Deep down, everybody loves breakfast—but few among us are lucid enough at daybreak to do anything more creative in the kitchen than float cereal in milk or slap a fried egg on toast.
The solution to getting more out of your cherished breakfast and brunch staples? Wake up your dinner routine by being slightly rebellious and transforming your typical morning foods into a perfectly executed meal tonight.
Yes, everything from pancakes to oats can take their turn on the dinner table. Far from a cop-out, serving breakfast stalwarts such as custardy scrambled eggs and berries for dinner can be your solution to quick, family-friendly meals while also keeping you on track for your healthy eating goals. Truth be told, many breakfast staples can supply the nutrients needed to power up immunity.
Here are five ways to break the rules and serve breakfast for dinner—and feel great about it.
Omelet Stuffed Peppers
Scrambled Nachos
Maple Butternut Apple Salad with Granola Croutons
Oat Sweet Potato Chili
Turkey Pancakes with Berry Sauce
Pay it forward
All sorts of breakfast favorites can also star at dinnertime. Here’s how to stretch your morning glories.
Granola
Scatter these crunchy oats on any salad or even over puréed soups.
Scrambled eggs
Stuff into tacos, grain bowls, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
Steel-cut oats
Use to bulk up chilies and soups; use as a whole-grain base for power bowls; or, instead of sweet stuff, stir savory ingredients into a simmer pot with sliced sun-dried tomatoes, chopped greens, and herbs, and serve risotto-style.
Pancakes and waffles
Use as a whole-grain base for cooked proteins such as fish or grilled tempeh.
Nut butter
Whisk with oil, vinegar, and seasonings for a rich-tasting salad dressing, sauce for stir-fries, or an exciting topping for grilled meats.
Yogurt
Use thick styles as a creamy base for roasted vegetables, or whisk with curry, pesto, or harissa for use on tacos, lentils, or grain bowls.
Toast
A slice or two can serve as a foundation for everything from saucy beans to grilled chicken or a pile of chili.
