She will appreciate not having to cook on Mother’s Day. However, you’ll also want to make sure you’re prepared to clean up after yourself as well. It’s Mom’s special day so there’s no reason to make her clean up after the meal. She’ll really appreciate that you’re letting her relax and enjoy her special day without cooking and cleaning.

First of all, think about the foods your Mom loves for breakfast or lunch. You may also want to consider serving extra special foods she wouldn’t normally eat. Your goal is to prepare a meal Mom will enjoy and remember for years to come.

Start with freshly squeezed orange juice. If Mom drinks alcoholic beverages, you may want to add the fresh orange juice to ice cold champagne to make a Mimosa. Of course, you can also make a non-alcoholic version using sparkling grape juice.

Toast bagel halves, spread cream cheese on them and then top the bagel halves with a few thinly sliced pieces of smoked salmon. You can top them with capers, red onions or lemons if you want a traditional garnish. Try diced tomatoes or minced chives for a different taste to this classic brunch item.

Pancakes are also a good choice if you’re serving brunch, here’s how to make pumpkin spice pancakes from scratch. Crepes are another good brunch menu item. Either can be prepared to be sweet or savory. Traditional maple syrup is wonderful as a pancake topping but fresh fruit with whipped cream would also be delicious.

There’s no better time in the day to have pizza. Make a breakfast pizza with sausage and eggs to go with a great cheese. This may become a favorite brunch item that is requested year after year.

Healthy Brunch Casserole
A breakfast casserole makes an easy and delicious brunch that can be prepared the night before and baked in the morning. Try this Easy Baked French Toast or the following recipe.

8 slices of wheat bread
Egg substitute to equal 12 eggs
8 slices of smoked turkey breast meat, diced
1/4 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon Watkins seasoning salt
Watkins cooking spray

Instructions: Spray a large baking dish with the non stick cooking spray. Break up the bread slices into small pieces and layer in the bottom of the dish. In a small mixing bowl mix together the egg substitute, seasoning salt and the milk. Pour over the bread. Sprinkle the turkey over the top. Add both types of cheese evenly over the entire dish. Cover the dish and refrigerate over night. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cover and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until firm and cooked through.

Once the main part of the meal has been served, don’t forget a healthy final dish. Many mothers love fresh strawberries any time of the year. When you want something special but healthy and delicious, slice up fresh strawberries and kiwi. Sprinkle with a little sugar plus 1/2 teaspoon of Watkins Original Double Strength Vanilla and gently mix. They will make their own sauce. Serve the fruit with “fancy” cookies such as biscotti, ladyfingers or Amaretto and garish with a dollop of real whipped cream. Your mother will love the combination of the vanilla fruit and cookies.

Set the table to with your family’s best dishes and silverware. Chances are these dishes aren’t used that often so why not use them to celebrate Mom? You can also find fresh flowers from the garden (with Mom’s permission) or buy a bouquet which can be split up between several small vases. Mom will love the extra effort you’ve made by using some of these Mother’s Day brunch ideas or coming up with ones of your own.

But I don’t eat breakfast! I’m sure you have heard the saying, “Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day” and it’s certainly true especially when it comes to children. Countless studies have shown that children who eat a balanced breakfast are more alert in school, perform better and in many cases are less prone to bad behavior than children who don’t eat breakfast. These are pretty good reasons why your kids should eat breakfast and you’ll enjoy the same benefits too.

Here are some quick and easy breakfast ideas for you and your kids:

Eggs are classic breakfast food because they versatile and nutritious, plus most kids like them. Start the day with simple scrambled eggs, you can add a little chopped ham, cheese, chopped tomatoes or mushrooms. Soft or hard boiled eggs with slices of whole grain toast will down well too.

This is my favorite! While store bought muffins aren’t always the most nutritious, if you bake your own you can add fruit or grated vegetable and a little honey for a naturally sweet breakfast muffin. You can also replace half of the amount of white flour for healthier whole wheat flour. And don’t just stick to sweet muffins, try a savory muffin such as cheese and ham. Bake them the night before for a quick and healthy breakfast.

Fresh fruit with yogurt and cheerio dip make a healthy fun breakfast for kids. Using a rolling pin crush a handful of two of whole grain Cheerios in a plastic bag and transfer to a bowl. Fill another bowl with yogurt and let your kids dip the fruit pieces in yogurt then in the cheerio mixture. Whole grain Cheerios have a lower sugar content then many of the cereals on the supermarket shelves.

Prepare a basic pancake batter the night before, cover and refrigerate. In the morning all you need to do is heat the grill and your whole family can enjoy delicious homemade pancakes. Serve with a little maple syrup or jam and some fresh fruit on the side.

Make up some extra waffles on the weekend, freeze them for quick week day breakfasts. Reheat in the toaster!

Split a couple of bagels in half, top with a little pizza sauce, grated cheese and some chopped ham for. Place under the grill for a few minutes and you have a nutritious breakfast pizza. You can also use English muffins or pita bread.

Whole wheat wraps are a great alternative to toast and cereal. You can make a scrambled egg breakfast wrap with a little bit of ham or cheese added to it or you can add a little cream cheese and turkey or even make a breakfast pizza burrito. Spread a whole wheat wrap with peanut butter, roll around a banana, slice or eat as is.

Remember breakfast doesn’t have to always consist of the traditional toast, cereal and eggs, you can experiment a little to keep things interesting. And don’t put too much pressure on yourself to always make the perfect family breakfast. If your kids really aren’t hungry at breakfast time a simple banana and a glass of milk will give them an instant boost.

The most important thing is that your child starts the day with one or two nutritious foods.

Place desired number of eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Immediately cool eggs in cold water to prevent the yolks from turning grey.

Thanks to Megan for the beautiful egg photo, click the image to see more of her photos.

Ingredients:
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon Watkins maple extract
12 slices of bread (crusts trimmed)
1 1/2 cup whole milk
6 Large eggs
1 teaspoon Watkins vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions: Combine corn syrup, butter and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently until the sugar melts then stir in maple extract. Pour the syrup mixture into the bottom of a greased 9×12 inch pan. Place the bread slices in a double layer over the syrup. In a separate bowl beat together eggs, milk, vanilla and salt. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover the dish and let stand overnight in refrigerator. The following morning, preheat over to 350 °F. Uncover the pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until egg is set. Serves 4-6. Serve with bacon, ham, sausages or fruit.

You’ll find maple and vanilla extracts in the Watkins US catalog or the Canadian catalog.

Tips from the kitchen:

• Want a different taste? Substitute other Watkins extracts for an entirely new flavor.
• Use whole grain bread for a more hearty breakfast and white bread for a lighter meal.