Spoiled milk and bee vomit
June 11, 2010 9:10 AM Subscribe
I need some other ideas for breakfast.
For the past few weeks, in order to both get out of the house earlier and curb my midmorning hunger, I have been stopping at Whole Foods on the way into work every Monday and keeping breakfast at work. I typically grab a large tub of yogurt, a tub of granola, some berries and bananas, and some cheese, along with replenishing my supply of honey when that runs out. The problem? I am starting to get a little bored of bananas and berries and granola. What else can I put in for variety? Difficulty: I have only a toaster and a microwave.
For the past few weeks, in order to both get out of the house earlier and curb my midmorning hunger, I have been stopping at Whole Foods on the way into work every Monday and keeping breakfast at work. I typically grab a large tub of yogurt, a tub of granola, some berries and bananas, and some cheese, along with replenishing my supply of honey when that runs out. The problem? I am starting to get a little bored of bananas and berries and granola. What else can I put in for variety? Difficulty: I have only a toaster and a microwave.
As a non-egg eater, I long ago learned to rethink our culture's limited attitude toward what's allowed for breakfast. Simply put, you can always have lunch at 8:30 AM, or supper.
posted by philip-random at 9:15 AM on June 11, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by philip-random at 9:15 AM on June 11, 2010 [5 favorites]
And here's one on unusual breakfast ideas and another on toast toppings.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:15 AM on June 11, 2010
posted by Happy Dave at 9:15 AM on June 11, 2010
Instant oatmeal
Bagels and Cream cheese (assuming you have fridge access because of the yogurt)
Make muffins, freeze, take to work with you. Will thaw by the time you get there.
posted by royalsong at 9:15 AM on June 11, 2010
Bagels and Cream cheese (assuming you have fridge access because of the yogurt)
Make muffins, freeze, take to work with you. Will thaw by the time you get there.
posted by royalsong at 9:15 AM on June 11, 2010
Egg McMuffin-like sandwiches are super easy. Crack an egg into a coffee mug, scramble it with a fork/knife/coffee stirrer, and put it in to nuke for like 45 seconds. It plops out neat as you please. Add some cheese and a dash of hot sauce, and you're golden.
posted by Madamina at 9:17 AM on June 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Madamina at 9:17 AM on June 11, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'm a huge fan of burritos, sandwiches, and soups for breakfast.
Also, when I make fried rice, I make a ton so I can eat it for breakfast for days thereafter. I know WF typically has fried rice at their food bar, but you'd probably do better just to pick up an order of it from your favorite Chinese restaurant now and then. Dirty secret: I don't even reheat it, usually. I just drizzle it with hot sauce and go to town on it.
posted by padraigin at 9:23 AM on June 11, 2010
Also, when I make fried rice, I make a ton so I can eat it for breakfast for days thereafter. I know WF typically has fried rice at their food bar, but you'd probably do better just to pick up an order of it from your favorite Chinese restaurant now and then. Dirty secret: I don't even reheat it, usually. I just drizzle it with hot sauce and go to town on it.
posted by padraigin at 9:23 AM on June 11, 2010
Make some oatmeal and mix something in it. Peanut butter is my favorite. Blackberry preserves are also good.
posted by ghharr at 9:26 AM on June 11, 2010
posted by ghharr at 9:26 AM on June 11, 2010
A cheap, quick, and easy way to make yogurt more exciting is to keep a bunch of spices and extracts in your house.
I always buy the nonfat plain yogurt because it has less sugar and fat. Add some almonds and orange extract. Add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and it tastes like chai. The night before I will chop up cucumber, onion, and a chili with a little salt for savory yogurt.
This is made the night before and keep it in one of those Chinese take-out soup containers. I bike to work and I have never had it pop open in my panniers.
posted by munchingzombie at 9:29 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
I always buy the nonfat plain yogurt because it has less sugar and fat. Add some almonds and orange extract. Add vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and it tastes like chai. The night before I will chop up cucumber, onion, and a chili with a little salt for savory yogurt.
