I've never been a breakfast eater during the work week. Even on the weekends sometimes. If I don't have a leisurely morning at home, then I often don't eat breakfast and instead just fill myself up on coffee. Sometimes a granola bar or peanut butter sandwich in the car. I know it's not the best health regimen. But I've been like this for a while and I'm not sure how to change my habits.My mornings are pretty regimented - I get up, make coffee, check e-mail/blog, shower, dress, make lunch, and hit the road. All in all that takes me about 1 1/2-2 hours. I like the little bit of extra time so I can unload the dishwasher or fold laundry if I need to. Also maybe check the garden for new strawberries. But breakfast? Meh.
So here's my question to my friends out there - how do you fit in a healthy breakfast? What do you make? I am weaning myself off eggs/dairy at home, so really I feel my options are toast, cereal, or oatmeal (with fruit added, of course). Is that it? Does anyone do oatmeal in the crockpot overnight (I think I need a new crockpot for that)? I need a little inspiration to change my ways...
6 comments:
I eat breakfast religiously--always have. I make it right after I shower, and eat as I check e-mail/blogs.
Here are some of my favorite breakfast options:
Current: fruit smoothie with 5 cubes ice, big handful frozen strawberries (or other berries, or peaches), 1 banana, 1/3 cup yogurt (could omit), 2/3 cup milk (could be almond), 2/3 cup or so water to smooth it out, protein powder (I use whey, but could easily use soy), plus some green veggie powder or a kale leaf or two. Easy to eat, takes maybe 5 minutes to make, and very portable. The protein powder makes it filling and the whole thing is really healthy especially if you sneak in some green veggies.
Crock pot oatmeal is also fantastic. If you want to do it overnight you need to use steel cut oats but they end up creamy and fantastic but other oats will disintigrate. Over the winter I was using a $10 miniature crock pot (the kind you get at Target or Walgreens) and it worked fine--perfect for one serving. Throw in some nuts for protein and some dried fruit or brown sugar or good maple syrup for flavor. Google it and you'll find plenty of recipes.
Other options I have in current or past rotation:
Whole wheat english muffin with peanut butter and honey
Frozen waffles or pancakes (make on the weekend and reheat as needed)
Banana bread (or whatever tea bread sort of thing you can come up with) spread with peanut butter, or ricotta, or just with nuts in it for protein.
(All of the above served with whatever fruit I have kicking around and/or perhaps some yogurt or a hard boiled egg depending on my protein needs).
I cheat and get breakfast on the way to work at Dunkin' Donuts--but I consider it a preggo treat to myself. ;)
I usually bring in food that I keep at work, and eat breakfast once I'm there. It's way too hectic trying to get myself, Mark, and 2 kids out the door by 7 am to try eating at home.
My typical stand-bys are convenience foods - instant oatmeal, bagels, english muffins or breakfast bread with cream cheese or peanut butter (we have a fridge, toaster and microwave at work). Sometimes I'll do fresh berries with plain or lightly sweetened yogurt and granola, though that's a bit more prep work as I bring it fresh every day.
I never, ever skip breakfast, and am pretty much non-functional till I eat. I have the same thing literally every weekday and only mix it up on weekends. That makes it easy, I don't even have to think about it. I have Kashi Go Lean cereal with lots of milk, plus either blueberries or strawberries. If I have strawberries, I cut them and store in a Gladware so I don't have to do anything in the AM. I don't make coffee, so that saves me some time. And then I just check my email while I eat my cereal. If I have coffee (or green tea, these days), I just get it on my way to work. I like the Kashi Go Lean because it has lots of protein and fiber and keeps me full till at least 10am (11am under normal circumstances).
If for some reason, we are out of milk, I pick up a spinach feta wrap at Starbucks - they are less than 300 calories and really good - whole wheat wrap with egg whites, feta (not a lot), spinach and tomatoes. And then I get a latte of some sort or a bottle of skim milk to get my calcium.
I forgot you cut out dairy...my ideas are not helpful at all :-( But I will say, I am a huge proponent of breakfast, and hope you find something that will help it become a habit!
I'm so jealous at the amount of time you have in the morning- I suppose I could have that too, if I got up wicked early, but that isn't going to happen:) I can't skip breakfast either, but I have a really hard time eating a lot of food when I first wake up. I have to do my food prep as much as I can the night before, or even a couple days in advance (salads for lunch etc. cut up fruit for snack) so I can just grab them and go. My two breakfasts included a chocolate protein shake with frozen strawberries in my blend-and-go container- I call it my adult sippy cup. When I'm on the wagon, I also fry one whole egg one egg white quickly in the morning. I put it on top of live grain toast with flax seed oil.
Or I go to Dunks where they see me in line and start making my Turkey Sausage Egg White Flatbread and Medium Coffee....
I know you're trying to go vegan- so protein shakes might be an easy, light meal to pick up.
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