Breakfast on the Fly

These Morning Glory Muffins are both nourishing and delicious. 

Hello, schedules. It’s hard to think of it, but in a couple of weeks we will all be in back-to-school mode. Whether we’re waking little people up early, shuffling big kids out the door, or just having to leave the house earlier because there’s more morning traffic, we’re in it.

All this means our mornings will be moving a little more quickly. And that means breakfast is going to require a little advance planning. Nothing major – the whole point is we need to whittle our morning routines down to doable. So we are armoring up with a few solidly reliable, easy, and – most importantly – make-ahead breakfast recipes. With just a small amount of forward thinking, we’ve got this.

Favorite Morning Muffins

We wrote about this favorite in “Back Porch Table”. It’s a recipe ever-so-slightly adapted from one created by Samantha Seneviratne for NYT Cooking and is both nourishing and tempting. Carrots, apples, nuts, and whole wheat flour make an energy-fueling muffin with some nutritional value, and cinnamon, raisins, and coconut make it delicious.

Grating the apples and carrots is made exponentially easier by using the grater attachment of a food processor. Consider doubling the carrots and apples and storing the extra in a freezer bag to keep frozen so that the next time someone wants Morning Glory Muffins you can whip the pre-grated veggie-fruit mix out of the freezer, defrost, and drop it in the batter. Make a big batch of these muffins and freeze them.

Morning Glory Muffins

makes 12 muffins

¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup raisins
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
¾ cup shredded carrot (from 2 medium carrots)
½ cup shredded apple (from 1 medium apple)
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
¾ cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
½ cup melted coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Warm the milk in the microwave or on the stove. Remove from the heat, add the raisins, and let sit at room temperature for 20 or 30 minutes. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the milk and raisins carefully, so as not to break up the raisins, then stir in the carrot, apple, coconut, walnuts, and coconut oil.

Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups. Bake until puffed and set and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer the muffins, in the tin, to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the tin and let cool completely on the rack. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Orange Cranberry Chia Pudding is a revelation in the world of breakfasts - and desserts.

Next-Level Chia Pudding

We’ve done chia puddings. We like them. Even love some of them. But Orange Cranberry Chia Pudding is chia pudding on a whole new level. Orange, cardamom, and sweet dates and cranberries make this chia pudding a lovely easing into fall breakfast. Not to mention, Orange Cranberry Chia Pudding is a perfect power breakfast full of protein, healthy fat, and fiber. But it’s also great for dessert, or for lunch, or really any time of the day or night. The challenge will be keeping it around for the mornings.

Orange Cranberry Chia Pudding

makes 2 servings

2 cups almond milk
½ cup plain coconut milk yogurt (or use regular yogurt if you prefer)
2 dates, minced
Zest of 1 orange
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ cup chia seeds
½ cup dried cranberries

In a large, lidded container, using a fork, whisk together the milk and yogurt until smooth. Whisk in the dates, orange zest, and cardamom. Stir in the chia seeds, making sure all the seeds are submerged in the milk mixture. Stir in the cranberries. Cover the container and refrigerate overnight. 

When you are ready to serve the pudding, stir it once more, making sure all the chia seeds have soaked up the liquid. 

Pre-made breakfast tacos are fast, customizable, and good on-the-go. (Photo: Andria frankfort)

Grab-and-Go Breakfast Tacos

Who wouldn’t want a warm breakfast taco on the way to work or school? One Buzz neighbor came up with the idea to make a big batch of tacos on Sunday, wrap them in parchment and then foil, refrigerate them, and let her teenaged boys grab them and go during the week. 

The key is in the wrap: first use parchment paper, and then wrap with foil. The foil keeps the tacos secure, and the parchment serves as a wrap that is microwave-proof when it comes time to heat the tacos up. In order to keep things fresh, wrap up the basics of eggs and sausage. Just before warming, offer shredded cheese, and serve with salsa.

Refrigerator Breakfast Tacos

makes 4 tacos

4 ounces breakfast sausage (turkey or pork), crumbled
½ tablespoon butter
6 eggs, beaten well
4 flour tortillas
Parchment paper and aluminum foil
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
Salsa, for serving

Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat, then remove it to a paper towel-lined plate. 

Wipe the skillet clean, then melt the butter in it over medium-low heat. Add the eggs and, just as they begin to set, use a spatula to gently push the sides of the eggs toward the middle. Keep pushing and folding gently until the eggs are just about cooked. Remove from the heat.

Divide the eggs and sausage among the tortillas. Roll the tacos up, then wrap them with parchment and then foil. Store in the refrigerator. When you are ready to use them, remove the foil, add some cheese if you like, and microwave the parchment-wrapped tacos for 30 seconds.

There are hundreds of ways to make overnight oats; Mexican Chocolate and Coconut, Berry, and Almond Butter-Banana are a few favorites. (Photo: Andria frankfort)

Overnight Oats Three Ways

Overnight Oats are the flavorful solution to having morning oatmeal without having to turn on the stove. Steeped in almond milk, thickened with Greek yogurt, and spiked, really, with whatever you can dream up, this is grab-and-go at its best. Customize yours with raisins, chopped dried apricots, minced dates, your favorite nut. Filling mason jars with individual servings of overnight oats makes for the easiest morning.

Almond Butter-Banana Overnight Oats

½ cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)
½ cup almond milk 
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 banana, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped toasted almonds, for serving

Place the oats, almond milk, yogurt, and chia seeds in a mason jar and stir. Gently stir in the almond butter and banana, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Top with toasted almonds just before serving.

Berry Overnight Oats

½ cup old-fashioned oats (not instant) 
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon honey, plus more for serving
½ cup blueberries and blackberries
¼ cup chopped strawberries, for serving
1 tablespoon chopped toasted walnuts, for serving

Place the oats, almond milk, yogurt, chia seeds, and honey in a mason jar and stir. Gently stir in the berries, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Top with chopped strawberries, walnuts, and a drizzle of honey just before serving.

Mexican Chocolate and Coconut Overnight Oats

½ cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)
½ cup coconut milk
¼ cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, plus more for serving

Place all the ingredients in a mason jar and stir. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Top with more coconut flakes just before serving.

Editor's note: Follow Andria Frankfort's weekly Back Porch Table online every Friday.