This is a quick breakfast, but because you don’t see arugula used much, it seems kind of elegant.

3 eggs
1 cup arugula

1/2 tomato, diced
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup dry quick oats
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup skim milk

First, get your oatmeal & water cooking in the microwave. Chop the arugula & tomato roughly. Scramble the eggs. Spray a nonstick frying pan with Pam and preheat to medium. Stir-fry the arugula just until wilted, maybe about a minute, then toss in your eggs. Stir over medium heat until almost cooked, and stir in your tomato for the final minute or two. Top with about a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. Serve alongside the oatmeal and milk.

48 g carbs (39%)
36 g protein (29%)
20 g fat (32%)

Flikr image courtesy rianpie

A fritatta like this is a great make-ahead breakfast. Put it together while your making dinner the night before, and you can just pop a slice into the microwave in the morning, and get rolling out the door!

4 eggs
3/4 cup cooked chopped spinach (1 pkg. of frozen spinach)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tbs. margarine
4 chopped green onions
1 tbs. chopped hazelnuts, walnuts or sesame seeds

Beat eggs. Combine with spinach (make sure it’s well squeezed first!), parsley or cilantro, garlic and sea salt. Saute the green onions in a medium oven proof frying pan, using the margarine. When the onions are slightly wilted, add the egg mix. Cook over a high heat until the egg starts to set up, shaking constantly to prevent burning. Finish under a broiler for several minutes. Top with the chopped nuts. Makes 2 servings.

Cal 263
Carb 10g (15%)
Pro 18g (28%)
Fat 18g (57%)

Breakfast #1: Served with 1 cup hash browns, 2 slices turkey bacon and a 12 oz. glass of skim milk:

Blocks 5
Cal 570
Carb 50g (39%)
Pro 39g (30%)
Fat 20g (31%)

Breakfast #2: Served with a glass of tomato drink and a 12 oz. glass of skim milk:

Blocks 5
Cal 530
Carb 50g (41%)
Pro 34g (28%)
Fat 18g (30%)

Yup, spaghetti omelet…trust me.

3 cups cooked spinach spaghetti
4 eggs
1 cup broccoli florets
4 tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 oz. protein powder
2 tbs. fresh chopped parsley
2 tbs. fresh chopped basil
1 tbs. butter
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
pinch salt

Boil the pasta and steam the broccoli. Place the cooked, drained spaghetti in a bowl. Mix in the broccoli, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, protein powder and butter. When the butter is melted, stir in the cheese. While the mixture cools, stir occasionally. Beat the eggs, then add to the pasta. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, stir the spaghetti once more, then pour mixture into the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat. When the egg starts to firm up, flip the omelet. Serves 4 
 
Blocks: 3
Calories: 310
Carb: 27g (38%)
Protein: 23g (33%)
Fat: 10g (29%)

This is another great make-ahead breakfast or lunch, especially if you make these in the jumbo muffin tins. Pop the extras into a ziplock bag in the freezer, and you can just grab one on your way out the door to work. 60 seconds in the microwave, and you’ve got breakfast.

The fritatta:
4 eggs
1 small onion
4 tbs. chopped Jalapenos
2 medium potatoes (about 1 lb. total)
8 oz. turkey chorizo sausage
2 oz. shredded lowfat Monterrey Jack cheese
2 oz. shredded lowfat Cheddar cheese
3 tbs. fresh cilantro

The rest of breakfast:
1 14 oz. can black beans
2 tbs. sour cream
4 tbs. salsa
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped

Clean and dice the potatoes, then boil them with the skins on until cooked. At the same time, fry up the sausage in a nonstick skillet. You shouldn’t need any added oil.

When the sausage is done, cut into small chunks. Drain the potatoes, and mix in a bowl with the sausage pieces. Chop the onion & peppers, and add them to the bowl.

Scramble the eggs in a separate bowl with the cilantro and a little salt & black pepper. When the eggs are well beaten, add to the other bowl, along with half of the cheese and half of the tomato. Mix everything well.

Spray either a muffin tray (Jumbo-sized if you have one) or a pie plate with cooking spray, and pour in the mix. Add the remaining cheese to the top, and bake at 350 until the top is set and a fork stuck into the middle comes out clean. This should take about 20 minutes. Serve with the beans, lettuce & chopped tomato, and topped with the sour cream and salsa. Serves 6.

Blocks 3
Calories 342
Carb 30g (39%)
Protein 23g (30%)
Fat 12g (31%)

This is a great brunch item, with its Italian spice mixture combined with the turkey sausage. Hearty, yet packed with veggies.

2 whole eggs
3 egg whites
1/2 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup tomato sauce
6 oz. Italian turkey sausage
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh parsley
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tbs. dried basil
pinch salt

2 cups frozen hash browns

Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces, and saute in a skillet until about half done. Drain any grease. Add in the tomato sauce, celery, red pepper, lemon juice, parsley and oregano. Cook over medium heat until thickened.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350, and combine the eggs and corn in a bowl. Add the black pepper, basil and salt, and beat until the eggs are mixed. Cook this egg mixture in an oven proof skillet after spraying it with nonstick spray. When the eggs have started to set on the bottom, gently add the tomato sauce mixture on top. Don’t stir, and keep the tomato sauce away from the edges.

Bake the omelet at 350 until done, about 10 minutes. While that’s baking, cook the hash browns. Serves 2.

Blocks: 4
Calories: 440
Carb: 40g (40%)
Protein: 31g (31%)
Fat: 14g (29%)

I met this dish at a place called Dot’s Diner that I used to eat at all the time when I first moved to Boulder. Fun dish…

1 egg
1 slice whole-wheat bread
1 slice (1 oz.) lowfat Swiss cheese
1/2 small avocado
2 slices turkey bacon

Fry the bacon in a nonstick skillet, then drain. Top the bread with the bacon slices, then the avocado, then the cheese, and put under a broiler until the cheese melts. Meanwhile, scramble the egg and cook in the skillet. When the cheese is melted, top with the egg and serve.

Calories: 360
Carb: 15g (18%)
Protein: 24g (29%)
Fat: 21g (52%)

Breakfast #1: Served with 2/3 cup hash browns and a 12 oz. glass of skim milk:
Blocks: 5
Calories: 360
Carb: 48g (37%)
Protein: 39g (30%)
Fat: 21g (33%)

An easy to make side dish…

12 whole green chiles
4 oz shredded jack cheese
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup (4 oz) shredded, sharp cheddar cheese

Split each chile the long way. Remove the white pith and seeds. Stuff the chiles with the Jack cheese, wrapping each chile tightly around the cheese. Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with nonstick spray, and arrange the chiles in one layer in the pan.

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium-high until thick and foamy. Add the milk, flour and baking powder, and beat until smooth. Pour the egg batter evenly over the chiles. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheddar cheese.

Bake the chiles uncovered at 375 until the dish is somewhat puffed up (about 1/2 hour). Makes 6 side dish servings.

NOTE: I included this recipe because it’s a great dish, and in terms of carbs vs. protein, the proportions are right on. On the other hand, I’m sure you noticed it has a HUGE fat content. So unless you’ve had a really bad day, combine a small portion of it with a lowfat burrito.

Blocks: 2
Calories: 300
Carb: 20g (30%)
Protein: 15g (22%)
Fat: 16g (48%)