by Rona Cherry

recipes by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

You're late for work, haven't taken a shower and still need to get the kids to school. Time for a "healthy, balanced" breakfast in the midst of chaos? Oh, sure! On a pressure-cooker morning, even the most nutrition-conscious person can skip food, but if you do, you undermine your mind/body health, your sense of well-being, even your job performance.

Your first meal revs up your body's engine (your metabolism), which has been idling all night. "It's been 9 to 12 hours since you've had a meal," says Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, author of The Vegetarian Sports Nutrition Guide. "It's especially important for vegetarians to fuel up from the get-go since their typical diet is light in fat and protein and doesn't take long to be processed."

Four benefits of eating breakfast:

1. Breakfast can improve your health. In findings reported in 2003, Harvard Medical School researchers analyzed the breakfast habits of 2,700 adults for eight years. Those who ate a healthful breakfast every day, such as a bowl of whole grain cereal, were less likely to be obese or to develop diabetes or heart disease than breakfast skippers.

   Similarly, a small but notable British study published in February 2005 found that when 10 healthy women skipped breakfast for two weeks, they ate more the rest of the day, developed higher levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and were less sensitive to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. The two major risk factors for heart disease are high LDL levels and impaired insulin sensitivity.

2. Breakfast can keep your weight down. Many people assume that skipping meals will help them lose weight. Not so. A 2002 study revealed that 78 percent of the National Weight Control Registry—a database of almost 5,000 people who have lost 30 pounds or more and kept the weight off for at least one year—eat breakfast every day.

   In fact, adults who regularly skip breakfast are four times more likely to be obese, reported researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in July 2003. Skipping a meal "creates a large insulin spike, and more fat is deposited as a result," says Yunsheng Ma, PhD, the study's lead author.

   "If you want to lose weight, start your diet at dinner, not breakfast," says Louis E. Grivetti, PhD, professor of nutrition at University of California, Davis. "Otherwise, you'll eat a skinny breakfast and a light lunch, then be ravenous by dinner, and snack all evening."

3. Breakfast can give you a mental boost. There are two reasons why even breakfast loathers should try to stomach more than a cup of coffee by mid-morning: mood and performance. The brain itself has no reserves of blood sugar, its main energy source, which constantly must be replenished; eating breakfast serves this purpose. "Without food, the body can compensate only for a time by calling on sugar reserves," says Dorfman. "But after 15 or 16 hours, you can feel cranky and distracted."

   Similarly, children and adolescents who skip breakfast can have trouble concentrating at school. An analysis of 47 studies published in the May 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that eating breakfast may improve kids' memories, test grades, even school attendance.

4. Breakfast may help add years to your life. Eat breakfast every day and who knows, you might live to be 100. Researchers from the ongoing Georgia Centenarian Study say that centenarians tend to be regular breakfast eaters.

   So what constitutes a good breakfast? A mix of foods containing protein, fiber-rich complex carbohydrates, a bit of healthful fat and one or two servings of fruit. Breakfast should provide one-quarter to one-third of your daily calories (typically about 400 to 600).

   For many, cereal is the key—if you choose the right one (see "How to Pick a Winning Cereal," below). A bowl of high-fiber cereal with low- or nonfat milk and fruit is satisfying and far more nutritious than a donut and coffee. And because fiber takes a while to digest, you may feel full longer and snack less. Also, in a study published last year in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Harvard researchers found that for each 10 grams of cereal, fruit and vegetable fiber you eat every day, you're 27 percent less likely to die from a heart attack.

   What if you don't like cereal or other breakfast foods? No biggie. Check out our options on the following pages. You'll love the breakfast pizza and the easy-to-make, easy-to-take breakfast bars. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," says David W. Grotto, RD, LD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Find what tastes good to you, eat it regularly and give yourself a helping of good health."

How to Pick a Winning Cereal

• Buy whole grains only They're low in fat, high in fiber, full of vitamins and a good source of minerals. Whole grain should be the first ingredient on the nutrition label—look for whole wheat, whole oats, etc. The word "whole" is key. "Multigrain"or "7 grain" may not mean whole grain; read the fine print.
• Check the fiber content Nutritionists say we need 25–35 grams daily to be at our healthiest. The best cereals have at least 6 grams per serving.
• Steer clear of hidden sugars They add calories, not health. Aim for fewer than 10 grams of sugars per serving. If sweetener is higher than fourth on a cereal's ingredients label, skip it.
• Watch out for sodium Many cereals contain a lot of salt—as much as 300 milligrams per serving. Try to stay under 200, says Lisa Dorfman, RD.
• Choose fortified Lots of cereals are enhanced with vitamins and minerals. Those fortified with B12 are especially important for vegans since B12 is only found in animal foods.

