Breakfast doesn't have to be your typical kind of breakfast, like cereal, pancakes or a quick on the go protein bar. There are ways you can get really creative and make it super healthy for your mind, body and soul. Instead of listing recipes here, I am going to give you what I call the "bases" for a good breakfast.
Whole Oats
Whole oats make a great base. To make your oats more digestible, I would suggest soaking them over night, in the pan you will be cooking them in, with some water. This way you can just turn the heat on and cook them just as they are. Please be sure to have double the water and stir frequently as they cook. Cook for at least 5 minutes or longer to avoid your oats being chewy and under cooked. What are great "add-ins?" Well, what do you like? Do you like raisins, blueberries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, collagen powder, cream, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried apricots, fresh raspberries, bananas? Your list of healthy "add-ins" is endless. If you want the Glycemic Load to be low, be careful with how much and what fruit you use.
Chia Seeds
Have you ever soaked chia seeds and learned what they become? It only takes about 30 minutes for them to swell up and become a great consistency of pudding; and it only takes about two tablespoons of chia seeds to one cup of liquid. I love soaking them in milk alternatives like coconut milk, flax seed milk, oat milk, etc. Just please be careful when purchasing alternative milks; read the ingredients labels! You don't want things like guar gum, carrageenan, and natural flavors. Then add any healthy ingredients you love and enjoy! I enjoy mine with walnuts, fresh pear and some collagen powder.
Yogurt
Some people don't do well with milk products, however if you do, yogurt makes for a great breakfast. Please don't choose the fat free. It's loaded with sugar! It often will have guar gums added for a creamer consistency, due to taking the healthy fat out. I like goat milk yogurt. It seems easier to digest for my body's constitution. I am not a big fan of the soy or cashew yogurts. Soy is not good for the body for many reasons (too many to list here) and cashews are hard to digest for some people, and are they really meant to be made into yogurt?? For the yogurt base, again just add to it some healthy add-ins that you like (same as with the oats and the chia-like pudding bases).
Smoothies
Smoothies make a great base to sneak in some super foods! Like lots of greens! However, smoothies are also a place where people can add too much fruit. "Healthy" smoothies are the ones that have equal amounts of greens as they do fruit. Some recipes call for frozen cauliflower, or frozen squash, or pureed pumpkin, yum! You can experiment with all the things you love or google search some fun recipes. The super greens I like to add (and I often change it up, to give my smoothies a variety) are: 1/4 of peeled cucumber, a handful of parsley, lettuce, spinach, dandelion greens, or kale. Any kind of fruit will do. Mine usually include a probiotic, hemp seeds, collagen powder or some ground flax seeds. The liquid part is usually water with maybe a splash of alternative milk. Most people prefer their smoothies a little creamier and more filling, so please add more milk or milk alternatives to your liking. Adding nut butters can help make them creamier as well. Spices like cinnamon, pumpkin spice or ginger can add a fun taste to your smoothie as well.
Eggs
Yes eggs can be a "base" for a healthy breakfast, if they are scrambled. Have you ever saute onions and zucchini, added the scrambled eggs, with some halved cherry tomatoes, spinach, and towards the end of the cooking added goat cheese? Yum! I think you get the picture. Again, start experimenting, add the stuff you like, and you will have yourself a healthy egg creation. Some helpful tips: Add a little water to your raw scrambled eggs, saute denser vegetables before adding the eggs and don't over cook the eggs. You can also a make crust-less quiche with veggies, or eggs in muffin tins filled with veggies. Unsure with were to start with the last two recommendations, then look up some recipes, get the general idea and pretty soon you will be making them to your own liking. Eggs cooked in muffin tins is a great "on the go" breakfast.
Please let me know what you think, or how things turned out or share any of your favorite "base" creations.