MyPlate-Inspired Breakfast Recipes

April 19, 2013
Photo: Randy Mayor
There's no excuse to miss the most important meal of the day with our favorite MyPlate-inspired breakfast recipes.
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Start Your Day with a Nutritious Breakfast

Photo: Randy Mayor

Cooking Light is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit the MyPlate website.

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Eggs Blindfolded over Garlic Cheddar Grits

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Eggs Blindfolded over Garlic Cheddar Grits

Blindfolded eggs are a short-order cook’s version of poached eggs. The grits in this recipe make a divine bed for the perfectly cooked eggs.

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Quick Breakfast Burritos

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Quick Breakfast Burritos

We love how easy it is to take this breakfast on the road. A full breakfast wrapped up in a nice neat little package—and it tastes delicious too.

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Libanais Breakfast

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Libanais Breakfast

This Middle Eastern-inspired breakfast is a popular selection at Medina, a Belgian breakfast spot in Vancouver, where the dish includes a boiled egg and three salads—tabbouleh, cucumber salad, and baba ghanoush—complemented with crisp pita toasts. Our simplified version features just one salad: tabbouleh.

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Blueberry-Passion Fruit Smoothie

Photo: William Dickey
View Recipe: Blueberry-Passion Fruit Smoothie

With plenty of fruit, fiber, and protein, this quick shake is a sweet snack you can feel good about. You can also enjoy a larger serving as a healthful breakfast. Look for canned passion fruit nectar with other bottled and canned juices or in the Latin food section of your grocery store. If you can't find it, substitute pineapple juice.

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Egg White and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Egg White and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

The frittata gets a healthy makeover by only using egg whites instead of the whole egg. Also, you can substitute feta if ricotta salata is unavailable.

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Three-Grain Breakfast Cereal with Walnuts and Dried Fruit

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Three-Grain Breakfast Cereal with Walnuts and Dried Fruit

This mixture of barley and oats with nuts and raisins will keep you going all morning. Walnuts provide omega-3 fatty acids, but pecans also work nicely in this high-fiber cereal. Serve with yogurt or milk, and top with fresh fruit.

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Mushroom Frittata

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Mushroom Frittata

This vegetarian egg recipe is ideal for a light breakfast or brunch, but you can also serve it for dinner paired with a simple side salad.
 

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Baked Egg-in-a-Hole

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Baked Egg-in-a-Hole

These bacon-and-egg toasts make for a fun breakfast or easy dinner. This kid-friendly recipe is sure to be a hit, any time of day.

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Banana Breakfast Smoothie

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Banana Breakfast Smoothie

This breakfast smoothie is loaded with protein and easy to take along with a handful of granola for a quick breakfast on the go. Adding the yogurt at the very end imparts a creamy texture to the smoothie.

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Baked Oatmeal

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Baked Oatmeal

Try baked oatmeal for an unexpected morning treat. It's a mix between an oatmeal bar and traditional creamy breakfast oatmeal.

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Summer Vegetable Frittata

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Summer Vegetable Frittata

Garden-fresh summer vegetables will make this frittata a special breakfast or brunch treat.

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Spinach, Green Onion, and Smoked Gouda Quiche

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Spinach, Green Onion, and Smoked Gouda Quiche

We like the creamy, custardy consistency of this quiche when it's baked for 35 minutes. If you prefer a firmer texture, bake an additional 5 minutes.

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Tony's Breakfast Couscous

Photo: Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Tony's Breakfast Couscous

You can prepare this dish the night before and serve warm or cold. The recipe is easy to double to serve more people. Use any combination of dried fruits you like–cherries, apples, blueberries, or raspberries. You can substitute one cup fat-free milk for dry, and decrease the water to 1/4 cup.

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Classic French Omelet

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Classic French Omelet

Pull the pan off the heat as needed, while stirring, to control how fast the eggs cook. The finished omelet should be golden outside and unbrowned, while still creamy at the very center.

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Cinnamon Banana Crunch Bowl

Photo: Kang Kim
View Recipe: Cinnamon Banana Crunch Bowl

Mix up your oatmeal routine with bulgur in this crunch bowl. The results are a quick and easy breakfast of champions.

