One of my favorite Arrested Development moments occurred during the pilot episode: Michael asks George Michael what “the most important thing” is, and the younger Bluth responds, after a thoughtful pause: “Breakfast!” Of course, the actual answer Michael was looking for was family, but it could be argued that breakfast rates a close second. I personally didn’t start eating real breakfast till about age 21 – it was all mostly sugar cereal and Diet Coke up till then – but now as a reformed and reasonably health-conscious lady I can testify to the importance of getting your morningtime energy kick from something other than lots and lots of caffeine (or at least in addition to it).

Lately I’m into making pancakes from Arrowhead Mills’ Oat Bran Pancake & Waffle Mix, which is like the good-for-you, fiber-abundant, organic version of Bisquick. I top them with blackberry jam and feel really proud of myself for having found a way to get 26 meals out of a product purchased for a little over 3 bucks at Whole Paycheck Foods. Also of the cakey-breakfast persuasion, Ceallaigh likes Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten-Free Pancake Mix, which she says “go great with soy butter and maple syrup. A winner!”

For those who prefer to greet the day with a nice plate of eggy-weggs, Jodi at JT’s Nutrition Notes offers an awesome-sounding recipe titled, simply, “Yummy breakfast burrito.” The recipe calls for two large omega-3 eggs from Organic Valley, which give you 225 mg of heart-protecting, disease-fighting omega-3 fatty acids per egg.

...continued: The most important thing

Some things are just too cool to ignore. I mean, look at these ceramic Egglings from Elsewares.com. They’re already a growing hit on ThisNext. They look and feel “just like real eggs,” Elsewares says. “Just crack one open, add water, and you’ve created a springtime oasis for your desk or window (even if it’s winter outside). Each comes with a terra cotta tray and seed pack. Growing is EASY — plants thrive for months in their shell and can be replanted in soil.”

Caroline Duke has already added them to her list. So has Scott Sommerville, who says they’re “clean and cool”, and and Audrey A. (aka audshmod) who knows they’re “cute.” Me, I just plan to give this perfect marriage of the natural and the whimsical to everyone I know who could use a little green in their lives.

The problem with eggs is you can’t see inside them until you crack them open. (We suppose that is sort of the point.) So getting that perfect soft-boiled egg, or a hard-boiled egg that hasn’t gone all hard and green around  the yolk is more art than science. Supermarket Guru tells us of eggs soon to hit the market in the UK that have a temperature-sensitive dye that tells you exactly how cooked they are. Egg-cellent.

We love this: Not only are Ziplocs useful for storing food, they’re also pretty good for cooking it, too. Christine at The Cooking Critic shows us a handy way to make compact, log-like omelets in a seal-top bag submerged in boiling water. It’s boil-in-a-bag food, but in a good way. Easy cooking and easy cleanup … now that’s better living!