Healthy Speedy Breakfast Ideas

When it comes to eating breakfast there are 3 types of people – feasters, fasters and peckers. 

You’ll probably already know which camp you fall in, but here’s what I mean. 

If you’re a ‘feaster’ you wake up HUNGRY and ready to EAT and will always make time to get something down. As a ‘faster’ the idea of eating breakfast makes your stomach flip – you can’t think of ANYTHING WORSE. As for the ‘peckers, you could manage to eat a little bit of something soon after you wake up, but you can easily head out the door and grab something later on.

All jokes aside, with such differences in appetite you may wonder if one camp is healthier than the other. Especially when you consider the myths associated with this meal. How breakfast is the most important meal of the day; or that eating breakfast helps you LOSE weight as it gives your metabolism a boost; or even that skipping breakfast makes you GAIN weight because you eat more later on in the day. Since breakfast seems to be such a high-stakes affair what’s the healthiest breakfast to eat?

As you probably know by now, I’m all about enjoying healthy eats. However, what’s even better is when they are quick to make. Especially mid week. Particularly in the morning.

So, if you’re a ‘feaster’ or a ‘pecker’ with a gazillion things to do each morning before you head out the door, then I bet you’d truly love to know:

What’s the healthiest SPEEDY breakfast to eat?

WHAT MAKES A HEALTHY BREAKFAST?

Although the habit to eat cereal saves time in the morning, not all cereals are great for your health. It’s the same for croissants and coffee, or a breakfast bar that you can scoff in a few seconds. A healthy breakfast ticks more boxes than providing you with a heavy dose of sugar and carbs. 

There’s no problem with eating carbohydrates, but if you can also get some essential fats, a smidge of protein, a dash of fibre and some raw foods into the mix, then you’ve got the perfect combination of nutrients to set you up for the rest of the day.

Here are 5 types of breakfasts that tick all the ‘health’ boxes AND take less than 10 minutes to make.

5 SPEEDY BREAKFASTS (THAT ARE GREAT FOR YOU HEALTH)

BREAKFAST 1: WHIZZ UP A 6-INGREDIENT GREENIE

Nothing beats a green smoothie for a speedy liquid breakfast. In fact, this is a ridiculously easy way to include all the elements of a healthy breakfast.

Here’s what you’ll need to make a 6-Ingredient Greenie for 1.

Nina’s best time saving tip:
Put the liquid in first! This will stop clumps of powder from sticking to the bottom of your blender and minimise the time it takes everything to mix.

Carbohydrates: Adding some crunchy granola to your greenie encourages you to chew which contributes to your feeling full. It will also stop you from gulping everything down in 10 seconds flat. Try Lizi’s Low Sugar Granola or Sun & Seed’s Organic Sprouted Buckwheat.

Fats: Add 1 tbsp of any omega-3 seed mix and 1 tbsp of omega oil.  Try Udo’s Choice Omega 3-6-9 Oil, Wiley’s Catch-free Omega 3 Oil, or Erbology’s Organic Flaxseed Oil.

Protein: Add a scoop of your favourite protein powder. I find unflavoured, natural or vanilla are infinitely more versatile than chocolate or berry flavoured powders. Try Pulsin’s Vitality Supershake.

Fibre: Add 1 tbsp of prebiotic fibre. Don’t worry, it won’t make your greenie too thick or weirdly sludgy. Try Golden Green’s Organic Inulin or Biocare’s Prebio Nutripowder.

Raw: Now for something green. This could be a handful of chopped lettuce or spinach, 1/2 a cucumber or ripe avocado, or a serving of a supergreen mix. Try Pure Synergy’s Super Greens or Vital’s Vital All-in-one.

Liquid: Choose from water, coconut water, plant mylk or milk.

 

BREAKFAST 2: FLIP AN OAT PANCAKE

If you prefer a hot breakfast, these oaty pancakes fit the bill, and only take a few minutes to cook. (The recipe credit for these lovelies goes to Moni Omotoso – a talented woman with oodles of energy who will ALWAYS whip up the most ridiculously tasty meals!)