This is made the night before and keep it in one of those Chinese take-out soup containers. I bike to work and I have never had it pop open in my panniers.
posted by munchingzombie at 9:29 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Bread and cheese is a classic breakfast, requiring no tools except a knife. Whole Foods typically carries a reasonably good selection of both. A nice salty cheese like a Pecorino Toscano is terrific with honey.
posted by escabeche at 9:32 AM on June 11, 2010
posted by escabeche at 9:32 AM on June 11, 2010
An whole mashed avocado for breakfast with a squeeze of lemon definitely curbs the midmorning hunger.
posted by gillianr at 9:39 AM on June 11, 2010
posted by gillianr at 9:39 AM on June 11, 2010
Here's my method for scrambled egg breakfast sandwiches via the microwave. Essentially the same thing Madamina said in slightly more detail.
I'd also second straight bread and cheese, basically a ploughman's lunch as they call it in the UK. Wal-Marts do really fabulous daily fresh bread, as do some supermarket chains. (And bakeries, of course.)
posted by XMLicious at 9:54 AM on June 11, 2010
I'd also second straight bread and cheese, basically a ploughman's lunch as they call it in the UK. Wal-Marts do really fabulous daily fresh bread, as do some supermarket chains. (And bakeries, of course.)
posted by XMLicious at 9:54 AM on June 11, 2010
Before I stopped eating grains, overnight or "soaked" oats were my go to morning meal. You can prepare them before you leave work in the evening and consume the next day.
Combine in a container: 6 oz greek yogurt, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup water or milk product of your choice, and 1-2 tsp brown sugar or sweetener of your choice. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight. It sounds and looks weird but is delicious and sticks to your ribs in a serious way. You can experiment with adding fruit, nuts, nut butters, etc either in the morning to add some texture or the evening before to let the flavors meld.
posted by telegraph at 10:08 AM on June 11, 2010
Combine in a container: 6 oz greek yogurt, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup water or milk product of your choice, and 1-2 tsp brown sugar or sweetener of your choice. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate overnight. It sounds and looks weird but is delicious and sticks to your ribs in a serious way. You can experiment with adding fruit, nuts, nut butters, etc either in the morning to add some texture or the evening before to let the flavors meld.
posted by telegraph at 10:08 AM on June 11, 2010
How about a 5-minute breakfast burrito?
You'll need:
Red potatoes
Onion
Jalapeno
Eggs
Flour tortillas
Cheese
Salsa of your choice
Sunday evening:
Make potatoes.
Cut red potatoes into 1/4"-thick half moon shapes. Fry in a pan with sliced onion and a jalapeno until the potatoes are just starting to brown on both sides. Then add a couple of shot glasses of water, cover, and let the potatoes finish cooking. Add more liquid if necessary, but you want the water to cook off at the end. Potatoes should be soft and close to falling apart. Store in fridge.
Same night, beat 4 eggs, along with a tablespoon of milk or water and a pinch of salt. Store in a jar in the fridge.
Weekday morning:
Put small pan on stove. Heat small amount of oil or butter. When hot, shake your eggs-in-a-jar, then add about one egg's worth to your pan. Scramble. Remove from heat. (This takes 1 minute.)
Reheat small amount of potatoes in microwave. (One minute.) Grate cheese on top, or apply store-bought shredded cheese.
Heat flour tortilla between two damp paper towels in microwave (less than 30 seconds; otherwise it will get hard). Place heated tortilla on square of tin foil. Apply potatoes/cheese/egg, top with salsa. Roll into burrito, wrap in tin foil. Stash in backpack.
I never reheat mine -- with a double layer of foil, it stays warm enough for me until at least 10:00.
And there you have a cheap breakfast burrito in less than five minutes. You can, of course, add bacon or sausage or other veggies. It's just all about prepping them the night before.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:29 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
You'll need:
Red potatoes
Onion
Jalapeno
Eggs
Flour tortillas
Cheese
Salsa of your choice
Sunday evening:
Make potatoes.
