Kara's Sights & Bites: ‘Grab and go’ breakfasts needed for morning rush hour

By Kara Kimbrough

   Whether you’re getting kids off to school, hurrying out the door to work or simply not in the mood to spend a lot of time cooking in the morning, finding easy-to-make, grab-and-go breakfast items are an ongoing dilemma for many. Don't get me wrong, a stack of fluffy pancakes or crispy waffles covered in maple syrup or homemade biscuits served with bacon or sausage sound appealing. But who actually has the time – or energy – to make a hearty morning meal on a regular basis?

   Instead, try these quick and easy (but still delicious) breakfast items that can be made the night before, wrapped and refrigerated and grabbed on the way out the door. If you’re like me, drinking coffee and eating breakfast during my morning commute is about the only way to insure I’ll get any nourishment in the morning. Making sure everything is easy to pick up and here’s the important part – can be eaten without causing a mess while traveling - is a basic requirement of my early morning meals.

    Here are three of my favorite breakfast items, with the first doubling as an afternoon snack or simple dessert when needed.

Favorite Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

5 tablespoons butter, melted, divided

½ cup white sugar

1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 medium apple - peeled, cored, and minced

2 (17.5 ounce) cans refrigerated cinnamon roll dough with icing

½ cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the inside of a fluted Bundt pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Combine 1/4 cup of the spiced sugar mixture with minced apples and stir until coated.

   Separate cinnamon roll dough rounds and cut into quarters. Set aside the icing. Spoon 1/2 of the apple mixture and 1/2 of the walnuts into the bottom of the prepared pan. Roll 1/2 of the cinnamon roll quarters in the remaining spiced sugar and place on top of the apples and walnuts. Spoon 1/2 of the remaining butter over dough. Repeat with remaining apples, walnuts, dough, and butter.

   Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate. Cool for 5 more minutes before coating with icing. Slice and serve.

Miniature Egg and Spinach Muffins

6 large eggs

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped (can substitute chopped ham or bacon)

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

     Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and garlic powder until well combined.

    Fold in the chopped spinach (and protein, if using) and crumbled feta cheese, mixing until well distributed. Pour the egg mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 full.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the muffins are set and lightly golden on top.

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

For the apples:

1 medium apple, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or sugar-free maple syrup

For the oats:

1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, or milk of your choice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ tablespoon pure maple syrup, or sugar-free maple syrup

1 cup old fashioned oats, or gluten-free oats

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, for topping

For the apples:

     Add the apples, cinnamon and maple syrup to small sauce pan over low heat. Mix to combine then cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender.

     Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the apples and excess liquid evaporates. Remove from the heat and set aside while you make the oats.

For the oats:

In a small bowl, add the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup. Add the oats and mix to combine. Pour into Mason jars or a large airtight container. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at [email protected].