Grab-and-go Breakfast

[dovely]

I'm planning to start my Whole30 on Monday, and am currently planning meals in preparation for a monster trip to the grocery store. I realize it's not optimal to eat at the desk, but the following things are absolutely impossible to change about my mornings:

1- I wake at 5 am and must leave at 5:30 to get on public transit. If I'm 45 seconds late, I miss the bus.

2- Why don't I get up earlier and cook something nutritious? Because I have a roommate who will not appreciate 4:30 am cooking sessions. (And because, isn't a 5 am wake time torture enough?)

3- When I get to work, I will have access to a fridge, a microwave, and a coffee pot.

I used to bring Weight Watchers frozen breakfasts with me on Mondays and have that with my coffee. Then, I moved to oatmeal and raisins, which left me hungry by 8:30 am. Then I tried various types of "protein bars" which had a better fat-to-protein-to-calorie ratio than the oatmeal, technically speaking, but I'm certain that introducing protein bars into my life was a mistake. They didn't have a ton of sugar, but clearly it was enough because my relationship with these bars was not healthy. They called to me in the night. Those protein bars are a big part of the reason I started looking into Whole30.

SO I said all that to say this:

What can I eat for breakfast that I can literally prepare the night before and grab on the way out the door?

I was thinking boiled eggs and this monkey salad that I saw here: http://goodcheapeats.com/2013/02/monkey-salad

And coffee, of course. Bulletproof or otherwise.

But then I realized I'm supposed to have veggies somehow?

How can I make this work? Any ideas?

[SpinSpin]

I would greatly suggest a breakfast casserole-- http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-breakfast-casserole/#axzz2pSK2YAcR or http://www.marksdailyapple.com/sausage-egg-breakfast-bites/#axzz2pSK2YAcR they taste great and travel great and are good warm or cold--I make these for my husband who is a local mass delivery driver and I cut them into cubes and they do very well for him PLUS you are getting some veg too! 

 

Or for hard boiled eggs what about this? http://www.marksdailyapple.com/mini-breakfast-meatloaves/#axzz2n0BGDZJM Rather tasty too! There are also a variety of 'egg muffin cups' that are like mini crustless quiche that you do in muffin cups that you could grab and go. 

 

What I would suggest is trying out one of these items and then pack additional veg either as carrot and celery sticks, sliced cucumbers and grape/cherry tomatoes with a W30 dip or olives OR a salad and see how that works for your breakfasts. You can pack it up the night before and grab it as you run out. You could even pre-pack the casserole or egg cups and take them with you on Mondays like you did the old frozen breakfasts and have them there waiting for you. 

[SpinSpin]

I would be careful with the monkey salad--you want veg on your plate rather than fruit--think of fruit as a garnish rather than as the main star. You can certainly have fruit, just don't let it push the other, more nutritious foods off your plate. 

[Boykinbaby]

you can steam any fresh veggie in a microwave, just chop to whatever size you like, add enough water to come halfway up the serving size and micro away!  most microwaves actually have a button that says 'fresh veggies'

[dovely]

@spinspin Thank you for the recipes... I'm going to try the turnip one. I'll have to keep the monkey baggie small.

@Boykinbaby I guess I'm just not used to thinking of that as a breakfast strategy. aka "meal One"

Thanks for the help!

[HeatherH]

@Boykinbaby I guess I'm just not used to thinking of that as a breakfast strategy. aka "meal One"

 

It is a big shift in thinking, but would serve you well! Your options become limitless! You want eggs for "meal 3", so be it! Steak for "meal one"...great! 

What helped me make the shift in thinking, was the fact that I was/am eating so many veges in the morning. It helped me to see that it's just another meal! 

[bookluvingbabe]

I really love cold steak.  So I could happily have a cold steak, followed by carrots, cucumbers or cherry tomatoes.  Not sure about the added fat but if you are doing some type of bulletproof coffee, you'd be set.  Everything can be prepped the night before.

[rgbarron01]

I've been known to microwave scramble eggs in a coffee mug.  Break two eggs in a mug and mix well/beat with a fork.  Microwave 45 seconds, stir; microwave 30 seconds, stir; microwave 15 seconds, stir.  Adjust timing if for desired dryness of eggs.  I like these with compliant salsa and avocado smashed together with a side of broccoli.  Deviled eggs are also fairly portable, or just make egg salad and scoop it up with bell pepper slices.  Some days, I take a bag of steamable frozen vegetables (broccoli or asparagus) and eat half for M1 and 1/2 for M2.  You could use this approach if eating both meals at work.

 

rhonda

[Mom2A&M]

There was a great recipe on here of a sweet potato crusted quiche. I made it this week and it was very good. It takes some prep prior but I got 4-5 M1's out of it. Here goes...

