In my house this question gets asked just as often as “what’s for dinner?”. Breakfast is big in our home….literally and figuratively. All four of us are huge breakfast fans and we’ve been known to enjoy it for lunch and even dinner on occasion.

We’re also used to sitting down as a family to enjoy a pretty sizable meal in the morning. So much so that when my kids spend the night at friends’ houses, they usually arrive home starving after only a “small” breakfast of cereal or toast and jam.

But, like most of you, we don’t have a lot of time in the morning. So breakfast still has to be relatively quick to pull together and to keep it simple we rotate through some basic combinations. I make sure I always replenish our breakfast staples when I go to the Market and that way we’re never left with nothing to eat in the morning.

With meal planning sometimes we’re so focused on quick and yummy dinner ideas that we completely forget about our other meals of the day. Breakfast and lunch are equally important and according to new research coming out about circadian rhythms, they may actually be even more important than dinner.

Metabolically, there appears to be more of a health benefit from eating our larger meal(s) earlier in the day and keeping dinner relatively small or skipping altogether for those practicing intermittent fasting.

But when so many of us barely have time to get ourselves and our kids dressed and out the door on time how can we find the time to sit and enjoy a hearty breakfast?

Here are the breakfasts we like to rotate through at my house. We may also add 1 or 2 slices of whole grain or sprouted grain toast to each meal depending on how hungry we are. Keep in mind that currently none of us are needing to exclude specific foods.

Morning 1: Yogurt Bowl

• Plain whole fat yogurt (organic & grass-fed cow, sheep, or goat OR coconut yogurt if you’re avoiding dairy)
• Seasonal fruit
• Topped with granola, raw nuts, or nut butter (1 spoon full)
• Sprinkled with cinnamon
• (optional) Sweeten with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup

Morning 2: Eggs

Usually 1 day during the week it’s scrambled and when we get to the 2nd egg morning during the week we prepare them over easy. I personally love a runny yolk!

• Scrambled eggs with a pinch of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper & toast
• Eggs over easy with toast –> my favorite way to do this one is to layer the egg with a bit of spinach and avocado on top of my toast (yum!)
• Another option would be to make an omelette or scramble with various veggies

Morning 3: Hot Cereal

• Cooked whole grain (this can be traditional oats or you can mix it up with quinoa, brown rice, or other yummy whole grain breakfast blends……Bob’s Red Mill has lots of great options)
• Seasonal fruit — I like to cook it right into the grain but you can also add it to the top before serving
• Stir in sliced or chopped nuts or a spoon full of nut butter
• Sprinkle with cinnamon
• (optional) Sweeten with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup

Week-End Treats: French Toast or Pancakes

Yes…….we do eat starchy treats in my house. I know! It’s shocking. BUT I have 2 little girls who would kill me if I didn’t sometimes give in to treats. AND I am a firm believer that treats can be included into any healthy eating plan. There are stretches of time however when we skip these options; especially if we’re intentionally avoiding sugar or refined carbohydrates. There are also some “tricks” to making these treats a bit healthier.

• Make homemade batter so you have control over all the ingredients
• Use whole grain or nut-based flours to add more fiber
• Add ground flax seeds or chia seeds to add some omega-3s
• Add fresh fruit either to the batter or to the top before serving

I also go through stretches where some of the following breakfasts get mixed into the rotation too. For those of you working through an elimination diet or managing food sensitivities, perhaps these can give you a few more ideas to make breakfast more interesting.

Sweet Potato Puree

• Roast a sweet potato (or more) for ~40-60 minutes in your oven — I usually do this step ahead of time and make 3 or 4 so I have enough for several mornings
• Mash sweet potato and place in a pot on the stove over low-medium heat
• Add coconut milk, admittedly I don’t measure here I just add until the consistency is what I’m looking for
• Add 1-2 Tbsp of coconut oil, grass-fed butter, or ghee
• Sprinkle with cinnamon

Smoothie

• My favorite go-to smoothie recipe is the one I shared on the blog HERE.
• Feel free to mix and match ingredients until you find a blend you enjoy.
• The most important piece is to add some protein and healthy fat so it actually keeps you satisfied until your next meal

Paleo Pancakes

This is my favorite version of “Paleo” Pancakes, which I found on The Paleo Mom blog. It makes ~6-8 pancakes. Ingredients:

• 2 large plantains, peeled
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. First blend the plantains with the eggs in a food processor or high-powered blender
2. Add the rest of ingredients and blend until smooth
3. Pour batter to the desired size on your griddle and cook as normal…..looking for those little bubbles to form before flipping

Breakfast Sausage & Root Veggie Hash

• Chop root veggies (carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, etc) and toss with olive or coconut oil, sea salt, & herbs
• Roast root veggies in the oven for 20-30 minutes; until tender and golden
• Combine with links of chicken, turkey, or other type of organic, nitrate-free sausage

Banana Coins with Almond Butter & Cinnamon

This one is so easy and yummy, it was my go-to breakfast (& sometimes snack) the last time I was following an elimination diet.

• 1 banana diced into coins
• Topped with 1-2 spoon fulls of nut butter
• Sprinkled with cinnamon
• (optional) sometimes I also add some unsweetened almond milk &/or “Paleo” granola

Dinner Leftovers

Why not?! It’s quick and easy and when you’re trying to follow a low-carb or elimination diet it can be a great option. Also, since most of us end up focusing more on protein at dinner, it’s a great way to make sure you’re starting your day with a healthy dose of protein.

Take Home Message

Research suggests that blood sugar regulation as well as your ability to burn calories for energy is better during the first half of the day. Take advantage of this timing and make sure you start your day with a sizable breakfast.

Don’t get trapped into the traditional idea of carb-filled (desserts) for breakfast. There are lots of healthy, balanced, and creative options you can choose instead. And many of them are quick and easy to make OR can be made ahead of time so all you have to do is heat and eat.