This was my 9-year old grandson’s breakfast this morning before a trip to Tennessee to visit his “other” grandparents. Poppy, the wine guy, was in the kitchen at 5 AM to make  these special pancakes using the apple crisp the kids made on Thursday.

You’ll find the apple crisp recipe here.

Pictured are three pancakes, a generous scoop of apple crisp topped with sugar-free applesauce and fat-free whipped cream. A teaspoon of no-sugar maple syrup garnishes the pancake layers.

Calories are in the neighborhood of 325 calories. Lose one pancake and save yourself 39 calories.

I ordered new egg shaped dishes for an upcoming Easter brunch. I threw together this egg scramble to pre-test the new dishes. Double cheese WOW is all I can say about this egg scramble. The cool egg dishes were found at Oriental Trading (of course, they are now sold out).

I used egg mate substitute because it’s low in calories and cholesterol. Plus, egg mates are packed with protein and potassium. A great way to start the morning.

I must admit there is no recipe. I just dug around in the veggie bins of my fridge and pulled out food items I thought would work. After my scavenger hunt, I ended up with the following ingredients. You can adjust to whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients

• Baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Egg Mate per serving, plus 1 teaspoon water
• Diced tomatoes
• Portabella mushroom, chopped
• Yellow bell pepper, diced
• Scallion, finely chopped
• Roasted red skin potatoes (chopped). I used leftover red skins from this Blimpy Girl recipe I prepared earlier in the week.
• 1 wedge Laughing Cow Swiss cheese (if you don’t want the double cheesiness, cut the wedge in half).
• Salt & pepper to taste

How To

In a microwaveable cup or egg dish add:

1 tablespoon chopped spinach,  pinch of scallions, 1 tablespoon roasted red skin potatoes, pinch of yellow pepper and 1 teaspoon diced tomatoes. Microwave for 45 seconds. Remove from microwave. Add 1/4 cup Egg Mate and Laughing Cow cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Return dish or cup to microwave and heat for an additional 45 seconds.

Tip: Spray cups/dishes with non-stick cooking spray before adding ingredients.

Here’s the scoop on calories. Surprisingly, this cheezie egg goodness is a mere 70 calories. If using one-half of the Laughing Cow cheese wedge, calorie intake is 50. For me, the extra cheese is a treat.

I added two Morning Star soy sausage links (on the side) to this egg scramble. Two links are 80 calories.

The first breakfast of 2012 was this Frittata. A frittata is an egg dish made mainly on the stove. I find them easier than making omelets, and an ideal dish for using up leftover veggies and meats. The wine guy cooked this frittata adding asparagus (left-over from our New Year’s eve dinner), crumbled bacon bits, grilled onion, scallions and cheddar cheese.

This is a popular dish in Italy and a frittata wedge is often taken to work for a lunchtime meal. The Italian word frittata is derived from the word fritto meaning ‘to fry”. Think of it as an open face omelette.

Since this dish is cooked on the stove top and then baked in the oven, you will need an oven-safe skillet (12 inch diameter is ideal).

Frittata can be served hot or cold. A wedge accompanied by a fresh salad, olives or hard crusted bread is a great lunch. A little vino and you are good to go. Freshly squeezed orange juice is my beverage of choice when serving frittata for breakfast.

Oh, let’s not forget frittatas can be made from egg substitutes or egg whites (add a pinch of turmeric to add yellow coloring). It won’t yield the same richness as real eggs, but using extra spices or strong-flavored fillings will round out the flavor.

A dessert frittata will also score big with friends and family. Mix in custard and fresh fruits, then top with powdered sugar or liqueur. Another idea is to use Gayla apples and white cheese. The variations are endless. Have fun. You really can’t go wrong.

Grab the Recipe

This is my last post for 2011 and certainly not a fat-free one. However, it’s my grand daughter’s favorite breakfast dish. I haven’t calculated the calories, but I assure you, it’s not on the Blimpy Girl daily eating plan. I consider it one of those “splurge” items during this holiday season. If you compare this to other breakfast foods, you’re still lower in calories than eggs and bacon.

I will definitely be back on track Januray 1, 2012. In fact, I’ve already made tomorrow’s lunch… Tuna Puffed Pastries.

This is an EZ breakfast dish. Cook a pancake (or two). Sprinkle the finished pancake with sugar and cinnamon. Roll the pancake and slice into bite-size pieces.

Did I mention that sprinkling powder sugar on top of the roll up is always a hit for the little ones? Miss Olivia certainly enjoyed her cinnamon roll-up this morning.