Breakfast - the morning meal that ‘breaks-the-fast’. Our first bite of the day can make a big difference to energy, concentration, memory and mood. Not only does it help physically fuel us, but mentally too! Today we’re sharing some of our favourite breaky ideas.

Breakfast, for many, is a good pitstop to fuel up for the day ahead. While not always a necessity (we typically encourage clients to eat to hunger cues), when we skip breakfast we may be more likely to overeat at our next meal or be tempted to eat whatever's in sight when we start to feel ravenous later. Breakfast is a sensible time to get nutrients in before the day kicks off!

With busy bustling mornings a likelihood for many, some days we may need super easy speedy meal ideas, while other days we might have more time to dedicate to making something a little more fiddly - here we’ve shared a range of recipe ideas to cater to all.

We putting breakfast meals together, we usually recommend to clients to include a protein-rich or fibre-rich food, as these are slow to be digested and so help to keep us feeling full for longer into the morning! Ideas include eggs, protein powder, nuts, seeds, tofu and yoghurt.

Let’s get cooking…

SPEEDY TOAST WITH A NUTRITIOUS TOPPING

A great idea when you don't have much time in the morning! Toast can serve as an ideal vehicle for nutritious ingredients e.g. a smear of avocado, smoked salmon, eggs or nut butter. When opting for bread go for a fibre-rich option - look for bread with a minimum of 2.5g fibre/slice, but ideally higher.

To prepare: simply put to toast 1-2x slices of grainy quality bread. Serve with your choice of topping e.g. scrambled egg, salmon, nut butter + banana, leftover mince or chilli beans, shredded chicken with pesto, scrambled tofu (tofu finely chopped and sautéed in a pan with a little oil and chopped veg), or tinned fish (e.g. tuna, salmon, mackerel).

FRUITY YOGHURT BOWL

A nutritious breakfast option that’s equally yummy, as it is speedy, to put together. A good source of protein and probiotics (good bugs for our gut!) from the yoghurt, antioxidants and vitamins from the fruit; and protein, fat and minerals from the nuts and seeds.

To prepare: add to a bowl 1-2 fruits (seasonal is best), about 1/2 cup thick creamy protein-rich yoghurt (we like Anchor or Kalo), a small handful of nuts (e.g. cashews, almonds, walnuts) and a few tbsp seeds (e.g. sunflower, pumpkin or linseed).

PROTEIN-PACKED SMOOTHIE

A quick and easy option for when you're short on time. Smoothies travel well, and can be blended up the night before and taken on the road in the morning in a travel cup/mason jar. For a balanced smoothie aim to include a carb-rich food (e.g. 1/2 cup frozen berries or a banana), a fat-rich food (e.g. nuts, nut butter, seeds, avocado, coconut or flaxseed oil) and a protein-rich food source (e.g. plain yoghurt, protein powder or collagen).

Try this easy recipe: blend together 1/2 cup frozen berries, 1 banana, 1x scoop protein power OR 1/2 cup greek yoghurt (we like Anchor or Kalo), 1x tbsp nut butter and 1x cup of your milk of choice. Enjoy!

GREEN PROTEIN PANCAKES

A tasty way to sneak in some extra greens in the morning! These pancakes are loaded with protein, which will help keep you feeling satisfied into the morning. A great one when you have a little more time in the morning. Here’s the recipe:

INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
Small handful of spinach
1x serve protein powder
1/2 banana
For toppings: yoghurt & blueberries

METHOD

1. Chuck the eggs, spinach, protein powder & banana in a blender and blend until you have a batter like consistency. At this stage you may need to add a little bit of water to thin it a bit.

2. Heat a frying pan with a little bit of coconut oil or butter. Pour half the batter into the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface. Turn and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until the pancakes are cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter. 

3. Serve with yoghurt and blueberries - or anything you desire! Yum.

NOTES

• You can also omit the protein powder if you prefer, just sub with a couple of tablespoons of almond meal.

A big thank you to our fabulous Nutritionist Emily White for sharing this recipe with us. For more from Em, head along to her website here.

PORRIDGE / OATS

Porridge = perfect winter warmer! A bagful is very cheap, and also nutritious - it’s rich in dietary fibre, which helps to keep us feeling full for longer, and its a good source of energy for the body.

The ingredient amounts given below in this recipe are in a range - a small portion would be better for smaller people/those who aren’t as active, and a large portion would be better for taller, larger framed individuals.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 to ½ cup dry rolled or steel cut oats
50-100 grams high-protein yoghurt – eg. Greek Yoghurt, Anchor Protein+ OR ½ cup calci-trim milk
15-30 grams (1 Tbsp - 2 Tbsp) grams nuts, seeds or nut butter eg. almonds, walnuts, pumpkin or chia seeds
1 Tbsp to ½ cup fresh or frozen berries or 1 tbsp Viberi blackcurrant powder
Cinnamon (optional)

METHOD

1. Bring water to a boil. Boil twice the water as the amount of oats you are using, e.g. If you are using 1/3 cup oats, use 2/3 cups of boiling water.

2. When on a rolling boil, add the dry oats to the pot and stir.

3. Turn to low heat and cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Serve frozen berries into a bowl.

5. Pour cooked oats over frozen fruit and serve yoghurt and nuts or seeds or swirl in 1 tbsp of peanut butter or almond butter.

A big thanks to Rosanne, our Community Manager and Nutritionist, for sharing the recipe with us. For more from Rosanne, head to her website here.

MINI EGG AND VEGETABLE MUFFINS

A recurring favourite for us, that’s also a great snack idea! These are an easy speedy breakfast, that’s ideal to make in advance and take on-the-go.
Makes 10 individual muffins

INGREDIENTS
12 eggs
½ bag of spinach
Olive oil spray
1 white onion
6 button Mushrooms
200g Feta (or other cheese)
Salt/pepper to taste
6 sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Pan fry the onion in a spray of olive oil until fragrant.

3. Add finely diced mushrooms and cook until soft.

4. Spray the insides of a good non-stick muffin tray with olive oil spray.

5. Spoon onion and mushroom mix into the base each muffin tin.

6. Add a handful of spinach into the base of each muffin tin (don't worry if it doesn't quite fit, the leaves will wilt quickly in the oven!).

7. Whisk all the eggs together in a jug, and pour evenly into each muffin tin.

8. Top with salt and pepper, crumbled feta and a few finely sliced pieces of sun dried tomatoes.

9. Bake in the oven for 10-15mins or until eggs are set.

This recipe was kindly supplied by our nutritionist Kimberley Bell. For more recipes from Kim, head to her blog.

This blog was written especially for our friends at Westpac NZ, who we’re excited to be assisting with their workplace wellbeing this year. It’s thrilling to see a company go the extra mile for their staff!