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Banana-Mango Smoothie

Huevos Rancheros

Banana Pancakes

Mile-High Omelets

Vanilla-Bourbon French Toast

Shiitake, Spinach & Goat Cheese Scramble

Eggs in Purgatory

Spinach & Ham Quiche

Flaky Southern Biscuits

Steak & Eggs with Chimichurri

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WORST SMOOTHIE

Smoothie King's
The Hulk Strawberry
(40 oz)

1,928 calories

64 g fat (26 g saturated)

290 g carbs

Price: $8.99

Disaster in a glass. Well, not so much a glass as a trough of terror, a 40-ounce nightmare of cheap fats and refined carbohydrates that Hollywood stars turn to when looking to put on weight for a new role. This isn't the only frightening smoothie out there—both Smoothie King and Jamba Juice are guilty of selling milk shakes disguised as health food. It's just the most potent reminder that a blender and a bag of frozen fruit can mean big savings in the wallet and even more in the waistline.

Eat This Instead!

Banana-Mango Smoothie (Check out our recipe!)

300 calories

2 g fat (1 g saturated)

70 g carbs

Cost per serving: $2.25

Save! 1,628 calories and $6.74!

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WORST OMELET

IHOP’s
Big Steak Omelette

1,210 calories

81 g fat (27 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)

2,380 mg sodium

Price: $8.99

We consider omelets a recipe for morning glory: Protein-rich eggs offer the perfect base for nutritious stuffers like veggies and lean meats. But this breakfast blunder from IHOP is no omelet; it’s a mass of steak and cheese with a few eggs thrown in to hold it all together. And as if assaulting your arteries with an aggregate of animal fat wasn’t enough, IHOP also stuffs this egg envelope with fried potatoes and its signature splash of pancake batter. Unfortunately, the infamous pancake purveyor isn’t alone with this omelet offense. With few exceptions, big chains’ massive portions and high-fat fillers make the morning specialty a dish best served at home.

Eat This Instead!

Mile-High Omelet (Check out our recipe!)

280 calories

19 g fat (7 g saturated)

740 mg sodium

Cost per serving: $1.84

Save! 930 calories and $7.15!

WORST EGGS

Cheesecake Factory’s
Huevos Rancheros

1,160 calories

N/A g fat (26 g saturated)

1,545 mg sodium

Price: $9.95

English translation: country-style eggs. Cheesecake Factory translation: death by quesadillas. None of the chain’s dietary transgressions shock us at this point, but it takes major cojones to take one of Mexico’s most nutritious exports and turn it into a morning starter with more calories than half a dozen Taco Bell crunchy tacos. And how does the Factory pull off such a catastrophic calorie load? By replacing the dish’s traditional corn tortillas with cheese-crammed quesadillas, topping it off with globs of sour cream, and serving it up in a portion more fit for a last meal than a first meal. Dios mio!

Eat This Instead!

Huevos Rancheros (Check out our recipe!)

480 calories

15 g fat (3 g saturated)

680 mg sodium

Cost per serving: $1.77

Save! 680 calories and $8.18!

WORST PANCAKES

IHOP’s
Strawberry Banana Pancakes

(4 pancakes with butter and strawberry syrup)

900 calories

32 g fat (13 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)

71 g sugars

2,600 mg sodium

Price: $6.99

Pancakes. The name says it all: they’re dessert disguised as breakfast. But there’s good news: There are ways to satisfy your a.m. sweet tooth without foiling your get-fit plans. These plate-sized banana behemoths from IHOP just ain’t one of ’em. Besides the fruit, there’s just nothing nutritionally redeeming about these pitiful pancakes. All you have here is a boatload of empty carbs, a flood of syrupy strawberry sauce, a whipping of whipped cream, and, most astoundingly, more than one and a half days’ worth of sodium. A pancake is only as good as its ingredients, and ours are made with ricotta cheese, a bit of whole-wheat flour, and thick slices of fresh banana.

Eat This Instead!

Banana Pancakes (Check out our recipe!)

320 calories

5 g fat (1.5 g saturated)

320 mg sodium

Cost per serving: $1.49

Save! 580 calories and $5.50!

