Start your morning right with a delicious spinach omelet

By SARA KELLY

You probably let your alarm go off six times this morning, waking just in time to get to your 9 a.m. class, coffee in tow. That is, if you’re anything like me. As busy college students, we tend to overextend ourselves. For most of us, that means that while our lives may be filled with the activities that make us who we are, we’re short one thing: time. We have club meetings to attend, papers to write and let’s not forget that bi-weekly date with the elliptical machine.

I would be doing a disservice to the Better Homes and Dormrooms reader if I didn’t devote a column to the importance of living a healthy, if hectic, lifestyle while at college. I’ve found that even the most simple lifestyle changes can make a world of difference to my energy levels and overall well-being.

One of the most important factors when it comes to our health is taking the time to make a healthy breakfast every day, and I’m not talking about that granola bar you bring to class with you. One of my go-to breakfasts is an egg white spinach omelet, a recipe I’ve adapted from laurenconrad.com. The eggs give a boost of oh-so-important protein, the mozzarella cheese gives a kick of calcium and the spinach provides a serving of vitamin-filled veggies before heading out the door.

Here’s how:

Prep ahead on Sunday by cleaning and chopping your bell peppers for the week, refrigerating them in an airtight container. In the morning, separate four eggs and discard the yokes. For the sake of convenience, you can always buy a carton of pre-separated egg whites at the grocery store.

Add a small handful of baby spinach, a sprinkling of cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste and combine. This is really what separates this omelet from the rest. Adding the spinach into the egg white mixture results in a light and fluffy texture.

Pour the egg whites into a small, nonstick pan on medium heat for a few seconds, and then reduce to low heat. While breakfast is cooking, I usually use the waiting time to check my email and look over my calendar for the day.

When it’s almost finished, add a small handful of chopped peppers and the 1/4¼ cup of mozzarella cheese. Once the cheese is melted, add the avocado, fold over and serve with a side of fresh fruit or whole-wheat toast. And there you have it, a home-cooked breakfast in the time it takes you to dash to Starbucks. We can work on those 8 hours of sleep after graduation.