I am a very lucky woman. My husband works extremely hard so that I am able to stay home with our son. He has to get up at 4:45 in the morning and isn't home until after 6:00. Not only does he work hard and long hours, but he has to commute on top of it. Grateful and appreciative don't begin to describe how much I respect and admire the lengths he goes to to provide for our family. That being said, as much as I appreciate and love him, I am NOT up at 4:45 preparing him a hot, nutritious meal to eat before he starts his day. Not that I don't want to, it's just, well, that's a little early for me to play super wife. That left me with a dilemma. I know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is why I never fail to make my son and I a homemade, healthy meal every single morning. Here we are enjoying hot steel cut oatmeal, omelets, pancakes, and green smoothies while hubby is left with a banana.
For all that he does for us, didn't he deserve a little more to start his day? I thought so and so I started experimenting. He loves breakfast burritos, but I wasn't about to buy him some fat laden, preservative filled frozen ones. And so began the quest to make the perfect breakfast burrito. It had to be healthy, portable, and quick for him to heat in the morning. I was a little worried about how the eggs and filling would hold up after being frozen and then microwaved but hubby says they are delicious!!
Breakfast Burritos
1 package bulk chicken, turkey, or pork breakfast sausage
10 eggs ( I use 7 eggs and 3 egg whites)
2 C breakfast potatoes ( I have made my own and used Ore Ida O'brien frozen potatoes- both are great, just depends on how much time I have and how motivated I am feeling...)
shredded cheese ( I use cheddar and pepperjack)
salsa
Sriracha hot sauce ( or your favorite)
burrito size tortillas, flour or whole wheat
Cook sausage on medium-high until no longer pink and cooked through.
Scramble eggs in a large bowl, add salt and pepper and as much Sriracha as you like- I use about 3 T. Cook until desired doneness is achieved.
In another pan, cook breakfast potatoes until golden and crispy. If making your own, add bell peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
While potatoes are cooking, shred cheeses. Set aside.
Combine sausage, eggs, and potatoes together in large bowl. Allow to cool completely in the fridge before assembling burritos.
Start with one tortilla at a time. Add about 1/3 c sausage filling in lower half of tortilla. Add 1 T salsa and top with cheese. Fold burrito style and continue making burritos until you are done. I can usually get 12-16 burritos from these ingredients.
Freeze burritos on a cookie sheet or plates until frozen. Then individually wrap in foil and place in Ziploc bags.
When ready to eat, remove foil and place a damp paper towel over burrito. Hubby says they are perfectly cooked at 2 min on high in the microwave , but it may vary.
Wrap bottom half back in foil and enjoy!!!!
Ahh, pancakes. The long standing breakfast staple. There is no substitute for warm, fluffy pancakes to start a Saturday morning, at least not at my house. My son and husband are nuts about pancakes, but I was less than thrilled with the recipes I had tried. Not that every single thing we eat has to be uber healthy, but it does have to have some nutritional value or I won't allow it on our table. The recipes I had experimented with that met my nutritional standards didn't pass my hubby's taste test- so now what?
I started with the basic pancake recipe that my husband loved. Then I subbed out half of the white flour for whole wheat, added some buttermilk, and finally a little flax to up the fiber content, protein, and add a ton of omega 3's. The end result satisfied all the critics in our house. Hubby and son were happy because the pancakes were fluffy and tasted great. I was content knowing that they were consuming a healthier version of their favorite breakfast meal. A few additions and a couple changes was all it took to create a healthier version of an old favorite. It wasn't difficult and it didn't mean we had to sacrifice on taste either. We've been eating these healthy, delicious pancakes for some time now, and hubby doesn't seem to miss the old ones at all!
So, what's all the fuss about these pancakes?
Whole Wheat- referred to as the staff of life, wheat is the best known, most cultivated and consumed grain on the planet. Eating wheat in its whole, unrefined state has many health benefits including cancer prevention and heart health, offering protection from cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Eating whole grains contribute to a healthy weight and have been shown to reduce high cholesterol. Whole wheat contains fiber, protein and a multitude of vitamins, including iron, zinc, magnesium, riboflavin, thiamine and an excellent source of B vitamins.
Flax- flax has been cultivated and used for centuries. It has been shown to fight everthing from cancer to diabetes to heart disease. It is one of the richest sources of plant based omega 3 fatty acids. It contains lignans, which are plant estrogens and offers powerful antioxidants. Flax seed has 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods. Flax is a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber.
* Our bodies cannot break down flaxseed in its whole form. It is digested most effectively when ground. Ground flax seed is virtually tasteless, making it a great addition to anything from smoothies to baked goods- like these pancakes. I add flax to our daily smoothie and to many other recipes, even unlikely ones, such as casseroles and chili!
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Flax Pancakes
3/4 c unbleached, all purpose flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
3 T sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/4 c ground flax seed
1 1/2 c buttermilk
1 T vegetable oil (optional)
1 egg
1 egg white
Sift flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl. Add flax and whisk until combined.
In another bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs and oil. Mix until blended.
Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and whisk just until combined.
Heat griddle over medium heat. Melt a little butter on pan or spray griddle with oil. Add about 1/3 cup of pancake mixture. Cook for a couple minutes or until bubbles form on top. Flip and cook for a few more minutes until golden.
Serve warm with your favorite pancake toppings. My husband and son love theirs with peanut butter and maple syrup. For me, it's pure maple syrup and nothing else.
These freeze incredibly well, so they are great for rushed mornings when you need to pop something in the toaster and go. After cooking, allow pancakes to cool completely and then lay on a cookie sheet. Freeze for half an hour, place into Ziploc bags and freeze up to 3 months.