2med sweet potatoes shredded

1package chopped mushrooms

1package frozen spinach, thawed and dried well

1onion sliced

1dozen eggs

2T coconut milk

S&P to taste

Coconut oil

1c broth

Sautéed onions and mushrooms in coconut oil until browned and start to soften, add broth and simmer until tender and pan is dry. Set aside. Fry sweet potatoes until browned and crisp in coconut oil, pat into baking dish like a crust. Beat eggs, coconut milk and add seasoning, onions, mushrooms and dried spinach. Pour over crust. Bake 400 for 20-25 min until eggs are set. Allow to cool, slice into individual servings and refrigerate. Grab your container on the way out the door, microwave for about 90 sec. Everything you need in one meal...protein, veggies and fat!

[Jenn B]

The sweet potato crusted quiche sounds amazing! (as in, look forward to preparing one this week). 

 

dovely, I too start my work day (exceedingly) early by normal standards though do not eat upon arrival at work and dreaded trying to eat while driving. I have found a more tasty version of hard boiled eggs to be deviled eggs with homemade mayo, coupled with sliced raw vegetables such as red bell peppers...

[dovely]

Made the breakfast casserole today. Had to use parsnips instead of turnips, which is a new experience. But I'm all set now. Thank y'all for the advise.

Also, that monkey salad? Not even compliant. Boo. The Trader Joe's coconut chips have sugar added.

[dovely]

@jennb is there homemade compliant mayo?

[CAK911]

You can make mayo that is compliant pretty easily.

 

When I need grab and go breakfasts, I make "egg muffins." Just fill muffin tins with cooked veggies and chopped sausages or chicken (or whatever meat), and then whisk a bunch of eggs with salt and pepper in a bowl and pour the eggs over, then bake. I do those with roasted sweet potatoes sometimes.

[ShannonM816]

For compliant mayo, I use this method: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2013/07/07/fail-proof-home-made-paleo-mayo-whole30-compliant/

 

If you don't have an immersion blender already, I highly recommend one. It's great for the mayo, and for making blended soups. I've even heard of people making salsa with it, though I've never tried that.

 

For veggies, I was inspired by this recipe from Stupid Easy Paleo -- but I change mine up some, and make several days' worth at once. Usually I use zucchini or yellow squash (or both), jicama, celery, sometimes a cucumber (peeled! otherwise it may be bitter), and carrots (I do microwave these just enough to make them a little bit softer, not mushy soft, just a little softer, although if you grated them instead of slicing them, I'd skip that), with maybe one kind of fruit, often an apple, but I've used plums or berries as well, and I'm sure other fruit would be good too. I don't recommend strawberries, they got weird after a day or two. Put it all together, add lemon juice to help keep it from getting brown, and mix well. You could then put it into single serve bowls, and just grab a bowl to go with whatever protein you're taking with you.

[Thia]

dovely - from Melissa at theclothesmakethegirl,

Homemade mayo.

[ktmo]

Best mayo recipe ever (with all due respect to the brilliant Melissa Joulwan et al)

One Minute Mayo:

1c oil 

1T ea: mustard and acid 

1/2 tsp salt

1 whole egg (or 3 egg yolks if preferred or doing AIP)

1. I use high oleic sunflower oil (preferred) or high oleic safflower oil. The taste is totally neutral, the price is right and the fatty acid profile is ideal (high MUFA, low PUFA). Occasionally, one can find Hollywood brand safflower (high oleic). Their sunflower oil is not the right kind. Hain also has some options. Whole foods 365 Organic High Heat Sunflower is what I usually get.
2. I prefer lemon juice rather than vinegar.
3. I use 3 yolks instead of 1 whole egg. 
4. Eggs and oil should be at the same temp. Both at room temp gives better results. 
5. Any stick mixer/immersion blender will do but the my best results have come from the Miallegro 9090 Mitutto immersion hand blender with the whipping blade. The resulting mayo is stiffer--like Helmann's.

For breakfast, I tend to eat leftovers so no prep is needed anyway. ;p   
 

[Guest]

For those of you who do eggy muffins - how many do you eat for a breakfast portion? I had 12 eggs and 4.5 cups of veggies and compliant sausage and ate two this morning with a cup of carrots and was starving by lunch!

[missmary]

1. I use high oleic sunflower oil (preferred) or high oleic safflower oil. The taste is totally neutral, the price is right and the fatty acid profile is ideal (high MUFA, low PUFA). Occasionally, one can find Hollywood brand safflower (high oleic). Their sunflower oil is not the right kind. Hain also has some options. Whole foods 365 Organic High Heat Sunflower is what I usually get.

