You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'breakfast' tag.
When it’s warm outside, I love making myself a juicy smoothie for breakfast. I just figured out that you can add raw greens into the mix for an added boost of nutrients — but without affecting the taste. Genius!
My current favorite combination:
1 1/2 c almond milk (you can also use soy, hemp, rice, etc milk)
4 tbsp hemp protein powder
1/2 banana
1/4 – 1/2 c frozen berries
handful of raw spinach OR 2 lacinto kale leaves
Put in blender and mix for 30 seconds.
Yoga Journal recently posted an article on the importance of eating a protein-filled breakfast. Over the years, I’ve noticed that many of my clients who have trouble losing weight or have out-of-control cravings have one thing in common: either they don’t each breakfast at all, or their morning meal consists of a bagel or muffin purchased on the way to work.
We’ve all read it’s important to eat a meal in the morning — it helps keep your blood sugar stable, reduces hunegr thoroughout the day and, for most people, creates a sense of structure and balance in the morning. What you perhaps didn’t know is that it’s key to have protein and complex carbohydrates for breakfast. A slice of toast and coffee won’t cut it most days.
Five quick and easy healthy breakfasts that I often recommend to my clients:
– Brown rice cakes spread with natural peanut or almond butter
– Scrambled eggs on sprouted grain toast
– Breakfast burrito with whole wheat tortilla, scrambled eggs, and sauted vegetables
– Oatmeal with almonds, flaxseed, and agave nectar
– High quality protein shake (I’m a fan of Vega, which is a plants based, whole food powder full of protein, fiber, and most vitamins; I like to make mine with almond, soy, or hemp milk).
I had some leftover red quinoa in the fridge and decided to try an idea I’ve had for a while. It was inspired by Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine, which I received a few months ago, as well as Heidi Swanson’s adaptation of the original recipe. However, I haven’t been keen on trying it until now… because it’s freezing outside. I woke up this morning, my teeth chattering, and decided this was definitely a morning for a heart, warming breakfast.
This is similar to my Hearty Morning Porridge made with steel cut oats… except I prefer the quinoa version, I think. It’s a bit lighter, but just as filling and protein-packed. I am also going to try it again by making the dry quinoa with part water, part almond milk and see how that turns out.
Warming Quinoa Porridge
(serves one)
1/2 c cooked quinoa (I used red, as I like its texture more, but you could also use white)
1/4 c plus 2 tbsp unsweetened, vanilla almond milk
2 tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp agave nectar (could also use maple syrup or honey)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
handful chopped almonds
Bring almond milk to a simmer. Add quinoa and let it cook down, until most of the almond milk has been absorbed, 3-4 mins. Add agave and vanilla and stir. Turn off heat, add flax seed and almonds. Pour 2 tbsp almond milk on top, and stir. Enjoy!
I’m a big fan of eating a substantial breakfast in the morning. It gets your metabolism going in the morning and gives you enough energy to start the day well.
Oats are the perfect cold weather food. They’re hearty and warming. They’re also filling, so they’ll keep you full til lunchtime. I by far prefer steel cut oats to traditional rolled oats or quick-cook oats. They take a bit longer to make, but it’s totally worth it. They taste so much better and the texture is amazing–not mushy and bland like the oatmeal I grew up with.
My Hearty Morning Porridge is a hodgepodge of fiber, protein, healthy carbohydrates–all designed to give you sustained energy. This recipe is for one person, but yon can easily double or triple it–the ratio of oats to water is 1:4. To save time, you can make a few servings at once and refrigerate the leftovers. When you’re ready to have more, put it in a pot and add a bit of water. Heat it up, stirring, then add the other ingredients.
Hearty Morning Porridge
serves one
1/4 c steel cut oats
1 c water
2 tsp ground flaxseed
1/4c chopped raw almonds
1 tbsp agave nectar
few pinches of cinnamon
dab of butter (optional)
pinch of salt
Boil water. Slowly stir in oats and cook for about 5 minutes, until thickened. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When it is the desired consistency (should be thick and not too soupy), add in all the other ingredients and stir. Taste it–if you’d like it sweeter, add a bit more agave. Enjoy!
Like this recipe? Also try my Warming Quinoa Porridge.
I always recommend that my clients eat a hearty breakfast at home every morning; however, I realize that sometimes life doesn’t allow for this. Starbucks has just begun to offer oatmeal (100% whole grain), which you can get with dried fruit, nut medley, or brown sugar.
This is a perfect meal for those fall days when you have to eat breakfast at your desk. To make the most of the meal, try it with nuts, which will add protein to the meal and make you feel full longer. If you want it sweet, try adding the dried fruit. If you’re watching your sugar intake, skip the brown sugar–it has an extremely high glycemic index and will leave you hungry sooner.
Tired of oatmeal? Looking to splurge on a delicious breakfast treat? Check out Restaurant Girl’s list of the places to get a donut, croissant, foccacia–whatever your preference might be.
(My favorite–a tie between Levain Bakery and Bouchon Bakery)
Recently, the University of Minnesota released a study showing that adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than those who do not. Over the course of five years, researchers tracked the eating habits of over 2,200 teens, using questionnaires to monitor their overall food intake as well as the frequency of their morning meals. While the study could not determine why regularly eating breakfast was tied to a lower BMI, the relationship between these two factors was clear.
Many of my clients skip breakfast, either because they are too busy or trying to conserve calories to lose weight. Many others eat breakfast, but it tends to be bagels or donuts and coffee, eaten on the way to work. One of the first things I do with new clients is work with them to find a healthy, filling breakfast that is appropriate their lifestyle, tastes, and body type.
What are the key ingredients of a good breakfast?
- Contains a mix of protein, fat, and healthy carbohydrates (such as whole grains). The protein and fat will make you feel more satisfied and full; whole grain carbohydrates will provide long-lasting energy.
- Contains fiber, which can help regulate blood sugar levels, make you feel fuller throughout the day, and promote intestinal health.
Examples of healthy, filling breakfasts:
- Steel-cut oatmeal with chopped almonds, agave nectar, and cinnamon. (If you don’t have steel-cut oatmeal, rolled oats are fine; just try to stay away from quick-cook or instant oatmeal, which are heavily processed). For added fiber, try adding a teaspoon of ground flaxseed.
- Sprouted grain toast with 100% natural peanut or almond butter. (Make sure the nut butter only contains the nut and salt, if desired. Oftentimes they can contain oil and sugar).
- Scrambled eggs (organic, preferably) with half of a whole wheat or multi-grain bagel.
- Greek yogurt (contains more protein than regular yogurt) with fresh fruit and ground flaxseed.
Try to eat breakfast as early in the day as possible.–your first meal of the day signals to your body to jump-start your metabolism. Also try to eat slowly and, if possible, sitting down and relaxed.
