Most mornings begin with a solid SMACK to the face. What, you ask, could possibly be smacking me in the face at 6:00 sometimes 5:30 in the morning? Well, sometimes it’s a book, other times it’s a toy or even my own phone. Not that what the object is even matters. The powerful force driving it directly into my face always guarantees a sore nose for Mommy. Seriously, how does a baby have that much strength? I’m surprised that my nose isn’t permanently crooked from the daily pounding it takes. I guess it serves me right for trying to get just a few extra minutes of shut-eye in since I didn’t exactly get what you would call “a decent night’s sleep” the night before.
After my nose has sufficiently popped back into place, I pick up W as he claps his hands together and smiles the biggest smile. He is so completely ready for the day to begin. I, still about 2 more hours away from being ready for the day to begin, trudge down the stairs to make some breakfast. What to make? It takes awhile to get my brain working properly when it’s so early in the morning and I’m running on inadequate amounts of sleep. Eggs are always my go-to breakfast item- they are easy, delicious, and, most importantly, W loves them. The majority of the time I throw some cut-up banana on W’s tray to keep him busy while I scramble up some eggs with whatever leftover veggies that happen to be in my fridge. Every once in awhile though I like to be a little more playful with our breakfast.
Here are our favorite, easy egg dishes…
1. Scrambled Eggs with Veggies
I have always made scrambled eggs for myself in the mornings. They are a good source of protein so they are a perfect start to your day (although I do always enjoy a good breakfast for dinner). Before W came along I mostly scrambled them up just by themselves and paired them with a slice of peanut butter toast- yum! Once W started demanded to be fed adult food; however, I thought- what a perfect way to add more vegetables to our diet. I started just adding whatever vegetables I had in the fridge: broccoli, spinach, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, etc. W’s favorite combination? Tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms! Let me know your favorite combinations in the comment section below.
2. French Toast with Fruit
Who doesn’t love french toast? It is like eating dessert for breakfast. Fortunately for W, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, I leave off the syrup, butter, and powered sugar. Just whisk together an egg, a dash of vanilla, some milk (I use almond milk), and a little cinnamon. Then, use a fork to dip the bread in the mixture, fry it up, add some fruit on top and there you go! French toast is so simple, yet so tasty.
3. Toad in a Hole with Avocado
This dish reminds me of a longgg time ago, before marriage and baby, Good Papa, known just then as “Good Guy,”and I would grab brunch around 11:30-noon because nothing beats being able to sleep in on the weekends (ah, good times). Good Papa, er Good Guy, and I would casually stroll into this restaurant that was located in his building back when he lived in center city. It was never crowded and they didn’t make a whole lot of good food, but they did get a few dishes right. Toad in a Hole was one of them. They served the dish with bacon on the side. I thought avocado would be an interesting and healthier update. To make Toad in a Hole, simply cut out a circle or square in the middle of a piece of bread, place it in a buttered pan on medium heat, then crack an egg open into the hole. Let it set for a few minutes, then flip it over. Toad in a Hole is typically served with a runny yoke, but I make sure to break the yoke for W’s.
4. Hard boiled eggs
Hard boiled eggs are a great snack when you are on the go. W and I will often find ourselves out of the house during lunch time, so I always make sure to pack something to eat. I tend to make hard boiled eggs with the leftover eggs in the carton that we didn’t go through. You don’t want to make hard boiled eggs with fresh eggs or it will be an awful experience trying to peel them (trust me). Old eggs are definitely the way to go. So, if you have some eggs that have been sitting in the carton for a while (don’t wait too long), throw them in a pot of boiling water during breakfast. Now you have a great addition to your lunch!
Here is the best recipe I have found for hard boiled eggs ⇒ http://www.thekitchn.com
5. Baked Egg Muffins
I first had baked egg muffins while attending a family get-together at my aunt’s house. My mom is one of eight (!), so I’m sure you can image there are plenty of BIG family gatherings. My aunt is a former teacher, like myself, so naturally she knows all of the awesomeness that is Pinterest. After stuffing my face with about five of the little egg muffins, I decided to give W a try. Of course he gobbled his egg muffin right up! After my aunt informed me that she got the recipe off Pinterest I did some digging and apparently everyone and their mother has a recipe for these babies. I finally landed upon a great recipe on this wonderful blog, Better with Wine. I put my own twist to the recipe with different vegetables (mainly because that’s what I had on hand), but for the most part I followed Better with Wine’s recipe.
I hope you enjoyed reading about all of our favorite egg dishes. Let me know what you think in the comment section below!
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