Clean Eats: 6 Ideas for Healthy Breakfast

You hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, all the time, but do you know why?

Eating within 2 hours of waking can make a difference in the way you metabolize glucose all day. Our glucose level rises every time we eat, and our  pancreas produces insulin to shuttle the glucose into our cells, where it’s used for energy. Keeping glucose and insulin in the right balance is important for your metabolism and health.

My idea of breakfast definitely isn’t a quick donut and coffee and today I’m sharing some of my favorite clean breakfast recipes.

If you have a lot of time in the morning, you can indulge in a hearty veggie sandwich, if you’re short on time, you can pre-prepare your breakfast and have it on-the-go, like my Banana and Oat Breakfast Bars.

COCONUT MANGO SMOOTHIE BOWLS

Smoothie bowls can not only be delicious, but also very healthy. Plus, they taste just like ice-cream, and who wouldn’t love having ice cream for breakfast?

Mango-Coconut Smoothie Bowls (vegan)

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Servings

2 bowls

Servings 2 bowls

Mango-Coconut Smoothie Bowls (vegan) Print Recipe Servings 2 bowls Servings 2 bowls

Ingredients

• 5 frozen bananas
• 1.5 cups frozen mango
• .5 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• handful coconut shreds for topping
• handful homemade granola for topping
• handful raspberries for topping

Servings: bowls

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients for your smoothie in a blender and blend until smooth. You can use fresh fruit instead of frozen, but then I recommend that you add some ice, so that the consistency is thick and creamy.
2. Using a big spoon, place your smoothie in a bowl and top off with some coconut shavings, raspberries and homemade granola (toasted oats with almonds and vanilla extract).

OVERNIGHT CHOCOLATE BANANA OATS

Even if you hated oatmeal as a kid, you will love these overnight oats. I guarantee it. The flavors are insane, the raw carob powder adds such a rich, chocolate flavor, the sliced almonds add a nice crunch and banana is just a cherry on top.

Overnight Banana & Chocolate Oats (vegan and gluten free)

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Servings

2 people

Servings 2 people

Overnight Banana & Chocolate Oats (vegan and gluten free) Print Recipe Servings 2 people Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1 tbsp carob powder
• 1 tsp coconut pal sugar
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• handful sliced almonds
• handful banana slices
• 2 tbsp shaved dark chocolate

Servings: people

Instructions

1. Mix everything together until well combined. Make sure that the peanut butter and banana is evenly distributed and well mixed with other ingredients.
2. Pour the mixture into two containers/bowls, covering with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Top with bananas, sliced almonds and shaved dark chocolate.

VEGGIE LOVER SANDWICH

This veggie sandwich is usually my favorite thing for lunch, but it works as a hearty breakfast too. I posted this recipe a while a go, and I have since went dairy-free so I just skip the feta.

Veggie Lover Sandwich

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Servings

2 people

Servings 2 people

Veggie Lover Sandwich Print Recipe Servings 2 people Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 2 slices multi-grain panini bread toasted
• 2 tbsp pesto I use homemade pesto
• 4 pieces boston lettuce
• 4 slices feta cheese
• 1/2 avocado sliced
• 1 kumato tomato sliced
• 1/2 cucumber thinly sliced
• coconut butter optional

Servings: people

Instructions

1. Spread coconut butter on one slice of the bread and generous amount of pesto sauce on another. Layer your veggies and feta cheese on the slice with pesto sauce, top it of with the buttered slice and cut in half.
2. There is absolutely no need for salt and/or pepper as this green goodness is already bursting with flavor, but you can always add some, to taste.

TRIPLE BERRY BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

Whenever I feel indecisive about breakfast, I always opt out for smoothies. They’re quick and easy to make, and if you use the right ingredients- totally guilt-free.

Triple Berry Breakfast Smoothie

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Servings

1

Servings 1

Triple Berry Breakfast Smoothie Print Recipe Servings 1 Servings 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup frozen blackberries
• 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup vanilla flavored hemp milk
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
• coconut flakes optional
• handful goji berries

Servings:

Instructions

1. Blend all the ingredients on low speed until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a thick, ice-cream-like consistency use the exact same measurements as I did. If you'd like your smoothie to be more water-like (or be able to drink it through a straw), simply add more milk.
2. Top off with goji berries, blackberries, raspberries and unsweetened coconut fakes

CHIA SEED PUDDING

It’s dairy free, gluten free, rich in fiber, protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, and, of course, it’s mighty tasty. What’s not to love?

Chia Seed Pudding

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Servings

2 people

Servings 2 people

Chia Seed Pudding Print Recipe Servings 2 people Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 1 can organic coconut milk (unsweetened)
• 4 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• handful pomegranate optional
• handful blackberries optional
• handful bananas optional
• handful unsweetened coconut flakes optional

Servings: people

Instructions

1. Mix everything together until very well combined, cover and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours, for best results leave it in the fridge over night & enjoy it in the morning.
2. Top off with your favorite fruit and unsweetened coconut flakes.

BANANA & OAT BREAKFAST BARS

These homemade banana and oat bars are so filling and a much, much healthier option than the stuff you get from the vending machine. One batch of these will last you close to a week, so you can grab them even on the go. They go great wit almond milk!

Clean eats: banana & oat breakfast bars

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Servings

15 bars

Servings 15 bars

Clean eats: banana & oat breakfast bars Print Recipe Servings 15 bars Servings 15 bars

Ingredients

• 4 ripe bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 3 tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond meal
• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1.5 tbsp natural chunky peanut butter
• handful chopped walnuts and cranberries

Servings: bars

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease up your glass baking dish with coconut oil.
2. Peel your bananas, place them in a big bowl and mash them with a potato masher. Add in the coconut sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt and oil and mix until well combined. Add almond meal, baking soda, oats, walnuts, cranberries and peanut butter and continue to mix with a spoon, until well combined- the mixture will be a little lumpy.
3. Spread the mixture in your dish and bake for about 25 minutes. Let your bars cool off completely before slicing. You can store these in the fridge for about 3-4 days, or you can freeze them as well.

Will you be trying any of these?