The best time to indulge is at the start of your day. Comfort food isn’t just for dinner time; fuel yourself with something warm and delicious. A well-rounded meal can keep you energized and focused all day long. Try out some of these great brunch items next weekend and see the difference yourself!
1. Fingerling Potato-Leek Hash with Eggs: You will need 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 cups sliced leek, 12 ounces fingerling potatoes cut in half lengthwise, 2 garlic cloves minced, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, pepper, 4 eggs, 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan. Add leek; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add potatoes and garlic; cook 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using a spoon, push potato mixture aside to make 4 egg-size spaces. Crack 1 egg into each space; sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon paprika over eggs. Cover and cook 3 minutes; sprinkle cheese over potato mixture. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until egg yolks are lightly set.
2. Oatmeal Pancakes: You will need 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup quick-cooking oats, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 cup nonfat buttermilk, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg, and cooking spray. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, butter, and egg in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Heat a nonstick griddle over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon about 2 1/2 tablespoons batter per pancake onto griddle. Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles; cook until bottoms are lightly browned.
3. Sausage Breakfast Rolls: You will need 1 (11oz) can refrigerated French bread dough, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 8oz reduced-fat pork sausage cooked and crumbled, 3/4 cup Gruyere cheese, and cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°. Find lengthwise seam in dough. Beginning at seam, gently unroll dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a and brush with butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Combine sage, salt, and sausage. Sprinkle sausage mixture evenly over dough; top with cheese. Starting with a long side, roll dough up; press seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut 1 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise slice from each end; discard. Slice roll crosswise into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) pieces; arrange in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
4. Eggs and Cheddar Grits: For the grits you will need 2.5 cups hot cooked grits, 3 tablespoons cheddar cheese, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper. For the eggs you will need cooking spray, 4 large eggs, 1/2 cup ice cubes, ground pepper, chives. To prepare grits, combine grits, cheddar, garlic powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl; keep warm. To prepare eggs, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Break 2 eggs in pan; cook 1 minute or until whites are set. Add 1/4 cup ice cubes to pan; cover and cook 2 minutes or until eggs are done. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 eggs and 1/4 cup ice. Serve eggs over grits. Garnish with black pepper and chives, if desired.
5. Mozzarella Omelet with Basil and Red Chile Flakes: You will need 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4 large eggs, 1 large egg white, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl, stirring gently with a whisk. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add half of egg mixture to pan, and spread evenly in pan. Cook the egg mixture until edges begin to set- about 1 minute. Slide front edge of spatula between edge of omelet and pan. Gently lift edge of omelet, tilting pan to allow some uncooked egg mixture to come in contact with pan. Repeat procedure on opposite edge of omelet. Continue cooking until center is just set- about 2 minutes. Sprinkle half of cheese evenly over half of omelet. Fold omelet in half. Carefully slide omelet onto a plate. Repeat the procedure with remaining oil, egg mixture, and cheese. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired. Serve immediately.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; not only does it give you energy, but it is also linked to many health benefits. A healthy breakfast gives you a more nutritionally complete diet, improved concentration and performance, more strength and endurance, lowers cholesterol levels and helps with weight control. Try some of these tasty meals and learn that the best time to indulge is in the morning!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Emory chapter.