Breakfast: the most ELUSIVE meal of the day

Diet is a major part of my daily conversations with patients and more than half of the time I hear “I only have time for a cup of coffee in the morning”.  I am not going to go off on a tangent about why this is a problem for your brain function, adrenal function, blood sugar etc… What I am going to do is take away the excuse!

If you make 2 only meals per week at home (hopefully this is a worst case scenario) you can use that time to prepare delicious pre-made breakfasts that will last for days.  These recipes will take less time than making a side dish for dinner and you can throw it in the oven while you eat and it will be ready to pull out by the time you are done with dinner.  I’m not even going to use specific measurements because it is that difficult to mess these up.

Here are some time saving breakfasts that will be easier than making (or waiting in line for) your morning cuppa.

1)      Breakfast cake – it is sweet, protein rich, and full of antioxidants and minerals.  The recipe is so simple it’s ridiculous-

  1. It is equal parts bananas and eggs.  That’s it.
  2. For a single serving use 1 egg for 1 banana.   If you want a bigger breakfast cake the recipe is 8 eggs to 8 bananas or 6:6 etc.
  3. Put the eggs and the bananas in the blender
  4. Blend until smooth
  5. Pour the mix into a greased cake pan and bake on 350-400 until a knife comes clean out of the middle.

It is moist and spongey and will last in the refrigerator for days …meaning you can cut yourself a slice and go!  Kids LOVE this one too. Really that’s it.

2)      Crust free quiche-this is a savory option that sounds fancy but this is really super simple.

  1. Crack some eggs into a bowl (let’s say 4-6)
  2. Add some flour (let’s say ½ cup to 1 cup- ish) whip that up to get the lumps out
  3. Add some milk ½-1.5 cups should do it – the more milk you add the fluffier the quiche will be.  Blend in.
  4. Then add chopped veggies, you can use leftovers and as much as your heart desires cooked or uncooked doesn’t really matter.
  5. For meat lovers, add leftover steak or prosciutto or precooked turkey bacon if you are so inclined.  (After thanksgiving we use turkey and leftover green beans in the crust-less quiche and pour leftover gravy over the finished product…I look forward to it every year)
  6. A little bit of salt to taste ¼-1 teaspoon depending on how big your batch is
  7. Mix the whole thing together and pour into a greased cake pan.
  8. Cook on 350 until you can stick a knife in the middle and it comes out clean.

I am being deliberately vague on this one because the only way you can really mess it up is if you add too much liquid and you will know because it is watery instead of pasty.  You can substitute the flour for gluten free equivalent, and the milk for unsweetened nondairy if you are allergic.  The more you do this and the freer you allow yourself to be with varying this recipe the better.  You will start to be comfortable with throwing in things like rosemary or Italian blends, or for a spicy twist use chili powder or chipotle blends.

3)       For people with egg allergies smoothies are a quick easy option, or you can also try out these fun overnight refrigerator oatmeal options from theyummylife.com.  Assemble these ingredients & supplies:

  1. Old fashioned rolled oats (not instant, quick, or steel-cut) (there are gluten free options)
  2. Greek yogurt (regular yogurt is thinner; if you use it, you’ll need to reduce the amount of milk); you can also use almond, soy or coconut yogurt
  3. Milk (or nondairy equivalent)
  4. Chia seeds; optional if they cause constipation for you
  5. Half pint (1 cup) mason jars,
  6. Put a lid on the jar and shake to combine.
  7. Add fruit and stir gently until combined.
  8. Place in fridge overnight and for up to 2 days; maybe longer depending on the type and ripeness of the fruit. The non-banana varieties can be good for up to 4 days

These options can all be prepared days before consumption in large quantities with relatively little time, mess, and effort.

Dr. Michele Raithel, ND

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