2 breakfast ideas

These hearty breakfast recipes will keep you satisfied and ready to face the day.

In most potato pancakes, eggs bind the ingredients together. To use fewer eggs, we briefly cook high-starch baking potatoes then chill them overnight. That process softens some of the starch to help bind the shredded potatoes into cakes. Potato flakes also help get the job done and add more potato flavour.

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus overnight chilling

 Cooking time: 20 minutes 

Makes 8

• 1 kg (2 lb) russet potatoes (about 3 medium)
• 1 large onion
• 50 g (1/4 c) potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 egg whites
• 30 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley or dill
• 5 ml (1 tsp) kosher salt
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) ground black pepper

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot filled with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until beginning to soften just under the skin, seven to 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes, cover and refrigerate for eight to 16 hours.
2. Peel the potatoes and onion and grate them both using the large holes of a box grater or the grating disk of a food processor. Transfer to cheesecloth and wring out as much liquid as possible over a bowl.
3. Let the liquid stand for five minutes so that the potato starch settles to the bottom. Carefully pour out the water, leaving the starch in the bottom of the bowl.
4. Add the potatoes and onions, potato flakes, egg, egg whites, parsley, salt and pepper.
5. Form the potato mixture into eight patties no more than one-centimetre (1/2-inch) thick. Coat all over with cooking spray.
6. Coat a griddle or skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. When hot, add the pancakes and cook until golden brown, five to seven minutes per side.

Nutritional information per serving: 120 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated fat), 25 g carbs, 5 g protein, 2 g fibre, 23 mg cholesterol, 321 mg sodium, 27 mg calcium.

Yogurt, milk and canola oil replace the traditional butter in these waffles. Cornmeal gives them a delicious crunch. To keep the cooked waffles from getting limp, heat your oven to 110°C (230°F) and set the waffles in a single layer on the oven rack as they are done.

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 40 minutes 

Serves 10 

• 150 g (2/3 c) all-purpose flour
• 150 g (2/3 c) cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 50 g (1/4 c) whole wheat pastry flour
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) baking powder
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
•  2 eggs
•  250 ml (1 c) 1% milk
• 150 ml (2/3 c) plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
•  75 ml (5 tbsp) canola oil
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) sugar

1. Preheat a waffle iron. Stir together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
2. Separate the eggs, putting the whites in a small bowl and the yolks into another small bowl.
3. Whisk the milk, yogurt, vanilla and oil into the yolks. Stir milk mixture into the flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are moistened (a few lumps should remain in the batter).
4. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites for two minutes. Increase the speed to high, add the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes.
5. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter just until the whites are almost incorporated.
6. Coat the waffle iron with cooking spray and scoop about 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) of batter onto the grids, spreading gently. Close the lid and cook until the steam is almost gone and the tops are golden.
7. Lift the waffle from the iron with a fork. Re-spray the grids and repeat with the remaining batter.

Nutritional information per serving: 189 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 21 g carbs, 5 g protein, 2 g fibre, 38 mg cholesterol, 322 mg sodium, 104 mg calcium.