Recipe: Quinoa Almond Berry Breakfast

When planning for a healthy breakfast, cooking a few things ahead of time can save time in the morning. For example, in this recipe, you can cook the quinoa the night before and store in the fridge, then just reheat in the morning before serving. Quinoa provides a great source of protein to this healthy and hearty breakfast.

Store-bought almond milk can contain a lot of sugars and not much more, so it's best to make your own. If you prefer, you can substitute whole or 2% milk for the almond milk. Why whole milk when you're trying to lose weight? Adding a bit of good fat to your diet will help your body learn to burn fat while keeping you feeling full for longer so you don't succumb to cravings. Plus, some studies have shown fat also helps your body to metabolize the antioxidants and other good vitamins consumed at the same time.

Quinoa Almond Berry Breakfast

(Image courtesy of Gualberto107 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk
1 cup water
1 cup quinoa
1 medium orange, zested
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey
1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries and/or blackberries
1 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup honey
chopped almonds for garnish

Directions:

• Put the almond milk, water, quinoa, orange zest, cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon honey in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Immediately lower heat to low, cover pan, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 13 to 15 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat and leave covered while it sits for 5 more minutes.
• Gently stir in berries and serve in cereal bowls, dividing the 1/4 cup honey over each serving and garnish with chopped almonds.

Recipe: Nuts And Oats Super-Protein Smoothie

This hearty and filling smoothie is packed with protein and fiber and will keep you full for hours, helping your body maintain energy at the same time as burning fat. If you're looking for a breakfast smoothie that will keep you satisfied until lunchtime, give this one a try.

Nuts And Oats Super-Protein Smoothie

Rolled oats (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon flaxseeds, ground
1 tablespoon almonds, crushed
1 tablespoon rolled oats
1 1/3 cup whole milk, or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons whey protein powder
1 cup any type frozen fruit

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until desired consistency is reached.

Recipe: Whole Health Delicious Detox Smoothie

This amazing smoothie tastes so good you won't even realize how good it is for you! Packed with super nutritious ingredients and zesty and sweet fresh flavors, it gives you an energy boost, a gentle system cleansing, and a deliciously summery breakfast on the go - all in one.

Whole Health Delicious Detox Smoothie
(Serves 2.)

Detox smoothie (Photo credit: teresatrimm)

Ingredients:

2 green tea bags
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
1 tablespoon local honey
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup honeydew melon chunks
1 tsp flaxseed
1 lemon, zest and juice

Directions:

• Put the green tea bags in the hot water and steep for 2 minutes; remove and discard tea bags. 
• Chill the tea.
• Pour the chilled tea and all other ingredients in blender and blend on high until smooth and frothy.

Recipe: Sausage & Apple Breakfast Casserole

Feed your kids' sweet tooth with a healthy breakfast option with this delicious, sweet and savory casserole. Plenty of protein, together with apples, cinnamon, and whole-grain bread make this a breakfast that will stick to your ribs, and keep your kids alert and energized until lunchtime.

Sausage and Granny Smith Apple Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

(Photo credit: stevendepolo)

1 package natural pork sausage roll
6 cups whole grain bread, cubed
3 cups whole milk
10 eggs (free range/organic if possible)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped 
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups cheddar cheese, divided 

Directions:

1. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish while preheating oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, brown the sausage and drain. Set aside. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. 
4. In another large mixing bowl, mix together the apples, cinnamon and sugar. Make sure the apples are well coated. 
5. In the prepared baking pan, layer half the bread crumbs on the bottom and then half the sausage, half the apples and then 1 cup of cheese. Continue to repeat layers until ingredients are gone. 
6. Take the egg mixture and pour evenly over the layers. 
7. Bake for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly.

Recipe: Tangy Garlic Kale And Onion Skillet

This versatile recipe is chock full of healthy green vegetables and is a great way to prepare some of those loads of fresh fall greens you can grab this time of year at the farmers market. It makes a great side dish with grilled, roasted, or barbecued meat, poultry, or fish, or you can also add potatoes and other veggies such as zucchini or peppers and turn it into a breakfast hash. Serve with a couple of fresh eggs over easy or scrambled, and you've got a full nutritious breakfast with all the important food groups to start off your day!

Tangy Garlic Kale And Onion Skillet(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp olive oil, or 4 Tbsp organic butter, divided
2 medium red onions, sliced in circles, then in half
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 to 4 lbs fresh kale, stems removed, cut in strips, washed and dried well
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 to 4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil or butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion (and diced or sliced potatoes, if using) and cook until soft and just beginning to brown a little; remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium-low, add the garlic, cooking just until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes; remove from skillet and save with onion.
4. Add the remaining oil or butter and turn the heat back up to medium-high, then add the kale and cook, stirring frequently, until the kale just wilts.
5. Add back in the skillet the cooked onion (and optional potatoes or other veggies) and garlic, then the salt and pepper.
6. Reduce the heat again to medium-low and continue cooking, tossing the mixture occasionally, until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.
7. Sprinkle the balsamic vinegar (if using) into the mixture just before serving, toss and serve hot.

