School breakfast madness preparation is here!
You know, the time of year where you may have some awesome ideas to fill your kids with healthy, nourishing, balanced breakfasts each and every morning before they head off to school? You probably planned to set their outfits out the night before and pack a creative lunch. That morning, you had decided to get up early, get showered, (maybe even work out before that??), prepare breakfast, set the IPod to some relaxing, brain stimulating music, set the table and then sit with the kids for some meaningful conversation before you send them off.
And then reality sets in. For me, it started on the first day when my alarm didn’t go off.
I tried my best not to swear, since that was the opposite of what I was trying to do as this fresh, good mom. But as I looked at the time on my clock, I began to panic. Racing to the kids rooms to wake them up, I found them dressed and playing legos with each other on the floor.
Oh, okay.
Well, thank goodness THEY woke up. This could have been a total disaster! I threw on some clothes that I hoped were clean, forgoing my shower for a quick teeth brushing and face washing and raced down the stairs to get their first day of school breakfast ready.
Chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and strawberries was not too hard, or at least I thought. Isn’t it funny that food you might make often with no problems, always seems to NOT work when you REALLY, REALLY need it to work? That was the case this morning as pancakes were coming out slightly over-brown and bacon was splattering everywhere. Strawberries were rotten (crap! I just bought them!), but I subbed some sliced peaches instead.
Kids barely noticed, except to take time to say how good everything was.
Oh, okay.
Off to school with their creative lunches, that gosh darn it would not fit in their lunch bags. Seriously, why didn’t I test this before one. minute. to. leave.
Okay, sideways they will go, slightly shoved in. Kids were excited to go and kissed me goodbye, happily off to their first day.
Oh, okay.
Ahhhh….I see now. This is all ME. I am the one trying to go overboard here, and my kids can dress themselves, enjoy a little overcooked breakfast, and shake it off when their lunch doesn’t fit perfectly in their lunch bags.
Basically what I am learning here is the mornings do not need to be crazy. Keeping easy things on hand for breakfast, packing healthy lunches and encouraging the kids to be independent is the best thing I can do for them to have a good morning before they are off to school.
The kids love muffins and so do I. These are easy to make, packed with some healthy ingredients and absolutely delicious. Making a few huge batches and freezing these are a must to ensure easy breakfasts and little stress this day forward.
Happy Beginning of School!
Zucchini Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (canola oil may be subbed)
2 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups shredded zucchini, measured loosely
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and adjust baking rack to middle position. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non stick baking spray and set aside. Do not use liners. These muffins are so moist, they will stick to the liners. In a large bowl, mix together sugars and oil with a handheld mixer on low. Add in milk, extract and cinnamon. Mash banana in a separate bowl and add to the sugar mixture. Mix on medium until blended together. With mixer on low, slowly add in flour and baking powder and mix just until combined and no dry ingredients remain. Squeeze water out of zucchini with paper towels. Fold in zucchini with a spoon and stir until all incorporated. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for about 15 minutes or until set and not overcooked. Depending on the moisture level of your zucchini, this time could vary. Check at 10 minutes and every five minutes after that until set. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and carefully remove from muffin pan. Enjoy warm or let cool completely and freeze for another time.
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