We’ve all heard the role healthy breakfasts play in helping us feel our best throughout the day. But let’s face it: breakfast time arrives way too early in the morning for most of us. I’d love to wake up at the crack of 9 am, lounge around in my fluffy robe, leisurely sip my favorite coffee concoction and then start making a nutritious and delicious breakfast for the family around mid-morning. But that scenario doesn’t even seem to happen on the weekend!
Instead, morning time at our house is always a frantic flurry of activity. Now that school is starting back up, things won’t be calming down anytime soon! However, eating clean and making sure the first meal of the day I serve is nutrient-dense is a top priority for me. The problem is, if I’m not super organized in planning healthy breakfasts in advance then a mountain of dishes and a giant mess is the end result. I only have a few minutes to clean the kitchen in the morning, so if I have to leave a big mess behind I end up feeling frazzled and totally disorganized as I race out the door. And then of course I dread coming home to a kitchen in disarray.
The only way I can possibly keep things organized and stay sane in the mornings is to have make-ahead healthy breakfasts that don’t require any cooking or assembly. Even pulling out all of the ingredients to make a smoothie can sometimes be too stressful (and messy!)
Make Ahead Healthy Breakfasts
These are my go-to healthy breakfast recipes that keep me sane in the mornings. After my cup of coffee, of course (wink). All recipes below fit our clean eating criteria and are nutrient-rich. They are also rich in fiber and have no dairy, no refined flour, no refined sugar and no refined oil. And they are kid-approved too!
Superfood Breakfast Cookies!
Yup! Healthy breakfasts can even include cookies. The kids will never guess what secret superfood is lurking in these nutrient-rich breakfast cookies. Beans! Believe it or not, you can make incredibly moist and super tasty superfood breakfast cookies by mixing a full can of pureed garbanzo beans in with your cookie dough. And not to worry, I promise the cookies taste nothing like bean dip. Plus, they deliver a hefty dose of antioxidant-rich raisins and omega-3 rich walnuts. Note: To maximize nutrition, I prefer to use Biodynamic Whole Wheat Flour but if you can’t find that, just look for organic whole wheat flour instead.
Make it a complete meal by adding a piece of fruit (a banana is my favorite!) and a glass of unsweetened hemp or almond milk.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor add the garbanzo beans, applesauce, hemp (or almond) milk, vanilla, egg and coconut oil. Process until smooth and creamy.
Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add in the flour, baking soda, salt and coconut palm sugar. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients together. Stir in the raisins and walnuts.
With a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each scoop about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Apple Pie Morning Energy Balls (with Maca!)
Some people just don’t have very big appetites first thing in the morning. If you or your kids fit into this category, then these Energy Balls make the perfect grab-n-go healthy breakfast. The superfood maca helps to optimize energy and even balance hormones.
Delicious, healthy breakfasts don’t get any easier than slicing bread. In addition to being tasty and convenient, this gluten free banana bread recipe is loaded with superfoods and super nutrition. It is dairy, gluten and egg free too, so it’s also a good recipe for those who have food sensitivities or allergies.
What in the world is Cherry Clafoutis? It’s a rustic French custard-like, bread-pudding-ish recipe from the Limousin region of France. Although it is typically served as a dessert, I have cleaned up the traditional recipe and worked in some superfood ingredients (flaxseeds, almonds, dates, etc.), so there is absolutely no reason to not eat it for breakfast.
Ivy,
I have arthritis and presently on full disability. I want to eat cleaner and be a lot healthier. I am also realizing this may help me use my SNAP funds wisely. When I fix the goodies I will let you know how they are!
Oh Mary, I very much sympathize with the arthritis pain. Thankfully I no longer have pain, but I had chronic pain for YEARS in my hip (due to a congenital hip disorder) I finally had a surgery to fix it, but three things that really helped me deal with the pain and inflammation was high dose pharmaceutical grade fish oil, ginger and turmeric. The fish oil is a bit expensive but the turmeric and ginger you can get at the grocery store. I used fresh ginger in a tea every day and I also mixed turmeric spice in hot water with lemon, black pepper and coconut milk (the black pepper and coconut milk make the turmeric more potent.) Hopefully you will find some relief if you try them. In the meantime, yes! Please keep me posted if you try the goodies =)
When do you add the coconut oil in the ‘Manage Mornings Better with Make Ahead Healthy Breakfasts’ recipe? And, is it liquid or solid oil? It’s the first recipe on this page. We really love your recipes. Thank you!
Hi Kaye, thank you so much for catching that mistake! I just fixed the recipe. You add the oil at the same time as the other wet ingredients. So sorry for the mistake! I’m thrilled to know you like the recipes though =)
Mary Bearden says
Ivy,
I have arthritis and presently on full disability. I want to eat cleaner and be a lot healthier. I am also realizing this may help me use my SNAP funds wisely. When I fix the goodies I will let you know how they are!
Ivy Larson says
Oh Mary, I very much sympathize with the arthritis pain. Thankfully I no longer have pain, but I had chronic pain for YEARS in my hip (due to a congenital hip disorder) I finally had a surgery to fix it, but three things that really helped me deal with the pain and inflammation was high dose pharmaceutical grade fish oil, ginger and turmeric. The fish oil is a bit expensive but the turmeric and ginger you can get at the grocery store. I used fresh ginger in a tea every day and I also mixed turmeric spice in hot water with lemon, black pepper and coconut milk (the black pepper and coconut milk make the turmeric more potent.) Hopefully you will find some relief if you try them. In the meantime, yes! Please keep me posted if you try the goodies =)
Kaye says
When do you add the coconut oil in the ‘Manage Mornings Better with Make Ahead Healthy Breakfasts’ recipe? And, is it liquid or solid oil? It’s the first recipe on this page. We really love your recipes. Thank you!
Ivy Larson says
Hi Kaye, thank you so much for catching that mistake! I just fixed the recipe. You add the oil at the same time as the other wet ingredients. So sorry for the mistake! I’m thrilled to know you like the recipes though =)