Recipe: Morning Blueberry Quinoa

Start off your day right with a boost of protein from this delicious grain (really a seed). This simple recipe incorporates several healthy, whole, and tasty ingredients to give you a great start to your day and keep you full 'til lunchtime.

Morning Blueberry Quinoa
(Serves 2.)
 
Ingredients:

Cooked red quinoa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2 cups milk (preferably whole and non-homogenized - raw is even better for you if you can find it)
1 cup quinoa, well-rinsed
3 tbsp light-brown sugar (or 2 TB maple syrup if preferred)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring milk just to a boil, then add quinoa and return just to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes, until 2/3 of the milk has been absorbed.
2. Stir in cinnamon and sugar or maple syrup, cover, and cook an additional 8 minutes, until most of the remaining milk has been absorbed. 
3. Stir in blueberries and cook for just 30 seconds 'til warmed through. 
4. Serve with additional cinnamon, sugar, milk, and blueberries as desired.

Recipe: Cinnamon Nut Breakfast Quinoa

To start including quinoa in your diet, why not start off with quinoa to begin your day? This tasty and high-protein grain will give you a great boost of lasting energy to get through your morning and do the things you need to get done. When combined with healthy raw whole milk, fruit, and nuts, this is a healthy and delicious way to start the day off right!

Cinnamon Nut Breakfast Quinoa
(4 Servings)

Cooked red quinoa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:
1 cup organic whole milk (preferably raw)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, lightly roasted
4 tsp agave nectar, raw honey, or maple syrup
1 cup red quinoa, well-rinsed
2 cups fresh blackberries

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa, water, and milk and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over medium heat for fifteen minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. 
• While the quinoa is cooking, roast the pecans in a dry skillet for three minutes on medium heat or in a toaster oven at 350 degrees F for about five or six minutes.
• Remove quinoa from heat and let stand covered for five minutes. 
• Stir in cinnamon and blackberries, then transfer to four bowls and top with roasted pecans. Drizzle one teaspoon of agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup over each serving.

Healthy Breakfast Recipe: Mini Muffin Quiches

As we discussed on Monday, starting your day with a healthy breakfast is important for reaching your weight loss goals. Breaking your fast with some good protein, healthy fats, and veggies will give your body the nutrition it needs for a healthy kick-start to the day - no coffee required!

Healthy Bites Mini Muffin Quiches
(Makes 1 dozen mini quiches.)

 (Photo credit: smcgee)

Ingredients:

8 oz. all-natural (preferably organic) turkey breakfast sausage, removed from casing & crumbled or chopped small
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 eggs
1 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (with rack in center of oven.) Spray or oil a mini-muffin tin (12 cups).
2. Put a large skillet on stovetop burner on medium-high heat; add sausage and cook stirring until golden brown; remove sausage to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the olive oil to the skillet on medium-high heat, and add mushrooms, cooking and stirring until mushrooms have softened and are slightly browned; remove mushrooms to the same bowl with the sausage and let cool slightly.
4. Add the green onions, Swiss cheese, and black pepper, and mix well.
5. In a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk and whisk together.
6. Pour even amounts of this egg mixture to the muffin cups.
7. Add a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup on top of the egg mixture.
8. Put muffin tin in oven and bake until the tops are beginning to get golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
9. Remove from oven and cool in the tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes. 
10. Flip muffins out by placing another cooling rack on top of the cooled muffins in the tins, then flipping it upside down and urging the muffins out. Turn the muffins over so they're standing up and let them cool to room temperature.

Serve as a snack, breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even a light dinner.  You can tweak this to your specific diet by replacing the whole eggs with egg whites, trying different types of cheese, or increasing or decreasing the amount of turkey sausage versus vegetables, or using other vegetables entirely.

Recipe - Pumpkin Cornmeal Bread

Here is a delicious breakfast idea - great for these cool fall mornings! With the healthy benefits of pumpkin (a super food!), and buttermilk for a moist crumb, plus very little sugar, this tasty bread makes a great breakfast on the go - just make the night before, and eat cold, or grab a slice and warm in the toaster oven before heading out.

Pumpkin Cornmeal Bread

Image via WikipediaIngredients:
1 cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups cornmeal
1 egg, beaten slightly
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp shortening (melted)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray 9 inch cake pan or cast iron skillet with non-stick oil.
2. Put pumpkin and dry ingredients in big bowl and mix until combined.
3. Add beaten egg and buttermilk, stirring to combine.
4. Add melted shortening and stir.
5. Pour into prepared pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until firm in center, and browned around the edges.

 

More Pumpkin Recipes:

• Get Into Fall With These 5 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes (fitsugar.com)
• Fall and Pumpkin bread (aliswonderfullycrazylife.wordpress.com)
• Protein Pumpkin Muffins (runningnthesun.wordpress.com)
• Make This: Pumpkin Pancakes (fitsugar.com)
• 10 Pumpkin Recipes To Try (makingtimeformommy.com)