Healthy breakfasts that can make all the difference!!

Healthy breakfasts can make all the difference! Food is fuel, and after being asleep all night, we need a major refill in the AM. It’s time to get the energy we need to be alert and power through our day (with a little nudge from our friend caffeine, of course).

Whether we eat breakfast or not, and what that meal might determine how we’ll feel for the next several hours — dazed and confused or energized and ready to slay the day. We think we’ll take the latter.

But let’s be real for a minute. We admit we’re not always on top of our breakfast game, especially on hectic mornings as we wait out traffic. On other frenzied mornings, it becomes something we sacrifice all together for five more minutes of sleep. And as delicious as those few extra z’s may be, they’re nowhere near as delicious as a hearty breakfast burrito or a piping hot bowl of oatmeal with all the fixins.

We know we can do better, we just need a little inspiration and a game plan.

Even if you’re not a morning person, with a bit of planning, it is possible to hit the snooze and have your breakfast, too. And if you’re not a breakfast person, we bet you will be after browsing through these easy, healthy, and totally tempting recipes.

1.    Peanut butter banana overnight oats

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 medium banana, mashed
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter, creamy
• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, plain
• 3/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  First, mash 1/2 banana in a large bowl. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

2.  Add in dry ingredients and mix again.

3.  Place in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve cold.

2.    Strawberry banana smoothie bowl

Ingredients:

For the smoothie bowl

·         1 banana frozen

·         1½ cups frozen strawberries

·         ½ cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk

For the toppings

·         Simple Truth Freeze Dried Strawberries + Bananas

·         Fresh strawberries sliced

·         Fresh bananas sliced

·         Chia seeds

Instructions:

Combine frozen banana, frozen strawberries, and coconut milk in a blender. Puree until completely smooth - the mixture should be thick. Add a touch more liquid if necessary to get it to blend completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and add toppings as desired. Enjoy!

3.    Oats Pancake

Ingredients:

·         2 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)

·         2 tsp baking powder

·         1 tsp ground cinnamon

·         1 dash salt

·         1 large egg

·         1 cup plain yogurt of your choice

·         3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

·         1/2 - 1 cup water, divided

·         coconut oil, butter, or ghee for cooking

·         maple syrup, berries, chocolate chips, or other pancake toppings for serving

Instructions:

1.  In a blender or food processor, process the oats until a fine flour forms. Add to a medium mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt, and whisk to combine.

2.  In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Add the yogurt, vanilla, and  1/4 cup water and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk to evenly combine, making sure no lumps are left. The consistency should be thick, but still run off of a spoon. If too thick, add more water 1/4 cup at a time.

3.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp coconut oil or butter and let it melt, swirling around the pan. Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan to form a pancake. You can make 3-4 pancakes in one batch if you have a large pan. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the edges turn a darker shade of brown. Flip and cook the other side 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm. 

4.  You will need to add a bit more water to the batter before you begin cooking your next batch. Whisk in 1/4 cup of water and see if that works. If not, add another 1/4 cup until you get the right consistency. Repeat step 3 until all the batter is cooked.

5.  To serve, top with fresh berries, chocolate chips, and pure maple syrup. Or, top with your favorite pancake toppings!

4.    Protein Granola

Ingredients:

·         2 cups oats

·         1 cup walnuts chopped

·         1/2 cup pumpkin seeds raw

·         1/2 cup flax seed meal

·         1/2 cup protein powder

·         2 teaspoons cinnamon

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

·         1/3 cup olive oil or coconut oil

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together oats, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax, protein powder, cinnamon and salt. 

2.  Drizzle in honey and olive oil then stir well to evenly coat mixture. Spread mixture in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.