Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you know it and your children must start their day with a hearty breakfast that will keep them energized and happy for the rest of their school day.

Children’s breakfast must be packed with fiber, protein and slow-burning carbohydrates. We spoke to Samia Abdulkareem, a mother of two lovely children, who shares fun ideas and recipes on her Facebook page for mothers who need unique and attractive ideas to encourage children to start their day with not just a full tummy but also with a smile on their face.

Below are some brilliant recipes for kid-friendly breakfasts that take 20 minutes or less:

Egg muffin pizza:

Your children will love these mini pizzas and you can fool them into having a healthy meal that looks like a pizza.

Ingredients

English muffins

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

Grated mozzarella

Olive oil

Tomato slices

Oregano

Salt

Directions

Prepare some hard-boiled eggs. Then cut the English muffins into halves and toast them, place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle each with olive oil, then layer them with tomato slices, egg slices (half an egg each), and some grated mozzarella. Sprinkle with oregano and kosher salt. Broil for five minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve them while they are hot.

Bagel and labna with tomato and cucumber:

This is just a basic breakfast that you can make a lot more fun by creating smiling faces out of healthy ingredients. Give your children an assortment of vegetables and let them play with their food.

Ingredients

2 bagels, split in half

1/2 cup of labna

1 small cucumber

1/2 plum tomato, cut into wedges

Directions

Start by toasting the bagel halves and spread labna on each slice.

Then cut the cucumber into 8 rounds and several thin slices that can be used to form eyeglasses. Finally, cut the tomato into 4 wedges and use one on each bagel half to form a smile.


Eggs with pastrami, cheddar and chives:

Children will gobble up this warm mixture. It’s much easier to put together than an omelet but packs in the same flavors.

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

10 eggs

2 tablespoons milk or water

1-teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups diced smoked pastrami

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

1/3 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions

Start by heating butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pastrami and sauté until browned. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, to desired doneness, for 4 to 5 minutes, adding cheddar and chives just before the eggs are set.

Sticky buns:

These sweet treats have a surprise topping — thinly sliced bananas, along with chopped pecans and melted brown sugar. It’s easy to create individual buns using a muffin tin and pre-sliced refrigerated biscuits.

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and thinly sliced into 10 pieces

1 medium banana, thinly sliced

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 7.5-ounce tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Directions

1 Heat oven to 375° F.

2 Drop a piece of butter in the bottom of each of the 10 compartments of a muffin tin. Arrange the banana slices on top. Sprinkle the pecans and brown sugar over the bananas. Top each compartment with a biscuit. Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

3 Place a baking sheet on top of the muffin tin while the buns are still hot. Carefully flip the tin over, tapping the bottom to release the buns. Transfer to a platter. Serve warm.


Banana pops

These banana pops are a great idea for snacking or as part of breakfast. For a balanced breakfast, serving it with something savory is recommended.

Ingredients

4 Bananas (Or try this idea with strawberries, pineapple, etc.)

Yogurt of choice (WholeSoy, Almond Dream, Silk, etc.)

Granola of choice, or crushed cookies or healthy graham crackers.

You can add mini chocolate chips, coconut shreds, cinnamon sugar, raisins, etc.

Popsicle sticks or silverware to insert in the bananas

Directions

Pour granola into a very shallow dish or plate. Peel bananas, cut in half, and insert popsicle sticks. Dip into yogurt (or coat with a knife), then roll into granola and add-ons. (I stuck the chips on by hand, after rolling in the granola.) Place on a parchment or wax-lined tray and freeze. Keep uneaten pops in the freezer.

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