You've heard it before, but it's true: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it sets up the fuel and energy for you to get through the rest of your day successfully. However, there is more often than not a big difference between what we crave in the morning and what will provide us with the necessary nutrients we need most. And yet…is there anything more satisfying than a good breakfast sandwich? We think not, especially when we can chew comfortably knowing that we're starting our day in one of the best possible ways, which is to say, with a metabolism-jolting dose of protein and fiber.

Unfortunately, most fast food chains and diners do not successfully choose such a winning combination of ingredients, and the breakfast sandwich can become needlessly calorie-filled and not at all energy-boosting. But in this recipe, we choose our ingredients with more care. The combination of pastrami and Swiss has long been confined to the realm of the lunchtime deli counter, but we think it works beautifully with soft scrambled eggs—especially because pastrami trounces both sausage and bacon in the calorie department. Give it a try.

Nutrition: 325 calories, 16 g fat (6 g saturated), 860 mg sodium

Serves 4

You'll Need

1⁄2 Tbsp butter
4 oz lean pastrami (or turkey pastrami), cut into strips
6 eggs
2 Tbsp milk
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 slices low-fat Swiss cheese
4 whole-wheat English muffins, lightly toasted

How to Make It

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pastrami and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to low. Combine the eggs with the milk and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Whisk lightly, then add to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to constantly stir the eggs, scraping from the bottom as they set, as they'll continue to cook once removed from the stovetop.
Place a slice of Swiss on the bottom of each English muffin. Divide the scrambled eggs among the muffins, top with the muffin tops, and serve.