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WORST BREAKFAST

Cheesecake Factory’s
French Toast Napoleon

2,910 calories

N/A g fat (91 g saturated fat)

246 g carbs

Price: $11.95

True to its namesake, this sorry breakfast plate attempts to make up for its nutritional shortcomings by enticing diners with indulgent ingredients like cream-drenched bread, piles of pecans, and a snowstorm of powdered sugar. But behind all that overcompensation is a morning meal—otherwise known as the single worst breakfast in America—with more calories than three slices of the chain’s Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake.

Eat This Instead!

Vanilla-Bourbon French Toast (Check out our recipe!)

330 calories

8 g fat (3 g saturated)

44 g carbs

Cost per serving: $1.40

Save! 2,580 calories and $10.55!

Eggs have gotten a bad rap. No, the Egg Advisory Board hasn't put the screws on us; we just call it like we see it. Reams of research in recent years have shown that moderate consumption of eggs has no negative effect on cholesterol, and some studies have gone as far as arguing that egg consumption can actually boost good cholesterol. All of this is to confirm what we've been saying for years: There are few better ways to start your day than with an egg or two.

About choosing your style of egg...

To minimize calories, use a nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet coated with a few drops of olive oil.

Don't be scared! Bring 6 inches of water (plus a tablespoon of white vinegar) to a simmer. Crack the egg into a glass then slip it gently into the water. Cook until the white fully sets, about 2 minutes.

About choosing your protein...

Want perfect bacon every time? Bake in a 375°F oven for 15 minutes.

Regular pork sausage has no place on the breakfast menu (or any menu, for that matter). Chicken sausage is every bit as delicious for half the calories.

Canadian bacon packs about one-quarter the fat of regular pork bacon.

About choosing your produce...

Fresh baby spinach or wilted spinach are both excellent with fried or scrambled eggs.

About choosing your add-ons...

Bottled salsa is fine, or try our Pico de Gallo.

American or Swiss are your lightest options for sliced cheese. Otherwise, try a pinch of shredded cheese to keep the calories down.

Try mixing thick, creamy yogurt with hot sauce or pesto for a perfect breakfast condiment.

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The vessel and the toppings may change, but one thing remains constant: These savory breakfast sandwiches are a perfect start to your day.

TACO

Scrambled eggs + bacon + spinach

+ salsa + corn tortilla

WRAP

Scrambled eggs + chicken sausage

+ diced tomato + guacamole + whole-wheat wrap

MUFFIN

Poached egg + Canadian bacon + avocado

+ roasted peppers + hot sauce + English muffin

SANDWICH

Fried egg + ham + arugula + tomato

+ sriracha + yogurt + whole-grain bread

The Rules of the
Breakfast
Sandwich

Master the egg

The egg is the star and it deserves a bit of attention. If scrambling, use low heat and a constant stirring motion to create soft curds. If frying, cook the egg in olive oil over a steady medium flame just until the white sets.

Make it moist

Nobody wants a dry sandwich, and the same holds true in the morning hours. Salsa and hot sauce are the most obvious additions, but guacamole, pesto, chimichurri, and garlic- and herb-spiked yogurt all make incredible additions to the final package.

Pack on the produce

Most people think of breakfast sandwiches as meat-and-cheese affairs, but you should view them as the perfect opportunity to sneak some vegetation into your diet. Arugula adds a spicy kick, roasted peppers bring smoky sweetness, and avocado contributes fiber, healthy fat, and incredible richness to the table.

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Banana-Mango Smoothie

There’s something deeply rewarding about starting your day with a great smoothie. Not just because you know you’re doing your body a favor, but also because a well-made smoothie tastes like it should be bad for you—at turns sweet and smooth, creamy and tart. Know what’s especially comforting about this recipe? It doesn’t come loaded with added sugars and it doesn’t cost $7. Rejoice.

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You’ll Need:

1 ripe banana

¾ cup frozen mango pieces

½ cup orange juice

¼ cup Greek yogurt

How to Make It:

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, at least 30 seconds. If the smoothie is too thick (which depends on the size of the banana), add a few splashes of water and blend again.

