Because around here, we're all making sure we have breakfast - right?! And no sorry, coffee doesn't count!
Starting your day with a nourishing breakfast will give you the energy to power through your morning and sets you up for success for the rest of your day. We've all heard this one before, but you wouldn't expect your car to run on an empty tank, so why would you expect that of your body?!
Like the car analogy, the fuel you give yourself will directly impact your performance. A good nourishing breakfast will include carbs, protein and healthy fats and ideally be something you look forward to!
Eating a well balanced breakfast has been shown to lead to less mindless snacking and overeating in the evening, as well as better food choices throughout the day.
There are two main reasons I often hear from those in the 'no breakfast' camp. the first one being that they're just not hungry in the morning and the other being that they don't have time.
If you're not hungry in the morning, start with something small - a yoghurt, half a banana, even a slice of toast - and build from there.
Regarding the time excuse, honestly, I'm calling bullshit.....We've all got 5 minutes the night before to prep something that will benefit our future selves!
To inspire you, below are 5 tasty brekkie options to try. Most of these are meal prep friendly and can be made in a batch that will last you the majority of the week - no more lack of time excuses!
Baked Oats
If you like the idea of cake for breakfast, this ones for you! Baked Oats are a great meal prep option and contain ingredients commonly found at home. They are also very versatile, a quick google search will come up with a variety of recipes for flavour options. THIS recipe is great as a basic base to get creative with! Rather than individual ramekins as the recipe suggests, you could bake in a tin and slice into portions.
If you're on Instagram, Dietician Rose has recently done a great series of delicious and easy Baked Oat Recipes - my fave is her Sticky Date one, delish!
Scrambled Eggs and Cottage Cheese
Eggs are a fantastic breakfast option, but 2 eggs alone won't give the amount of protein most of us should be aiming for in a meal. The addition of cottage cheese bumps up the protein significantly, as well as adding flavour and calcium.
Serve THIS recipe with some tomato, mushroom, spinach, avo and toast on the side and your day is off to a great start!
Pancakes
Who doesn't love a good pancake brekkie?! Pancakes can be a great protein packed and meal prep-able option, with the right recipe and toppings.
THIS recipe I shared a while ago uses cottage cheese to up the protein, or try the one below which includes greek yoghurt. Note that neither rely on protein powder?!
Top either recipe with more yoghurt, fruits, a sprinkle of nuts or nut butter and a drizzle of maple syrup - YUM!!!
Pancake Recipe - 1 serve:
3 tablespoons rolled oats - whizz to make oat flour
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
100g Greek yoghurt
1 egg
Milk to loosen mixture if needed
Whisk egg, stir in yoghurt, then fold in dry ingredients. Add enough milk to make a thick batter if required.
Grease a heated frying pan and drop a large spoonful of mixture onto pan. Cook for around 2 minutes before flipping.
Repeat until all mixture is cooked.
Serve stacked with toppings as suggested above or as desired!
Overnight Oats
This one is a staple in our house! The ultimate meal prep, eat on the run if necessary option.
Up the protein factor of your oats by adding a scoop of protein powder and top with some nuts and seeds for healthy fats and some fruit for nutrients and colour.
A quick search of the web comes up with a huge variety of flavour options, all perfectly presented (mine are very much not!), but I really like THIS basic recipe which also has some great flavour variations to try. You can also try adding cocoa powder and topping with banana for a chocolatey start to your day, or grated apple and cinnamon for an apple pie vibe!
Turkish Eggs
This combo may sound a little odd, but trust me when I say this recipe is bound to become a fave! Turkish Eggs combine Greek yoghurt, flavoured with herbs and spices, with eggs to create the base of a delicious and high protein brekkie. This recipe works well for meal prepping the night before, or making a few for the days ahead - just add your fresh or toasted bread in the morning. Find my take on an easy Turkish Eggs recipe HERE.
A nourishing breakfast doesn't need to be tricky or time consuming. Often it just comes down to a little pre-planning and organisation - once you're in the habit, it's easy! Give one of these recipes a go this week and let me know your thoughts.
Please let me know if you'd like to see more posts like this, or if there is anything you would particularly like covered in a short blog - I love knowing you're getting something from them!
Find me on Instagram - @kando_training, or Facebook - @KANdoTraining.
