Breakfast sans eggs

We buy eggs from a chicken farmer in our area. He leaves them at my son-in-law's veterinary clinic and we pick them up when we come in with dogs, horses or cows.

Last week we got the news that we would need to pay more for the homegrown eggs. And it's still a lot less than what we pay at the store. No argument here. We're thankful to know he still has a healthy flock.

Meanwhile, millions of chickens (and their eggs) in the United States and other parts of the world have been destroyed by avian influenza, or bird flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fastspreading virus can wipe out an entire flock within a couple of days. Along with this staggering blow to egg farmers comes a nutritional cost as well.

Egg protein is one of the most complete and easily digested proteins on the planet. And eggs provide an array of essential vitamins and minerals including vitamin D, a scarce nutrient in many foods.

They are also a good source of choline, a nutrient especially important during pregnancy to support an unborn baby's brain development. Eggs have even survived the great debate over cholesterol and heart disease.

Once vilified for their high cholesterol content, in 2013, a growing body of evidence finally led the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology to reverse their previous stance that eggs consumption leads to heart disease. In fact, eggs are considered a nutrient-dense protein, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

So until our beloved egg supply is replenished, what's for breakfast that still supplies adequate protein? Lo and behold, my inbox just delivered 10 eggless breakfast recipes from Dole (see www.dole. com/en/recipes/explore/ meals/breakfast).

Since I cook simple, especially for breakfast, these were a few I found most intriguing:

Protein-Packed Breakfast Tacos

Heat corn tortillas in the microwave and stuff with chopped sweet potato, quinoa and kale salad mix (quinoa is a really good source of protein), chopped red pepper, jalapeño and roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). And easy one to pack and eat when you get to work, if need be.

Sunrise Pizza

Top a toasted frozen whole grain waffle with honey-flavored yogurt (your protein source), sliced bananas and canned mandarin oranges (drained). Drizzle with a bit of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Peanut Butter Burritos

Spread peanut butter (another source of protein) onto whole grain tortillas, top with diced pineapple, banana, kiwi, strawberries or any combination of fruit you like. (I added that last part.) Sprinkle with flaked coconut, roll up tortilla and roll out the door.

Here's an added bonus: Each recipe on the website comes with a full nutritional breakdown.

Enjoy.