Breakfast has been so hectic here these days. Seriously – we're talking tears because there was too much cream cheese on a piece of toast, tantrums because there are no more strawberry yogurts, outrage at the mere mention of cereal with milk. And when my pancake-loving kids both told me that they didn't want pancakes, I knew we had a big problem. For many months, I've been making pancake batter at night and having it on the ready in a tupperware in my fridge to make quickly for breakfast. We are all pancake lovers here; how awesome is it to have pancakes on a weekday and not have to wait until the weekend? My kids don't even know how good they've had it.
We're all tired and this long winter is making us all cranky. Lately the back and forth about breakfast has added stress to all of our mornings and whatever my kids end up eating is usually packed inside of a paper towel and becomes part of the morning commute.

So yesterday I took matters into my own hands and made these Egg Nibbles.

They're eggs with avocado, spinach, garlic and chick peas, baked into mini muffin cups. That's what I had quickly on hand. They're a perfect travel breakfast and what's more, they're loaded with nutrition and all of the right stuff to get the day off to a great start. But the honest truth is, my kids didn't like them. My daughter gave the sideways thumb (which means she didn't hate them but she wouldn't ask for them either) and my son said he doesn't like to eat things with avocado. True story.
So why bother writing about it? Well, these things were yummy. And maybe your kids will like them even though mine didn't? My husband and I have been happily popping them for breakfast for the last 2 days. I am planning to play around with the ingredients here... I'd bet there's some winning formula for Egg Nibbles that my kids will both enjoy. And in the meantime, I'll happily take suggestions.

Egg Nibbles:
6 eggs
1 cup raw, chopped spinach
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup chick peas, chopped
1 avocado, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, scramble eggs. Add pieces of avocado and put aside. Saute spinach, garlic and chick peas together in a pan on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes and then add to eggs and avocado. Mix well. Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners. Pour egg mixture into each cup. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Makes about 24 Egg Nibbles.

Oatmeal with Peeled Snacks Cinnamon Crunch

We're in an oatmeal phase chez moi. Specifically we are digging quick cooking rolled oats and we like it dry and lumpy as opposed to smooth and creamy (I realize that some folks think this is nuts.) I use just enough water to cover the oats, stir twice and it cooks in minutes. I'm so happy about this phase because making just one breakfast makes mornings a tad easier. Everyone eats the same thing with minor differences: My husband and I like it with cinnamon and nutmeg, my daughter likes it with a splash of agave and fresh apple slices; my son likes it with a dash of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of maple syrup and fruit on the side. He gets particularly excited to pour his own cinnamon. It's heart health month and according to health magazine, oatmeal is one of the top ten best foods for a healthy heart and is said to lower LDL cholesterol. Besides that, it's loaded omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, potassium and folate. An awesome way to start the day.

This morning I went a little off the beaten path. I stirred a handful of Peeled Snacks Cinnamon Crunch into the oatmeal (after it had finished cooking) and reserved a few to adorn the top. Cinnamon Crunch is one of the three Apple Clusters snacks that Peeled Snacks describes as "diced organic apple pieces, rolled into tasty clusters for a new crunchy snack bursting with natural flavor." Great texture without refined sugar and a fun, non-traditional addition to our morning. My son, initially outraged that there was no maple syrup on his oatmeal, quickly became excited by this crunchy addition to his breakfast.

Egg Nibbles - Quick Breakfast for On-The-Go Families

Off-Label Breakfast Usage