 

Ktmo, although sunflower oil is ok on a whole30, it isn't recommended. Here's the scoop:

 

"Safflower/Sunflower Oil: Yes, reluctantly (because sometimes, you have to dine out)

While we don't think vegetable oils are a healthy choice (understatement of the century), we don't expressly rule them out on the Whole30. If we did, you'd never be able to eat outside of your own kitchen, because all restaurants use them in cooking. We wanted to create the healthiest program possible, but we also need it to be do-able for those who travel for business or pleasure, or simply want to dine out during the month.

Tip: Eliminate the consumption of vegetable oils at home, even if you're not on the Whole30, and make sure the rest of your diet is focused on the most nutritious choices possible, especially if you dine out frequently.

- See more at: http://whole30.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/#sthash.bUiNxmDz.dpuf"

 

Avocado oil, Macadamia nut oil and light Olive Oil are better choices.

[Physibeth]

For those of you who do eggy muffins - how many do you eat for a breakfast portion? I had 12 eggs and 4.5 cups of veggies and compliant sausage and ate two this morning with a cup of carrots and was starving by lunch!

 

When I do egg muffins I usually need to do at least 3 and extra vegetables and fat on the side. 

[ShannonM816]

For those of you who do eggy muffins - how many do you eat for a breakfast portion? I had 12 eggs and 4.5 cups of veggies and compliant sausage and ate two this morning with a cup of carrots and was starving by lunch!

 

I try to figure out how many eggs are in each, and then eat either three eggs' worth, or if there's a fairly substantial amount of meat in it too, maybe just two eggs' worth. (Three whole eggs is how many I can hold in my hand, which is what the template says is a serving, that's where I came up with that.  So if your serving based on that would be four eggs, adjust accordingly.)

[Alliath]

ShannonM816 THANK YOU for linking that majo recipe. I had given up on trying to make my own, as I am notoriously impatient and awful at putting oil in anything drip by drip. But I am excited to try that next week. I might be able to have mayo in my tuna again!

I may cry. ;_;

Also in the realm of grab and go breakfast, I have been making a big old batch of soup and putting it in cup-size pyrex glass containers... then I can grab and go the veggie portion of my breakfast too! So great for lazy people like me who sleep in until the very last possible minute.

[artsyadventurer]

Breakfast is a tough one for me. I have been cooking a big batch of delicious Apple and Chicken Sausage cut into slices ahead of time - it's really tasty cold! And then the night before I wash and prep a sweet potato then pop it in the microwave in the morning while I shower. I grab both of these and then whatever leftover veggies I have with me and eat at work. 

 

The sweet potato is what seems to really keep me even and not hungry until lunch time. It's also easy

 

Let us know what you end up doing. And BTW, Costco sells the amazing Apple and Chicken Sausage that is Whole30 compliant.

[ktmo]

Ktmo, although sunflower oil is ok on a whole30, it isn't recommended. Here's the scoop:

 

"Safflower/Sunflower Oil: Yes, reluctantly (because sometimes, you have to dine out)

While we don't think vegetable oils are a healthy choice (understatement of the century), we don't expressly rule them out on the Whole30. If we did, you'd never be able to eat outside of your own kitchen, because all restaurants use them in cooking. We wanted to create the healthiest program possible, but we also need it to be do-able for those who travel for business or pleasure, or simply want to dine out during the month.

Tip: Eliminate the consumption of vegetable oils at home, even if you're not on the Whole30, and make sure the rest of your diet is focused on the most nutritious choices possible, especially if you dine out frequently.

- See more at: http://whole30.com/2013/06/the-official-can-i-have-guide-to-the-whole30/#sthash.bUiNxmDz.dpuf"

 

Avocado oil, Macadamia nut oil and light Olive Oil are better choices.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Since high oleic safflower and high oleic sunflower have the same FA composition as the other three high MUFA oils, it's curious that they would not be allowed. What's the reasoning? Certainly I can understand that regular sunflower oil and regular safflower oil would not be allowed due to the high PUFA content.

Given the recent issues with olive oil, I have doubts that much of the light olive oil is actually olive oil at all.  

I no longer eat out since high oleic oil is not used in restaurants. But that's just me and my AI stuff. Typically, the high PUFA oils used in restaurant cooking include canola oil, corn oil and peanut oil. I've yet to run into a restaurant using sunflower or safflower oil, let alone high oleic sunflower or high oleic safflower. 

Best, 

Katherine

[ktmo]

Below is some information on fatty acid content of various oils.  

[ktmo]

Oops! My internet is cutting in and out. Let's see if this works. Anyway, if the goal is to reduce PUFA intake (a worthy one indeed), then it would seem that high oleic sunflower and high oleic safflower would be acceptable. 

Would love to learn more, though. Thanks!