Start with our selection of easy breakfast recipes to start off your day
Many of my nutrition clients will tell me, “I already ruined my day with the donuts this morning, so what’s the point in eating healthy for the rest of the day?” Although I don’t agree with that “all or nothing” mentality, I do understand that it’s hard to turn yourself back around midday. (I constantly struggle with this myself!)
“Bad” breakfasts often include a heavy dose of sugar, and sugar is just plain destructive to your nutritional plan. In short, eating sugar makes you crave moresugar, and this effect is even stronger in the morning hours, when you are setting up your blood sugar to cycle up and down all day. By eating sugar early in the day, you are setting yourself up for a day full of cravings.
The trick to starting your day off right is eating a breakfast with lean protein and fiber to keep you satisfied until lunchtime.
This month, I’d like for all of us to focus more on our breakfast meal. Take some time to plan a meal that contains protein and fiber, and that is void of sugar. Some breakfast foods to include are: eggs, egg whites or Egg Beaters®; low-sugar yogurt; cottage cheese; oatmeal, protein shakes; nuts and nut butters.
Below you will find three of my favorite tried-and-true breakfast recipes. Two of the recipes, the breakfast pizza and the pancake soufflé, are more for the weekend, when you have some extra time on your hands.
Try out these recipes or experiment with your own healthy breakfast creations and then come share some of your morning meals with us. We would love to hear from you!
Bronson’s Breakfast Pizza
makes 3 servings
This recipe came from my brother’s best friend Bronson. Of course, I tweaked some of the ingredients to make it more nutritionally “sound,” but what I like best about this breakfast meal is that it will truly keep you satiated well into lunchtime. The high-protein and low-sugar content is a win-win situation for your body.
Ingredients:
1 8-inch whole-wheat pizza crust (I use Boboli®)
4 scrambled egg whites
⅓ cup canned low-sodium diced tomatoes
½ cup reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican mix)
1 soy-based breakfast sausage patty, crumbled (I use Morningstar Farms®)
1 pinch Italian seasoningDirections:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Top the pizza crust with the scrambled eggs, tomatoes and cheese and then add the sausage patty. Season with a pinch of Italian seasoning and pepper, if you desire. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until warm throughout. Remove from oven and let the pizza “rest” for 5 minutes. Cut into thirds and serve.
Nutrition information per serving:
220 calories
5 grams fat
2.5 grams saturated fat
26 grams carbohydrate
5 grams fiber
18 grams protein
3 grams sugar
520 mg sodium
Pancake Soufflés with Sautéed Apples
makes 3 servings
I can’t say that this recipe is the picture-perfect model of a high-protein, high-fiber meal, but I wanted to include it because it was my favorite breakfast meal as a kid. I’ve played around with the ingredients to make it a little healthier, but if you want to up the protein, serve it with plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese on the side.
Ingredients:
For soufflé:
½ cup 1% milk
¼ tsp salt
½ cup flour
½ tsp sugar
2 large eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp canola oilFor apples:
1 tbsp butter
2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch slices
2 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmegDirections:
Soufflé:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix milk, salt, flour and sugar. Add eggs until blended. Add vanilla and lemon. Place a 10-inch “ovenproof” skillet over medium heat and add the canola oil. Allow the oil to get hot — about 1-2 minutes. Pour the batter into the skillet and place into the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and “puffed” and lightly browned.
Apples:
Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat and add the apple slices. Sauté the apples for about 5 minutes. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; add to the apples. Cover and cook for a few more minutes, until the apples are softened to your liking.
To Serve:
Cut the soufflé into thirds and top with the sautéed apples.
Nutrition information per serving:
280 calories
12 grams fat
4 grams saturated fat
38 grams carbohydrate
2 grams fiber
8 grams protein
21 grams sugar
220 mg sodium
The “Make-Ahead” Bowl of Oatmeal
makes 4 servings
I much prefer steel-cut or Irish oats over “instant” or rolled oats. They are less refined, which results in a higher fiber more whole grain. The downside is that the steel-cut and Irish oats take a lot longer to cook. In order to enjoy the nutritional benefits of these whole oats on the fly, you can cook a large pot-full once a week and enjoy them all week long. Below you will find my recipe for 4 servings of oatmeal. I added in my favorite toppings, but feel free to experiment with your own.
Ingredients:
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 tbsp canola oil
3 cups boiling water
Pinch of salt
Toppings (per serving):
½ cup skim or 1% milk
½ of a chopped Granny Smith apple
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp slivered almonds
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Lower the heat to low, add the oats and stir often, allowing the oats to “toast,” for about 1-2 minutes. Then add the boiling water and salt, reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 25 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and taste for doneness. Allow to cool and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Portion the oatmeal into 4 servings. Top each serving with the milk, apple, cinnamon and almonds. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until heated throughout. Stir well, allowing the milk to be evenly distributed.
Nutrition information per serving:
340 calories
13 grams fat
1.5 grams saturated fat
49 grams carbohydrate
8 grams fiber
13 grams protein
16 grams sugar
135 mg sodium
Learn more ways to eat healthier with weight loss and nutrition videos on GaiamTV.com!
Just as important as eating breakfast is eating the right breakfast. If you start out a little shaky (with something like sugar- and carb-laden coffee cake), you’re very likely to continue down a less-than-optimal nutrition path for the rest of the day.
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