Want to improve your diet but not sure where to start? Instead of trying to change everything at once, try focusing on having a nutrient-dense breakfast as a first step.
Helpful tips for planning your breakfasts for the week:
- Do a weekend cook up of meals that are suitable for breakfast and freeze them in single serves, so you’re organised for the week ahead.
- Got leftover meals, or favourite soups and stews? Freeze them in single serves for a quick, hearty breakfast!
- Do a ‘bake up’ of muffins, breads and wraps and freeze in single serves.
- Create a “snack basket” in your freezer that you can keep stocked up with with freezable breakfast foods and snacks, to grab and go.
- Keep a list on fridge, or on your computer or phone notepad, with ideas for when you need some breakfast inspiration, and add to it as you find new favourites.
- Think savoury as much as possible, keep sugars/starches low, and include good fats and protein with some veggies (fermented, cooked or raw) in every breakfast meal for energy, vitality, and brain function.
For a Nutrient-Dense Breakfast, think:
Protein + Fats + Veggies or Fruit
(fermented/cooked/raw)
Eggs:
Always the easiest, most nutrient-dense breakfast food… but in case you need some new ideas for ways to eat eggs, here’s some of our faves!
- Boiled, poached, fried or scrambled in ghee/coconut oil/olive oil, with free-range bacon if you like, avocado, and some fermented veggies
- Omelettes with cheese, tomatoes, caramelised onion, leftover shredded chicken, bacon, mushrooms, etc
- Bacon & tomato zoodles with poached eggs
- Huevos Rancheros
- Quirky Cooking Cookbook: Big Breakfast with soft, steamed eggs
- Life-Changing Food Recipes: Breakfast Scramble, Sweet Potato Spanish Tortilla, Broth Station, Bacon Egg & Spinach Pies
- Simple, Healing Food Recipes: Eggs Poached in Stock, Soft-Boiled Eggs with Asparagus, Herbed Scrambled Eggs with Crispy Mushrooms, Frittata, Breakfast Casserole, Spicy Pumpkin Mash with Baked Eggs, Silverbeet & Leek Quiche
Breakfast wraps:
Prepare ahead by having some wraps made and in the freezer, thaw in a hot pan, and fill with whatever fillings you have on hand!
- Spelt Wraps with scrambled eggs, bacon, and fermented salsa
- GAPS Wraps filled with shredded chicken, avocado and sauerkraut
- Quirky Cooking Cookbook: Omelette Wraps with Mushroom Sauce
- Life-Changing Food Recipes: Grain-free wraps, Fermented salsa, Sauerkraut
- Simple, Healing Food Recipes: GAPS Wraps, Spinach Wraps
Soups:
In many cultures, soup is a traditional breakfast – it’s easy on the stomach in the morning, and very nourishing.
- Chicken and Brown Rice Soup
- Healing Chicken Soup
- Lemon Chicken Coconut Soup
- Creamy Bacon & Vegetable Soup
- Life-Changing Food Recipes: Chicken and Mushroom Pho, Broth Station, Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Simple, Healing Food Recipes: Minestrone, Prawn & Mushroom Soup, Healing Veggie Soup, Meatball Soup, Chicken & Fresh Turmeric Soup, Lamb Shank Soup, Chicken & Kale Soup, Carrot & Ginger Soup, Pumpkin & Leek Soup
Dinner for Breakfast:
Favourite leftover meals are great warmed up for breakfast – we call it ‘dinner for breakfast’! Add some salad with olive oil drizzled over, and a little bit of sauerkraut or other fermented veggies, and you’ll have a balanced meal which will fuel your body for hours.
Fritters and Rosti (savoury or sweet):
Fritter batter can be made the night before and kept in the fridge to cook quickly for breakfast, or fritters can be frozen and reheated at breakfast time.
- Apple Oat Fritters
- Banana Fritters
- Corn & Bean Patties
- Grain-Free Fritters: use my Grain-Free Bread Formula as the base for sweet or savoury fritters (detailed instructions in Life-Changing Food)
- Life-Changing Food Recipes: Savoury Fritters (grain free) and Sweet Potato Rosti (both the fritters and the rosti have suggestions for sweet versions, so try those as a nourishing alternative to pancakes).
Pancakes & Crepes:
Even pancakes and crepes can be part of a nutritious breakfast, when they’re made with nutrient-dense ingredients – especially if served with protein and good fats!
- Gluten-Free Buckwheat & Almond Crepes (use for savoury or sweet crepes or wraps)
- Blender-Batter Brown Rice Pancakes (or Waffles)
- Gluten-Free and Grain-Free Pancakes
- 2 Ingredient Banana Pancakes
- Finnish Oven-Baked Pancake (Grain Free)
- Simple, Healing Food Recipes: Pumpkin Pancakes (2 ingredient), Nut Butter Pancakes
Breads, Muffins and Scones:
Prepare ahead and freeze, ready to grab from the freezer, toast in the grill and go!
- Grain-Free Bread Formula
- Gluten-Free Scones
- Grain-Free Scones
- Spelt Scones
- Banana Raspberry Muffins
- Blender Batter Muffins
- Zucchini & Pepita Muffins
- Sticky Pecan Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins
- Savoury Sweet Potato Muffins
- Chocolate Banana Muffins.
- Life-Changing Food Recipes: Grain Free Bread Formula, Rachel’s Fat Bomb Muffins, Basic Grain-free Dough, Grain-free Scones
- Simple, Healing Food Recipes: Becky’s Cheesy Pizza Bases (great as a cheese toast substitute!), Banana & Pecan Spice Bread, Hot Cross Muffins
- Lots more gluten-free and grain-free bread/baking recipes here (too many to list!)
Yoghurt / Cultured Cream / Kefir:
- 24 Hour Yoghurt or Cultured Cream with either fresh fruit or Roasted Berries
- Life-Changing Food Recipes: Grain-free Granola, Roasted Berries, Yoghurt/Cultured Cream, Apple Nut Porridge
- Simple, Healing Food Recipes: 24 Hour Yoghurt/Sour Cream, Yoghurt Cheese, Milk Kefir, Kefir Cream, Kefir Cheese, GAPS Shake, Kefir & Blueberry Smoothie
Smoothies and Drinks:
For a meal in the glass (which is great ‘on the run’), search ‘quirky cooking smoothies’ (there’s a lot online!). And also these favourites:
- Life-Changing Food Recipes: Red Rocket Smoothie, Mango Macadamia High-Energy Smoothie, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Golden Butter Coffee (perfect for those who practice intermittent fasting or even prefer to skip breakfast)
- Simple, Healing Food Recipes: Honey Kombucha, Fermented Coconut Water, Cold-Pressed Juices, GAPS Shake, Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie, Green Smoothie, Kefir & Blueberry Smoothie
Grain-free Cereal or Porridge Substitutes:
- Chia Pudding with Roasted Strawberries
- Berry Nougat
- Raw Fruit Cereal
- Pink Fruit Cereal
- Sprouted Buckwheat Granola
Life-Changing Food Recipes: Grain-free Granola, Apple Cinnamon Nut Porridge, Coconut Chai Chia Puddings with Roasted Berries
Simple, Healing Food Recipes: Buttered Apples with Russian Custard