Fresh Starts

I've been sticking to a double-whammy of a New Year's resolution: to eat healthy as well as on a budget. Every day starts with a wholesome, homemade breakfast — whether it's one that's on-the-go for weekdays, or a more involved (but still relaxed!) weekend brunch.

My latest Saturday a.m. staple is this unusual omelet, filled with cumin-laced black beans and crumbled feta. It's everything one could ask for in a breakfast — salty, creamy, and filling — but it clocks in at under 350 calories and about $1.50 per serving. You can't beat that! Want the recipe? Then read on.

There are many ways that I've been trying to eat healthier. I'm consuming less meat and more beans, while incorporating heart-friendly greens into every meal. Normally I'll toss greens with a quick vinaigrette and serve them alongside an entrée like a fried egg sandwich or bowl of soup, but one recent morning, I decided to make my own variation of green eggs no ham.

Thanks to the addition of flavored goat cheese, the slow-cooked eggs came out creamy and delicious. Although I used arugula, a somewhat bitter green, it works nicely with the eggs and cheese. This recipe is easily adaptable: use what ever greens you want (kale, escarole, broccolini, etc.) and any type of melty cheese (ricotta, cream cheese, etc.). Get the uncomplicated technique here.

A banana-berry or avocado-pear smoothie make sense for those on-the-go weekdays, but if you're looking to get your Saturday or Sunday off to a healthy start, try making your own pancakes at home.

I must admit I'm not the biggest pancake person, but this recipe for blueberry-cornmeal griddle cakes, which comes courtesy of the Lake Austin Spa Resort in Texas, made me a total convert. There's something about the rustic cornmeal texture and the spicy-sweet chili honey that keeps me intrigued. Want to re-create a spa breakfast in your home? Read on.

Have you heard? Breakfast pizzas are all the rage — and I've got the perfect recipe for you to enjoy this delicious trend in the comforts of your own home. No fancy dough is necessary; this tart is made on a flaky puff pastry crust. The dough is partially baked before being topped with cheese, bacon, and eggs.

It may not be the healthiest of breakfasts, but it's a wonderful start to a weekend morning. Feel free to adapt the recipe to suit your personal tastes. Leave out the bacon or use pancetta instead. Have white cheddar in your fridge? That will work just fine! Serve with cranberry mimosas, and you've got a wonderful brunch that's ideal for entertaining. Get the method now!

If you want to get healthy in the New Year but still follow your resolution to cook on a budget, here's my advice: be sure to begin each day with a wholesome breakfast that starts at home. It's all too easy to fall into the routine of buying smoothies, but they're so uncomplicated and economical to make at home. For a refreshing departure from the iconic blend of berries and bananas, opt for a creamy avocado-pear mixture that's so vividly green in color, you know it's got to be good for you! Indeed, it is: This recipe, which comes courtesy of the new book Power Foods, is chock-full of folic acid, soluble fiber, and monounsaturated fatty acids.

Boost your breakfast when you read on.

Like Kate Gosselin and Heidi Montag, oatmeal's undergone a huge transformation in the past year. Of the three, oatmeal's come out on top. It's hit the quick service industry big time. In particular, savory oatmeal has blown up in the culinary stratosphere. Why? For one, it's a great approach to enjoying a heartier breakfast not laden with sugar — and also a way to enjoy oatmeal outside of breakfast hours.This version is inspired by my father, who ate oats topped with an egg nearly every day for 15 straight years. But I also drew influence from the Chinese rice porridge congee and added other mix-ins such as scallions, soy sauce, and shiitake mushrooms. Don't overlook the Sriracha; it doesn't add spiciness so much as it does another layer of flavor. For the recipe, read on.

Although a fried egg sandwich is a simple dish, it's so delicious that it should be a regular item on your weekly menu. My favorite version of a fried egg sandwich isn't exactly something you would find at a diner. It's an elegant open-faced sandwich that's quick to put together and meant to be eaten with a knife and fork. The recipe is incredibly adaptable: use whatever kind of bread you have on hand. Any hard cheese that's suitable for shaving can stand in for the parmesan. It's meat-free and makes a scrumptious start to a leisurely Saturday, especially when paired with a mimosa! Keep reading for the easy method.

If achieving better physical or mental well-being plays any part in your intentions for the year 2011, then make sure that every day is off to the right start with a healthy, wholesome breakfast. Don't grab a sugary pastry on the go, or — worse yet — skip breakfast, a behavior that's been linked to overeating.

In a new series, we'll offer innovative ways to fuel up with a meal that's packed with protein, complex carbs, or nutrient-rich produce. Up first: a vegetable and egg white scramble that's fluffy, filling, and promises to get you through the day without hitting that wall of hunger or fatigue. My favorite way to serve it? On top of a natural low-calorie corn tortilla. Find a fresh start when you read more.

Feeling full from the holidays? Fresh Tart's got some great healthy, but delicious suggestions.

I am stuffed to the max from rich holiday foods.  Even though I was successful in avoiding gluten and grains, the salt really catches up to me.  Puff city.  And after a week of heavier foods, salads, fish, and brothy soups just sound so right to me.

While these recipes aren't new, I thought you might appreciate having a few ideas for taking it down a notch this week.  Above is one of my favorite salads, Grilled Salmon with Greens and Avocado.  Warm salmon, cool greens, and a mustard vinaigrette hit the spot in any season.

Keep reading for three more of her meal ideas.

The other day my sister was browsing the December issue of Food & Wine magazine and said, "We should make these baked eggs for breakfast sometime." She uses the term "we" loosely, and really meant "I" should make the eggs for her. Luckily, I took one look at the recipe and instantly wanted to make them! Cooked in a quick tomato sauce, these eggs are simple, but wildly delicious and very satisfying. They are easy to overcook, so take care and remove them from the oven the moment the white is just set; the eggs will continue to cook a little once out of the oven. Do serve with rustic bread, you'll definitely want to mop up the yolky, fragrant sauce. To enjoy these eggs over the weekend, get the recipe and read more