Fruit, again... and how I feel about Ding Dongs (Breakfast, Day 10)

Cantaloupe.

That was the menu for this morning. I had planned breakfast tacos, but a sudden upset in my family kept me up all night and my kiddos ended up with cantaloupe. This being their absolutely favorite fruit on God's green earth didn't hurt matters. I heard no complaints, especially when the older girls ask if they could mix in some strawberries with it.

Not having done the breakfast tacos I feel that I have let the two of you who actually read this blog down. However, after beating myself up over it, I realized that the cantaloupe symbolizes my effort. Having a very large family means that things go wrong at a moment's notice. You could have everything planned to perfection and your kiddos will be sure and take care of that for you. Then you're up all night with a sick kid and your thinking standing and cooking eggs is almost as appealing as having your eyebrows threaded (that's a story for another day) and you look for an alternative. Well, lo and behold, the only alternative around is healthy snacks, fruit, and yogurt whereas two weeks ago the alternative was powdered donuts or pop tarts.

By the way, can I digress? Thanks, I was going to anyway because, well, it's my blog.

I do not for the life of me understand the parents with obese children who go on Oprah and lament about their children's weight. Then you see 6 year old 500 pound Sally Sue shoveling ding dongs in her mouth for breakfast and I know you must be thinking what I'm thinking. Little Sally Sue didn't buy those ding dongs, you ding dong. Just don't buy the ding dongs. How hard is that? Anyway, as I said, I digress...

So we ended up with fruit, again, and I am okay with that. Oh, and I should state for the record that I have nothing against ding dongs (of the cake variety)

Yogurt and Fruit (Breakfast- Day 9)

That's what we had, yogurt and fruit. Very simple but healthy breakfast and also something the kids can have by themselves, say, if mommy stayed up late watching movies on the computer.

Yogurt is one of the foods that I think are perfectly okay to use pre-packaged, kind of like milk. But, like milk, you could milk your own cow and you can make your own yogurt. That's why I went with White Mountain yogurt because it can be used as a starter to make your own yogurt. Will I ever be brave enough to breed my own bacteria to feed to my children? Probably not, but the opportunities there. So, here's my comparison...

All Natural Yogurt vs Dannon Yogurt

White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt (1 cup)
Calories: 140 Fat: 9 g
Ingredients: Grade A pasteurized whole milk and live yogurt cultures (L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, and B. Bifidum)

Dannon Yogurt, All Natural Plain (1 cup)
Calories: 160 Fat: 8 g
Ingredients: cultured grade A low fat milk, sugar, water, less than 1 % corn starch, natural flavor, pectin, locust bean gum, lemon juice concentrate and active yogurt cultures including L. acidophilus

The only problem with the natural yogurt is that it is very tart. You may need to add a little sweetener of some sort.

Cinnamon Toast w/ milk - (Breakfast - Day 8)

Wow. It's day 8. Crazy. I am currently without a camera, so, no pics for now but I'm going to keep blogging away. It's really the only thing keeping me to this challenge (well, that and the overall health of my children of course).

Breakfast this morning was cinnamon toast. It's one of my kiddos favorite. I usually take about 2 tbsp of butter and mix in a little cinnamon and sugar then put it on the toast. In order to make this a little healthier I spread just a small amount of butter on the toast and then sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on it. They didn't complain. It really tasted about the same.

Cinnamon Toast vs Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Cinnamon Toast (1 slice)
Calories: 105 Fat (Total): 5 g
Ingredients: Whole Wheat Bread (stone ground whole wheat flour, water, brown sugar, yeast, wheat gluten), unsalted butter, cinnamon, sugar


Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Calories: 130 Fat (Total): 3 g
Ingredients: Whole Grain Wheat, Sugar, Rice, Flour, Canola and/or Rice Bran Oil, Fructose, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Cinnamon, Soy Lecithin, Trisodium Phosphate, Caramel and Annatto Extract Color, Zinc and Iron (Mineral Nutrients)Vitamin (Niacinamide)Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride)Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Minatare)Vitamin A (Palmitate)Natural Flavor, A B Vitamin (Folic Acid)Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Nonfat Milk.

In fairness, a small amount glycerides and soy lectin are also found in the bread I used.

