breakfast-recipes

Chai Inspired Oatmeal (or Gluten-Free Breakfast Cereal)

I love chai tea, and having a chai inspired oatmeal is pretty darn delicious too! This version is inspired by the spices without any black tea added. I've also been recently trying natural packaged oatmeal of this brand here from the health food store down my street. It's a change from my typical regular oats. But feel free to use any oats, gluten-free breakfast cereal (like this one) that you want.

Ingredients:

1 serving of oats (1/4 cup or so), packaged oatmeal, or gluten-free breakfast cereal.
Dash of almond milk
1 tsp brown sugar or honey
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
My favorite toppings: almonds, apple chunks, raisins
Other topping options: walnuts, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, berries, pear chunks, craisins, fresh cranberries....you get the point!

Instructions:
Prepare the oats or gluten-free breakfast cereal according to package directions. While still hot, add dash of milk (as much as you enjoy in your oatmeal), brown sugar or honey, vanilla and spices. Stir until well combined. Top with any combination of nuts, seeds and fruit that you enjoy!

Egg and Veggie Scramble

A hearty morning meal. You can make the veggies ahead of time, and cook up your eggs in the morning for a simple and quick weekday morning breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 pepper, sliced (here I used 1/2 a green pepper and 1/2 an orange pepper)
1 package of sliced mushrooms
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp canola oil
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste
small handful of shredded cheese (optional)

Instructions:
Place 1 tsp of canola oil in frying pan and warm pan to medium heat. Cook peppers, mushrooms and onions until tender. Remove from pan. If you are cooking this ahead of time, let it cool and leave in the fridge until you need it.

Add oil or butter to a frying pan and scramble 2 eggs. Once almost cooked, add in 1/3 of the veggie mixture to warm through. Serve with a bit of cheese on top if you like.

Depending on how many veggies you want to eat, it can provide 2-3 portions.

Protein Packed Breakfast Smoothies

Breakfast on the go - happens more often than I would like it to at times!

Ingredients:

1 scoop protein powder of choice (I use whey protein most often)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup water (optional)
1/2 banana
1/2 cup blackberries
1 tbsp hemp hearts or ground flax seeds

Instructions:
Simply place everything in a blender, blend until smooth, and enjoy!

Any fruit combination can work here: blueberries, blackberries, mixed berries, pear, orange, pineapple, banana....you name it, you can probably blend it!

My Yogurt Parfait

Light yet surprisingly filling!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup natural yogurt (or greek yogurt) with fat (2%)
1 tbsp chia seeds (I'm currently using Salba seeds)
1 tbsp hemp hearts
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp roasted oats
small handful blueberries
small handful raspberries
half a fresh peach, diced
honey to taste (1 tsp maximum)

Instructions:
Place everything in a bowl and enjoy! I usually put the yogurt on the bottom, the grains/seeds/oats layer next, with the fruit as a beautiful colorful layer on top!

"Healthy" Eggs Benedict

This is my version of a "healthy" eggs Benedict, useful for those Sundays when you want to impress or when you want a treat! Smoked salmon is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids but has a bit too much sodium for this to be a staple weekday meal. Also, this recipe is gluten and dairy free!

Ingredients:

smoked salmon - 1 or 2 small slices per egg
1 large handful of spinach (use more than you think, it wilts down with heat quite a bit)
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 tbsp finely diced tomato
1 tbsp finely diced red onion
salt, pepper
1/2 tbsp lime juice
2 eggs

Instructions:
Make guacamole first. Mash the avocado and add lime juice to prevent browning. Add tomato, red onion, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a pan, lightly cook the spinach in a bit of oil until it is wilted. Set aside. Poach eggs in hot water with vinegar to desired consistency (I prefer soft poached with a runny egg yolk which cooks in about 5-6 mins).

Assemble! Place the slices of smoked salmon on your plate in two little rounds. Cover each with a spoonful of guacamole. Add half the spinach on top. Once your eggs are done, remove excess water with paper towel or kitchen cloth and place on top of spinach. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper. Top with remaining guacamole and enjoy! So delicious :)

Do you have a breakfast idea?