With a few simple tips and tricks, you’ll make morning meals that are worth getting out of bed for.
LISA TURNER
Healthify your morning meal: Try these two weeks’ worth of ingenious breakfast ideas that slash morning prep… but aren’t smoothies.
1. Uplevel your morning toast
Puree chickpeas with steamed broccoli and olive oil, spread on whole-grain or gluten-free toast, then layer with tomatoes, red onions and spinach. Make hummus in advance and pre-cut ingredients the night before for faster prep. For a low-carb, Keto-friendly breakfast idea option, skip the toast; halve an avocado, remove the pit and spoon ingredients into each avocado half.
2. Or make sweet potato toast
Instead of bread, swap sweet potatoes for your base. Cut sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; white sweet potatoes have a more traditional look (plus more fiber, fewer starches). Roast at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until tender, but still firm. Spread with almond butter and mashed raspberries—a gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo and Keto-friendly breakfast toast solution.
3. Take your (crustless) quiche to go
Skip the grains, and make crust-free, gluten-free mini quiche: whisk eggs with diced red peppers, mushrooms, olives and leeks, then stir in shredded cheese. Pour mixture into a muffin tin coated with coconut oil and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until set. Serve hot; or let cool and freeze, then microwave for a speedy, satisfying morning meal.
4. Amp up antioxidants, with breakfast fruit salad
Toss blackberries and raspberries with mango slices, pineapple cubes and kiwi; add interest (and healthy fats) with chopped walnuts and shredded coconut. Top with a dressing made with Greek yogurt, honey and a squeeze of lime, for calcium, protein and gut-friendly probiotics.
5. Pack pancakes with protein
Whisk together 2 eggs, 2 scoops of protein powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in a few tablespoons of water or almond milk to make a thick batter, then cook in a hot skillet. Instead of syrup, top with pureed berries or sliced banana; whip up batter the night before for fast morning prep. Or use less water for a thicker batter, cook up in a waffle iron and store in the freezer for protein-packed toaster waffles.
6. Or make savory waffles from sweet potatoes
For a grain-free savory waffle fix: grate sweet potatoes and stir in eggs, diced onions, minced garlic, cumin and paprika. Heavily coat a waffle iron with coconut oil, heat to high, and spoon in mixture; cook until the edges are crispy, about 5 minutes, then serve with plain Greek yogurt and minced chives. Or skip the eggs for a vegan version that’s more like hash browns.
7. DIY your energy bars
Skip sugary, processed energy bars and make your own—rich in protein, fiber and healthy fats, no grains or refined sweeteners. In a food processor, combine equal amounts of raw nuts and pitted Medjool dates. Add a pinch of salt and process on high until mixture sticks together but still has chunks. Form into bars, wrap individually and refrigerate for on-the-go, all-day energy. Make it nut-free: sub pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
8. Un-mush oatmeal
Start with oat groats—whole, unprocessed oats have a firm, chewy, satisfying texture, plus extra fiber and nutrients. Soak them in water overnight to shorten cooking time, then top with apple cubes, pecans, cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. Make them savory; stir in pesto, baby arugula, Asiago cheese and olive oil.
9. Or low-carb your oats
Use seeds instead, for a Keto-friendly take on overnight oats that’s loaded with protein and fiber. Combine 1/2 cup hemp seeds, 1 tablespoon golden flax meal and 1/2 cup coconut milk in a pint-sized jar; stir in monk fruit and a pinch of salt, cover and refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with cashews and blackberries, for a grain-free breakfast to go.
10. Make boiled eggs not boring
Deviled eggs that swap avocado for mayo are more nutritious, and intriguing. Mash yolks with avocado, add minced scallions, cilantro and red peppers, and spice it up with Sriracha. Fill whites with yolk mixture, put halves together and wrap individually, for a grab-and-go, protein-centric breakfast.
11. Serve up almost-instant green juice
Juice any combo of greens (kale, spinach, celery, parsley), then freeze in ice cube trays. Fill a pint-sized glass jar with cubes and defrost in the fridge overnight, or add cubes to smoothies for instant greens. If you don’t have a juicer, pack chopped kale, spinach and other greens into a high-powered blender, add just enough water to cover and puree until smooth (bonus: blender juices are loaded with fiber).
12. Whip up a veggie-packed omelet in minutes
Prep ingredients the night before: break eggs into a jar and shake to scramble, pre-cut fillings (zucchini, cherry tomatoes, chard, leeks) and store in the fridge. In the morning, whip up a veggie-heavy, hot meal in minutes. Or scramble them with black beans and cheese, and roll up in a gluten-free or whole-grain tortilla for a breakfast burrito. Make it Keto: skip the beans and wrap in thinly sliced turkey instead of a tortilla.
13. Cook it in the crockpot
Ready-to-eat, as soon as you’re up: a fruity gluten-free breakfast crumble that “bakes” overnight. Toss chopped pears with cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. Transfer to a slow cooker coated with coconut oil. Whisk together gluten-free baking mix, melted coconut oil, almond milk, coconut sugar and vanilla; Pour over fruit. Sprinkle top with ground walnuts mixed with coconut sugar, cover and cook on low for 7 hours. Serve hot with a dollop of unsweetened Greek yogurt, or spoon into a take-away container and hit the road.
14. Healthify your breakfast cereal
Try a grain-free make-it-yourself version (low in sugar, high in fiber and antioxidants). In a medium bowl, combine sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds and dried cranberries. Toss with coconut sugar and melted coconut oil, spread on a baking sheet and cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool and store in the fridge, then serve with your favorite milk for an instant, nutrient-dense breakfast.
