Breakfast Bake To Go

I wake up before dawn to go to work which is really rough when the 4 year old doesn't fall asleep until 10 or I need to stay up late to get the kiddos set up for the next day. The later I can wake up and still make it to work on time is the best so I take my breakfast to work to save time and give myself some extra Z's!

Oatmeal in a Jar

Most people have heard of overnight oats by now and its quite popular but I actually don't like it. Instead, I put the oatmeal (quick oats) and any dry ingredients in a mason jar the night before. Just before I head out the door, add milk and any syrups. For me, it has the perfect texture this way!

High Protein Alternative

My coworker used to make this oatmeal every day. I have never tried it but she swore by it! She put oatmeal and spices in a jar but, instead of milk, she used egg whites. She said it tasted like an oatmeal muffin and it definitely smelled amazing!


Breakfast Bake in a Jar

My favorite innovation! On the weekend, I broil a bag of raw hash browns until lightly browned and cook any bacon or sausage I plan on putting in the breakfast bake. I prep five jars with some hash browns and breakfast meat (you could also add some sauteed veggies like leeks or spinach), after they have cooled, and put the jars in the fridge. Right before I head out the door, I scramble two or three eggs and pour them (still raw) into the mason jar. I add some cheese at this point too. At work, I microwave for 1.5 minutes and it tastes fantastic.
I was super skeptical about this but I noticed these breakfast cups in the grocery store and it sounded good on the label but the price was way too expensive. This is way cheaper and customizable for how much you like to eat in the morning.


On Morning Smoothies:
I love morning smoothies with some spinach in it but, since I am up so early, it would be mean to my family and neighbors if I made a smoothie at 5 am. It really frustrates me that smoothies are so frequently offered as a good breakfast alternative, or maybe my blender is just weirdly loud? But a good weekend smoothie is fantastic! My favorite blend is (using frozen fruit) strawberries, peaches, mango, and blueberries (and some spinach if I have some) with orange juice. I sometimes put it in a bowl with roasted coconut flakes and toasted old-fashioned oats (and a few chocolate chips) for a delicious smoothie bowl (healthier people would add more fresh fruit to it too).

Fan Girl-ing: Garlic Parmesan Chicken

We were in the grocery store, Sunday night, and I was desperately googling to find a quick, easy recipe that maybe possibly the kids would eat. Stumbled on an instant pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken recipe and decided to give it a shot. Fantastic!! For the original recipe, follow the link below:

https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-garlic-parmesan-chicken/

Recommendations:
- Use 1/2 cup extra half and half (at least) for extra sauce. The sauce is so good, it goes quick!
- Instead of noodles, I used baby potatoes (the pre-cleaned, steam in the bag variety). I made it with noodles another time, however, and it was amazing!
- Recommended veggies to go with: roasted asparagus, roasted broccoli, steamed artichoke hearts.