Cut red potatoes into 1/4"-thick half moon shapes. Fry in a pan with sliced onion and a jalapeno until the potatoes are just starting to brown on both sides. Then add a couple of shot glasses of water, cover, and let the potatoes finish cooking. Add more liquid if necessary, but you want the water to cook off at the end. Potatoes should be soft and close to falling apart. Store in fridge.
Same night, beat 4 eggs, along with a tablespoon of milk or water and a pinch of salt. Store in a jar in the fridge.
Weekday morning:
Put small pan on stove. Heat small amount of oil or butter. When hot, shake your eggs-in-a-jar, then add about one egg's worth to your pan. Scramble. Remove from heat. (This takes 1 minute.)
Reheat small amount of potatoes in microwave. (One minute.) Grate cheese on top, or apply store-bought shredded cheese.
Heat flour tortilla between two damp paper towels in microwave (less than 30 seconds; otherwise it will get hard). Place heated tortilla on square of tin foil. Apply potatoes/cheese/egg, top with salsa. Roll into burrito, wrap in tin foil. Stash in backpack.
I never reheat mine -- with a double layer of foil, it stays warm enough for me until at least 10:00.
And there you have a cheap breakfast burrito in less than five minutes. You can, of course, add bacon or sausage or other veggies. It's just all about prepping them the night before.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:29 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
You can make "poached eggs" in the microwave in a cup, you don't event need water (but stab the yolk once carefully first to avoid explosions). At this time of year you could nuke some asparagus spears to dunk in the yolk.
You can make porridge in the microwave: two minutes on full, leave it as long as you can stand and then 30 seconds to a minute just to reheat it (but watch out for the porridge volcano).
An avocado with a sharp dressing of some kind, I halve avocados and pour the dressing in the hole.
Soup, with a spoonful of yoghurt in and/or bread on the side.
posted by emilyw at 10:34 AM on June 11, 2010
You can make porridge in the microwave: two minutes on full, leave it as long as you can stand and then 30 seconds to a minute just to reheat it (but watch out for the porridge volcano).
An avocado with a sharp dressing of some kind, I halve avocados and pour the dressing in the hole.
Soup, with a spoonful of yoghurt in and/or bread on the side.
posted by emilyw at 10:34 AM on June 11, 2010
curb my midmorning hunger
As a semi-aside, I've discovered that my midmorning hunger is a direct result of not eating protein with/for breakfast. While I can scarf down a cup of cereal with milk or yogurt and be starving at 10:30, a single boiled egg will keep me rolling until noon no problem.
You can always hard-boil several eggs ahead of time, and have them with various condiments on toast. But (in my case, anyway) the slow burn of protein is what I need to stave off hunger pangs before lunch.
posted by Shepherd at 11:25 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
As a semi-aside, I've discovered that my midmorning hunger is a direct result of not eating protein with/for breakfast. While I can scarf down a cup of cereal with milk or yogurt and be starving at 10:30, a single boiled egg will keep me rolling until noon no problem.
You can always hard-boil several eggs ahead of time, and have them with various condiments on toast. But (in my case, anyway) the slow burn of protein is what I need to stave off hunger pangs before lunch.
posted by Shepherd at 11:25 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Miso soup is a common Japanese breakfast dish, and is very satisfying. Here is a microwave Miso soup recipe
posted by heatherly at 11:39 AM on June 11, 2010
posted by heatherly at 11:39 AM on June 11, 2010
Burritos and they don't need to be breakfast burritos, beans and cheese are great in the AM.
posted by caddis at 12:30 PM on June 11, 2010
posted by caddis at 12:30 PM on June 11, 2010
Buy a pineapple and a melon. Chop them up into chunks when you get home after your shop, chuck the chunks into a container in the fridge.
Grab appropriate amounts each morning as required.
posted by djgh at 12:38 PM on June 11, 2010
Grab appropriate amounts each morning as required.
posted by djgh at 12:38 PM on June 11, 2010
I'm not sure if you're asking for new breakfast ideas, or new ideas for what to put in your yogurt. So here's both.
