If you find yourself running late on busy school mornings because your kids favor the snooze button like mine do, then you understand how difficult it can be to be sure they eat the “most important meal of the day” at all, let alone a healthy one! These easy, freezer-friendly, make-ahead, grab-and-go breakfast options check all my boxes, saving time in the mornings and offering the ease of grabbing one on the way out the door, as well as peace of mind that there are healthier than your average granola bar or pop tart. 

No-Bake Snickerdoodle Protein Bites (GF, Vegan)

¾ cup GF Rolled Oats or GF Cereal of choice

¼ cup Vanilla protein powder

½ cup Almond flour

1 heaping Tbsp. Cinnamon (more for coating)

One-third cup Nut Butter of choice 

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

¼ cup Maple Syrup (or Honey if not vegan)

Directions:

1. In a food processor, grind the oats (or cereal), then place in mixing bowl. Note that grinding is optional—keep them whole if you adjust the maple syrup/honey amount to make them hold together.

2. Stir in almond flour, protein powder, cinnamon and nut butter. (Alternatively, blend all ingredients except the honey in the food processor or blender until a mealy batter is formed. Scrape out and transfer to bowl.) 
3. Add in maple syrup/honey and vanilla and mix with hands, adding in more syrup/honey and/or nut butter if mixture is too dry. 
4. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Roll batter into 1.5″ balls and roll in additional protein powder and cinnamon. Place on parchment.
5. Freeze 20-30 minutes, then transfer to freezer bags. Keep in fridge or freezer for up to 6 weeks.

Apple Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients:

2¼ cups Whole Wheat flour

¾ cup dark brown Sugar

½ tsp. Baking Soda

½ tsp. Baking Powder

½ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground Allspice

1 cup Buttermilk

¼ cup Applesauce, unsweetened

1 Tbsp. Coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

1 Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 cup Granny Smith apples, peeled, diced

½ cup Granny Smith apples, grated

½ cup Zucchini, grated with moisture squeezed out slightly

Topping:

2 Tbsp. Turbinado Sugar (sugar in the raw)

¼ tsp. Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together, buttermilk, applesauce, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
4. Stir the wet batter into the dry mixture until just combined. (Do not overmix.) Gently stir in the grated apple, chopped apple, and grated zucchini.
5. Fill the prepared muffin tin cups ¾ full.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the raw sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle onto the muffin batter in the muffin tin.
7. Bake 20 minutes, or until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature and serve. 

Note: These muffins freeze well in a freezer bag.

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients:

14 Maple breakfast Sausage Links (or favorite Breakfast Sausage)

1 red Bell Pepper, seeded & diced

1 green Bell Pepper, seeded & diced

1 yellow Onion, medium, peeled and diced

2 Tbsp. Avocado or Olive il, divided

2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

12 large Eggs

10 burrito-size flour Tortillas

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook the sausage according to package directions. Let cool. If links, slice into small pieces.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook diced peppers and onions with 1 Tbsp. oil 5-7 minutes, until soft, but not browned. Transfer to bowl and salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to the same skillet and cook the eggs until they are soft scrambled. Do not overcook.
4. To build the burrito: Divide the sausage, veggies, eggs and cheese into 10 portions. Add eggs to the center of the tortilla, top with sausage, veggies, and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up tortilla, tucking one end up and over the filling, folding in the sides, then roll up into a burrito. Repeat with remaining ingredients. 
5. Freeze the burritos on a cookie sheet, then wrap in foil and place in freezer bags.
6. When ready to reheat and eat, unwrap a burrito from the foil. Loosely wrap it in a dampened paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. Let cool 1 minute before eating.