By Brandon McDearis

Summer is a great time of year to have people over for brunch. However, Sunday brunch doesn’t necessarily have to be an off day for your training diet. These two recipes are healthier alternatives to the traditional omelet and French toast that you often find on breakfast menus. The frittata is nothing more than just an open-faced omelet that originated in Italy. It could be an even leaner meal if some of the egg yolks and cheese were omitted from the recipe. The cinnamon raisin French toast offers a bit more nutritional value than other breads generally used to make French toast, and the vanilla soy milk is a healthy, yet flavorful substitute to cream or whole milk. I recommend serving both of these with a side of fresh fruit.

Frittata Ingredients:

  • 1 zucchini sliced
  • 1 squash sliced
  • ½ red pepper sliced
  • ½ yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups of fresh spinach
  • 1 tsp each of salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • lightly beaten eggs
  • ¼ cup mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

Saute the first 4 ingredients in the olive oil at medium heat for about 4-5 minutes or until soft in an oven-proof skillet. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute before folding in the spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and add the eggs to the vegetable mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir eggs until they begin to set, about 2 minutes. Put the pan in a 350 degree oven and bake for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese on top and then broil for 1 more minute or until lightly browned on top. This serves 8 and can be sliced into triangles like a pie. (Note: If you do not have an oven-proof skillet, then you can pour the sautéed vegetables and the egg mixture into a casserole dish that has either been greased with oil or sprayed with pan spray).

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast Ingredients:

  • 8 slices of cinnamon raisin bread
  • ½ cup of vanilla soy milk
  • 4 beaten eggs
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp butter

Preparation:

Whisk together the soy milk, eggs, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Meanwhile, heat up a nonstick pan to medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan while dropping the bread one slice at a time in the batter. Do not leave the bread in the batter for more than a few seconds before putting it in the pan. Do your best to control the heat so that the toast can lightly brown on both sides before being served.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Calories: 298 /  Fat: 14g / Saturated Fat: 2.5g /  Carbs: 22g / Fiber: 3g / Protein: 15g

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Brandon McDearis is a personal chef working in the Charlotte area. He currently owns and operates Your Way Cuisine, www.yourwaycuisine.com. In addition to his culinary training, Brandon also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in foods and nutrition, with a concentration in dietetics. He primarily focuses on healthy cooking and addressing specific dietary needs of everyone from professional and amateur athletes, to busy families and elderly people.