When we first aladolicited submissions for our Recipe by Request column, one of the most surprising findings to come to light was that people have absolutely no idea what to eat for breakfast. At least that’s how it felt based on our small sample, as we received numerous pleas for fast and easy morning bites that can be eaten on the go, aren’t too heavy on carbs, and are different from the usual packaged options.
Personally, this was somewhat surprising, as I see no better way to start the day than with food, and most of the requests we received were from individuals whom I consider to be highly functioning in work and life. Yet now it’s clear that so many people must secretly endure grumbling stomachs and roller-coaster blood sugar levels between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Sound familiar? Well, here we have compiled a list of 30 delicious, nutritious, and simple to prepare morning meals so you may never be befuddled by breakfast again.
Bars and Bites
No-Bake Cranberry Almond Chia Bars
Once you try these you will never be able to go back to packaged snack bars. They are so easy to make—just process the ingredients, mold the mixture in a dish, and chill—and the combination of almond butter, fig, nuts, seeds, and dried cranberries is slightly sweet and satisfying.
5-Ingredient Gluten-Free Cookies
These “cookies” are actually a no-cook version of your favorite breakfast foods all rolled into one perfectly portable package. Oatmeal, banana, nut butter, almonds, and dates are all it takes to whip up a slightly sweet and satisfying morning bite. If you’re feeling indulgent, top with chocolate for a treat that’s easier than pancakes.
Maple Almond Oat Bars
These powerfood-packed bites have serious staying power thanks to cashew butter, nuts, oatmeal, and protein powder. They’re naturally sweetened with maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Chia seeds add a dose of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
No-Bake Energy Bites
These nutty, chocolaty balls are as good as raw cookie dough, if you like that kind of thing, except they’re a lot more nutritious. Just roll oats and mini chocolate chips with nut butter, agave nectar, coconut oil, chia seeds, flaxseed, salt, and ground cinnamon. Breakfast is served.
Fudge Brownie Chocolate Protein Bars
Chocoholics can get their fix first thing in the morning with these bars that are only seemingly indulgent thanks to a secret ingredient you’ll have to click through to see. Even with a triple dose of chocolate, each bar packs only 129 calories, 4.4 grams of fat, and 7.7 grams of sugars.
Goji Berry and Oat No-Bake Energy Bars
These six-ingredient bars are vegan, raw, and most importantly super delicious. Dates, dried goji berries, and chocolate provide a touch of sweetness, and peanut butter, pumpkin seeds, and oats create a filling body. Just mix in a food processor and refrigerate before serving.
Toasts
Classic Avocado Toast
If you are not already an avocado toast aficionado, this essential recipe will lay the groundwork for what will likely become one of the great loves of your mornings (if not your life). Master this combination and then create your own iterations. Toast, smash, season, repeat.
Banana and Almond Butter Toast
This is another classic yet essential recipe that can be improvised in a million different ways. Take your pick of bread, nut butter, and fruit, and you can’t go wrong. Just slice, spread, and go.
Avocado Toast with Cottage Cheese and Tomatoes
Amp up the protein content and flavor of classic avocado toast with cottage cheese and sliced tomatoes. This recipe also works as a simple pack-and-go lunch.
Sliced Pear, Ricotta, and Honey Toast
This Buzzfeed list touts 21 incredible breakfast toasts, but the sliced pear, ricotta cheese, and honey combination stood out as an especially novel twist. This rustic Italian-inspired recipe is a perfect stand-in for French toast on a busy weekday or weekend when you’re feeling virtuous.
Photo: PinchofYum.com
Eggs
Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs with Pesto Veggies
Easy enough for a weekday, impressive enough for brunch, hearty enough for dinner, this combination of tangy goat cheese, sweet and savory sundried tomatoes, and bright kale with pesto makes humble scrambled eggs sing in eye-opening new ways. (Pictured above.)
Simple Baked Eggs
The basic homemade tomato sauce in this recipe is worth the 20 minutes of extra work on a weekend, and it can be substituted for a jarred variety on weekday mornings for a breakfast reminiscent of the Spanish countryside. But yes, you still need to go to work.
Scrambled Eggs with Kale and Mozzarella
This simple scramble is an easy way to get a serving of vegetables into your first meal of the day. The recipe is a no-brainer—just sauté onions and red pepper flakes with kale before adding eggs and shredded mozzarella.