Makes 1 serving

3 More Power Smoothies

THE CAFFEINATED BANANA

1 very ripe banana

½ cup strong coffee

½ cup milk

1 Tbsp peanut butter

1 Tbsp agave syrup

1 cup ice

THE BLUE MONSTER

1 cup frozen blueberries

½ cup pomegranate or blueberry juice

½ cup yogurt

3 or 4 cubes of ice

1 Tbsp flaxseed

PAPAYA BERRY

¾ cup frozen papaya

¾ cup frozen strawberries

½ cup milk

½ cup orange juice

1 Tbsp fresh mint

Per Serving:

$2.25

300 calories

2 g fat (1 g saturated)

70 g carbs

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Huevos Rancheros

This is the type of breakfast you want when you really need to deliver on the day. Not only are huevos rancheros one of the most delicious morning creations of all time, their balance of protein, fiber, and antioxidants is designed to keep you at the top of your game all day long, too.

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You’ll Need:

1 can (16 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, with juice

½ small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp chopped chipotle pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 1 lime

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 can (16 oz) black beans

Pinch of ground cumin

8 eggs

8 corn tortillas

How to Make It:

Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle, cilantro, and half of the lime juice in a food processor and pulse until well blended but still slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix the black beans, cumin, and remaining lime juice in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Use the back of a fork to lightly mash up the beans, adding a splash of warm water if necessary.

Coat a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Break the eggs into the skillet; cook until the whites have set but the yolks are still loose and runny.

On a separate burner, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the tortillas, 2 at a time; cook for 1 minute on each side, until lightly toasted.

To assemble the dish, spread the tortillas with the beans, top with the eggs, and top the eggs with the salsa. Garnish with more cilantro, if you like, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:

$1.77

480 calories

15 g fat (3 g saturated)

680 mg sodium

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Banana Pancakes

Using yogurt and cottage cheese in these pancakes does two things: It brings extra protein to the breakfast table, and it helps produce the lightest, moistest pancakes you’ve ever tasted. The addition of fresh slices of banana, which caramelize into golden-brown disks of sweetness once they hit the skillet, to the batter can never be a bad thing, but the secret here is in the batter recipe, which should become your go-to base for all pancakes moving forward.

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You’ll Need:

1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

3 eggs

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup white whole wheat flour (we like King Arthur’s)

½ tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

2 bananas, sliced

Warm maple syrup for serving

How to Make It:

Whisk together the yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and lemon juice in a bowl. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir just until blended.

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Coat with nonstick cooking spray and add batter in large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each). As soon as the batter hits the pan, add three or four banana slices directly to each pancake, gently pressing them into the batter. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the tops begin to bubble. Flip the pancakes and cook on the second sides for 3 minutes longer, until browned.

It will take a few batches to get through the batter, depending on the size of your skillet. You can keep the pancakes warm in a 200°F oven while you work through the batches. Serve with more sliced bananas and a drizzle of syrup.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:

$1.49

320 calories

5 g fat (1.5 g saturated)

54 g carbs

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Mile-High Omelets

The classic diner omelet is an oversize envelope of eggs soaked in cheap oil and bulging with fatty fillers. The damage, with toast and hash browns: about 1,400 calories and 70 grams of fat. Our ode to Denver doesn’t cut the cheese or the meat or even turn to Egg Beaters. No, this is just honest cooking with good ingredients in reasonable portions, exactly what an omelet should be.

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You’ll Need:

½ Tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking the omelets

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, diced

4 oz smoked ham, cubed or sliced into thin strips

Salt and black pepper to taste

8 eggs

2 Tbsp 2% milk

½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar

How to Make It:

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, mushrooms, and onions and cook for about 7 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned. Add the ham, cook for 1 minute more, then season with salt and pepper.

Combine the eggs and milk and whisk until fully blended. Season with a few pinches of salt.

Heat a small nonstick pan over medium heat. Swirl with just enough olive oil to coat. Ladle in one-quarter of the eggs and as soon as they begin to set, use a wooden spoon to scrape the egg from the bottom, working from one side of the pan to the other (like you were scrambling eggs). Stop scraping just before the egg is fully cooked, then spread one-quarter of the cheese and one-quarter of the vegetable mixture across the omelet. Use a spatula to carefully fold the egg over on itself. Slide the omelet out onto a warm plate. Repeat to make 4 omelets.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:

$1.84

280 calories

19 g fat (7 g saturated)

740 mg sodium

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Vanilla-Bourbon French Toast

In France, French toast is called pain perdu—“lost bread,” a nod to the fact that the dish works best with stale bread. More importantly, pain perdu isn’t served at breakfast, but rather as a dessert, a reminder that this dish is traditionally soaked in sugar and cream. This version forgoes cream for milk, and a deluge of sugar for vanilla and a slug of bourbon. It’s still a pretty decadent way to start your day, but at least you won’t need a nap afterward.

