmeal With Dried Fruit and Walnuts. Whole-grain, high-fiber, low-sugar cereals are one of the healthiest breakfast options when on Phase 2. Be sure to use steel-cut oats when purchasing oatmeal because they’re rich in protein, iron, and soluble fiber. Choose varieties that have at least 3 grams of fiber and no more than 2 grams of sugar. Sprinkle the cooked oatmeal with fresh fruit or dried fruit and walnuts for added taste and texture. To boost flavor, mix in a little vanilla or almond extract.


Breakfast Smoothies. Breakfast smoothies are perfect on-the-go meals. On Phase 1, blend low-fat plain yogurt with natural no-sugar-added peanut butter, or your choice of another nut butter, and sugar substitute. You can also use silken tofu and toasted almonds. On Phase 2, combine strawberry and banana slices, low-fat plain yogurt, sugar substitute, wheat germ, and ice cubes.

[sg1jack]

A question about the breakfast smoothies... I'd love to try one but I thought we weren't supposed to have fruit at breakfast as it makes the blood sugar spike. I'm also only on second week of Phase 2- added blueberries in the first week, and spelt bread this week. I'm not sure a blueberry smoothie every day wouldn't make me as bored of them as I am of eggs now. I use my nut allowance as a snack after a workout, so I wouldn't do a smoothie with peanut butter. It seems like most of the recipes I've seen have fruit or nut butter but very little protein. I don't think a smoothie would satisfy me long without some protein.

How do you get out of the breakfast rut? I've done eggs every way possible and so far haven't found a panckae recipe that really says "pancake" to me.

Thanks,
Penny

[Magna]

The suggestion is to avoid fruit at breakfast during the early parts of phase 2. Some people are able to have fruit at breakfast without a problem, though, and as you move more into phase 2 you might find it works for you. Fwiw, it's less likely to cause a problem if you are eating other foods with it.

There are plenty of recipes for smoothies both on this site and elsewhere, so if you need one with protein foods in it, you should be able to find one. For example, a good number of recipes include tofu or soy.

For breakfast, it's not necessary to eat eggs at all. You can have a small serving of any lean protein, plus some veggies. (Later in phase 2, people might have fruit or a grain instead of veggies at breakfast, and have the veggies later.)

[ami]

Family Friendly Breakfast Ideas

Do you love a big, hearty breakfast? If so, you’re in luck! On the South Beach Diet, we understand the importance of starting your day off with a healthy, satisfying morning meal. With some forethought, planning, and ingredient swaps, you can easily prepare a nutritious breakfast your whole family will love. Check out these family friendly breakfast ideas:

French Toast with Syrup. French toast is an all-time family favorite that can be enjoyed starting on Phase 2. A quick and healthy way to prepare it: Whisk eggs, fat-free or 1% milk, sugar substitute, almond extract, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl. Soak slices of 100% whole-wheat bread in the mixture, and cook the bread slices in a nonstick skillet or on a nonstick griddle lightly coated with extra-virgin olive oil until golden brown. Be sure to use a sugar-free syrup, such as maple, or create homemade syrup by heating blueberries or strawberries with fresh lime juice and a sugar substitute in a saucepan.


Veggie and Turkey-Bacon Scramble. Bacon and eggs are a classic morning meal that can be enjoyed on all Phases. Preparing these scrambled eggs is simple: Just heat a little extra-virgin olive oil in a nonstick skillet, add one or two whisked eggs and once they’re just beginning to set, sprinkle in chopped veggies, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions, and some chopped precooked reduced-fat turkey bacon. Experiment with different veggies, lean meats, and seasonings to keep your traditional egg breakfast interesting.


Oatmeal with Dried Fruit and Walnuts. Whole-grain, high-fiber, low-sugar cereals are one of the healthiest breakfast options when on Phase 2. Be sure to use steel-cut oats when purchasing oatmeal because they’re rich in protein, iron, and soluble fiber. Choose varieties that have at least 3 grams of fiber and no more than 2 grams of sugar. Sprinkle the cooked oatmeal with fresh fruit or dried fruit and walnuts for added taste and texture. To boost flavor, mix in a little pure vanilla or almond extract.


Breakfast Smoothies. Breakfast smoothies are perfect on-the-go meals. On Phase 1, blend low-fat plain yogurt with natural no-sugar-added peanut butter, or your choice of another nut butter, and sugar substitute. You can also use silken tofu and toasted almonds. On Phase 2, combine strawberry and banana slices, nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt, sugar substitute, wheat germ or flaxseed or chia seed, and ice cubes.


South Beach Diet Meal Bars. The best choice is always whole foods, but sometimes, you just won’t have time to prepare an elegant meal. If your family likes to have a cereal bar on the go, consider our South Beach Diet Meal Bars. They are a healthy and convenient option, and they keep you satisfied and energized so you’re not tempted to stop by fast-food drive-thrus for empty-calorie meals.