Mealtime Magic: Healthy Brunch Recipes

We all know that our favorite breakfasts foods are often carb-laden or doused in syrup. As bathing suit season is upon us, here are some recipes recipes your waistline will love as much as your tastebuds! Straight from the Pritikin Longevity Center kitchen and healthy executive chef Anthony Stewart, the below brunch recipes are kid-friendly so they can help prepare some healthy favorites without a Sunday morning carb overload.

Egg-cellent Breakfast Quesadilla courtesy of Pritikin Longevity Center

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced assorted vegetables (the more colors the better!)
• ½ cup egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 whole-wheat, low-sodium lavash thin bread
• 3 Tablespoons  shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons fat-free sour cream
• ¼ cup pico de gallo (no salt added) or no-salt-added salsa (such as Enrico’s brand) 

Procedure

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté vegetables until beginning to brown.  Add egg whites and scramble.  Season with black pepper.
2. On a warm griddle or flat-top grill, place lavash thin bread and let the side facing the heat get hot.
3. Turn the bread over on the griddle or grill, and sprinkle the cheese on top side.
4. On half of the top side, spread the vegetable scramble and cilantro.
5. When the cheese begins to melt, fold the thin bread in half to cover the vegetables.  Press firmly, using a tool like a large firm spatula or bottom of a pan.  Flip on the other side, grill for about 2 minutes, and press.
6. Remove from heat.  Cut quesadilla into four pieces.  Serve two pieces per person with fat-free sour cream and salsa on the side.

Mighty Meat Bison with Mushroom & Onions courtesy of Pritikin Longevity Center

Ingredients

• 4 four-ounce grass-fed, free-range bison steaks
• ½ pound button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• ½ pound onions, thinly sliced
• 1 ounce balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup red wine
• ¼ cup Low-Sodium Very Veggie Juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

 Procedure

1. Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat.  Sear bison for about 90 seconds per side, or until a crust is formed but the meat is not fully cooked.  Remove bison from pan and set aside.
2. Add mushrooms, garlic, and onions to the pan; sauté until soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
3. Deglaze pan with vinegar.  (To deglaze: Pour vinegar into pan, then gently scrape bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the caramelized juices.)
4. Add wine, Knudsen Low-Sodium Very Veggie Juice, thyme, and tarragon.  Simmer for two minutes.
5. Add bison steaks back to pan and simmer until bison is cooked through.

Chocoholic Chocolate Brownie Oatmeal courtesy of Pritikin Longevity Center

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats cooked with 1.5 cups of water
• 1 tsp raw, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup non-fat milk
• 1 tablespoon walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup Blueberries (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Splenda

Superfood: The raw cocoa powder – believe it or not, this is actually one of the healthiest parts of this dish. While normally, adding chocolate would make the dish unhealthy, adding raw unsweetened cocoa powder is completely different. It comes straight from the cacao bean, so it contains tons of antioxidants, polyphenols, a bit of fiber and some protein too.

Procedure

• Cook the oats with 1.5 cups of water until the oats are fluffy and all the water has disappeared (I do this by cooking it for 2 minutes in the microwave, stirring, and cooking it for 2 more minutes.)
• Add the cocoa powder and cinnamon to the cooked oats while they are still hot.
• Stir until everything is fully combined, and your oats have a deep chocolatey color.
• Add the walnuts, and the milk (you can add as much milk as you like – I use about 1/2 a cup to give the oats a nice creamy consistency)
• Add the splenda and stir to combine until the oats have the consistency you like. If you’re using blueberries, add them in now.
• Enjoy the chocolatey brownie goodness of the oatmeal.

Nutrition information

• This recipe only has about 250-300 calories, 5-8g fiber, 1-10g sugar, and 7-8g protein. Not bad for a breakfast that tastes as good as dessert!