Egg Muffins with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese
These cute concoctions bring new meaning to the term “egg muffin.” Far from a fast-food sandwich, these high-protein, low-carb bites are simply mini frittatas made in a muffin tin with egg, turkey sausage, spinach, and cheddar cheese. Prepare a batch on Sunday to grab and go throughout the week.
Crustless Veggie Quiche
Yet another example that shows how eggs can be the perfect vehicle for vegetables, this quiche packs yellow squash, zucchini, and bell pepper for a light and filling breakfast that stores well in the refrigerator up to four days.
Nourishing Breakfast Salad
If you want to take your morning veggie game to the next level, just swap the egg-to-produce ratio and make a breakfast salad. This bowl features a mix of pumpkin, mushrooms, zucchini, red bell pepper, and watercress, topped with two eggs, pepitas, and lemon-thyme dressing. Salad for breakfast may sound strange, but don’t knock it until you try it!
Oats and Grains
Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is a make-ahead breakfast game-changer. It allows you to pack in all of the delicious ingredients you would normally hope to throw into your bowl of oatmeal if only you had time to find them before rushing out the door. This combination of apples, cinnamon, walnuts, brown sugar, egg, and milk is perfect for fall.
Slow Cooker Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal
If you can’t commit the hands-on time required for baked oatmeal, just make a batch of oatmeal in your slow cooker instead. This recipe has a similar flavor profile as the recipe above with apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar, but this version cooks while you sleep!
Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats
Here’s an oatmeal blend you truly can’t find in a box. This recipe for steel-cut oats folds in pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and maple syrup. Store oats in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Blueberry Breakfast Quinoa Cereal
You may already keep cooked quinoa on hand for quick salads and easy dinners, but did you know you could eat it for breakfast too? Use it in place of cereal with a drizzle of honey, blueberries, vanilla, sliced almonds, cinnamon, and milk.
Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa
On colder days you may prefer this hot take on quinoa, flavored with fresh blackberries, ground cinnamon, toasted pecans, and a touch of agave nectar. Cooking the quinoa with some milk makes it even better for breakfast.
Maple Bacon Oatmeal
The indulgent flavors of maple syrup and bacon make a simple bowl of instant oatmeal extra satisfying. This recipe uses turkey bacon to cut down on saturated fat and nitrates. One bowl weighs in at a satisfying 360 calories and 8 grams of fat.
Wholesome Sweets
Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes
Embrace the flavors of fall with this recipe for sweet pumpkin-spiced pancakes from Candice Kumai. Applesauce and pumpkin puree make these cakes moist and fluffy. Enjoy with apple butter or maple syrup.
Banana Chocolate Chip Vegan Pancakes
This recipe uses almond milk, coconut oil, and flaxseed instead of eggs and milk for a vegan take on banana chocolate chip pancakes. With just eight ingredients, these are simple to whip together on the fly.
Coconut Almond & Quinoa Breakfast Cakes
Save this recipe for the weekend because it’s more complicated than your basic pancake mix, but the blend of black quinoa, cinnamon, lemon juice, coconut oil, vanilla, almond meal, banana, and cacao nibs makes a hearty and gorgeous short stack. Top with yogurt and maple syrup for serving.
Waffle PBJ-Wich
Stack a toaster waffle with sliced fresh strawberries and nut butter for a healthier, lower-sugar version of peanut butter and jelly. You can find 34 more healthy breakfasts for busy mornings here.
Waffle with Cream Cheese and Smashed Berries
Give frozen waffles a gourmet twist with cream cheese, fresh berries, and a bit of honey or agave. Kids will love the sweet and cheesy flavor as much as you do.
Smoothies
Blueberry Muffin Smoothie
This recipe combines milk, yogurt, frozen blueberries, frozen banana, lemon zest, oatmeal, and a little ice. Oatmeal in a smoothie sounds weird, but it’s actually a versatile mix-in that makes any blend extra hearty and filling.
Healthy Wendy’s Frosty
This lightly sweetened smoothie from yoga celebrity Tara Stiles tastes like a chocolate milkshake but won’t leave you with a sugar high. The blend of almond milk, vanilla extract, raw cacao powder, and almond butter is satisfying any time of day.
My Favorite Green Smoothie
Green smoothies don’t have to taste like salad. This mixture gets its color from two cups of fresh spinach, but the flavor is derived from frozen banana, mixed berries, peanut butter, and almond milk. Flaxseed meal adds some extra nuttiness and healthy fat.
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