Breakfast has been called the most important meal of the day. It is the first meal of the day, breaking the over night fast, presuming you didn’t wake up and raid the refrigerator during the night. Did you know breakfast is so vital for success in school the first several minutes of the school day are reserved for serving breakfast in the classroom? Unfortunately school meals must follow USDA guidelines and this often means a carbohydrate heavy meal.
Breakfast has long been my favorite meal of the day. What we have for breakfast has changed over the years. When our children were growing up I always made breakfast every day before they went off to school. Eggs were usually served on the weekend, cold or hot cereal during the week, some mornings I’d make french toast or pancakes. (I’m embarassed to admit that when they were in high school and running late there was “Carnation Instant breakfast”). Years later my grown daughter would tell me this routine made it impossible for her to skip breakfast as an adult. Score! Once our kids moved away it was John & I. When I was still working as a pharmacist my schedule was variable, I might not be home until 10:30pm. Breakfast became the one meal we always ate together.
Weekday mornings John usually cooks breakfast, on Sunday mornings I make waffles. Our typical weekday breakfast consists of eggs, potatoes & occasionally meat. We try to change it up, but you get the idea. (I’ve not been a huge fan of breakfast sausage since working food service in college and serving sausage morning after morning after morning, so for me typical breakfast meat is optional). I love to add greens to the eggs. Our son once asked, “Do you always have greens with your eggs?” To which I answered “Yes!”
It is irrigation season on our farm, so while John goes out to set the water I have been making breakfast.
Here’s the general recipe:
Morning Skillet
- Onion (red, chopped)
- Garlic 2-3 cloves, sliced or minced
- Greens ~ chopped. (we use spinach, kale or chard)
- Eggs (we prepare two eggs/person)
- Meat ~ leftover steak, sausage, bacon, chicken (optional)
My ducks are laying 7-8 eggs most days!
I try to include greens with every meal. I’m ahead of the plan when I include fresh kale as part of my breakfast.
Sauté onion & garlic in coconut or olive oil. Add meat, greens, seasonings. Heat until greens wilted.
Add the eggs. Cook until eggs are done.
Duck eggs with kale and sausage
Variety is the spice of life, and I don’t want you to get bored so here are some suggestions to change it up a bit!
- Cook potatoes with peppers & onions in separate skillet
- Vary the greens ~ we usually have spinach or kale on hand, but had even used broccoli
- Add cheese
- Serve eggs fried on bed of sautéed greens
- Use salsa as seasoning
- Serve eggs with leftover spaghetti sauce
I feel best with 12-15 grams of protein for breakfast, which is nearly impossible if I do not include eggs. Eating a meal high in protein helps stabilize blood sugar. If your blood sugar is stable you are able to focus better. I wish I’d understood this when our children were in school. Adding leafy greens to breakfast makes eating 2+ cups of greens/day an attainable goal.
I have 8 laying ducks and one drake. I am often asked how duck eggs are different. I find they taste the same as the pastured chicken eggs I was buying from a friend. The yolk is proportionally larger (making them fantastic for making Alfredo), the eggs are larger, and they are higher in protein. Here is an interesting article comparing duck eggs vs chicken eggs. We haven’t added chickens to our farm yet, so when you visit I hope you’re willing to try duck eggs.
For local peeps: If you are interested in trying duck eggs I am selling them for $6/dozen