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Baked Eggs en Cocotte with Onions

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Baked Eggs en Cocotte with Onions

Keep an eye on the eggs as they cook, bearing in mind that cook times vary depending on the thickness of the ramekins and your personal preference for the texture of the eggs.

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Blackberry-Mango Breakfast Shake

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Blackberry-Mango Breakfast Shake

Silken tofu gives this drink a smooth, creamy consistency. If you don't like the seeds in blackberries, substitute frozen blueberries.

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Fingerling Potato-Leek Hash with Swiss Chard and Eggs

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Fingerling Potato-Leek Hash with Swiss Chard and Eggs

Comfort food isn't strictly reserved for dinnertime. Start your day with something warm and delicious to keep you fueled throughout the morning. To trim Swiss chard, pull or cut the stems out of the leaves. The dish goes from stovetop to tabletop using just one pan.

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Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Fig and Honey

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Fig and Honey

These sandwiches are equally good for breakfast or dinner. Mixing honey with the goat cheese makes it easier to spread over the cinnamon-raisin bread.

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Gingered Carrot Smoothies

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Gingered Carrot Smoothies

Start your morning off with a tasty smoothie full of veggies and fresh ginger.

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Breakfast Quinoa

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Breakfast Quinoa

Like most whole grains, quinoa is surprisingly filling, but if you need more for breakfast, serve with an egg on the side.

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Sunflower Granola Breakfast Parfaits

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Sunflower Granola Breakfast Parfaits

To make this portable breakfast a snap, prepare the granola in advance and store it in an airtight container. Be sure to keep a close eye on the broiler so the granola doesn't burn. You can also sub pitted fresh cherries or any ripe berry for the raspberries.

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Watermelon, Cucumber and Mint Smoothies

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Watermelon, Cucumber and Mint Smoothies

The sweet taste of watermelon and cucumbers mix deliciously with creamy Greek yogurt and fresh mint in this easy-to-make smoothie.

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Mango Lassi Smoothie

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Mango Lassi Smoothie

Chop and freeze the mangoes the night before to cut down on morning prep time.

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Nutty Whole-Grain Granola

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Nutty Whole-Grain Granola

This granola is fantastic on its own, but is also great on top of yogurt for a hearty breakfast on the go.

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Steel-Cut Oats with Cinnamon-Blueberry Compote

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Steel-Cut Oats with Cinnamon-Blueberry Compote

Prepare the blueberry mixture and the oats the night before and refrigerate. In the morning, simply cook the compote and finish the oatmeal. Easy-peasy!

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Herby Frittata with Vegetables and Goat Cheese

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Herby Frittata with Vegetables and Goat Cheese

Take ten minutes at night to blanch the asparagus and create the egg mixture. All you'll have to do in the morning is cook the frittata, and ta-da! You've got a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
 

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Huevos Rancheros Wraps

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Huevos Rancheros Wraps

Turn breakfast into a fiesta with these flavor-filled wraps. If you make the salsa before bed, your morning prep time is next to nothing.

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Strawberry Cream Cheese Waffle Sandwiches

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Strawberry Cream Cheese Waffle Sandwiches

Standard toaster waffles get a tasty upgrade in this easy-to-prepare breakfast dish.

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Whole-Wheat, Buttermilk, and Orange Pancakes

Photo: Raymond Hom
We've updated Bill and Cheryl Jamison's fantastic

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Shakshuka

Photo: Helene Dujardin
View Recipe: Shakshuka

Don't let the funny name deter you; this dish is a delicious way to get vegetables with your breakfast.

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Breakfast Tortilla

Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Breakfast Tortilla

This hearty, open-faced omelet, called a tortilla, uses potatoes inside instead of serving them on the side. This omelet maximizes flavor with Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh tomatoes, and Manchego cheese.

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Apple-Stuffed Strata

Photo: Johnny Miller
View Recipe: Apple-Stuffed Strata

A layer of sweet, baked apples and crunchy pecan topping helps this breakfast bread pudding shine. Last-minute prep couldn't be simpler: Just add a dusting of sugar and nuts.

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Citrus Waffles with Marmalade Compote

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Citrus Waffles with Marmalade Compote

Marmalade and citrus makes for just the right combination of sweet, tangy, and tart whole wheat waffles. Sift powdered sugar over the top of the waffles for an excellent start to your morning.

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Blueberry Pancakes