Breakfast can be a challenge for many people – a short list of what I often hear from patients includes “not enough time”, “not hungry yet”, “not awake enough to make something”, “I just need my coffee”, “I don’t like breakfast foods”, and many others. Trying to eat a more “paleo / primal” plan also creates issues for people, as traditional things we think of for breakfast just aren’t included in the “paleo / primal” repertoire. If you are eating for recovery or improving your health, such as those with an autoimmune disease or chronic disorder, your choices for foods may be even more limited, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have delicious options for breakfast – it just might take “thinking out of the box” (literally the cereal or pop-tart box) and trying new things in the kitchen.
I am often asked “What do YOU eat for breakfast?” – so here’s a little detail. Due to my extensive food intolerance list, I eat what is often referred to as the AutoImmune Paleo diet. I avoid all grains, all dairy, eggs and most nightshades. Rather than focussing on what I avoid, I prefer to focus on what is INCLUDED – lots of vegetables; healthy fats (coconut oil, coconut milk from the can not the box, olive oil; nuts and nut butters and nut oils; as well as seeds); lean, organic or wild caught or grass fed protein including fish, chicken, beef, and lamb. To be honest, for treats I do love 75-90% dark chocolate, and I sometimes experiment with almond flour and walnut meal baking.
So, this is what breakfast looks like for me:
We all know we need to do “chores” including things like laundry, vacuuming, dusting – but we don’t always realize we need to do chores for our bodies too! Preparing chopped vegetables and easy to cook proteins can make cooking breakfast simple and fast. I can make this hot, healthy and hearty breakfast in EIGHT MINUTES, if I have everything ready ahead of time. Boiling the water to make coffee takes more time! There is no magic to the type of vegetables or protein you include in your breakfast sautee, just eat the foods you like. Rotate them with the seasons or each time you go to the store to make sure you are getting variety in your diet and to help you from getting bored.
If you can eat eggs, you can use less vegetables and protein and make a delicious omelette or frittata. Here is a simple recipe for a scrumptious frittata!
We know kids do better in school when they have breakfast – guess what – WE ARE JUST BIG KIDS!