Quick, balanced recipes can refresh breakfast routine

For Starkville Daily News

Are you starting off your day with a bagel and a coffee ... again? It’s easy for a breakfast routine to quickly turn into a breakfast rut. People often sacrifice a well-rounded breakfast that helps fuel morning activities and stave off hunger for a quick breakfast loaded with refined carbohydrates and sugar.

The goal is to strike a balance: find quick and easy recipes that balance carbohydrates — derived from whole grains, fruits and vegetables — with a lean protein. One protein to consider for breakfast is turkey, which is available in a variety of breakfast-friendly and often gluten-free cuts, including links, bacon and ground. Jennie-O offers many quick and easy breakfast recipes on http://www.switchtoturkey.com [2] and jennieo.com. “It’s time for Americans to drop their soggy cereal, pudge-inducing pastries and boring granola,” says Barry Lynch of the Jennie-O Turkey Store. “The new year is a perfect time to start each day right with a convenient, protein-rich breakfast using turkey.”

Find recipes — including a breakfast burrito, breakfast pizza and sassy scrambled eggs with JENNIE-O turkey sausage links — as well as tips on safe handling instructions for turkey on the company’s website.

Breakfast Burrito

1 Package JENNIE-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast
1 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg and 1 egg white
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup wheat bran
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, drained
8 whole wheat MANNY’S tortillas
Directions: Put the ground turkey breast in a mixing bowl. Add onion and garlic powder, paprika, and pepper; mix thoroughly. Add egg, egg white, applesauce, and wheat bran; stir well. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat a large non-stick skillet to medium high and coat lightly with cooking spray.
Add the ground turkey mixture and stir to crumble and brown, 14 minutes. Always cook turkey to well-done, 165 degrees as measured by a meat thermometer.
Reduce heat to medium. Add bell peppers and saute with meat for 5 minutes, continuing to stir and break up the turkey into smaller pieces.
Drain the beans and add to the skillet. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Fill tortillas with mixture. Additional sides, if desired, light shredded cheddar cheese, CHI-CHI’s salsa, WHOLLY GUACAMOLE dip, lime juice, and cilantro. Serving suggestions - scrambled eggs or egg whites and fresh fruit.