48 Breakfasts for Champions

Ready to cook and eat like a winner? Get your big day started right with these hearty, healthy breakfast dishes fit for single competitors or the whole team!

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Cornmeal Pancakes

I like to joke that these pancakes are so light, you have to hold them down! When we have a chance, we make them with freshly ground cornmeal bought at local festivals. —Betty Claycomb, Alverton, Pennsylvania.
Also check these best breakfast recipes to sort your mornings!

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Denver Omelet Salad

I love this recipe—it’s not your typical breakfast, but it has all the right elements: easy, healthy and fast. Turn your favorite omelet ingredients into a morning salad! —Pauline Custer, Duluth, Minnesota
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Sweet Potato and Egg Skillet

I try to incorporate nutritious sweet potatoes in my meals as often as possible, especially with breakfast. This recipe originated with the purpose of feeding my family a healthy, hearty breakfast…and it worked! —Jeanne Larson, Mission Viejo, California
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Rustic Vegetable Frittata

I love that this veggie-loaded frittata combines seriously nutritious ingredients into a filling dish I can serve as breakfast, lunch or dinner—and is still delicious even as leftovers! —Deborah Jamison, Austin, Texas
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Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

This recipe for apple cinnamon overnight oats couldn’t be easier to make. Prep takes only five minutes! —Sarah Farmer, Test Kitchen Director Taste of Home
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Loaded Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

After I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2001, I embarked on a journey to improve my diet and live a healthier lifestyle. I began developing recipes that were not only deliciously satisfying, but also anti-inflammatory and highly nutritious. —Chantale Michaud, Guelph, Ontario
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Apple Pie Steel-Cut Oatmeal

I absolutely love this slow cooker oatmeal. The steel cut oats have so much flavor and texture. My family loves to sprinkle toasted pecans on top. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
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Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes

These pumpkin pancakes are also delicious served with butter or whipped topping and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. Freeze any extras in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then store in a freezer bag. They're great fresh out of the toaster! —Mindy Bauknecht, Two Rivers, Wisconsin
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Sunday Brunch Egg Casserole

My favorite brunch dish got a makeover with egg substitute and lower-fat cheese. The lightened-up version still tastes delicious, but it won't weigh you down. —Alice Hofmann, Sussex, Wisconsin
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Banana Blueberry Pancakes

This blueberry pancakes recipe is a favorite in our home. My kids don’t even realize how healthy it is! —Kelly Reinicke, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
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Raisin Nut Oatmeal

There’s no better feeling than waking up to a hot, ready-to-eat breakfast. The oats, fruit and spices in this homey meal cook together while you sleep! —Valerie Sauber, Adelanto, California
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Calico Scrambled Eggs

When you're short on time and scrambling to get a meal on the table, this recipe is just what you need. There's a short ingredient list, cooking is kept to a minimum. and the green pepper and tomato makes it colorful. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Banana French Toast Bake

Hamburger buns and bananas come together beautifully in this whimsical make-ahead dish that the whole family will love. It's the ultimate breakfast for dinner. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
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Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles

My girlfriend loves pumpkin, so I enjoy making these fluffy pumpkin waffles for her on cool Sunday mornings. —Charles Insler, Silver Spring, Maryland
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Spinach-Mushroom Scrambled Eggs

My husband and I had breakfast at a hotel and enjoyed an amazing mushroom and egg dish. As soon as I got home, I made my own rendition. —Rachelle McCalla, Batesville, Arkansas
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Savory Apple-Chicken Sausage

These easy, healthy sausages taste great, and they make an elegant brunch dish. The recipe is also very versatile: It can be doubled or tripled for a crowd, and the sausages freeze well either cooked or raw. —Angela Buchanan, Longmont, Colorado
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Fruit-Filled French Toast Wraps

Here’s my go-to whenever we have brunch guests. If I have extra berries, I just make a fruit salad for later. —Dawn Jarvis, Breckenridge, Minnesota
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Frittata Florentine

My family is all about brunchy meals like this gorgeous Italian omelet. Lucky for us, it’s loaded with ingredients we tend to have at the ready. —Jenny Flake, Newport Beach, California
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Fruit-Filled Puff Pancake

This fruity puff pancake is a top breakfast request at my house. The combination of cinnamon, blueberries and bananas is wonderful. —LeAnne Senger, Oregon City, Oregon
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Mediterranean Broccoli & Cheese Omelet

My Italian mother-in-law taught me to make this omelet years ago—she would make it for breakfast, lunch or dinner and eat it on Italian bread. This is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover broccoli. —Mary Licata, Pembroke Pines, Florida
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Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a dish of poached eggs with tomatoes, onion and cumin. I learned about it while traveling, and it's been my favorite way to eat eggs since. —Ezra Weeks, Calgary, Alberta
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French Omelet

This cheesy omelet is modeled after the one I tasted and loved in a local restaurant. Mine is so hearty and rich tasting that no one will guess it's lower in fat. —Bernice Morris, Marshfield, Missouri
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Herb Breakfast Frittata

I came up with this recipe on a snowy day by using what I had in the fridge. Yukon Gold potatoes give this frittata a comforting bottom crust. —Katherine Hansen, Brunswick, Maine
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Slow-Cooked Fruited Oatmeal with Nuts

The beauty of this breakfast is that you can set the slow cooker overnight and, with nothing more than a ladle, spoons and bowls, feed a crowd in the morning. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
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Portobello Mushrooms Florentine

A fun and surprisingly hearty breakfast dish packed with flavor and richness. —Sara Morris, Laguna Beach, California
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Southwest Tortilla Scramble

