Doesn’t it seem that breakfast is the hardest time to have a healthy meal? Everyone’s in a rush to get out the door for work or school. In many cases, we are getting our lunch ready, sometimes for more than one person. As we know, breakfast does set the tone for the day and is the most important meal. It gives us our fuel we need to mentally process all of our activities for the morning.
Here are a few tips to start your day on a healthy foot:
1. On an evening, make a quiche (or two). Make sure to use eggs that have Omega 3’s, that are cage free. Use organic products, and if there is someone in your family with a milk allergy, use Almond or Rice milk instead of cow’s milk. Take leftover veggies from that evening’s meal and throw it in the quiche. I love to use steamed broccoli and carrots, chop them up and throw them in. For variety, use sauteed spinach, mushrooms and red pepper. Using veggies will make your quiches healthier. Quiches are very easy to make, they just take time to bake, which you might not have in the morning. Then, just carve up what you need and heat them up in the morning for 10 minutes. Also, use a glass pyrex-type bowl to avoid a pie crust, which would add unnecessary calories.
2. If you have time in the morning, take leftover veggies from the night before and make an omelet, without the cheese. I love to grate in zucchini, a mushroom and carrots, and the egg holds it together. This is the only way I can get my daughter to eat zucchini, but she absolutely loves it in eggs. Some other options for the morning omelet include sauteing spinach then adding in the eggs. Or add in some lox for some extra Omega 3’s.
3. If you don’t have time to sit and eat the eggs, put it in a wrap and eat it on your way to work or school. My husband gave me that idea as he has to be at work by 8am, and with meditating and walking the dog, it doesn’t leave a lot of time to sit and eat. But, he understands the importance of starting the day out right, so he’ll take it with him and eat on the go. Definitely not the best way to allow your food to digest, but it’s better than skipping breakfast.
4. If eating cereal, mix it with yogurt for some protein. This will make the cereal more filling, although eating eggs on a school or work day is a much healthier option. Eggs are truly the best type of protein you can eat.
5. Make a healthy shake. Personally, I use a Greens powder that is organic, uses stevia as a sweetener and has the equivalent of 10 - 12 fruits and veggies. Mix it with water, juice or milk (almond or rice is ok); banana (I also like to add frozen mango), 2 large tablespoons of plain yogurt and whatever else I can find. This sustains me until lunch and I have more energy than if I eat cereal or French toast. I don’t care for eggs, so I need to find a substitute. Since I’ve been using the Greens products I’ve had several terrific benefits. It has improved my quality of sleep tremendously, my joints of my legs and feet don’t creak in the morning, my energy level has increased and my elimination has improved. My entire family loves it and doesn’t take long to make.
6. Take onions, a little garlic, diced potatoes (white or sweet)in olive oil and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in black beans and spinach and cook for additional 10 minutes. Throw in some goat cheese at the end. This is a great for a morning when you have a little extra time. Or start it the night before and just heat it up in the morning. Add in spices like rosemary or cayenne pepper, depending upon your preferences. Certain spices are great for reducing inflammation including cayenne, turmeric, garlic, and ginger.
7. Prepare lunches the night before so you have more time to make breakfast. For those that seem like they are always on the run during the day, consider a healthy meal replacement. The greens product that I use for breakfast I will sometimes use for lunch. I add some protein powder (also organic and sugar-free) to the Greens and I have a nice, filling, healthy “quick” lunch.
It’s tough juggling all of our activities and the stress of daily life. If you have several kids and have to be at work early, it can be particularly challenging. I hope these suggestions help you start your day on a healthy foot.
If you are interested in trying the Greens drink that I use, check out this link.
