Need something new for breakfast? Here is the secret to making pumpkin pancakes

The morning crush is on. The alarm did not go off, so what happens? Breakfast gets skipped. By 10 a.m. all thoughts are on food, even a crust of bread sounds good.

Nutritionists, doctors and, yes, mothers have said, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

Breakfast is not a favorite meal with some. They do not like eggs and certainly do not have time to prepare a meal.

Get a jump on the day with some healthy, tasty recipes that can be made in advance. A couple of hours of cooking and prep time can get the week off to a great start.

Healthy muffins or scones can be made one day and enjoyed for the week if properly refrigerated or stored in airtight containers. Eating Well magazine has been sharing breakfast ideas for years. The recipes are good for you and give you fiber and proteins to get through the morning slump.

Here are some ideas that make quick work of breakfast.

Apple cinnamon muffins make a good grab-and-go breakfast. Grab a bottle of juice or even a cup of coffee, and it is breakfast. From start to finish, these muffins take about 40 minutes, but only 20 minutes of active prep.

Want something that does not have to be cooked? How about peanut butter and cereal banana skewers? Simply stick half of a banana on a wooden skewer or frozen treat stick, cover with reduced-fat peanut butter and roll in a favorite cereal.

These take about 5 minutes to make and can be frozen for a cool treat on a warm day.

Another quickie is apple and peanut butter toast: 1 slice whole-grain bread, toasted; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; 1/4 cup sliced apple; and a pinch of cardamon for extra flavor. This easy meal is 294 calories, 10.6 grams protein, 21.1 grams carbohydrates and 4.1 grams fiber.

Of course, peanut butter and banana is a tasty standby and good for vegans or anyone. Try spreading low-fat peanut butter on both sides of an English muffin and topping with a half of banana, sliced, and a pinch of cinnamon. Cinnamon makes it better, and the spice is a healthy addition. Using the whole English muffin, calories are 344 and protein 10.6 grams and 8.6 grams of dietary fiber.

Take a Sunday night and make pumpkin pancakes made with whole grain. If properly packed in the refrigerator or in the freezer, the pancakes can be heated quickly in the microwave. Add some toasted pecans on top for added fiber. This would even make an easy dinner.

This recipe from Easting Well in 2014 suggests experimenting with different types of whole grains by replacing up to 1/2 cup of the whole-wheat flour with cornmeal, oats or buckwheat flour. Flaxseed or chia seeds can add extra fiber and omega-3s.

Pumpkin pancakes

1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk egg, buttermilk, pumpkin, pecans, oil. Sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients and whisk just until combined. Resist overmixing. It will make the pancakes tough.

Let the batter sit, without stirring for 10 to 15 minutes. As the batter rests, the baking powder forms bubbles that create fluffy pancakes and the gluten in the flour relaxes to make them more tender.

Coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray, heat over medium heat. Without stirring batter, measure out pancakes using about 1/4 cup batter per pancake and pour into the pan or griddle. Cook until the edges are dry, and you see bubbles on the surface, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter, coating the pan with cooking spray and reducing the heat as needed.

Make ahead tip: The mixture of dry ingredients can be refrigerated for up to 1 day; cooked pancakes can be frozen airtight, in a single layer, for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave. – From Eating Well Magazine, January/February 2014

Apple-cinnamon muffins

2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples, preferably Gala, Fuji or Honeycrisp

2 tablespoons white sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Coat with cooking spray.

Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

Whisk eggs, buttermilk, brown sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture; fold gently until just combined. Stir in butter until well incorporated. Fold in apples.

Scoop about 1/3 cup batter into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Bake until the muffins are puffed, and a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes. – From Eating Well July 2019

Andrea Yeager can be contacted at ayeager51@gmail.com/

This story was originally published August 29, 2021 at 12:00 AM.