Wholesome morning recipes to embrace all season long

Family Features

As leaves fall and temperatures cool, put a comforting twist on breakfast classics like oats and pancakes by incorporating autumn flavors from delicious fall harvest. Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory, enjoying a breakfast full of wholesome ingredients and essential nutrients can help kick-start a great day.

Incorporating milk as an ingredient in your breakfast dish, or serving an 8-ounce glass on the side, is a nutritious way to start the day with essential nutrients like high-quality protein, calcium and vitamin D. Embrace the crisp temperatures and bring the whole family together for a delicious morning meal with these six fall breakfast essentials made with milk.

Mexican Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal

Enjoy old-fashioned oats with a fall flair. Once sweetened with apples and maple syrup and spiced with cinnamon and salt, mix in 1 cup milk and simmer until creamy. Sprinkle extra cinnamon and garnish with golden raisins.

Mix two traditional flavors of fall to create this Mexican Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal recipe. This hearty breakfast idea with apples and cinnamon is a perfect option to pair with milk when the temperatures dip.

Makes eight 11/4 cup servings

8cups water

3 cinnamon sticks

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup reduced fat milk

3large crisp sweet apples (such as Fuji or Pink Lady), halved and cored

Pinch ground cinnamon

Optional pure maple syrup

Optional golden raisins

Pair each serving with: 8-ounce glass of milk

Bring water and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour. Discard the cinnamon sticks.

Add salt and oats to the water and bring to a boil, uncovered. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add 1 cup milk and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until creamy.

When the oatmeal is ready, using the large holes of a box grater or shredder, shred the apples directly into the pan and stir well.

Serve into individual bowls and add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sweeten with maple syrup (optional). Serve garnished with golden raisins, if desired and serve with remaining 8-ounce glass of milk. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week.

Chai Quinoa Protein Breakfast Bowl

1 cup pre-rinsed uncooked quinoa

2 cups milk

1 egg white

11/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 dashes ground cloves

Shredded or flaked coconut for garnish (optional)

Almond slivers for garnish (optional)

Pair each serving with:

8-ounce glass of milk

When you want to get more protein at breakfast, try a breakfast bowl with quinoa. The goodness of chai quinoa protein, when paired with a glass of milk, gets 30 grams of protein at breakfast, which many experts now recommend as a great way to jumpstart your nutrition in the morning. Makes two 13/4 cup servings

Bring 2 cups of milk to a full simmer in a small saucepan. Add quinoa, return to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cover, leaving a tiny crack for steam to escape, and simmer until about two-thirds of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in egg white, brown sugar, vanilla and spices. Return pan to stove, covering again with a tiny crack for steam to escape, and continue to cook on low until almost all the milk has been absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Serve with remaining 8-ounce glass of milk and garnish with coconut flakes and almond slivers if desired.

Nutrition

520 calories; 6 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 10 mg cholesterol; 30 g protein; 86 g carbohydrates; 6 g fiber; 240 mg sodium; 650 mg calcium (60% of daily value). Nutrition figures based on using fat free milk, and include an 8-ounce glass of milk.

Amaranth Porridge with Pears, Crunchy Pecans and Yogurt

Porridge:

1/2cup uncooked amaranth

1/2cup water

1cup milk

1/4teaspoon salt

Pears:

1teaspoon maple syrup

1large pear

1/2teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4teaspoon ground ginger

1/8teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8teaspoon ground clove

Pecan/Pear Topping:

2tablespoons pecan pieces

1teaspoon pure maple syrup

1cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, for serving

Pair each serving with: 8-ounce glass of milk

Makes two 1/2 cup servings

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together the 1 teaspoon maple syrup with the pecan pieces. Roast until the pecans are toasted and the maple syrup has dried, 10 to 15 minutes. Pecans will become quite fragrant when done. Pecans will crisp as they cool.

Along with the pecans, dice the pears and toss with the remaining 1 teaspoon of maple syrup and spices. Roast in a roasting pan for 15 minutes, until the pears are tender.

