By now, most of us know that eating a healthy breakfast (or any breakfast at all) is an important step in maintaining and losing weight. What we eat first thing in the morning, sets up our whole day of eating. If you take in something high in sugar or simple carbohydrates (i.e. usually anything that comes in a box, wrapper, or frozen), you will be craving those simple sugars all day. Set yourself up for success by starting your day with a well-balanced meal that leaves you feeling satisfied.
It's true, a well-balanced breakfast usually equals you making or cooking something early in the morning. You don't have to go gourmet, but you do have to make the time and make a healthy breakfast a priority. My clients are always asking me "What do you eat?". Well, here are 5 easy breakfast meals I actually made and ate during my Monday-Friday work week. They are quick to make, have minimal ingredients, and sometimes you can even prep them the night before.
Monday - Eggs, Chicken Sausage, and Rice
We had some leftover sausage from our Sunday morning breakfast. As I was packing my lunch for the day (also a healthy habit), I turned on the burner, sliced up the sausage, and through it into a frying pan. I waited till I heard the sizzling sound (about the time my lunch had been packed), stirred the sausage a bit and added two eggs. I had cooked the rice the day before so I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds while I stirred by eggs. A couple minutes later, everything is ready to go. I throw it all into a bowl and chow down.
Tuesday - Eggs, Greens, and Gluten-Free Toast
Whenever I tell people I eat salad for breakfast, I get a scrunched face usually followed by "gross" or "weird". I am telling you, it is delicious! While your couple of eggs are cooking in the pan, you throw in a handful of greens in a bowl, spray them with a little olive oil, crack some sea salt over it, and then add your eggs over the top. It is so yummy! I am a person who needs carbs in the morning to make sure I don't bonk an hour into my day so I added a side of GF toast. We are a GF and DF (dairy-free) household so I spread a little coconut oil on my toast. I like it better than butter because it is a little sweet tasting, but do what best suits your tastebuds and allergies.
Wednesday - Overnight Chia Power Pudding
I had an early start on Wednesday, so I decided to prep my breakfast the night before. I mixed a 1/4 cup of chia seeds with one scoop of vanilla protein powder and about 1/2-3/4 cup of almond milk (again we are a DF house, you could use regular milk here too, but I personally prefer the almond milk taste). I stirred it 3-4 times over about 30 minutes to avoid clumping and then covered it and put it in the fridge. In the morning, I added a sprinkle of cinnamon and sliced up some pomegranate and strawberries to add to the top.
Thursday - Eggs with Quinoa, Sliced Tomatoes, Avocado, and Almonds
This is a power play dish! If you know you are going to have big day, eat this, and you will really be able to kick some booty. I made the quinoa the night before, so I just heated it up in the microwave. While my eggs were cooking, I sliced up some grape tomatoes and the avocado. Once the eggs were cooked, I put them on top of the quinoa, added little salt, sprinkled it with slivered almonds (the crunch really makes the dish), and then topped it with my tomatoes and avocado. Simple and delicious.
Friday - Power Oatmeal with Nuts and Dried Fruit
Easy. Filling. Satisfying. By Friday, our ability to get creative has left us and we just need easy. This breakfast could not be more simple. I made my oats in the microwave. Immediately after they were heated, I added a scoop of vanilla protein powder and mixed it in. Then I sprinkled it with cinnamon, stirred in some almond milk, and added a small handful of mixed nuts and some dried cranberries. Stir it together and with the combination of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, your brain will start working again.
We had some leftover sausage from our Sunday morning breakfast. As I was packing my lunch for the day (also a healthy habit), I turned on the burner, sliced up the sausage, and through it into a frying pan. I waited till I heard the sizzling sound (about the time my lunch had been packed), stirred the sausage a bit and added two eggs. I had cooked the rice the day before so I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds while I stirred by eggs. A couple minutes later, everything is ready to go. I throw it all into a bowl and chow down.