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Sliced bananas, either raw or caramelized in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes

Raw strawberries with powdered sugar

Blueberries cooked for 15 minutes with a spoonful of water and sugar

You’ll Need:

4 eggs

1½ cups 2% milk

¼ cup bourbon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp sugar

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1 loaf day-old country bread, preferably whole wheat, cut into 8 slices

Butter for the pan

Maple or agave syrup for serving

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 225°F.

Combine the eggs, milk, bourbon, vanilla, sugar, and nutmeg in a shallow baking dish and whisk to combine. Soak each slice of bread for 30 seconds, turning once, before cooking.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat. Melt a small pat of butter in the pan, enough to coat the surface. Add 2 to 4 slices of the soaked bread and cook for about 3 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms. Flip the bread and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch. Keep the cooked French toast in the oven while you work through the rest of the batch.

Serve with warm syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar, if you like.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:

$1.40

330 calories

8 g fat (3 g saturated)

44 g carbs

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Shiitake, Spinach & Goat Cheese Scramble

Skillfully scrambled eggs are a joy on their own, but by taking the next step and folding in a few supporting players, you accomplish two goals: First, you make a simple breakfast suddenly taste and feel like something special. But also, most additions you can introduce to a sauté pan will further boost the nutritional profile of the heroic egg. For soft, extra-creamy scrambled eggs, make sure to turn the heat down and stir the eggs constantly.

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Asparagus, feta, and cherry tomatoes

Baby shrimp, garlic, and scallions

Chicken sausage, mushrooms, scallions, and sharp Cheddar

You’ll Need:

1½ Tbsp butter

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed

Salt and black pepper to taste

8 eggs

2 Tbsp 2% milk

½ cup fresh goat cheese

How to Make It:

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. When bubbling, add the shiitakes and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove and reserve on a plate.

In the same pan, sauté the spinach until heated all the way through. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a colander and squeeze out any excess water.

Combine the eggs and the milk in a large bowl. Season with salt and whisk thoroughly. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon butter to the pan, turn the heat to low, and add the eggs. Use a wooden spoon to stir the eggs constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan to create small, delicate curds. Continue stirring in this manner for about 5 minutes, until the eggs are still very soft and loose. Add the mushrooms, spinach, and goat cheese and cook for about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with black pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:

$1.98

240 calories

17 g fat (5 g saturated)

640 mg sodium

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Eggs in Purgatory

It was a long night, and you feel every last drop of it when your feet hit the floor the next morning. Your head is pounding, your stomach is stirring, your body needs nourishment. Not a pile of greasy potatoes, but real food: protein, good carbs, a bit of healthy fat. But not just nutrients—flavors, too: spicy, sweet, creamy, salty. That’s where these eggs come into play. They offer layers of intense flavors built around some of the healthiest ingredients in the pantry (tomatoes, garlic, whole grains). We like to call this our Hangover Helper.

You’ll Need:

½ cup farro or barley*

½ Tbsp olive oil

2 oz pancetta or bacon, diced

½ medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

Salt and black pepper to taste

8 eggs

* Farro, an Italian grain loaded with fiber, also goes by the name emmer. Barley or even brown rice make fine substitutes.

How to Make It:

Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the farro or barley and cook for about 20 minutes, until just tender. Drain.

While the grains cook, heat the olive oil in the largest cast-iron skillet or sauté pan you have. Cook the pancetta until lightly browned, then add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onions are softened. Stir in the tomatoes and the farro or barley and simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Season with salt and black pepper.

Use the back of a large serving spoon to make 8 small wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well. Cook over low heat for about 7 minutes, until the whites set but the yolks are still runny. You can use your fork to break up the whites so they cook more quickly.

