54 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • JUNE 6, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
5 simple breakfast hacks for a hassle-free morning
(BPT) - Weekday mornings can be
rough, trying to get yourself and your
family up and dressed, fed, then out the
door in time for school and work. It’s
tough to make sure everyone gets something
healthy to eat before dashing out
to start the day. What if there were a few
simple things you could do to make your
morning routine run more smoothly, all
while making delicious breakfast choices?
Try these breakfast hacks to help simplify
your morning and nourish everyone at
the same time.
Prep for the morning
before going to bed.
Have everyone choose and set out
their next-day outfi ts the night before,
to avoid last-minute closet and laundry
room scrambles. Th en program your coffee
maker. It sounds simple, but how
many of us actually do this? Most coffee
makers can be preset to start at a certain
time in the morning. Even the most
basic coff ee maker can be fi tted with a fi lter
and prefi lled with grounds and water,
ready to go when you wake up. Th is way
at least the adults in the household will be
fully awake.
Make a blender smoothie
the night before.
Want to be sure the kids drink some
milk and get a little fruit in their breakfast?
Th e night before, blend milk and/or
yogurt with the kids’ favorite fruits or fruit
juice. Include some ripe berries or bananas
and add a little honey or agave for
sweetness, if needed. Store in the fridge
and give it a quick mix in the morning to
be sure it’s blended before serving.
Provide fresh fruit daily.
Set out a fruit bowl with apples, bananas
and tangerines - then if kids don’t choose
one for breakfast, grab a couple to put in
lunch boxes to give them another opportunity
to eat fresh fruit. Luckily, these
fruits come in their own packaging!
Make a hearty breakfast ahead.
Bake a hot breakfast the day before that
you can heat up in the morning. Try this
delicious recipe that your kids will love.
One bowl and one pan are all you need.
Cheesy Potatoes
20 minutes prep time, 80 minutes total
time. Makes 8 servings.
Ingredients
• 1 package Simply Potatoes Shredded
Hash Browns
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can cream of potato soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sliced green onion
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon fi nely chopped garlic
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a
two-quart casserole dish with nonstick
cooking spray. In large bowl, combine
all ingredients. Stir to mix well. Spread
in prepared pan. Bake uncovered 55-60
minutes or until potatoes are tender and
center is heated through. (An 11 x 7-inch
rectangular or 8-inch square baking dish
can also be used.)
Make a breakfast to go.
Th e day before, bake a delicious, portable
breakfast that can be eaten on the
drive to school. Th ese Mini Hash Brown
Casseroles can be baked in muffi n cups so
that kids - or you - can take them along
when you’re pressed for time.
Mini Hash Brown Casseroles
10 minutes prep time, 30 minutes total
time. Makes 24 servings.
Ingredients
• 1 package Simply Potatoes Shredded
Hash Browns
• 1 pound Bob Evans Original Roll
Sausage
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup ham, cubed
• 1 cup red pepper, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet,
cook sausage according to package directions.
Lightly grease two 12-cup muffi n
tins or use muffi n cups. In a bowl, whisk
together eggs and milk. Add remaining
ingredients and mix thoroughly. Fill muffi
n tins 2/3 full. Bake for 27-30 minutes.
With a little planning ahead, plus making
sure your kitchen is stocked with good
ingredients for breakfast, your mornings
can go much more smoothly. Preparing
hearty, delicious breakfasts ahead of time
will save a lot of hassle and hurry - and
everyone will love it.
Courtesy BPT
/WWW.QNS.COM