The year is 2019. It’s a Tuesday. You have school. You wake up in a rush, get ready in a rush, cram whatever breakfast you could find to-go into your face on your way out of the door in a rush. Ah, the good old days. Flash forward to 2021. With remote learning, and especially office hour Wednesdays, students are now given so much more time to wake up in the morning and prepare themselves for the day. Of course, there is no better way to start this preparation than eating a nutritious and balanced breakfast. Here are three quick and easy recipes that fit these requirements!
Smoothie Bowls
Smoothie bowls are an easy way to get in fruit and even vegetable servings early in the day. Here is an essential smoothie bowl recipe that can be adjusted to taste:
- 1½ cup of frozen mixed strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries
- 1 banana
- ½ cup of yogurt (vanilla, plain, greek, organic, etc.)
- ½ cup of orange juice
- 1 cup of spinach (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of milled flax and chia seeds (optional)
- Fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries (a mixture or just a single kind)
- Granola
- Shredded coconut (optional)
- Honey (optional)
Blend the berries, banana, yogurt, orange juice, spinach (optional), and seeds (optional) until it’s a thick consistency. Pour the mixture into a bowl. Garnish the bowl with fresh berries, granola, shredded coconut, a drizzle of honey, and enjoy!
Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is a quick and easy meal by itself, and although some may argue that it is full of nothing but carbs, avocado toast can be a balanced and nutritional breakfast with just a few adjustments, like the following recipe:
- 2 slices of multigrain bread (white, sourdough, bagel, etc.)
- ½ ripe avocado
- ½ teaspoon of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ⅛ teaspoon of pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder
- Italian seasoning (optional)
- Balsamic glaze (optional)
Toast the slices of bread. In a small bowl, mash together the avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic powder until thoroughly mixed but still chunky. Take the toast out of the toaster, and spread the avocado mixture equally on each slice. Garnish the toast with the Italian seasoning and drizzle with balsamic glaze to taste.
Baked Oats
Baked oats come in a variety of flavors, each having their own unique taste and texture. Here is a fan-favorite baked oats recipe:
- ½ cup of rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ ripe banana, mashed
- 1 tablespoon of almond or peanut butter
- ½ cup of milk (whole, almond, oat, etc.)
- ½ tablespoon of maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Mix together the oats, cocoa, and baking powder in a bowl, then add the mashed banana, milk, nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix well to combine.
Pour into a lightly greased ramekin and sprinkle some chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 25 minutes, leave to cool slightly, and enjoy! Recipe: https://nadiashealthykitchen.com/vegan-gluten-free-baked-chocolate-oats/
With flexible schedules, students now have the time to make themselves breakfast and set a healthy tone for the rest of their day. The only question left is, with all of the possibilities, how will you choose?
