National Better Breakfast Month with cookbook author Rebecca Lang

September is National Better Breakfast Month for a good reason. It’s when kids are back in school and families begin morning routines that have plenty of health implications. Rebecca Lang is the author of “Around the Southern Table, Coming Home to Comforting Meals and Treasured Memories”, she explains how important it is to eat breakfast, and easy it is to make memorable meals.  She’ll provide compelling reasons to eat breakfast and tasty recipes that will make you hungrier than ever.  

ABOUT: Rebecca Lang is a food writer, cooking instructor, and a ninth-generation Southerner.  She is author of Southern Living’s Around the Southern Table, Quick-Fix Southern, Mary Mac’s Tea Room, and Southern Entertaining for a New Generation.  She has appeared on Fox & Friends Weekend, WGN America’s Midday News, and numerous regional and local networks. Rebecca and her cooking have been featured in more than 50 nationally televised Southern Living food segments and in publications such as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Washington Post, the Houston Chronicle, Wine Enthusiast, FoxNews.com, Glamour and Fitness magazines. She serves as a contributing editor for Southern Living and MyRecipes.com, teaches cooking classes across America, and writes a blog at www.rebeccalangcooks.com that has been featured on the James Beard Foundation Blog, Delights and Prejudices, and noted in Food News Journal’s Best of the Blogs.  

HEALTHIER BREAKFAST OPTIONS ON-THE-GO

Just because you’re in a rush doesn’t mean that you have to give up a quality breakfast. I recently discovered these new Hormel® Compleats™ breakfast. They are convenient, hearty breakfast meals that are ready in just 60 seconds. Each tray provides a balance of carbohydrates, calories and protein, featuring quality meats, flavorful potatoes, or slow cooked oatmeal. Select varieties feature 17-20 grams of protein per serving, and are a good source of fiber. The new line is the first in the shelf-stable microwavable breakfast meals category to include real eggs, utilizing innovative new technology to create a breakfast packed with protein. They feature four tasty single-serve varieties to fit any craving, including Bacon Breakfast Scramble, Sausage Breakfast Scramble, Roasted Potatoes & Sausage Gravy and Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal.

For More Information Visit: www.HormelFoods.com  

NEW RECIPES FOR A BETTER BREAKFAST
September is not only Better Breakfast Month, it is also National Whole Grains Month. Now, we all love good bread. One of my favorites is Roman Meal Whole Grain bread. It is made from a sweet and soft whole grain blend of whole wheat, whole rye, wheat bran, wheat germ and flaxmeal, with hints of honey and molasses. Most of their bread varieties have at least 21 grams of whole grains per serving, which is half of the recommended daily value. One other thing I really like about Roman Meal is that it is always baked fresh locally. Beyond toast, I also like to use it to make Whole Grain French Toast, Spring Asparagus Ham and Egg Sandwiches or these cute Whole Grain Florentine Egg Cups I have here. They are conducting a Baked Fresh sweepstakes. Visit the Roman Meal Facebook page to enter for your chance at the $2,500 prize. Once you enter, you’ll also get a $1 coupon for your next loaf of Roman Meal Whole Grain bread.  

For More Information Visit: Facebook.com/RomanMeal

RECIPES

Whole Grain Florentine Egg Cups
Prep Time: 5 Minutes   Cook Time: 20 Minutes   Ready In: 25 Minutes   Servings: 6   

Ingredients:
6       slices Roman Meal bread
4       Eggs, beaten
½      cup Chopped Baby spinach leaves
¼      cup Crumbled feta cheese
¼      tsp Chopped fresh oregeno leaves
         Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Trim crusts from bread. Press gently into 6 muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes until golden brown; remove from oven.
3. Spray medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add eggs, spinach, cheese, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until desired degree of doneness.
4. Fill bread cups with cooked egg and cheese mixture. Top with oregano sprigs if desired.

Spring Asparagus Ham and Egg Sandwich
Prep Time: 15 Minutes   Ready In: 15 Minutes   Servings: 2   

Ingredients:
6       Asparagus spears, grilled
1       oz Prosciutto ham, very thinly sliced
2       slices Roman Meal bread, toasted
2       large Eggs, soft poached
4       slices Avocado
2       tsp Parmesan cheese, shaved
         Black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Wrap sliced ham around asparagus spears.
2. Top each slice of toasted bread with 3 ham wrapped asparagus spears, 1 egg and 2 slices avocado.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and black peppe

Whole Grain French Toast and Tropical Fruit Kabobs
Prep Time: 5 Minutes   Cook Time: 11 Minutes   Ready In: 16 Minutes   Servings: 6   

Ingredients:
2       large Eggs, beaten
¼      cup Milk
1       tsp Vanilla extract, divided
6       slices Roman Meal bread
         Nonstick cooking spray
1       tbsp Granulated sugar
2       tsp Fresh lemon zest
18     1-inch cubes Fresh fruit (kiwi, pineapple, mango)
6       6-inch bamboo skewers
         Yogurt and honey (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine eggs, milk and vanilla extract in shallow bowl; mix well. Combine sugar and lemon zest in small bowl; set aside.
2. Trim crusts and cut each piece of bread into quarters for a total of 24 pieces.
3. Spray large skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Dip bread pieces in egg mixture, coating both sides. Place in skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Cook on second side for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Assemble 4 pieces French toast and 3 pieces fruit on each skewer for a total of 6 skewers. Sprinkle with lemon sugar. Serve with yogurt and honey if desired.

SOME WAYS TO ADD PROTEIN INTO OUR DIETS AT BREAKFAST
A great way to add protein is eating peanuts! They have the most protein of any nut. One of my favorite recipes for breakfast is the Peanut Butter, Strawberry and Basil Sandwich. It has 4 teaspoons of peanut butter, 4 whole wheat rounds, 4 Strawberries and a few Sprigs of basis.  Very tasty, and you should know that eating peanut butter for breakfast helps control your blood sugar into the afternoon – even past a high carb lunch. Peanut butter has no trans-fat, and it’s a convenient, versatile and inexpensive way to boost your protein intake — especially at breakfast! Also, try my No-Bake Peanut Butter Energy Squares recipe for an on-the-go breakfast.  

For More Information Visit: www.PeanutButterLovers.com

RECIPES

No-Bake PB Energy Squares

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together oats, cranberries and peanuts.
2. Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. Mix in honey and brown sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat. Working quickly, stir in peanut butter and vanilla until blended, then thoroughly mix in the oat mixture.
4. Spread the mixture evenly in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Allow to set before serving.

Makes about 2 dozen
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PB, Strawberry and Basil Sandwich

Makes 4 open-faced sandwiches

4 teaspoons peanut butter
4 French baguette rounds
4 strawberries
Few sprigs of fresh basil

Spread peanut butter onto sliced baguette rounds. Slice strawberries and layer onto the peanut butter. Top with 1-2 sprigs of basil and serve.

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