No Seriously, Eat Breakfast

The fantastic fictional character Ron Swanson once said: "there is no sadness that can't be cured by breakfast food" and I have never believed in something more. Breakfast is essential for a variety of reasons. For me, breakfast keeps me sane. There are fewer things I love more than waking up in the morning and taking my time to make myself the best breakfast imaginable to start my day of right.

At it's core, breakfast is the breaking of one's overnight fast. Your body has just gone 8+ hours without any kind of nourishment and it's primary focus was getting proper rest and rejuvenating itself. By the time morning rolls around, it's time to refuel! I know there is a lot of conversation about breakfast being the "most important meal of the day" and there is a good size population that doesn't necessarily live by that for whatever reason might be the biggest in the your life at the moment. For some people, they wake up with just the right amount of time to get ready, dressed, and out the door and could absolutely care less about breakfast. Others are busy morning people that maybe have kids to get out the door or have early morning workouts or jobs and just don't manage to get breakfast in and consider it a good day if they manage to throw a granola bar in their bag before they're out the door.

Me on the other hand...

I'm SUCH a breakfast girl. No matter how busy I am or what I have going on, I make sure I get a good breakfast. Sometimes that means waking up 20 minutes early but I have to have it. On a more scrambled busy day I like to have oatmeal with almond milk and frozen fruit. It's a sustainable meal that keeps me full a super long time and is savory, sweet, and delicious. Other mornings, I'll whip up a protein waffle/pancakes and top them with fruit and a side of iced coffee because iced coffee is the best kind of coffee always.

I like a sweet and filling breakfast but try to stay away from sugary cereals or even flavored yogurts. It's best to start of your morning with natural sugars from fruit to fuel you. If you're into a more savory breakfast, try some Ezekiel bread toast with an egg on it topped with some spinach. I find it never hurts to get your greens in where you can. And if you're more of a smoothie gal, throw in ALL of the greens. Spinach, avocado, celery, and mix it up with some pineapple, banana, mango or whatever your favorite sweet fruit might be. The sweet flavor will completely cover up the taste of the greens and without you really realizing it, you will have gotten your daily serving in. Throw in some flax seeds or chia seeds for added protein and you're set.

This was my breakfast a few days ago.  A little under 1 cup of Bob's Red Mill Steel cut oats, a small drizzle of blue agave throughout, topped with 1 ripe banana slices, a small handful of frozen blueberries (I love the way they melt into the oatmeal),  a sprinkle of cinnamon (which has fantastic anti-inflammatory properties), and top with a pinch of chia seeds. This breakfast was both sweet, satisfying, and gave me exactly the burst of energy I like to start my morning off with.

This breakfast was pretty photogenic if I do say so myself. I had two Van's Gluten free blueberry waffles because I love waffles with the same glee of a 5 year old with eggo waffles. These are fantastic, tasty, and remind me of my childhood. They also keep me full a super long time which I love. Since it's summer and fruit is finally affordable again to all of us common folk, I have plenty of it. I sliced up a few large strawberries and tossed them on top with just a few blueberries and a side of the juiciest grapes ever. I enjoyed both of these meals with a tall glass of homemade iced coffee with a splash of coconut milk french vanilla creamer and enjoyed these mornings I've had to take it slow and truly enjoy my day. Sometimes I'll eat my breakfast outside and soak up the vitamin D that summer has to offer.

In the future, I'd like to challenge myself a little more with my breakfast and cook more, maybe eat more vegetables less sugar but it's all a work in progress. I urge you to truly ENJOY your breakfast. Not necessarily for the food but for the time. The time in the morning before your day has taken off yet. Maybe it's just a granola bar or a full blown restaurant-style meal that would put mine to shame. Appreciate it and what it does for your body and continue to do good.