Breakfast Made Easy - and Healthy

These recipes fit into any busy schedule. No excuses.

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A healthy breakfast is rarely the top concern on one’s mind first thing in the morning. For caffeine chasers, three cups of coffee is the minimum needed to start the day. For hurried workers, a sugar-heavy, empty-calorie-packed pastry or bagel to go may seem like the only feasible option.

Plenty of quick, filling recipes claim the contrary: You can eat healthy breakfast food, whether you’re in a hurry or just very hungry. All it takes is a few minutes in the morning, or a little advance preparation—say, Sunday afternoon—to have breakfast ready for the full week. Here are some healthy breakfast options to start your day right.

Broiled Grapefruit with Honey & Cinnamon.

Slice a grapefruit in half, add a teaspoon of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Broil for 10 minutes while you’re getting dressed or coiffed. Try Savannah Bee Company’s Heifer Peace Honey or Canaan Fair Trade’s Wildflower Honey to support good causes while you’re still waking up.

Muffins

Breakfast Muffins.

Make a healthier version of your favorite recipe, replacing white flour with a nutrient-rich bran, flax or whole-wheat flour, and swapping out the buttermilk or heavy cream for skim milk or lowfat yogurt. Adding dried fruit, such as figs or berries, adds vitamins and flavor, meaning you’ve got a nutritious breakfast to last through next week. Quick tip: Freeze muffins after baking and letting cool, moving one to the fridge the night before you plan to eat it. They’ll taste as fresh as the day you made them.

Fruit and Yogurt Smoothie.

About a cup of yogurt, a sliced banana, a cup of milk (1% is still better than whole if skim or soy don’t do it for you) combined with frozen fruits and a splash of orange juice makes a delicious, deceptively “rich” shake that will fool your fat tooth, giving you a healthy start in spite of yourself. Swap ¼ cup of milk for coconut milk and throw in frozen pineapple for a piña colada–inspired start to a dreary day. Smoothies are best made right before consuming, but you can prep it the night before and give a quick stir before drinking.

Oatmeal with Fruit and Nuts.

Make a simple, nutritious oatmeal—whether homemade or pre-packaged—more filling and flavorful with a few quick swaps: Use milk instead of water; mix in a bit of honey, maple syrup, agave syrup or stevia-based natural sweetener instead of sugar. Sprinkle in some cinnamon, chopped apples and pecans for a breakfast as good as apple pie. Some dark chocolate–covered banana pieces from Kopali Organics turns oatmeal into a healthy breakfast food even kids will love.

Photo and recipe come from the kitchen of Marcia Barager of the Dalai Planet.