Breakfast Pizza

Serves 8

You'll get rave reviews about this made-for-mornings pizza.

• 1 8-oz. can low-fat refrigerated crescent dinner roll dough
• 8 oz. Morningstar Farms® breakfast sausage patties
• 1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1 8-oz. carton egg substitute or 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup skim milk or soymilk
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh sage or
  1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Separate dough into triangles. Press triangles together to form single round crust on 12-inch pizza pan coated with cooking spray. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form rim.
2. Cook "sausages" 5 to 7 minutes, breaking into small crumbles. Drain on paper towels, and let cool slightly.
3. Top prepared dough with "sausage," potatoes and cheese. Whisk together egg substitute, milk, sage, salt and red pepper flakes in medium bowl. Carefully pour milk mixture over "sausage" mixture. Bake 25 minutes, or until crust is browned. Cut into wedges, and serve warm.

PER SERVING: 219 CAL; 16G PROT; 8G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 20G CARB; 2MG CHOL; 720MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 3G SUGARS

Creamy Wake-Up Shake

Serves 3   Vegan   30 minutes or fewer

To really speed things up, make a double or triple batch of the soymilk-juice-vanilla-syrup-ginger mixture, and refrigerate it in an airtight container. In the morning, put 2 cups of it in the blender with the fruit and ice, then just whip and sip.

• 1 cup vanilla soymilk
• 1 cup tropical juice blend
• 1 Tbs. maple syrup, honey or brown rice syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (optional)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit such as melon, peach slices, strawberries or bananas
• 1/2 cup crushed ice

1. Combine soymilk, juice, maple syrup, vanilla and ginger, if using, in blender, and process until smooth.
2. Add fruit and ice, and process until blended. Garnish with extra berries, if desired. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 217 CAL; 4G PROT; 2G TOTAL FAT (0G SAT. FAT); 48G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 44MG SOD; 5G FIBER; 35G SUGARS

Carrot-Raisin Waffles

Serves 6 (1 8-inch waffle each)

These waffles have it all—the good-grain richness of whole wheat, the spicy sweetness of cinnamon and the healthful fiber of carrots and raisins.

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 3 Tbs. light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup finely grated carrots
• 1/2 cup raisins

1. Lightly coat waffle iron with cooking spray, and preheat. Preheat oven to 200F.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
3. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk and oil, and stir into flour mixture. Fold in carrots and raisins.
4. Ladle 1/2 cup batter (or amount recommended in manufacturer's directions) onto waffle iron. Close lid, and cook 4 minutes, or until golden. Gently open lid, and remove waffle with fork. Serve immediately, or transfer to baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining batter, lightly coating iron with cooking spray each time.

PER SERVING: 219 CAL; 8G PROT; 7G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 33G CARB; 72MG CHOL; 339MG SOD; 4G FIBER; 10G SUGARS

Blueberry-Hazelnut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Skip the sugar high of coffee shop goodies. These fiber- and protein-rich treats keep you going till lunch.

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup low-fat milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup chopped blanched or toasted hazelnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine whole-wheat pastry flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, baking powder, lemon zest and nutmeg in medium bowl. Whisk together sour cream, milk and eggs in large bowl. Stir flour mixture into sour cream mixture. Add olive oil, and mix to combine. Fold in blueberries and hazelnuts.
2. Coat 12 muffin molds with nonstick spray or line muffin tin with paper cups. Scoop 1/2 cup muffin batter into each mold. Bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

PER MUFFIN: 229 CAL; 5G PROT; 9G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 34G CARB; 41MG CHOL; 21MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 17G SUGARS

Crispy Breakfast Bars

Serves 4   Vegan

These delicious bars get fiber and iron from whole grain puffed cereal and protein from almond butter.

• 7 cups puffed whole grain cereal
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup raisins or dried blueberries
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown rice syrup or honey
• 3/4 cup almond butter
• 2 Tbs. soy margarine or butter

1. Stir together cereal, dried fruits and cinnamon in large bowl.
2. Place syrup, almond butter and soy margarine in large, microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave 1 1/2 minutes on high, or until hot and margarine has melted. Stir well, then pour over cereal mixture. Stir to coat.
3. Dampen hands with cold water. Press cereal mixture firmly into 9x9-inch square baking pan, re-wetting hands if necessary to keep mixture from sticking. Freeze 30 minutes. Cut into 15 bars, and store in refrigerator.

PER SERVING: 220 CAL; 4G PROT; 9.5G TOTAL FAT (1.5G SAT. FAT); 33G CARB; 4MG CHOL; 20MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 23G SUGARS

Article by Rona Cherry from Vegetarian Times, October 2005.
Copyright© Vegetarian Times. Reprinted with permission.