Breakfast Favorites

Hey hey there! How have you been??? The weather here has been unbelievably gorgeous! High 60s and 70s... Hope it's here to stay!

Last week I enjoyed a plethora (yea SAT word!) of delicious and nutritious breakfasts, so I thought I'd share with you! You already know how much I enjoyed the new protein muffin with Barney Butter, but I've come up with a few new additions to my breakfast menu...

I loved each one, and as you will soon see, each breakfast was unique in texture, flavor, and ingredients and required different preparation techniques. I surely kept things exciting in the kitchen at 7 in the morning...

So here are the Top 5 Breakfasts of the Week!

(1) Kiwi Vanilla Chia Pudding

Stir together: 2 tbsp chia + 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tsp vanilla + sweetener of choice+ pinch of salt

Allow to stand for ~15 min. Then, stir again and add more milk to achieve desired thickness (it will thicken up quite a bit the longer it stands!). Mix in fruit of choice. The kiwi was fantastic!

Though I've been a chia lover for almost a year now, I can't believe I've never made chia pudding before! Shame on me! I love adding chia in my oatmeal because it makes it thicker and fluffier, but quite honestly, I was a little hesitant about making this gel-like chia pudding. Hesitant no more! For those unfamiliar with chia, the texture may take some time getting used to, but I guess my years-worth of oatmeal nearly every day has prepared me well and I loved it. It's very filling, too!

(2) Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie

Blend together: 1/2 large banana + 4 large strawberries + 1 scoop protein powder (I used SunWarrior Vanilla) + 1/2 cup water

Confession: This smoothie was inspired entirely by my recent love for the 2% Strawberry Banana Chobani Greek Yogurt.

(3) Fried Egg atop Sweet Potato

It was one of those mornings... I woke up and all that was on my sleepy mind was the delicious runny yolk. I love it when I know what I want! But the night before, I steamed some sweet potato that I was planning to mash into my oatmeal... Change of plans. Instead, I made my egg sunny side up, sprinkled with a dash of salt and peppa, and enjoyed it atop of the scrumptious, sweet, smooth sweet potato. The flavors and textures worked beautifully together!

(4) Banana Millet Bread (Please see original recipe by See Michelle Cook)

The stars were perfectly aligned for this bread. First of all, since my recent obsession with Barney Butter, I wanted another healthy option in place of my protein muffins to enjoy spoonfuls of Barney Butter with... Secondly, there were two overly ripe bananas eagerly looking at me from the fruit basket... But I didn't want to make the good ole' banana bread, which I consider to be a dessert. I wanted something more versatile, something that I could enjoy with different toppings, both sweet and not. Michelle's recipe was exactly what I was looking for. The millet added the perfect crunch, the banana kept it moist and subtly sweet, and the whole wheat and no added sugar(!) kept it healthy. Win-win-and win. We've been enjoying this baked creation with Barney Butter, strawberry preserves, Smart Balance, and as is!

(5) Manchego Cheese Omelet with Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower

Greens for breakfast, anyone? Yes, please! Unlike the mornings I had the chia pudding and the smoothie, this dish answered my salty ans savory morning call.

Omelet: (1) Whisk together 1 egg + 2 egg whites (2) Pour onto a heated and oiled skillet (3) Spread shredded cheese (4) and Cook until done!

Veggies: (1) Dice the veggies (2) Lightly oil or spray a frying pan (3) Roast the veggies until desired texture (I like mine crunchy, so it only took about 3min!)

*****

I hope you enjoyed my morning creations! Even though these may require slightly more time in the kitchen then the good ole' bowl of instant oats or cereal, standing by the stove and sipping on coffee while waiting for breakfast to cook is a relaxing way to welcome the new day. And a healthy, filling breakfast will keep my spirits high for the rest of the day!

Tell me: What is your favorite breakfast or brunch?