Yes, we understand. You don’t want to read the words turkey, stuffing, pumpkin, cranberry and/or potatoes for awhile. But, let’s face it. What are you going to do with all the leftovers that are sited in your fridge?

Before throwing them away first time in the morning, there are still plenty of things that you can do with the delicious turkey or sweet potatoes. Throw away the regret and do not make the mistake to not to have breakfast the following day to start making up for last night’s piggy time.

Experts agree that no matter how much you ate the night before, breakfast is a must. It sets the right tone for the day by revamping the metabolism and keeping the glucose levels under control, so does hunger.

According to the American Dietitian Association (ADA), people who miss breakfast can be more “tired, irritable and restless.”

Without this meal, your metabolism slows down making you to grab some extra cookies later on as a pick up meal. The result: you end up eating more calories at the end of the day.

Egg + Potato: Power star 

(photo courtesy of The Fresh Diet)

In a recent study, people who had eggs for breakfast ate less and controlled their appetite better than people who had bagels for the same total calorie intake. In addition, eggs have all 9 essential amino acids that help to nourish the muscles and keep you alert. And if you worry about the cholesterol content, new studies confirm that the cholesterol in eggs was lower than what was originally estimated. Likewise, more researches are pointing out that eating cholesterol does not necessarily increase blood level cholesterol.

As per potatoes, which I’m sure you’ve probably banned from your diet. Rethink it with the sweet stuff.  A sweet potato with skin has more oxygen radical absorbance that an orange, which means that this food acts as a powerful antioxidant.

Sure thing, you need a higher intake of antioxidants through this season when stress, parties, erratic sleep patterns, extra drinks and meals may increase the free radicals in your body promoting inflammation and premature aging. And, nothing is better than a good dose of potassium (around 430mg) to replenish hydration from last night’s extra glass of wine.

No more wait and start the day with this yummy, gluten-free, vegetarian and super calorie- friendly recipe provided by the chefs from The Fresh Diet www.TheFreshDiet.com. 

Sweet Potato & Saffron Egg Frittata with Chopped Scallions & Italian Parsley

Yield:  1 9″ frittata

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 large eggs

3/4 c. finely chopped scallions

1 T. finely chopped Italian parsley

1/2 tsp. saffron

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

(2) 6- to 8-oz. sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8″ thick

Directions

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position, then heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9″ round ovenproof dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix eggs, scallions, parsley, saffron, salt, and ground pepper together; set bowl aside for 15 minutes to let flavors mingle.

Meanwhile, lay sweet potato slices evenly around bottom of ovenproof dish, spray with cooking spray, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove dish from oven.

Give egg mixture a quick stir to awaken the saffron flavor, then pour over sweet potatoes. Return ovenproof dish to oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes total, spraying surface of frittata with cooking spray midway through baking to create a crisp surface. (Frittata will continue to cook and firm up once removed from the oven.) Allow frittata to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 6 slices.

Nutritional Information

Calories:  142 cal.

Total Fat:  5 g

Cholesterol:  186 mg

Sodium:  309 mg

Total Carbohydrates:  17 g

Fiber: 3 g

Sugars:  4 g

Protein:  8 g

Find this recipe and more in A Fresh Take On Diets:  99 Recipes from The Fresh Diet Kitchens that Will Please Your Palate and Your Waistline.  Go to www.facebook.com/TheFreshDiet to order a copy of the cookbook.  Learn more about The Fresh Diet at www.TheFreshDiet.com or call 866-FRESH-50.

Read more of Marta’s blog at: martamontenegro.com/2011/11/the-thanksgiving-aftermath-recipe-to-kick-off-the-day/