Last week I posted something on easy breakfast tacos, but it doesn’t always have to be about tacos or burritos when you are making a quick and healthy breakfast. What follows is my take on the breakfast bowl, something that has become more prominent in fast food chains as carbs have fallen out of favor the last few years.

So here we go…..

Chop some tomatoes, shred some cheddar cheese and open a can of pinto beans.

Prepare some quick brown rice (I like the Trader Joe’s kind in the freezer section, that you nuke in three minutes) and put about 1/2 cup of the cooked rice in a bowl. Set the rest aside (or multiply this recipe out for more servings).

Cook 2 eggs in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until the whites are just set (don’t overcook–you want a runny yolk). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the beans and tomato in the bowl with the rice, top with the cooked eggs and shredded cheese. (Other options and add-ins are green pepper, jalapenos, cooked corn off the cob, or diced avocado.)

Top with salsa or hot sauce and serve.

Breakfast bowls have become all the rage these days, and I’ve decided to join the party–with rice as the backdrop. Here is my version, and we’ll called it Mikey’s Breakfast Bowl and it serves one (but you can multiply it out).

Ingredients
3/4 cup cooked brown rice
1/3 cup cooked pinto beans, from can, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped smoked sausage or ham
1/4 cup chopped avocado
3 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Hot sauce

Directions
Warm rice in microwave according to package directions (Easy to microwave rice is everywhere now, but I love Trader Joe’s brand–it comes in pouches that are frozen and microwaveable in 3 minutes). Stir in beans and nuke for another 20 seconds. Stir in avocado, tomatoes, and sausage or ham. Meanwhile, spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and crack two eggs into the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the whites of egg are set and not runny. Slide eggs into bowl, and crack the yolks to let the egg run into the bowl. Sprinkle with cheese, cilantro, and hot sauce, and serve.