Delicious, Healthy, & Quick Breakfast

Savory dishes for mornings

Words by Kayla & Justin Butts Photos by Rachel Benavides

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet also the meal most often skipped.

On busy mornings, rushing out the door, breakfast is a fleeting thought, but it’s essential to start the day right. A good breakfast supercharges the metabolism and prepares the mind for a productive day.

Breakfast bowls are convenient, customizable, and portable. They’re easy enough to make in just minutes or even prepare the night before for an instant breakfast the next morning. These bowls are so delicious, you may even want one for lunch, too.

For these versatile recipes, use simple, fresh, healthy ingredients, or incorporate leftovers from the fridge, including overripe fruit and veggies. Let your tastes guide the preparation to keep breakfast interesting and well-suited to your morning mood—sometimes sweet and sometimes spicy.

This smoothie bowl recipe is more of a formula than recipe. Customize this dish by substituting favorite fruits and vegetables for those listed. Use seasonal ingredients, like fresh berries or peaches in the summer, and apples or pears in the fall. Winter smoothies are a celebration of all things citrus. Add natural sources of protein, such as plant-based milks or plain yogurt.

Top with seeds, nuts, and unsweetened coconut to balance the sugars in the fruit, or add dried fruit, nuts, and honey to sweeten the bowl. Ancient grains will take this bowl to a whole new level. Quinoa, millet, amaranth, farro, Kamut, teff, and other ancient grains offer flavor and texture that processed grains cannot match. Their flavor is nutty, rich, and complex. These hearty carbs also tend to have higher levels of fiber, protein, and minerals. However, the true test is in the taste.

This savory bowl might just be the most exciting part of each morning! This recipe calls for leftover couscous, sautéed beet greens, sliced watermelon radishes, and a soft-boiled egg. If breakfast tacos are a favorite, you will love the spicy goodness of this savory bowl, and it is much better for the waistline. Greens, Sriracha, and radishes may make this bowl a new staple in any breakfast
routine.

Smoothie Bowl
Serves: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:

2 c. frozen fruit (bananas, berries, peaches, pears, oranges, mangos)
1 c. liquid (milk, plant-based milk, plain Greek yogurt, coconut water, water, or ice)
1 T. healthy fat (nut butter, coconut oil, avocado, nuts, flaxseed oil, flax seeds, chi seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds)
Optional: 1 c. vegetables (sweet potatoes, greens, beets, squash, jicama, or celery)

Toppings: 1 T. of your choice (fresh fruit, dried fruit, granola seeds, nuts, coconut, raw cocoa nibs, bee pollen)

Directions:
Place all ingredients (except for toppings) in a blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add a one of the toppings listed or any desirable combination.

Ancient Grains Breakfast Bowl
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. dry ancient grain cereal (wheat, millet, barley, oats, and buckwheat)
3 c. water
Pinch of salt

Toppings: local honey, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds

Directions:
In a medium-sized pot, combine all ingredients except toppings, over medium-high heat. Stirring occasionally, heat to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for another 15-20 minutes, until grains are tender and creamy. Top hot cereal with honey or brown sugar, milk, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or any desirable combination.

Savory Breakfast Bowl
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. chicken, beef, or vegetable broth (preferably homemade)
3/4 c. quinoa, amaranth, bulgur, farro, millet, teff, or wheat berries
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs, soft-boiled, or 3 oz. leftover grilled or roasted chicken, beef, pork or lamb
1 T. olive oil
1 c. greens, rinsed (spinach, kale, arugula, bok choy, Swiss chard, turnip greens, beet greens)
1 fresh vegetable, thinly sliced (radish, carrot, beet, avocado, turnip, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, sweet peas, green beans)
1 t. hot sauce (red chili sauce, salsa, cayenne pepper sauce)

Directions:
Rinse grains in a colander, removing any that look suspect. In a small pot, heat grains, broth, and salt over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low, and stir grains occasionally. Cook for another 20 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed. If grain is too al dente, add more broth and continue to simmer on low until desired doneness has been achieved.

Drizzle olive oil in a sauté pan and place over medium-low heat. Once oil is heated through, add greens and cook until wilted but still vibrant green. In your serving bowl, fluff grains and top with halved eggs or slices of meat, sautéed greens, and thinly sliced vegetable. Drizzle hot sauce on top, and finish with a sprinkling of sea salt.