The fastest and yummiest breakfast recipes you will ever use

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All opinions are mine alone. #50YearsofBreakfast #CollectiveBias

Last week I posted about how totally crazy our lives get every May.  It is part of being a teacher, I suppose, and by now I should be used to it.

One thing that totally saves me during these crazy crazy weeks right before school gets out is Nestle Carnation Breakfast Essentials.  True Story: I have had a Breakfast Essentials every morning ever since I have been married to Greg.  He got me hooked on the bad boys and it's the best thing that ever happened to my breakfast.  We have crazy crazy mornings around here (getting two adults and one baby out the door before 7 am is something only the insanest of people attempt) and Breakfast Essentials is our go to for breakfast.  While I feed and dress June, Greg is in charge of taking the dog out to go potty and making us our Breakfast Essentials to take with us on our drive to school.  It is so quick and easy, and is a total relief to me to know that we are getting loads of vitamins and minerals to start our day.  

Today I want to share with you a couple of variations I do with Breakfast Essentials.  On the most hectic of mornings, we just mix the powder with the milk, plain and simple.  But on mornings where we have a couple extra minutes, I love to jazz it up a bit.  My newest favorite is orange chocolate.  If you are a fan of chocolate covered orange sticks, you are going to love this.  It's the perfect combo of 

fruity and chocolate.

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS CHOCOLATE ORANGE SMOOTHIE RECIPE

1 packet Chocolate Breakfast Essentials

2 cuties or 1 orange (the juicier the better!)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

squirt of vanilla

Mix all ingredients in blender until desired consistency.  It's a smooth, chocolately fruity burst of goodness.

It's a little harder to find the strawberry flavored powder of Breakfast Essentials but when you do grab a bunch, because it is to die for!  Below is my favorite recipe with the strawberry flavor.

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE RECIPE

1 packet Strawberry Breakfast Essentials

1/2 Banana

3-4 strawberries (optional.  This depends on how strong you like your strawberry flavor)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

squirt of vanilla

Mix all ingredients in blender until desired consistency.

And, last but not least.... for my peanut butter lovers!

BREAKFAST ESSENTIALS CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA SMOOTHIE RECIPE

1 packet Chocolate Breakfast Essentials

1/2 banana

1 dollop of peanut butter to taste

1/2 cup milk

1 cup crushed ice

squirt of vanilla

You can find Breakfast Essentials in your breakfast aisle!  I pick mine up at the Smith's (a Kroger store) down the road every freaking week.  For more information you can go here or visit Carnation's facebook page here.

AND... right now Carnation is running a carnationfreebreakfast.com promotion.  To enter:

1. Buy any 2 Carnation Breakfast Essentials products
2. Get a clear photo of your entire receipt and then text with keyword BREAKFAST to 811811 for submission instructions or email it to redeem@CarnationFreeBreakfast.com or upload your receipt to http://cbi.as/7qnt
3. You will receive a code back once the receipt has been verified that you can share with your friends and family for a free breakfast! (up to a $7.99 value). Participants can enter by texting a number, emailing, or uploading a photo of the receipt to the website

When it comes to the mornings, I don't do anything the hard way

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Nestle, but all opinions are my own. #pmedia  #BreakfastEssentials 

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Confession:  For the last three years I have had nothing to eat for breakfast but Carnation Breakfast Essentials.

Or, as we affectionately call it around here, "Instant B."

As in, "Is there any more Instant B left?"

"Will you make me an Instant B?"

"Did you have an Instant B this morning?"

We're pretty much addicted.  (Random fact:  When we went to Hawaii a year ago our hotel had a mini fridge.  We put milk in it, bought ourselves a package of Instant Breakfast, and boom, we were set for breakfast for the week.)

Greg converted me to Instant Breakfast  (which I didn't know until I did this post is officially known as Carnation Breakfast Essentials.  Before I married him, I had whatever random crap I could find for breakfast.  An old apple. A frozen waffle.  A left over diet coke and half a piece of bread. You see, I have to be to work at the disgusting hour of 7 am every morning.  I sleep until 6:30.  That means I have exactly 15 minutes to get ready in the morning and exactly 15 minutes to drive to work.  It doesn't leave much time for me to sit down and enjoy a nice breakfast. (My motto has always been that in order of morning importance, sleep always trumps food.)  That's why in college and my first year of teaching, it was whatever food was easy to grab with me and run.

Now, I've fully converted to Carnation Breakfast Essentials.  It is easy and convenient AND I'm still getting the nutrients and vitamins that I need for the morning.  I drink my Insta B in the morning and I don't have to worry or think about food for another four hours.  It has gotten me through many a first period class, I tell you that, and it is MUCH healthier for me than a bowl of sugary cereal or a diet coke, my old go to.

When I am in a dead rush, my Instant B breakfast consists of me pouring milk in a cup and adding the powder.  Usually, I just throw the little package in my purse and dart off the door with a cup of milk in hand.  (I have sat in the back of many faculty meetings, stirring up my little cup of instant breakfast.)  Even when this is all I can do, it's still delicious and filling.  It doesn't have the weird after taste that a lot of protein shakes do.  It seriously tastes just like chocolate milk.  (Also, I LOVE the strawberry variety.  Less stores carry it and it's harder to find, but when you do see it on the shelves, snatch up a couple of boxes.  It is heavenly!)

When I have three extra minutes, I like to make an instant breakfast smoothie.  It is almost just as easy, but offers a little more substance.  My go to smoothie is easy as can be and gives me a little extra protein and fruit for the morning.  You want me to show you how to make it?  Alright, fine, you talked me in to it.  I'm warning you though, I'm a gourmet chef, and this recipe is really complicated...

 Ingredients= Milk + ice + banana + peanut butter + instant breakfast.  It is alarmingly easy.  I promise you, when it comes to food in the morning, I don't do anything the hard way.

I use a nice, fat spoonful of peanut butter and about half a glass of milk. (I know, I know, my measuring abilities are insane!)  To make it thicker and colder, I like to use a frozen banana, but if I haven't been quite on the ball enough to freeze bananas ahead of time. it's just as good to use a fresh banana. (Also, I've made the mistake of putting a whole banana in before and then the banana just takes over the whole dang smoothie. Stick to half a banana if you know what's good for you.)

Ta da!

Don't be deceived.  I never relax and enjoy my breakfast like this.  It's always in the car, at a faculty meeting, or in my classroom before first period starts.  But this is how it looks on Saturday morning, at least!

If you want more recipes for your Carnation Breakfast Essentials, click here.  So many great recipes to make breakfast that much easier.

Oh, and right now you can get $1 off with this coupon at Walmart.  (Also, I have bought this product at every grocery store imaginable, and I can promise you, it's cheapest at Walmart.  Take it from me!)

And don't forget to like Carnation Breakfast Essentials on facebook.  Boo yah!