Nourish
3 MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFASTS FOR HECTIC MORNINGS
Most of us know by now that eating breakfast is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle—after all, skipping the all-important meal increases your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain. But what are we supposed to do on those mornings when we barely have time to brush our teeth, let alone sit down to a nutritious spread? It can be tempting to skip eating altogether, but we have a better option: make-ahead breakfasts.
The three recipes below can be made ahead of time, so they’re life-savers on those mornings when you’re racing against the clock but still want to fuel your body with something nutritious.
ALMOND-BANANA OAT CUPS (pictured above)
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 Tbs. ground flaxseed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
1 very ripe banana, mashed well
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (sub: vanilla extract)
Sliced strawberries for topping each muffin (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, ground flaxseed, slivered almonds and salt.
- In a medium bowl combine the maple syrup and almond butter. Place in the microwave on high for 45 seconds (or until the syrup is bubbling and the mixture is easy to blend). Add the coconut oil, mashed banana, and almond extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Cover the bowl with a towel and place the mixture in the refrigerator for one hour to set.
- Grease a standard size muffin pan with a little oil. Scoop the dough evenly between the cups and lightly press down with your hands to smooth out the tops. Place a sliced strawberry on top of each muffin and put in the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cups are lightly golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before using a butter knife to loosen them from the pan. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. These can be frozen for up to one month.
CHAI-SPICED CHIA SEED PARFAIT
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
4 tsp. pure maple syrup, divided
1 large apple
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch ground cardamom
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup slivered toasted almonds
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds, almond milk, and 3 teaspoons of the maple syrup. Stir well, then divide into 2 small bowls or glass mason jars. Cover the jars or bowls and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, chop the apple into small chunks and combine with the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Taste the apples and adjust the spices if needed. Divide the spiced apples between the bowls and top with the slivered almonds. Drizzle with the remaining teaspoon maple syrup and serve.
FAVORITE GRANOLA
INGREDIENTS
3-4 cups rolled oats, gluten-free
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw
1/2 cup nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans work great
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup organic virgin coconut oil, gently melted
1 Tbs. carob powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut sugar, brown rice syrup or scant 1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sunflower seeds, nuts, and sesame seeds.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, carob powder, cinnamon, sweetener, and salt. Add this mixture to the large bowl, and combine well.
- In a lasagna pan or on two flat cookie sheets, spread the mixture evenly and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the top layer is browned. Then, flip/mix with a spatula and place back in oven for another 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven. The mixture will be moist, but will dry and harden as it cools. Mix in dried fruit ingredients and let cool, stirring every so often to prevent clumping. Store in an airtight container.
- (Alternately, you can place all initial ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot on low overnight and add the fruit in the morning. This is one of my favorite time savers!)
* Carob powder adds a lovely sweet and malty flavor to this recipe. If you can’t find it, no worries! Just omit it.
Get hundreds more healthy recipes to fuel your day here.
Most of us know by now that eating breakfast is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle—after all, skipping the all-important meal increases your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain. But what are we supposed to do on those mornings when we barely have time to brush our teeth, let alone sit down to a nutritious spread? It can be tempting to skip eating altogether, but we have a better option: make-ahead breakfasts.
The three recipes below can be made ahead of time, so they’re life-savers on those mornings when you’re racing against the clock but still want to fuel your body with something nutritious.
ALMOND-BANANA OAT CUPS (pictured above)
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 Tbs. ground flaxseed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbs. almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
1 very ripe banana, mashed well
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (sub: vanilla extract)
Sliced strawberries for topping each muffin (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, ground flaxseed, slivered almonds and salt.
- In a medium bowl combine the maple syrup and almond butter. Place in the microwave on high for 45 seconds (or until the syrup is bubbling and the mixture is easy to blend). Add the coconut oil, mashed banana, and almond extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Cover the bowl with a towel and place the mixture in the refrigerator for one hour to set.
- Grease a standard size muffin pan with a little oil. Scoop the dough evenly between the cups and lightly press down with your hands to smooth out the tops. Place a sliced strawberry on top of each muffin and put in the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cups are lightly golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before using a butter knife to loosen them from the pan. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. These can be frozen for up to one month.
CHAI-SPICED CHIA SEED PARFAIT
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
4 tsp. pure maple syrup, divided
1 large apple
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch ground cardamom
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup slivered toasted almonds
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds, almond milk, and 3 teaspoons of the maple syrup. Stir well, then divide into 2 small bowls or glass mason jars. Cover the jars or bowls and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, chop the apple into small chunks and combine with the cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Taste the apples and adjust the spices if needed. Divide the spiced apples between the bowls and top with the slivered almonds. Drizzle with the remaining teaspoon maple syrup and serve.
FAVORITE GRANOLA
INGREDIENTS
3-4 cups rolled oats, gluten-free
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, raw
1/2 cup nuts, chopped walnuts or pecans work great
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup organic virgin coconut oil, gently melted
1 Tbs. carob powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut sugar, brown rice syrup or scant 1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sunflower seeds, nuts, and sesame seeds.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, carob powder, cinnamon, sweetener, and salt. Add this mixture to the large bowl, and combine well.
- In a lasagna pan or on two flat cookie sheets, spread the mixture evenly and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the top layer is browned. Then, flip/mix with a spatula and place back in oven for another 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven. The mixture will be moist, but will dry and harden as it cools. Mix in dried fruit ingredients and let cool, stirring every so often to prevent clumping. Store in an airtight container.
- (Alternately, you can place all initial ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot on low overnight and add the fruit in the morning. This is one of my favorite time savers!)
* Carob powder adds a lovely sweet and malty flavor to this recipe. If you can’t find it, no worries! Just omit it.
Get hundreds more healthy recipes to fuel your day here.
