My husband and I, night owls for a long, long time, have become morning people. And by that, I mean really early morning people: we’re up by 5, mostly 4:30. We’ve been getting a lot more done since switching our schedule, but one of the biggest perks has got to be having lots of time for breakfast.

Because, gosh, do I love breakfast. Bacon, eggs, sausages, pancakes, waffles… some of my favorite foods in the world are breakfast foods.

Lately, though, I’ve been wanting to go a little healthier when it comes to planning our morning meal. Much as I love bacon, I realize that having it every day is not a good long-term plan.

So recently we hit the grocery, and picked up some healthy breakfast options, which I share with you here:

• Oat Bran. As a child, I had porridge every single day. Oat bran, the healthier, more fiber-ous cousin of oatmeal, takes minutes to cook, and is simply delicious with some low-fat milk and raw sugar sprinkled into it. It’s good for my husband, too- who’s a diabetic.
• Fresh Berries. The aforementioned oat bran becomes even more heavenly with some fresh berries mixed in. I’m partial to blueberries and strawberries, but that’s only because it’s next to impossible to find raspberries where I live.
• Fresh Melons and Mangoes. A no-brainer. Sweet, smooth, and perfect cold on warm mornings.
• Smoothies. Truth is, I was wary of the Smoothie Breakfast- I’m the type that likes to bite into her breakfast. Then I made Simply Recipe’s Berry Banana Smoothie, and it. is. wonderful. Really wakes me up- like a shot of sunshine when it’s still dark out. If you’re open to tofu (the silken type) in your smoothie, check out this goodie as well. Yum.

What are your healthy breakfast choices?

Remember that recipe for Pulled Pork that I posted last time? Here is something that will match it perfectly. For those who cannot eat a meal without a dash of vegetables, this broccoli slaw from Food Network will do the trick.

Ingredients
• 4 slices turkey bacon
• 1 12- to 16-ounce bag shredded broccoli slaw or 1 large bunch broccoli (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 8-ounce can low-sodium sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion (1/2 medium)

Directions
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently, until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave on High for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.) Drain bacon on paper towels. Chop coarsely.
If using whole broccoli, trim about 3 inches off the stems. Chop the rest into 1/4-inch pieces.

Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add water chestnuts, onion, bacon and broccoli; toss to coat. Chill until serving time.

I am thinking of using something else rather than turkey bacon but if you think about it, turkey bacon is perfect because it is quite light. Combined with the pork for the main dish, this slaw should be really light. Have any ideas on how to tweak this?

The original filling in Twinkies was banana. It was replaced by vanilla-flavored cream during World War II, when the United States experienced a banana shortage.

All Recipes gives great tips on how to make a lighter version of your favorite recipes:

1. Think baked tortilla and potato chips instead of fried ones
2. Use low-fat or nonfat sour cream, mayonnaise, cheese, cream cheese and salad dressing instead of full-fat versions
3. Substitute evaporated skim milk or buttermilk in place of cream (for everything except whipping)
4. To thicken soups, gravies, and sauces, use puréed vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a slurry of cornstarch and cold water instead of cream or roux.
5. It’s a painless sacrifice to use leaner cuts of meat too: skinless chicken breast, pork loin, ground turkey breast and beef round and flank steak are all good choices.
6. Start turning to non-meat sources for some of your protein needs, too: beans come in all kinds of interesting varieties, as do tofu and soy-based meat substitutes.
7. Try whole grains in place of refined ones more often. You just may find that you prefer the taste of whole wheat bread, brown rice, bulgur, barley and quinoa over white bread and white rice.

Ingredients

2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
6 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

What’s Next
In large pot saute; the onions, garlic, and ginger in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft.
Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir and enjoy!