Celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month

While it’s hard to beat the convenience of a bowl of cereal, the timing of National Hot Breakfast Month couldn’t be better. There’s nothing that can break up the doldrums of winter like a nourishing hot breakfast to keep you feeling warm on those chilly February days. 

While eating a hot breakfast isn’t tricky, having a hot breakfast ready to go on a busy, dark winter morning can prove challenging. That’s why we’ve created some hot breakfast inspirations that you can pre-make or throw together quickly, letting nothing get in between you and your morning meal. 

Breakfast Burritos

Infinitely customizable, breakfast burritos can be pre-made and thrown into the freezer, then quickly warmed up in the microwave before you race out the door on a busy morning. They’re even portable!

Ingredients:

This recipe is easy to customize for any dietary restrictions, so feel free to play with the ingredients to suit your needs.

• ½ pound turkey or plant-based bacon
• ½ pound turkey or plant-based sausage
• ½ lb tomatoes, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• ½ a medium onion, diced
• 12 egg whites, beaten
• 1 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6–8 low-carb tortillas

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy over medium heat, then move to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain and cool.
2. Drain grease until just a small amount remains. (If there is no grease, add a small amount of a neutral oil). Add the diced bell pepper and onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until softened.                  
3. Remove from the pan and place in a bowl to cool.
4. In the same saucepan, cook sausage until browned. Remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain and cool. 
5. Drain grease or add oil as needed. Add beaten eggs and more salt and pepper. Scrape eggs into the center of the pan as they cook, folding and stirring every few seconds until they are set but still soft. 
6. Lay out 6–8 tortillas (depending on how full you like your burritos) and crumbled cheese for assembly. 
7. Layer the eggs, vegetables, meat, and cheese in each tortilla.
8. Fold the tortillas around the toppings, then wrap them in parchment paper. 
9. Store burritos in a gallon-sized bag in the freezer for up to one month.

To reheat, remove the parchment-wrapped burrito from the bag and wrap it in a damp paper towel. Place on a microwave-safe plate and reheat in the microwave for about 3 minutes.

Let rest for 1 minute before unwrapping. Serve with hot sauce, salsa, or guacamole, and enjoy!

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal offers a wholesomeness that is hard to beat. Knowing that, a delicious, nourishing slab of blueberry baked oatmeal may be the key to getting out of bed on a cold winter morning. Quickly adaptable to whatever is waiting in your fruit bowl, this recipe is the perfect healthy and filling upgrade from a bowl of cold cereal.

Ingredients:

• ⅔ cup chopped nuts: (pecans, almonds, or walnuts)
• 2 cups of old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 ¾ cups milk (dairy, coconut, oat, or almond milk)
• ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
• 2 large eggs, beaten 
• 1 tsp vanilla or coconut extract
• 1 Tbsp melted butter or coconut oil
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, divided*
• Raw sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x9 square baking dish. 
2. When the oven is hot, pour nuts onto a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven to toast for 4–5 minutes. 
3. Combine toasted nuts, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, maple syrup or honey, eggs, vanilla or coconut extract, and butter or coconut oil.
5. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
6. Arrange half the blueberries at the bottom of the greased 9x9 pan. There is no need to defrost the berries if you’re using frozen.
7. Pour the oatmeal mixture over the blueberry layer.
8. Arrange the other half of the blueberries over the oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle raw sugar on top, if you wish.
9. Bake for about 45 minutes (50 if using frozen berries) or until the top is golden.
10. Let cool for 5–10 minutes, then serve. 

To reheat the whole pan, cover with foil and place in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. To reheat individual servings, cook in the microwave for about 1 minute. 

While this recipe calls for blueberries, you can substitute any fruit, so use your imagination! Apples, bananas, strawberries, and pears all deliver an equally delicious dish.!

Egg Muffin Cups

Hot, healthy, and quick to prepare or reheat, egg muffin cups may be the perfect choice to get a warm breakfast to kickstart your morning. These easy egg muffin cups make starting your day with a hot breakfast a breeze with dozens of flavor combinations.!

Ingredients:

• 10 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste!
  
  

Optional Add-Ins:

• Cooked bacon
• Diced ham
• Shredded cheese
• Cooked sausage crumbles
• Spinach
• Diced mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, or tomatoes!
  
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk, taking care to break the egg yolks and combine thoroughly. 
3. Mix in your add-ins of choice now. (Alternatively, you can customize each muffin and add them after pouring the egg mixture into the muffin tins.) 
4. Pour egg mixture into prepared muffin tins, filling each ¾ of the way to the top.
5. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until eggs are set.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from tins. 

Enjoy immediately, or let cool completely on a wire rack. When cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

To freeze, place muffins on a baking sheet and place the sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then move them to a freezer bag or container to store up to 4 months in the freezer. Quick freezing ensures that the muffins won’t stick together when frozen.

The Case for a Hot, Healthy Breakfast!

While quick, easy, and tasty, the standard breakfast fare of cold cereal or a muffin is barely healthier than dessert, causing blood sugar levels to rise and then crash and leaving you more tired and hungry than satisfied. 

With just a little preparation, you can start your day with a healthy, filling option that keeps you nourished all morning long. National Hot Breakfast Month is the perfect opportunity to create a satiating new routine.