breakfast

It's official: Greek yogurt is now the reigning queen of the dairy aisle. New brands have been sprouting left and right, and one of them is Yopa!, by the makers of YoCrunch. It bills itself as "authentic Greek nonfat yogurt," but how did it taste in comparison to other Greek-style yogurts on the market? To find out, we tasted three fruity classics — strawberry, blueberry, and black cherry — complete with an essential, crunchy granola (an added bonus on the package). Find out how Yopa! yogurt fared.

Anyone who thinks that quinoa is just for lunch and dinner needs to use this ancient grain in their breakfast routine. Versatile, protein-packed quinoa is a delicious resource when creating a satisfying and healthy start to your day. Let these four quinoa-filled recipes inspire you to get creative in the kitchen.

Quinoa, Egg, and Spinach Scramble

Bulk up your breakfast with some ancient grain power in this quinoa and egg scramble. It looks gourmand, but as long as you've precooked your quinoa, this recipe takes just a few minutes from prep to plate.

Quinoa Pancakes

For a satisfying weekend brunch, take the time to whip up these delicious quinoa flapjacks. The twist on the tradition offers more folate, protein, and fiber than standard pancakes.

Keep reading for two more easy recipes starring quinoa.

Skipping out on the first meal of the day to save calories and lose weight? Not exactly the best plan, since saying no to breakfast can slow down your metabolism and cause your body to hold on to fat. But it's not only important to eat in the morning — make sure you avoid these four breakfast mistakes as well.

• I'll eat when I get to work: You wake up at 6 a.m. and are in such a rush to get ready, pack your lunch, and get to your nine-to-five job that you figure you'll sip coffee on your commute and just eat when you get to your desk. It's important to eat within an hour of waking, because just like skipping breakfast, it messes with your metabolism. Avoid eating too late by making these meals the night before. If you don't have time to sit down and eat, pack a portable snack the night before that you can quickly grab and nibble on the way.
• I'll grab a drink with my breakfast: Liquid calories get you every time! Specialty coffee drinks, huge glasses of smoothies, and fresh juices can run you 300 calories or more. That on top of your breakfast can make calorie counts creep up fast. Go for coffee with a little bit of milk, drink a smaller-size smoothie with your breakfast, and eat your fruit instead of juicing it to consume fewer calories and more fiber.
• Oooh, a scone: When you grab coffee at the local café in the morning, who can resist the freshly baked muffins, quick breads, and scones staring at you from the counter? Avoid filling up on sugar in the morning: it doesn't sustain your blood sugar levels, so you will feel tired and fuzzy-headed. That, coupled with hunger pangs will have you reaching for more food within an hour, which means more calories consumed. Here are some low-sugar breakfast ideas to enjoy instead — all under 30 grams.

Keep reading for three more breakfast mistakes that can cause weight gain.

What's a decadent brunch without a warm and fluffy stack of pancakes doused in melted butter and syrup? The problem is that real maple syrup packs on the calories — 200 per quarter-cup serving and a whopping 53 grams of sugar! If you're looking to lower the sugar in this favorite weekend treat, here are some low-sugar options that also offer fiber, protein, and other nutrients.

Banana: Mash half a medium-size banana and spread that on your stack. It's only 53 calories and 7.2 grams of sugar but also offers over 200 milligrams of potassium.

Fresh berries: One cup of fresh raspberries has only 5.4 grams of sugar and 64 calories but a whopping eight grams of fiber.

Maple cinnamon yogurt: Whip up a batch of homemade maple-flavored yogurt by mixing together Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon. A quarter-cup serving is 38 calories and only 4.1 grams of sugar, but you'll also be getting almost five grams of protein.

Frozen pureed fruit: Throw one cup of frozen blueberries into the blender, and pour it on your pancakes. It is 13.1 grams of sugar, has 79 calories, and also offers 4.2 grams of fiber. To make your mornings easier, prefreeze pureed fruit in ice cube trays, and you can microwave a few cubes when you need them.

Almond butter: One tablespoon of creamy nutty almond butter spread on your pancakes has only one gram of sugar, 95 calories, and 3.5 grams of protein.

Pepperidge Farm's swirled loaves have a special place in my heart: growing up, I was never allowed white bread, save for an occasional slice of Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Swirl, because even my mother couldn't resist the loaf. So when we received a special delivery of the breadmaker's newest, limited-edition flavor, Blueberry Swirl ($4), I audibly squealed with delight (to the alarm of my co-workers) and sprinted to the toaster.

The spongy, melt-in-your mouth bread has all the awesome qualities found in the original cinnamon loaf; only this time, it's dotted with dried blueberries and a blueberry-flavored swirl. Is it made with real blueberries? Don't know and don't care! Actually, a quick scan of the ingredients does show dehydrated blueberries and blueberry juice concentrate (at the very bottom of the list). But that's no bother! The blueberry flavor bursts forth, making this one berry fruity, addictive bread. Try to stop at one slice; I dare you. Keep reading to see how long it's on shelves.