Toast and Eggs for Breakfast

Considering calorie recommendations, nutritionists and dietitians alike suggest eating a 400-calorie breakfast to stay on the healthy side. This does not mean subsisting on gruel and tasteless mush. For breakfast, it is recommended that you eat a serving of complex carbs, whole grains, vegetables, and lean protein. This means that your buttered muffin and bacon and eggs combo is out.

Try this breakfast by the Food Network Test Kitchen for a delicious start to your day - at only 391 calories. Not bad for a meal that's rich in iron, protein, and vitamins B and C.

Healthy Eggs and Toast Plate

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1/2 cup mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste
spinach and tomatoes - as much as you like
cooking spray

1. Beat egg and egg whites until frothy. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Grease non-stick pan lightly with cooking spray. Cook eggs until set to your liking.
3. Fill half of the cooked eggs with spinach, tomatoes, and cheese. Fold the other half over the filling.
4. Serve warm with toasted whole wheat bread.

Author: Kristine Gonzaga

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A Buckwheat Pancake Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of your day. But how encouraging can eating breakfast be if all you're having is dry toast? It's also not that healthy if you eat a greasy plate of bacon and eggs. For a healthy and delicious start to your day, try Ellie Krieger's Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberries. Rich in fiber, antioxidants, protein, and vitamin C, it can fill you up and provide you energy that can last 'til lunchtime.

Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberries

Batter:
3/4 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup nonfat milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup blueberries

Topping:
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 cup blueberries

1. Mix ingredients for the batter except berries until just combined. Fold in berries gently.
2. Preheat a large non-stick griddle then ladle 1/4 cup of batter. Flip pancake when the top is bubbly and bottom is golden brown. Cook the other side until golden brown.
3. Top pancakes with more blueberries and maple syrup.

Author: Kristine Gonzaga

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How to Bake Your Cake AND Eat It Too

Try Martha Stewart's Walnut and Orange Cake for a dessert that's loaded with Vitamins B and C as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

Walnut and Orange Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
1/2 cup olive oil*
1 tbsp. grated orange zest**
1 cup finely ground walnuts
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar**

*extra for pan
**extra for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare cake pan by brushing with oil and lining with parchment paper. Oil and flour prepared pan again.

2. Whisk orange zest, baking powder, salt, walnuts, and flour. Mix in eggs, orange juice, oil, and brown sugar by making a well in the center. Do not overmix.

3. Pour cake batter into your cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

4. Combine yogurt and confectioners' sugar to serve with cake. Dust cake with extra confectioners' before serving. Garnish with orange zest.

Author: Kristine Gonzaga

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Fry Your Chicken and Eat It Too

How many times have you fried chicken without actually eating it due to health concerns?
Ellie Krieger, nutritionist and host of Food Network's Healthy Appetite, has a recipe for oven-fried chicken that's healthy and tasty.


Ellie Krieger's Oven-Fried Chicken

Breading
20 whole-grain salted crackers, finely pulsed
2 1/2 cups corn cereal flakes, finely pulsed
2 tbsps. sesame seeds
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Marinade
2 egg whites
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt

8 chicken pieces (4 each of skinless thighs and breasts) rinsed and patted dry
Olive oil cooking spray

1. Lightly grease baking sheet with cooking spray then pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine ingredients for breading mixture. Set aside.
3. Mix ingredients for marinade, add chicken pieces, and coat completely.
4. Dip each chicken piece into the breading mix. Press breading mix onto the chicken pieces for even coating.
5. Place chicken pieces onto your baking sheet and lightly spray with olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve warm.

Author: Kristine Gonzaga

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Beef and pasta bake

This all-in-one dish is a clever time-saver as well as being a tasty meal everyone will enjoy.

Step 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Cook pasta following packet directions. Drain. Return to pan and set aside.

Step 2 Brush a large, non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over a medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until soft. Add mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add pasta sauce and stir until well combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 3 Stir meat sauce into pasta. Pour into a large, shallow, ovenproof dish. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is golden. Serve with a salad.

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Grilled Chicken with Tomato-Avocado Salsa

Ingredients
For the salsa
4 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped or 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeño chili pepper, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 avocado
For the chicken
1/2 cup non-fat, plain yogurt
1/2 small red onion
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 to 6 ounces each
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Instructions
For the salsa:
1. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onion, pepper and cilantro.

2. Chop the avocado and sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons of lime juice to keep it from browning. Add the avocado and remaining lime juice to the bowl and toss to combine.
(This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.)

For the chicken:
1. In a small food processor, puree the yogurt, red onion, lime juice and cilantro to make a yogurt marinade.

2. Transfer the marinade to a shallow bowl or a plastic bag. Add the chicken and coat well with the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

3. Preheat the grill to medium-high.

4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the remaining marinade and season the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken on both sides until it is cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.

5. Serve the chicken with tomato-avocado salsa.

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with salsa

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