Here’s my version of a deconstructed breakfast burrito that’s actually good for you. Go for hefty corn tortillas in this recipe. Flour ones can get lost in the scramble. —Christine Schenher, Exeter, California
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Slow-Cooker Frittata Provencal

This recipe means that a delectable dinner is ready when I walk in the door from work. The meatless slow-cooker meal also makes an elegant brunch for lazy weekend mornings. —Connie Eaton, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Blueberry-Stuffed French Toast

A fruity French toast becomes light and lovely company fare when you fill it with blueberries and top it with an orangey sweet sauce. —Myrna Koldenhoven, Sanborn, Iowa
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New Mexico Green Chile Breakfast Burritos

Back when I lived in the Southwest, we wrapped everything up in a tortilla. Breakfast burritos in every possible combination are very popular in New Mexico. —Angela Spengler, Tampa, Florida
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Goat Cheese & Ham Omelet

As a busy working mom, my breakfast needs to require minimal prep. I often combine the egg mixture beforehand and refrigerate it overnight. Then all I have to do in the morning is heat up my skillet. My favorite part is the goat cheese filling, which gets nice and creamy from the heat of the omelet. —Lynne Dieterle, Rochester Hills, Michigan
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Smoked Salmon Quiche

My son fishes for salmon on the Kenai River in Alaska and smokes much of what he catches. My mother passed this recipe on to me to help me find new ways to cook with salmon. Regular salmon also works in this quiche, but the smoked flavor can't be beat! —Rose Marie Cherven, Anchorage, Alaska
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Southwest Hash with Adobo-Lime Crema

Adobo sauce adds so much extra flavor that you won't even miss the smaller amounts of butter and egg yolks in this smoky hash. Here's a tip: Add a splash of white vinegar to the poaching water right before you drop in the eggs. It helps keep them from separating as they cook. —Brooke Keller, Lexington, Kentucky
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Colorful Broccoli Cheddar Casserole

When we have houseguests, we make broccoli and cheese strata the night before so in the morning we can relax and visit while it bubbles in the oven. —Gale Lalmond, Deering, New Hampshire
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Italian Sausage Breakfast Wraps

My husband leaves for work at 4 a.m., and I want him to have a healthy breakfast to start the day. I usually make half a dozen of these on Sunday and keep them in the fridge so he can grab one and go. —Dauna Harwood, Union, Michigan
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Cranberry-Walnut Oatmeal

My family loves cranberries but we can get them fresh only during the holiday season. This recipe lets us enjoy the tartness of cranberry with the comfort of oatmeal all year long. —Teena Petrus, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
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Greek Breakfast Casserole

This is a great dish for a Sunday brunch, or you can cut it into six pieces and freeze it to have as a quick and easy breakfast any day of the week. I also like to make it with broccoli, carrots, green onions, Canadian bacon and sharp cheddar cheese; the variations are nearly endless! —Lauri Knox, Pine, Colorado
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Asparagus-Mushroom Frittata

My Sicilian Aunt Paulina inspired this fluffy frittata. I remember visiting her garden, picking fresh veggies and watching her cook. Her wild asparagus frittata was my favorite. —Cindy Esposito, Bloomfield, New Jersey
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Feta Scrambled Egg Wraps

My daughter jokes that I am so predictable when it comes to dining out. I always order chicken souvlaki. So I thought, why not incorporate my favorite Greek dish into a breakfast wrap? It's healthy, tasty and easy to make.—Mary Jo Kempf, West Seneca, New York
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Chorizo & Grits Breakfast Bowls

While growing up, I bonded with my dad over chorizo and eggs. My fresh approach combines them with grits and black beans for this chorizo breakfast bowl. You can even add a spoonful of pico de gallo. —Jenn Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California
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Asparagus Omelet Tortilla Wrap

Since this omelet is packed with whole grains, veggies and protein, all I have to do is add a side of fresh fruit for a healthy breakfast before work. Instead of asparagus, sometimes I make this with fresh spinach. —Bonita Suter, Lawrence, Michigan
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Apple-Sage Sausage Patties

Apple and sausage naturally go together. Add sage, and you’ve got some standout patties. They’re freezer friendly, so I make them ahead and grab when needed. —Scarlett Elrod, Newnan, Georgia
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Raspberry Peach Puff Pancake

Here's a simple, satisfying treat that's perfect when you have company for brunch. It's elegant enough that you can even serve it for dessert at other meals.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Black Bean & White Cheddar Frittata

This is one of my favorite comfort foods for breakfast or even a quick dinner. I like to make it with lime salsa. But if you're looking for something with more kick, use hot salsa or add some chipotle pepper. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho
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Maple Apple Baked Oatmeal

I've tried a number of different types of fruit for this recipe, but apple seems to be my family's favorite. I mix the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls the night before and combine them the next morning when it's time to make breakfast.—Megan Brooks, Saint Lazare, Quebec.
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Curry Scramble

I have eggs every morning, and this is a delightful change from the classic scrambled egg meal. I like to add sliced peppers on top if I have them on hand. —Valerie Belley, St. Louis, Missouri
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Basil Vegetable Strata

I've been cooking this strata for years, and my family just can't get enough! Fresh basil gives the healthy brunch dish an added flavor boost. —Jean Ecos, Hartland, Wisconsin.
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Potato-Cheddar Frittata

I like to serve this hearty fritatta with toasted rustic bread. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, throw them in instead of the pre-packaged ones. —Donna Marie Ryan, Topsfield, Massachusetts

T. Lacoma
I have owned a freelance writing business for the past three years, writing a variety of articles on finance, technology, environmental issues, home repair and other topics.