Serve with whole-wheat toast for scooping up the sauce.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:

$1.68

360 calories

17 g fat (5 g saturated)

680 mg sodium

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Spinach & Ham Quiche

The quiche is the ultimate culinary chameleon, not just because it can be made with dozens of different flavor combinations, but also because it’s as good for breakfast with a cup of coffee as it is for dinner with a glass of red wine. Or split the difference: Make this for Sunday night’s dinner and then take a wedge with you to work on Monday; it makes for a fine desk-side lunch.

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Artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese

Shredded rotisserie chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and asparagus

Diced Spanish chorizo, roasted red pepper, ricotta cheese

You'll Need:

1 frozen pie shell, thawed and pricked with a fork

½ Tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

½ bunch spinach, washed, dried, and stemmed

2 oz smoked ham, cut into ¼-inch cubes

½ cup shredded Swiss cheese, such as Gruyère

4 eggs

¾ cup milk

¼ cup half-and-half

½ tsp salt

Pinch of nutmeg

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. When hot, place the pie shell on the middle rack and bake for about 8 minutes, until lightly toasted, but not browned.

While the oven heats and the shell bakes, heat the olive oil in large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then add the spinach. Cook for 5 minutes, until the spinach is fully wilted. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ham, cheese, eggs, milk, half-and-half, and spinach, squeezing the spinach thoroughly before adding to purge any excess water. Season with salt and a pinch of nutmeg.

Pour the egg mixture into the warm pastry shell. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the quiche has browned lightly on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 6 servings

Per Serving:

$1.21

260 calories

15 g fat (6 g saturated)

550 mg sodium

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Flaky Southern Biscuits

Truth be told, a low-calorie biscuit is no easy feat. You can make one with yogurt or some funky butter substitute instead of the real thing, but you’ll know something is amiss the second you bite down. Where’s the flakiness? Where’s the comfort? To keep the biscuit as healthy as possible while still producing a genuine, flaky, Southern-style treasure, we’ve cut out the shortening (trans fats are so 1990s), showed some restraint with the butter, and used low-fat buttermilk to bring moisture and tang to the mix.

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Scrambled egg with scallion and sharp Cheddar, topped with salsa

Orange marmalade and smoked ham

Grilled chicken drizzled with honey and hot sauce

You’ll Need:

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 Tbsp cold butter

4 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

How to Make It:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Combine the flour, butter, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large mixing bowl. Use your fingers to break up the butter, mashing it into the flour to create little pebbles. When the flour and butter have been combined, make a well in the center of the mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Use a fork to gently bring the dough together.

Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and pat it out into a square. Gently fold the dough onto itself four or five times (this action helps create tall, delicate biscuits), then roll it out to form a 1"-thick circle. Use a round cookie cutter (or even a drinking glass) to cut out the biscuits. (You should get about 6 from the original circle.) Re-form another circle and repeat. You should have about 10 biscuits in total.

Arrange the biscuits on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Bake on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Makes 10 biscuits

Per Serving:

$0.19

140 calories

5 g fat (3 g saturated)

370 mg sodium

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Steak & Eggs

with Chimichurri

There’s nothing subtle about the commingling of seared steak and egg yolk in the morning. You know you’re in for something serious even before it hits the table. Amazingly enough, though, this is a near-perfect nutritional start to your day, loaded with protein, healthy fat, and even a bit of fiber. This meal works as well at 11:30 a.m., as a cure for a hangover or post-workout hunger pangs, as it does at 8 p.m., as a remedy for a long day at work.

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You’ll Need:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb flank or skirt steak

Salt and black pepper to taste

4 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise

4 eggs

Chimichurri

How to Make It:

Heat ½ tablespoon of the olive oil in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat. Season the steak all over with salt and pepper. Cook, turning the steak every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes total, until fully browned on the outside and firm but fully yielding to the touch. Remove to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

While the steak rests, place the tomatoes cut-side down in the same pan and cook for about 2 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly blackened.

Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick pan. Working in batches, crack the eggs into the pan and fry until sunny-side up, the whites just set and the yolks still loose. Season with salt and black pepper.

Slice the steak against the natural grain of the meat. Divide among 4 warm plates with the eggs and tomatoes. Spoon chimichurri liberally over the steak and eggs.

Makes 4 servings

Per Serving:

$3.30

400 calories

23 g fat (5 g saturated)

660 mg sodium