Update: Click here to see a video of the toddler and I making our morning omelets!
I LOVE having breakfast with the toddler, it truly is my favorite time of day and I’m not even a morning person!
When the toddler became a toddler, I introduced eggs into his diet. I read up on toddler nutrition on more then a few sites and concluded eggs were an easy way to get in some good stuff including protein, choline, folate, iron and zinc.
To get this good nutrition in “the poor unsuspecting boy
” I made him cheese omelets. Figuring the cheese would provide some extra calcium and fat. Plus once an omelet cools it’s super easy to cut and makes great finger food or fork practice.
So you are asking where does the “Mommy” in the Mommy and Me Omelets come in? Well, it took me awhile to realize eggs are pretty nutritious to me too! So as the toddler got older, hungrier and more interested, I decided we could split 3 eggs between us and cook them together!
Mommy get’s a veggie omelet made from 1 egg and 1 egg white and the Toddler gets a cheese omelet made with 1 egg and 1 egg yolk. Why split it this way? Well, it allows me to give him the extra nutrients he needs as a growing boy and gives me more egg for less fat.
The key to my omelets are non-stick cooking spray and medium-low heat. My process is simple and the toddler loves each step. First, we get all the ingredients out of the fridge. I pull out any veggies I have in there, peppers, onion, zucchini, sometimes a teaspoon of bacon bits, or a thin slice of ham. I cut the veggies used in my omelet and allow the toddler to nibble along the way. I may have the only 2 year old in the word that eats peppers like apples!
Once prepared, I put the cut up veggies in a small non-stick frying pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray allowing them to cook while preparing the eggs.
Using two tea cups I separate the eggs, 1 whole in each cup and the yolk and white of the 3rd egg separated. The toddler and I beat the eggs together. He LOVES this part!
By this time, my veggies are done enough and I remove them from the pan for my omelet later. I then lower the heat to medium-low, spray again with non-stick spray and add the egg-egg yolk mixture. (Of course, I have to re-beat, the toddler hasn’t mastered the skill yet!)
Once the egg is in the pan on that low heat I just leave it alone. After about 3 minutes, when the egg is about half way done, we add the cheese. I used to do this step alone but recently the toddler has become more interested so this morning I let him add the cheese to his egg all by himself. With me watching very carefully of course!
After we add the cheese, I fold half the egg over on itself, let it cook for a minute or two, flip and then remove. The toddlers egg is done so I set it aside to cool.
Now it’s mommies turn. My omelet filling is already done, so I simply add my egg to the pan, cook for a few minutes, place the toppings on and flip! While mine is cooking, his is cooling. The timing really couldn’t be more perfect!
Like I said this is one of my absolute favorite things to do with the toddler. Sorry it’s not a traditional recipe but I just want to show you how easy it is to make a healthy breakfast while spending quality time with the little ones. On Mondays and Wednesday when I have 12 hour days at work this 20 minute quality time is non-negotiable. When I have more time the little guy helps me make Whole Grain Pancakes. That’s even MORE fun! ;~)
Update: Click here to see a video of the toddler and I making our morning omelets!
Im nothing if not way behind...just found this through your link.
the little chef and the peppers is HILARIOUS.
Im not a pepper fan and am bound and determined to get my Tornado to like them.
M.
The toddler in my house eats peppers like apples too!! I thought she was the only one!!
I LOVE how you include the toddler in cooking. He will be quite the little chef one day I'm sure. He is just too cute and seems so well behaved. I hope that when we finally have a child I can include them in cooking as well.
Him eating the green pepper is priceless, I've never seen that before. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great idea! I will have to try it with my 2 year old, although he may not be up to the challenge just yet.
(I can see the eggs going everywhere!)
your pictures are adorable!
Lisa
i love that you eat ketchup on your eggs! Me too!
I do this too!!! Except that I throw all the veggies including spinach (and sometimes ham) in the frying pan with some olive oil, season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder and wait til the veggies *shrink* - then I pour in 2 unbeaten eggs and mix it and then split it with my 3 year old. She LOVES eating veggies this way and it's just so good 🙂
I use red, yellow, orange and green peppers, mushrooms and onions and I cut these all up at on Sunday afternoons so that I just have to reach in the fridge during the week. And then I add minced garlic (I use store-bought), spinach, tomatoes and ham when I'm actually making it.
I guess mine's really scrambled eggs, and not an omelet, but it's the same idea and a great way to get my daughter involved - we eat this almost everyday!
Tanya - For the "mommy" one. I count it as 3. The whole egg is 2, the yolk is 0. I just add one for all the veggies and olive oil cooking spray but I'm an "over estimator". ;~P
I have to apologize but what is the point count for this? I can't seem to see it anywhere...
I want to make it tomorrow morning for breakfast!
Thanks...
What a great way to get the toddler into the kitchen! I can't wait to cook with my kids, when I have them! Love your sites and all of your awesome ideas!
I love entertaining my grandkids in the kitchen and they love using my non-electric, old-fashioned eggbeater...they think it is the best. I let them pour the pancake batter for "their" pancake into the skillet and they get to use the pancake turner to flip it...another of their favorite things. The kitchen is a great place for teaching...we always talk nutrition as we are prepping. Those are lessons that last a lifetime.
My 2 year old LOVES to cook too, and mixing eggs is definitely at the top of the list! He also likes to mix his own oatmeal 🙂
Thanks for all your great recipes and ideas. Your sites are amazing and a great inspiration to all of us!