Here’s what you’ll need to make pancakes for 1.

Start by making your dry pancake mix. You can store this in a jar in the fridge and add the liquid just before you make your breakfast. Take 500g fine oats, 125g omega 3 seed mix (usually a combo of flax, chia, pumpkin, sesame or shelled hemp hearts) and whizz in a food processor to make a fine powder. Then add another 125g of omega seed mix, 150g chia seeds and pop everything into a jar.

1. To make your breakfast pancake, put 3 desert spoons of pancake mix into a bowl, with ½ grated apple, 1 tbsp water, 1 tbsp apple juice and a big pinch of ground ginger and ground cinnamon. Mix to form a thick batter.
2. Heat a spoonful of butter or vegetable oil in a frying pan, add the batter and spread out over the pan. Bake over a low/medium heat until the pancake is browned, flip and continue until cooked through.
3. Serve with a spoonful of greek yogurt or thick coconut yogurt.

 

BREAKFAST 3: BOIL 6-MINUTE EGGS

Is there anything more cheery than a perfectly boiled egg? Whenever I see a golden yolk it always feels as if a bit of sunshine has landed on my plate.

Here’s what you’ll do to make 6-Minute Eggs for 1.

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt (to stop the shells from cracking) then lower in the 2 eggs.
2. Bring to the boil and set your timer for 6 minutes.
3. Toast and butter your bread, heat cherry tomatoes and a handful of baby spinach in a pan until warm and wilted.
4. When the timer buzzes, remove the eggs from the water, crack open the shells, scoop them out and pile everything on the toast.

 

BREAKFAST 4: REHEAT A RED LENTIL DAHL

Why does breakfast tend to be sweet or include specific ‘breakfast’ foods? What’s wrong with polishing off your leftovers from the evening before? While you may not have an appetite for pizza or burger in the morning, reheating a subtly-spiced dahl from the previous evening could be the perfect way to start your day.

Here’s what you’ll need to make Red Lentil Dahl for 4.

Nina’s best time-saving tip: This is one of my favourite ways to cook lentils, and it gets even better when left overnight. Double the ingredients and you can freeze a few portions for a speedy lunch or dinner later on in the week.

1. Peel and slice 2 shallots, peel and crush 2 cloves of garlic, peel and dice 2 carrots.
2. Heat a pan with vegetable oil, and when hot add the shallots, garlic, 1 tbsp curry powder, and ½ tsp turmeric. Cook for a minute.
3. Add the carrots to the pan and cook for another minute.
4. Rinse 200g red lentils, and add to the pan.
5. Add 2 vegetable stock cubes, 100g solid coconut cream, and 1 litre of boiling water.
6. Cook for 20 – 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are softened.
7. For breakfast simply warm through and serve with chopped fresh coriander.

 

BREAKFAST 5: UNWRAP A KETO PROTEIN BAR

Last but not least, a no-cooking-involved speedy breakfast suggestion.

The majority of breakfast bars are way too sweet and over-processed, but this doesn’t mean you have to rule out this type of quick  breakfast completely. Instead,  opt for  a high-protein keto bar.

Pulsin’s Choc Fudge & Peanut Keto bar is one of my go-to quick eats, and has 13g of protein, no added sugar and minimal carbs. With a newly extended keto range, there are other flavours to try. An alternative is Nature’s Plus KETOBar. With 21g of protein and only 2g net carbs is often on my shopping list.

 

If you wake up in the morning with a desire to feast on a huge breakfast or peck at something small, it helps to have time on your side. But when you’re pressed for time there are plenty of options which take minutes to cook and tick all the boxes for breakfasts that are great for your health. Now, the only thing that’s stopping you from quickly whipping up a healthier morning meal, is deciding which one to try first!

 

Images @ Unsplash.com

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