Diet Detective’s 15 Five-Minute Quick and Healthy Breakfasts

by Charles Platkin, PhD

Batter Blaster Ready to Cook Pancake and Waffle Batter Organic Whole Wheat with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon

I love this new food product. It’s really fantastic, especially if you have kids. What is it? You simply shake and then turn the can upside down and point the nozzle at the heated pan — and presto, you have healthy pancakes (or waffles). Think of a whipped cream container. The great thing about this very quick breakfast is that the main ingredient is organic whole-wheat flour. Also, for a supermarket product, it has a very clean label (with words you can pronounce). Look at these ingredients: filtered water, organic whole-wheat pastry flour (unbleached), organic wheat flour (unbleached), organic dark brown sugar, organic cane sugar, organic eggs, sea salt, organic cinnamon, organic rice bran extract, propellant. And even better, the pancakes are fun to make and have just 90 calories per serving.

Good Food Made Simple Egg White Patties

Another great product. I toasted a piece of Ezekiel bread which is 80 calories, and topped it with this perfectly round egg white, which is only 35 calories — wow. The patties come six to a package, are 100 percent natural (made only with real eggs, salt and cornstarch), and they taste great ­ not rubbery at all. Just put a flash-frozen patty in the microwave for 90 seconds and sprinkle with a bit of black pepper if you like — talk about quick, healthy breakfasts! And, no, they didn’t pay me to write this — try them yourself.

Good Food Made Simple Organic Steel Cut Oats

These 100 percent whole-grain, steel-cut oats are slowly kettle-cooked with filtered water and salt, and flash-frozen. There are two 150-calorie servings per package. The oatmeal is just water, steel-cut oats and salt for the unsweetened, with berries or maple syrup or brown sugar added, depending on the variety.

Scrambled Egg Whites using All Whites

Use liquid egg whites. They’re a bit more expensive than eggs, but if you want quick, this is it. About 1/2 a cup, which equals three egg whites, has only 60 calories and 12 grams of protein. Use a 12-inch pan if you have one. The larger the heated surface, the quicker the cooking process. Coat the pan with cooking spray, heat it up and simply pour in the 1/2 cup of liquid whites.

Dunkin’ Donuts Egg White Turkey Sausage and Cheese Wake-Up Wrap

Running in to Dunkin’ Donuts and grabbing an egg white wrap and a flavored iced coffee can be a seriously tasty breakfast. The wrap is only 150 calories and has 11 grams of protein. Not a bad way to start the day. The only issue is the sodium, which is 400 mg.

McDonald’s Fruit and Maple Oatmeal without Brown Sugar

Yeah, McDonald’s keeps adding healthy items to its menu. This dish is made with nothing more than oatmeal, cranberry-raisin blend, diced apples and light cream — not bad. It’s only 260 calories for a 9.2-ounce serving, and it tastes good, too. McDonald’s coffee is also good, by the way.

Starbucks Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon with Egg Whites on Wheat English Muffin

This works best if you’re already on line waiting for your morning cup of java, because, yes, the lines can be long, and there are always first-timers trying to navigate their way through the menu ­which can make the wait even longer. The sandwich is delicious; however, it will cost you 320 calories. Also, you can look for their Perfect Oatmeal Plain, which is only 140 calories, plus another 100 if you add the fruit topping. Finally, the Starbucks Egg White, Spinach & Feta Wrap is only 280 calories and is basically a wheat wrap filled with egg whites, spinach, feta cheese and tomatoes. Nice work, Starbucks.

Subway Breakfast B.M.T.

Subway tries very hard to offer healthier options; they’ve made it their cause. This breakfast sandwich has egg whites, Black Forest ham, salami and spicy pepperoni along with melted cheese, and the whole thing has only 210 calories.

Smart Ones Breakfast Quesadilla

This breakfast quesadilla has egg whites, cheese, vegetables and turkey bacon and is only 230 calories with 7 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein.

Amy’s Mexican Tofu Scramble

Amy’s is a really great company, and there really is an Amy. The products are well formulated, including this frozen organic tofu scrambled with vegetables, topped with salsa and grated Cheddar cheese, and wrapped in a mini organic tortilla with refried black beans on the side. Just stick it in the microwave for a few minutes and you’re all set. A 9-ounce serving has 400 calories with 680 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of fiber and a whopping 20 grams of protein (which will surely keep you full).

Amy’s Breakfast Burrito

This frozen breakfast is also very tasty. It has organic potatoes, tofu, black beans, vegetables and salsa wrapped in an organic flour tortilla. A 6-ounce serving has 270 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein. Microwave for about 3 minutes.

Jamba Juice Banana Berry Smoothie

Smoothies can be high in calories if you have them simply as a drink, but as a breakfast, well, that’s a different story. This filling, 16-ounce smoothie is made with nothing but fruit and yogurt and has only 270 calories.

Van’s Wholegrain Waffles with a Touch of Berry Goodness

A whole-grain waffle can be a tasty way to start the morning. Two of these have only 190 calories and 6 grams of fiber.

Deep Chocolate VitaMuffins

These muffins are by Vitalicious. A 4-ounce muffin has only 200 calories with 12 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. The taste is off the charts.

Yogurt

It’s packed with lean protein (nearly 30 percent of the recommended daily values), which is a strong sustainable energy source known to help keep you fuller longer. In fact, a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that eating protein in the morning affects feelings of fullness throughout the day.

Additionally, yogurt has 25 percent to 40 percent of your recommended daily values for calcium, which helps build strong bones. Finally, yogurt has less than half as much lactose as milk, and since the probiotic cultures also help with the digestion of lactose, yogurt also provides a milk alternative for those who are lactose intolerant.

  • Chobani All Natural Non-Fat Greek Yogurt – Strawberry, Fruit on the Bottom, 140 calories, 14 g protein.
  • Dannon Light & Fit Nonfat, 80 calories.
  • Stonyfield Farms Strawberry organic super smoothie, 140 calories.
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