FEBRUARY 1999

Smart Starts:
Breakfast Adventures For Kids

Cinnamon-Apple Breakfast Quesadilla
Breakfast Soft Taco
Satellite Stack-Ups
Banana Rockets
Berry Good Wafflewich
Town Square Open-Faced Sandwiches

The old adage that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" is true. Research substantiates that it is the one meal children should not go with out. A nutritious breakfast from the five food groups can provide children with about one-fourth of their daily needs. Among children who do not eat breakfast:

• One-third do not meet their daily protein requirement; and,
• 75% do not meet calcium recommendations.

Not only does breakfast supply your kids with needed nutrients to give them energy and help them grow, but breakfast can even boost their "brain power" to succeed in school. Studies show that kids who eat breakfast concentrate better, work faster, make fewer mistakes, are more creative and even score higher on tests!

So make sure your kids get a "smart start" everyday with a nutritious morning meal by offering breakfasts from these fun breakfast adventures. On days your kids can't eat breakfast at home, look into breakfast at school. Many schools now offer a School Breakfast Program.

Cinnamon-Apple
Breakfast Quesadilla
One Serving

2 (6 inch) flour tortillas
½ cup chunky applesauce, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar, divided
¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons vanilla yogurt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400º F degrees.
2. Place one tortilla on ungreased baking sheet. Spread half applesauce over tortilla; reserve half for garnish. Sprinkle half of cinnamon-sugar on applesauce. Top with cheese and second tortilla. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.
3. Bake at 400º F for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes.
4. Cut into quarters and serve with reserved applesauce and vanilla yogurt.

Breakfast Soft Taco
One serving

1 strip bacon, cooked crisp and drained
1 egg beaten
1 oz. (¼ cup) shredded American or Cheddar cheese
1 flour tortilla (7 or 8-inch), warmed
Salsa or chopped tomato, onion, bell peppers

1. Crumble bacon and add to egg. Scramble egg in small skillet over low heat until cooked.
2. Spoon cooked egg over warmed tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up and serve with choice of salsa, or chopped vegetables.

return to top

Satellite Stack-Ups
One serving

3 frozen cooked pancakes
1 slice (1 oz.) lowfat turkey ham
1 slice Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling

1. Heat frozen pancakes in toaster.
2. Place one heated pancake on microwaveable serving plate. Top with turkey ham. Top with a second pancake. Put cheese on second pancake. Top with third pancake.
3. Open pie filling. Put ½ cup of pie filling on top of third pancake. (Refrigerate and save remaining pie filling for another day.)
4. Put plate of pancakes in microwave. Heat at HIGH for 1 minute. Remove carefully from the microwave (use hot pads). Let stand a minute before eating.

Banana Rockets
4 servings

½ cup vanilla or plain yogurt
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups banana-flavored wheat and oat flake cereal, crushed to 1 cup or 1 cup lowfat granola
4 small bananas

1. Combine yogurt, peanut butter and sugar in a small bowl.
2. Cut four large squares of plastic wrap. Put ¼ cup cereal on each square.
3. Peel bananas. Insert popsickle stick in one end of each banana. Spread each banana with yogurt mixture and lay on cereal; turn to coat evenly and wrap each banana in the plastic wrap square. Twist ends to hold. Freeze or refrigerate until ready to eat.

return to top

Berry Good Wafflewich
One Serving

2 (4-inch) waffles, toasted
1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
1 to 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves or jelly
1 tablespoon granola (optional)

1. Spread one waffle with half of the cream cheese; top with preserves and granola.
2. Spread second waffle with remaining cream cheese; close sandwich.
3. With sharp serrated knife, cut into quarters to serve.

Town Square
Open-Faced Sandwiches
4 Serving

4 slices whole wheat or oatmeal bread, toasted
8 teaspoons peach or strawberry preserves or applesauce
2 slices turkey ham, cut in half
1 can (8 oz.) pineapple slices in juice, drained (4 slices)
4 slices (¾ oz. each) Monterey Jack cheese
Maple flavored syrup or fruit preserves

1. Preheat oven to 400º F. Butter a rack and set in a jelly-roll pan.
2. Spread each slice of toasted bread with 2 teaspoons preserves. Top each slice with ½ slice turkey ham, a slice of pineapple and a slice of cheese.
3. Bake at  400º F for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
   Serve with syrup or preserves.

Published with the permission of the National Dairy Council in Rosemont, Illinois.

Return to the recipe list