French Toast Casserole - (Breakfast - Day 7)

I had a nice Betty Crocker moment in the kitchen cooking breakfast as all the sleepy eyed kiddos wandered in following the sweet cinnamon-y aroma this morning. Big change from before this challenge when I would still be sleeping as they're helping themselves to Poptarts.

There, of course, was a moment before I emulated Betty Crocker and seemed more like the Incredible Hulk. That's what happens when your casserole is ready for the oven and, for the life of you, you know that you saw that cinnamon somewhere...



and then you remember you saw it while brushing your teeth! Yep. That's my bathroom. And that's my cinnamon. I like to think that there is a cute little gnome who roams my house at night and plays funny little pranks on me. (Don't spoil my illusion - it's the only thing that keeps my kiddos alive)

Anyway, I made French Toast Casserole (click for recipe) this morning because that's what I had in my pantry. It's very simple. I kind of over cooked it but the kids still liked it.

I'm trying something new so that I can get the full effect of this challenge. I am going to compare products that I would normally serve to my children throughout the day to see how what I am doing now is improving it.

French Toast Casserole vs Aunt Jemima French Toast Sticks

French Toast Casserole
Nutritional Information: Calories (per serving): 207 , Total Fat: 7.2 g
Ingredients: bread (ground whole wheat flour, water, brown sugar, yeast, wheat gluten) , milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla

French Toast Sticks
Nutritional Information: Calories (per serving): 280 , Total Fat: 10 g
Ingredients: Bread, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate), Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Water, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, Yeast and 2 percent other

French Toast Casserole is a better option and I guarantee it makes your house smell better.

Veritable Smorgasbord - (Breakfast - Day 4)

This morning was supposed to be fruit salad. However, when I opened the refrigerator I noticed little leftovers from the week: 2 eggs, 2 blueberry muffins, about 1/4 block of cheese, 1/2 container of yogurt, and a whole lot of fruit. So, in the words of Templeton the Rat, I declared a veritable smorgasbord breakfast and let the kids pick out whatever they wanted. I'm not sure what was eaten but I know that it involved a lot of creativity and giggling. And, are you ready for this, since I began this little journey I have virtually elimanated the "junk" from out of there, it was all healthier choices. Maybe I'm not such a colossal failure after all...

Blueberry Muffins ala Paula Deen (Breakfast - Day 3)

This morning it was rainy. And gray. And cold. I almost decided not to make the blueberry muffins. I thought about oatmeal instead. Oatmeal says dreary to me, I don't know why. But, I really wanted to give it a go so I did.

I followed this recipe to a T. No mistakes, absolute perfection on my part.

Okay, you caught me.

The first time I made them I used 4 cups of flour instead of 2 cups. I forgot I was using a 2 cup measuring cup. It was early.

Anyway, I discovered it before I added (and wasted) the blueberries, thank goodness.

I followed the directions exactly the second time.

I expected those little nuggets of perfection at the top of this post.

Instead this is what I got :


The kids were actually a little afraid of them. But, they ate them and stated for the record that they were okay. I personally think Jiffy Blueberry Mix tastes better but that's just me.

Breakfast Burritos That Never Were (Breakfast- Day 2)

What happens when you get up early in the morning, drive your kiddo 30 miles to school, and crawl back in bed upon return?

Your wonderful breakfast burritos, the ones you were going to use with this recipe

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/scrambled_egg_burritos.html

the ones that looked so mouthwatering scrumptious




never come into existence.
Instead, your children, who were up before you, took upon them selves to eat this:


We're going to have a talk that bee and I.

Eggs In A Basket (Breakfast - Day 1)

Eggs in a basket is one of my kiddos favorite recipes. As to how healthy it is... well... yeah. But in all other aspects it beats a cold poptart!And making them couldn't be easier.

STEP ONE
Gather your ingredients:
You may want to grab a pencil- this is long and complicated

Eggs, butter, and bread



STEP TWO

Cut holes out of the middle of your bread. I used a small glass jar. But you could use cookie cutters or any number of things.



STEP THREE

Put a pat of butter in your pan and let it melt.


STEP FOUR
Place the toast in the middle of the pan and crack the egg into the middle. Give it about 30 seconds (you can see the egg cooking at the bottom) and then flip it over.



Voila! Your egg is now in a basket. Enjoy!