Most moms have hectic mornings that include dressing the kids, preparing lunches, packing school bag and trying to get ready ourselves.

Sure, we'd love to make a "big" breakfast for the family, but the reality is that we just don't have time for homemade muffins every morning, right? Wrong!

You can prepare a healthy breakfast - quickly and with minimal stress. Here are four great recipes to get your morning - and your family's morning - started right.

Walnut-Bran and Fruit Pancakes

Makes about 10 pancakes

1 cups milk
1 cup instant oats
cup sifted all purpose flour (or a blend of white and whole wheat flours)
cup oat flour or oat bran
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten

Pour milk over oats and sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Lightly stir eggs into oats mixture. Add dry ingredients, honey and butter, stirring until combined. When the batter is thoroughly mixed, stir in the fruit and walnuts.

Ladle batches of the batter on to a greased or non-stick griddle or frying pan and cook until tops are bubbly and edges look cooked. Turn over and finish cooking the other side.

Seasonal Fruit Smoothie

1/2 cup of your child's favorite fruit (it is best to use fruits that are in season for maximum nutritional value and taste) such as peaches, bananas, pineapples, strawberries, mangos, etc.

3/4 cup of low fat yogurt
1 cup low fat milk or soy milk
1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Peel the fruit, if appropriate, and cut them up into small pieces.
Put all of the ingredients into a blender and puree them together until smooth.
Pour into a chilled glass and serve with a straw.
Keep in mind that you may have to add ice or use frozen fruit if you really want to serve it cold.

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

1 Egg or Egg whites
1 slice white cheddar
2 slices whole wheat bread
Spray oil or olive oil for pan

Trail Mix Style Hot Cereal

Your childs favorite oatmeal or hot multigrain cereal
Low fat milk or Soy milk
Trail mix: Your child's favorites (try to include a blend of dried fruits and seeds); I like to use golden raisins, currants, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and some peanut butter chips.

It's no surprise Cat Cora became a world renowned chef. Her culinary aspirations began at an early age, and by 15, she had developed a business plan for her own restaurant. In 2005, she made television history on Food Network's Iron Chef America as the first and only female Iron Chef, and in 2006, she was named Executive Chef for Bon Appetit Magazine. Cat is currently working on her second book, Cooking From The Hip which Houghton Mifflin will release in April 2007.

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