Rosie Pope's back-to-school breakfast ideas
The bacon and egg frittata recipe was originally published in the September 2013 issue of "Parents" magazine. Credit: Melanie Acevedo
"I don't want green stuff in my eggs!" "Why does he get the red spoon?" "Don't put the berries on my waffle." With three kids under age 5, breakfast at Rosie Pope's home in New Jersey feels like a scene out of "Die Hard."
With her older son starting school this year, the star of Bravo's now canceled "Pregnant in Heels," acclaimed maternity fashion designer and author of "Mommy IQ: The Complete Guide to Pregnancy" (It Books; $19.99), wanted to whip her family's breakfasts into shape.
Rosie's biggest problem: She's a short-order cook every morning. "I've gotten into the habit of making three different breakfasts," she admits. "Because I'm rushing, they're not as nutritious as they could be."
In the September issue of Parents magazine, Pope's morning meals got a family-friendly revamp from its food editor, Jenna Helwig, who developed healthy recipes for the Pope family. Here are a few of the easy-to-prepare back-to-school breakfast recipes:
Bacon & Egg Frittata (makes 6 servings)
Even a frittata can be fast enough for weekdays, especially if you cook the bacon the night before.
ingredients
— 8 eggs
— 1/4 teaspoon salt
— 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
— 1/4 pound lower-sodium, lower-fat bacon, chopped
— 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in a nonstick, oven-safe skillet on medium until crisp. Remove a quarter of the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
3. Pour eggs over remaining bacon in skillet. Sprinkle evenly with chives. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved bacon. Bake for 2 to 3 minutes more or until set. Remove; let cool slightly. Cut into wedges to serve.
Blueberry Breakfast Bars (makes 12 bars)
Rosie's son Wellington preferred dunking these make-ahead bars in milk before gobbling them up.
Ingredients
— 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
— 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
— 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
— 1 1/4 cups regular rolled oats
— 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
— 1/2 teaspoon salt
— 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
— 1/2 cup butter, cubed
— 1 egg white, lightly beaten
— 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
— 1 10-oz. jar blueberry preserves
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper, making sure there's overhang to lift the baked bars out of the pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, brown sugar, oats, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using your hands or a pastry blender, rub the butter cubes into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to a small bowl and reserve.
3. Stir egg white into remaining mixture. Gently mix in berries. Pat mixture into prepared baking pan, using your fingers to press it evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Spread the preserves over crust. Sprinkle the reserved mixture evenly over preserves. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes more or until golden brown.
5. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Lift out bars on parchment; let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 12 pieces.
Overnight Oatmeal & Quinoa (makes 4 servings)
You can start cooking this fiber-rich breakfast the night before and then quickly reheat it on the stove in the morning.
Ingredients
— 3 cups water
— 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
— 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
— 1/4 teaspoon salt
— 1/4 cup maple syrup
— Toppings such as chopped apples, raspberries, nutmeg
Directions
1. The night before, mix water, quinoa, oats and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Remove saucepan from the heat, cover, and refrigerate the mixture overnight.
3. In the morning, reheat the cereal in the saucepan on the stove until warm. Add the maple syrup and top with the chopped apples, raspberries, and nutmeg.
For more of Rosie Pope's back-to-school breakfast ideas, visit parents.com.
Originally published in the September 2013 issue of "Parents" magazine.