Drain and rinse amaranth. Combine with 1 cup milk, water and salt. Bring amaranth to a boil, and reduce to a simmer (all the way to low). Cover and let simmer for 25 minutes until amaranth is soft but there is still some liquid left. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 more minutes to thicken amaranth. Add a bit more milk to thin the texture out if desired.

Stir in 3/4 of the roasted pears in the porridge. Divide yogurt into two bowls and top with porridge, roasted pecans, and the remaining pear pieces.

Toss roasted pecans drizzled in maple syrup with pears and spices then mix into amaranth with milk for a creative twist on a classic breakfast favorite.

Serve with remaining 8-ounce glass of milk.

Nutrition

500 calories; 9 g fat; 1.5 g saturated fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 31 g protein; 78 g carbohydrates; 8 g fiber; 490 mg sodium; 680 mg calcium (70% daily value). Nutrition figures based on using fat free milk, and include an 8-ounce glass of milk.

Maple Steamer

Two ingredients: milk and maple syrup. Warm up, pour into a mug and sip on this simple, delicious treat.

1cup fat free or lowfat milk

2tablespoons pure maple syrup

Makes 1 serving (8 ounces milk per serving)

Warm milk and maple syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming. Pour into a mug and serve.

Apple-Cinnamon Whole-Grain Pancake Muffins

Combine two breakfast favorites pancakes and muffins for the ultimate grab-and-go meal made with apples, cinnamon and wholesome milk for your delight.

Canola oil pan spray

1cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour

2teaspoons baking powder

1/4teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon cinnamon

3/4cup lowfat milk

2large eggs

2tablespoons real maple syrup (or use honey)

1/2teaspoon vanilla extract

2tablespoons melted coconut oil (or use canola oil)

1medium apple, peeled and grated (use a tangy-sweet variety, like Pink Lady or Gala)

Makes 6 servings, 2 muffins each

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Preheat oven to 425 ∞F. Coat muffin tin generously with pan oil spray or coconut oil.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Pour the milk into a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl. Whisk the eggs, syrup and vanilla into the milk. Add the milk mixture and coconut oil to the dry ingredients and stir with a whisk just until small lumps remain*. Do not over mix. Sprinkle in apples and gently stir a few times. Using a scooper or measuring cup, fill the muffin tins about halfway with the batter.

Bake on the middle oven rack until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, and then cut around the edges of the muffins with a knife to release.

Kitchen note: Be sure to have the grated apples prepared before combining the wet and dry ingredients. As with any pancake batter, it should be baked immediately to ensure adequate rising.

Nutrition

165 calories; 7 g fat; 5 g saturated fat; 64 mg cholesterol; 5 g protein; 22 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 320 mg sodium; 10% DV calcium.

Caramelized Pear and Pecan Zoats

Try this tasty twist to add vegetables to your breakfast bowl by mixing shredded zucchini and oatmeal to make zoats. Flavored with cinnamon, brown sugar and pecans, this recipe is an ingenious way to bring the fall harvest to your morning meal.

1cup old-fashioned oats

11/2cups milk

1teaspoon cinnamon, divided

1/4teaspoon salt

1cup finely shredded zucchini (about 1 large)

1tablespoon unsalted butter

1tablespoon brown sugar, packed

1large, firm Bosc pear, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/4” thick slices

1/4cup pecan pieces

Makes two 11/2 cup servings (6 ounces milk per serving)

In a small saucepan, combine oats, milk, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and salt over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add shredded zucchini and cook until liquid has been absorbed and oats are tender, about 4-5 more minutes.

While the oats cook, caramelize the pear and pecans. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Once it foams, add the brown sugar and remaining cinnamon. Stir well and cook until sugar is just dissolved, about 3 minutes. Immediately add pears and stir to coat. Cook pears for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pecans and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until pears have a nice brown edge and pecans are a little bit sticky.

Divide the zoats into two bowls, top each with half of the caramelized pears and pecans and serve warm.

Nutrition

500 calories; 19 g fat; 4.5 g saturated fat; 20 mg cholesterol; 17 g protein; 68g carbohydrates; 11 g fiber; 390 mg sodium; 312 mg calcium (30 % of daily value). Nutrition figures based on using fat free milk.