January is always exciting. A whole new year, just waiting to be filled with adventures, relationships, and yes, delicious food. I like to think of January as the year’s staging area—a strong start in January sets a good tone for the 11 months that follow it; so nourishment is key.

For quite a number of Januarys in my life, a new diet was simply a part of the natural ebb and flow of my eating habits. Some years I was a vegan for a few weeks, other years I worked hard to be in the “Zone,” and I’ve lost track of how many times my New Year’s Eve countdown included downloading the My Fitness Pal app to my phone. I’ve more or less lost interest in the diet treadmill, but when the calendar changes, I do find that re-focusing on nutrition and self-care feels right.

For years, my January routine acknowledges that I prefer a protein-focused meal to start the day. I find it fuels me more reliably than cereal or bread, and I stay full through even the busiest mornings. A protein bar sometimes hits just right, but most of the time I’d rather have real food. After December’s bounty of sugary treats and snacks, it feels good to get back to simpler, more basic foods. I especially love eggs—scrambled, fried, boiled, you name it. The only problem is that I also love to sleep, so cooking breakfast on the stove sometimes is not in the cards for me.

My other favorite breakfast food is pizza. I like it right out of the fridge, which has caused no end of controversy amongst my friends and loved ones. I’m not sure what it is about pizza that has spent the night in cold storge, but it’s simply the best. I don’t always have leftover pizza on hand, though, so this slightly unconventional morning meal isn’t always on the menu.

If you also love these two seemingly disparate foods, there is a secret ingredient to bring them together in a way that makes for a quick and easy start to the day: cottage cheese.

Using cottage cheese to pump up the protein in foods has become something of a cliché, and I often find that cottage cheese recipes give me results that are less than satisfactory. This recipe, however, uses cottage cheese in a way that is natural—eggs and cheese naturally complement each other. I like to mix the egg and cheese base with an electric mixer to create a smoother final product, but if you like the curds in cottage cheese, that would work well here too. I’ve topped these simple egg muffins with traditional pizza toppings, augmented with some Italian seasoning for umph. This base could easily lend itself to other topping combinations, like salsa and Monterey Jack, topped with a dash of hot sauce. The base could also be baked with just cheese.

These muffins could of course be eaten warm and fresh from the oven (tasty). Just like my preference for cold pizza, though, I actually like to eat these after they’ve had an overnight rest in the fridge. Stored in an airtight container, these will last for three or four days, so if your resolutions call for great nutrition and better organization to get out the door on time, these are just perfect. You can warm them briefly or simply eat them cold. January is a new beginning, so grab a great breakfast for a strong start to the day—and the year.

 

Low Carb Breakfast Mini Pizzas

Be sure to grease your muffin tins well to make it easy to remove these when they are done. Non-stick baking spray (with flour) is ideal for easy release.

• 1  16-ounce container cottage cheese, regular or low-fat
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• Additional pizza toppings as desired (chopped bell pepper, olives, pepperoni)

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix eggs and cottage cheese until fully combined (for a smoother “muffin,” use an electric mixer). Add seasoning and mix again. Fill each muffin cup about ¾ full, then bake for 25 minutes until eggs are firm and slightly golden. Put a spoonful of marinara and spoonful of cheese on top of each muffin, then add additional toppings if desired. Broil until the cheese melts. Allow to cool a bit, then serve or store in the refrigerator.