It’s not easy to get out the door on time in the morning, let alone with a nutritious breakfast in your belly.  We hear this time and again from our personal training clients.  Luckily there are a lot of quick and healthy breakfast options – that are delicious and will keep you fuelled ‘til lunch. Here are five of our favourites:

1) A SMOOTHIE

There are a million ways to make a great smoothie.  In the Nielsen household, this is our go-to recipe (all amounts are approximate – no need to measure!).  Blend it up in whatever kind of blender you have and bring it with you in a travel cup.  You can even put your ingredients together the night before – just store in your blender in the fridge until morning.

• ½ cup frozen berries
• ½ a banana
• Handful of spinach
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (the flavoured varieties are chock-full of sugar – stay away!)
• ¼ cup pure pomegranate juice
• Enough unsweetened vanilla almond milk to cover most of the other ingredients – about ¾ of a cup.
• Any add-ins you like.  We usually add some probiotics as well as a high-quality protein powder. 

2) BREAKFAST MUFFINS

There are many recipes for muffins on Pinterest. This one is our current favourite.  These are easy to make, nutritious, and pretty tasty to boot. Make them on the weekend and keep them in the freezer for the week. 

Mix the following ingredients together, then bake at 350 Fahrenheit until then look done (about 15 to 20 minutes):

• 3 mashed bananas (the riper the better)
• 1 cup vanilla almond milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3 cups quick oats
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Handful of chocolate chips or blueberries

3) AVOCADO TOAST WITH EGGS

Here’s an easy no-brainer breakfast full of healthy fats, protein, and fibre.

• 1 small ripe avocado (sliced or mashed)
• 2 slices of bread toasted (we recommend sprouted, rye, or flax)
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: pepper, red chilli flakes, tomatoes, other topping of preference
• 1 or 2 poached or hard-boiled eggs

4) OVERNIGHT OATS

Get a head start on breakfast the night before by simply throwing a few ingredients in a jar, and pop it in the fridge overnight. We like this recipe from BBC goodfood. The night before serving, stir the cinnamon and 100ml water (or milk) into your oats with a pinch of salt. The next day, loosen with a little more water (or milk) if needed. Top with the yogurt, berries, a drizzle of honey and the nut butter. Eat cold or warm depending on your preference.

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 50g rolled porridge oats
• 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
• 50g mixed berries
• drizzle of honey
• ½ tbsp nut butter (we used almond)

5) HAM AND EGG CUPS

This low-carb high-protein breakfast is quick and tasty. All you need is a muffin tin, your oven set to 400 Fahrenheit and a few ingredients. Line 2-3 cups in your muffin tin with a slice of ham, crack an egg into each ham cup, add a few spinach leaves (optional), and season with salt and pepper. Bake until eggs are cooked through, 12-15 minutes (depending on how runny you like your yolks). Garnish with parsley, cilantro, sliced green onions, or another topping of your preference. Vegetarians can sub vegetarian “ham” slices and double the slices.

• Oil, to lightly coat muffin tin
• Ham slices (can sub sliced turkey or salami, but double the amount)
• Eggs
• A few spinach leaves (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Parsley, cilantro, green onion, for garnish (optional)

STAY ON TRACK

If you’re in such a rush that you don’t have time for the above recipes, go for a piece of fruit and some nuts or nut butter. Alternatively, keep a few to-go cups of plain Greek yogurt in your fridge handy for those extra busy days. Don’t forget the spoon!

If you’re looking for more diet advice and motivation to help you get and stay on track, Nielsen Fitness Platinum clients enjoy nutritional consultations as a part of their training sessions. Be sure to take advantage of these consultations and ask your trainer for more quick and healthy meal ideas. If you aren’t a client, you can click here for a first free workout and assessment. Our team of highly trained professional trainers and nutritionists look forward to helping you lead a healthier life.