You’ve heard it before: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You’ve also probably heard this one too: skipping breakfast will make you gain weight. While studies are still inconclusive and everyone’s body is different, if your workout regimen starts in the morning, breakfast is certainly something you should start incorporating into your daily fitness plan and schedule. Here are some of our favorite go-to’s for breakfast:
Egg and Avocado Toast
Ingredients: 1 egg, avocado, sprouted grain or gluten-free bread
Eggs are a great source of protein. They’re also quick and extremely easy to make, filling, and not to mention – they taste great! This recipe calls for one over-easy egg, however, if you prefer your eggs scrambled, sunny side up or any other style that calls for just the egg and no additions (such as butter or milk), go for it. Cook your egg on a non-stick pan, oiled lightly with either coconut or olive oil. While you’re doing this put a slice of bread in the toaster. Any sprouted grain, ancient grain (spelt, quinoa, amaranth, millet, sorghum), or gluten-free breads will do. *A little tip for buying bread: make sure that you choose one without preservatives, added sugars, GMOs, dough conditioners, or artificial flavors or coloring. When your toast is done, spread ¼ of an avocado onto it as a butter-like spread substitute. Add your egg on top, and voila, you’ve got a healthy, delicious, nutritious, and filling pre-workout meal. You can also add some pepper, and if you like spicy, some cayenne pepper on top.
Fruity Oatmeal
Ingredients: Raw oats, berries (fresh or frozen), cinnamon
Hot oats are the perfect way to ease yourself into the day. They’re also super healthy, filling, low in sugar, and only take a few minutes to make. All you need for this simple, heart-healthy recipe are raw oats, your favorite berries (fresh or frozen), and cinnamon. For one serving, add ½ cup of oats to 1 cup boiling water in a small pot, and when the oatmeal seems about done (about 3 minutes), add in the fruit. We love blueberries and strawberries – but the choice is yours! You can also chop up ¼ – ½ of a banana to put on top. Sprinkle on the cinnamon when you’re done, and feel satisfied for hours.
Greek Yogurt and Oats Parfait
Ingredients: 2% Greek yogurt (or other preferred yogurt), raw oats, berries (fresh or frozen)
Greek yogurt is extremely high in protein and calcium, and is great to have on hand for a quick breakfast. Because its flavor is pretty neutral, you can add almost anything to it, thereby giving you a ton of options in the morning. One way we like eating our Greek yogurt is with raw oats to give it a bit of a crunch – and some fruit, for some sweetness. Top off your parfait with some cinnamon.
Heart-Healthy Pancakes
Ingredients: raw oats, almonds, berries, cinnamon, one egg
Great news: you can indulge in pancakes and still be healthy! All you have to do is make a few modifications to your original pancake recipe and you’ve got yourself a delicious, guilt-free breakfast. To make these, mix ¼ oats, one egg, cinnamon, and a tiny bit of water (about 2-3 tablespoons) in a blender. If you don’t have a blender, add them into a cup and mix with a fork. Once you have a nice blended texture, add the mix to a heated non-stick pan (lightly oiled with coconut or olive oil) and cook for about 3 minutes on each side – cook on medium/low heat. Top them off with your favorite berries and sprinkle with cinnamon. Yum!
*you can supplement the egg with chia seeds (soak 1 tbsp. chia in ¼ cup water for 10 minutes)
Spinach Scramble
Ingredients: one egg, spinach, cooked quinoa, basil, cilantro, pepper, cayenne, turmeric
Nothing says ‘good morning’ quite like a scrambled egg. Eggs offer a ton of protein, very few calories, and endless preparation options. For this recipe we use spinach because it cooks the quickest, however, pretty much any vegetable works. You may simply have to cook it separately for a few minutes prior to cooking your egg. Heat a non-stick pan and lightly oil it with either coconut or olive oil. Cook the egg by scrambling it with turmeric, cayenne, and pepper, or you can poach or fry it lightly. Add the spinach when your egg is almost done, and if you’ve made other vegetables add them as well. Top off your egg with ¼ cup cooked quinoa and basil.
Almond Buttery Toast
Ingredients: All-natural almond butter, sprouted wheat bread, banana, cinnamon
Remember having peanut butter and banana sandwiches as a kid? Get ready to give those nostalgic taste buds a kick with something similar, and with a healthy twist. Toast 1 or 2 pieces of bread, depending on how hungry you are, and use the aforementioned guidelines for choosing your bread. Simply spread on some almond butter, add slices of banana on top, and sprinkle on the cinnamon. Make this in about 3 minutes and feel full and satisfied for hours.