Hearty & Healthy Breakfasts to Kickstart Your Day

At the start of the new year, many of us are looking for ways to eat healthier. I can be very unhealthy. If I’m in a rush I am happy to replace lunch with chocolate. My children eat quite healthy but again, when we are short of time, we can be guilty of turning to ready meals rather than cooking fresh vegetable filled meals.

Some people fall into the trap of thinking that eating healthier means eating much less, when this usually isn’t the case. In order to have a balanced, healthy diet, you need to focus on what you eat, not how much you eat!

Making healthy choices can be very difficult, especially during the colder months when we crave comfort food and can be tempted by all of the leftover Christmas chocolates! The key is to not deprive yourself or tell yourself that you can’t eat certain foods, but instead to feel free to make whichever choices you wish. Only then will you feel as though you actually want to eat a hearty, healthy meal instead of a takeaway pizza.

As we all know, breakfast can be the most important meal of the day, and this is never more true than when you’re trying to eat healthily. If you can succeed in getting a healthy start to your day and enjoying your food, you’re much more likely to continue to make healthy choices throughout the day.

My children love breakfast! I think it mat be their favourite meal of the day. They love cereal and at the weekend we make pancakes, which they both enjoy.

Here are some ideas for healthy breakfasts that will fill you up, satisfy your taste buds and nourish your body as well.

Pancakes

Now, pancakes probably aren’t the first thing you think of when you’re planning a healthy breakfast, but don’t write them off altogether. There are plenty of healthy pancake recipes out there that will satisfy both your appetite and your conscience. Some of these options include whole wheat pancakes, zucchini and carrot pancakes, sweet potato pancakes and protein quinoa pancakes, all of which are just as delicious as their traditional counterparts.

Of course, the key to tasty pancakes is the toppings, and there’s not much point in making healthy pancakes if you’re going to smother them in butter and maple syrup! Fresh fruit, chopped nuts and a drizzle of honey are all excellent choices for toppings, or if you really want to push the boat out you can get some inspiration from Jamie Oliver.

Porridge

Poor old porridge doesn’t exactly have the most exciting image, but when made in the right way it can be transformed into a truly delicious healthy breakfast. Porridge is quick and easy to make, and it is inexpensive. All you need to start off with is some traditional rolled porridge oats and the milk of your choice, be it semi-skimmed or skimmed cow’s milk, almond milk, soy milk or coconut milk. All of these are healthy choices and you can mix and match them for a bit of flavour variety.

When cooking your porridge, you may wish to add spices such as cinnamon, or some dried or fresh fruit to make sure you get your 5-a-day.

As with pancakes, the toppings are essential to a porridge recipe, so experiment and see how creative you can be! Any type of nut or fruit will work a treat, and you also might want to add a dash of fruit juice or a drizzle of honey for sweetness.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds have gained something of a cult following in the past year, so if you haven’t tried them yet you’re in for a treat. These protein packed seeds expand and soften when soaked in liquid, so they’re the ideal choice for a super healthy, super filling breakfast that you can make the night before and eat on the go. If you don’t have time to make a proper breakfast in the morning, simply pick a chia recipe and mix it up in the evening so it’s ready when you need it.

Chia seeds can be used to make a healthy oatmeal, a milky pudding or a crunchy granola, and can also be incorporated into smoothies and breakfast juices. All you really need to make them is a pack of raw chia seeds and the milk of your choice, as well as some nuts, seeds or berries for toppings. The options are endless for this versatile breakfast, so you really could have something different every single day.

Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post.