Toppings / Stir ins for yogurt: Pineapple curd (or lemon, or any other flavor curd you like), jams & jellys, fruit purees, dried fruits, chopped nuts, honey roasted almonds, homemade cranberry sauce, chocolate syrup, crushed cookies. (This is assuming you're working with plain yogurt of course. I wouldn't suggest adding more sugary toppings to flavored yogurt. Blech.)
Hot oatmeal. Not the packets at the store. I usually combine 1/3 cup old fashioned oats, a few dashes of ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, a few tablespoons of dried cranberries and some chopped nuts in a microwave safe tupperware container. When I get to work, I add water (brought from home or from the water fountain) and microwave for 1-2 minutes. You could easily buy all of those things and keep them at work, and oatmeal is endlessly variable.
posted by geeky at 1:46 PM on June 11, 2010
Toppings / Stir ins for yogurt: Pineapple curd (or lemon, or any other flavor curd you like), jams & jellys, fruit purees, dried fruits, chopped nuts, honey roasted almonds, homemade cranberry sauce, chocolate syrup, crushed cookies. (This is assuming you're working with plain yogurt of course. I wouldn't suggest adding more sugary toppings to flavored yogurt. Blech.)
Hot oatmeal. Not the packets at the store. I usually combine 1/3 cup old fashioned oats, a few dashes of ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, a few tablespoons of dried cranberries and some chopped nuts in a microwave safe tupperware container. When I get to work, I add water (brought from home or from the water fountain) and microwave for 1-2 minutes. You could easily buy all of those things and keep them at work, and oatmeal is endlessly variable.
posted by geeky at 1:46 PM on June 11, 2010
I find that to curb midmorning hunger I need to have a breakfast that contains protein and fat. When I'm running a lot I also starch.
Each morning, especially in the summer, I make a smoothie which is super quick and wicked tasty:
- A serving of frozen fruit (Trader Joe's frozen strawberries, blueberries and mango are fresh and delicious)
- half a banana
- 1 cup of milk (sometimes I do lowfat, other times part skim, part unsweetened soy milk--depends on my mood. If I'm super hungry, I choose by what will have more fat. All unsweetened soy milk is rich and delicious and has about as much fat as 2% milk)
- half a tbsp of peanut butter
- a bunch of kale or spinach
- some oats if I need 'em
Just dump it all in the blender, blenderify it and pour it in a to-go cup. It comes out to about 16 oz. of smoothie, which keeps me really sated for a few hours. If I double the amount of peanut butter or oats, I'm fine until lunch and beyond. I typically have to drink this puppy slow--it gets me damn full.
I find this no-added-sugar, high protein, high-in-healthy-fats and DELICIOUS breakfast to be a treat. Yum.
posted by Rudy Gerner at 4:25 PM on June 11, 2010 [4 favorites]
Each morning, especially in the summer, I make a smoothie which is super quick and wicked tasty:
- A serving of frozen fruit (Trader Joe's frozen strawberries, blueberries and mango are fresh and delicious)
- half a banana
- 1 cup of milk (sometimes I do lowfat, other times part skim, part unsweetened soy milk--depends on my mood. If I'm super hungry, I choose by what will have more fat. All unsweetened soy milk is rich and delicious and has about as much fat as 2% milk)
- half a tbsp of peanut butter
- a bunch of kale or spinach
- some oats if I need 'em
Just dump it all in the blender, blenderify it and pour it in a to-go cup. It comes out to about 16 oz. of smoothie, which keeps me really sated for a few hours. If I double the amount of peanut butter or oats, I'm fine until lunch and beyond. I typically have to drink this puppy slow--it gets me damn full.
I find this no-added-sugar, high protein, high-in-healthy-fats and DELICIOUS breakfast to be a treat. Yum.
posted by Rudy Gerner at 4:25 PM on June 11, 2010 [4 favorites]
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posted by Happy Dave at 9:13 AM on June 11, 2010