Today I am going to share one of my favorite breakfast recipes as I am still having people tell me how hard it is for them to eat in the morning because they are rushed out the door. My simple solution to that would be get up 30 minutes earlier. I wake up each morning and am in the kitchen cooking up a storm by 5:15 and listening to Strenghtcoach Podcasts or other audio clips and taking notes. Seriously, every day. Give me one good excuse why you can’t get up a bit early to shove some good, nutritious grub down your gullet.
There is an occasional morning when I am either pressed for time or just not down to cook the usual egg white omlette with fresh chopped peppers, red onions, diced garlic, fresh thyme, and mushrooms (chopped fresh every Sunday morning) with an oatmeal sidekick with blueberries, walnuts, and cinnamon. Don’t forget the half a grapefruit that I meticulously cut triangles out of each morning. Yes, I eat this most days of the week but when I am rushed I usually have pre-made quinoa breakfast salad waiting for me in the fridge.
Cooking quinoa is easier than trying to figure out how to pronounce it (KEEN-wah). This small, quick-cooking grain bullied me into first purchasing it years ago with a nutritional profile I couldn’t ignore. High in easy-to-digest fiber and tops in protein, it has an encyclopedic vitamin and mineral profile and is positively brimming with properties thought to promote cardiovascular health, stave of certain cancers, tame headaches and migraines, provide antioxidant protection, and on and on. This is the grain credited with keeping Incan armies strong and resilient. Because the protein in quinoa is considered complete, it’s an ideal grain for vegetarians concerned about getting enough protein. It includes all of the essential amino acids and is a rich source of the amino acid lysine, which promotes tissue growth and repair and supports the immune system.
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- handful berries
- tbsp. honey
- handful walnuts
- dash or two cinnamon
When preparing the quinoa, I always use 1 part quinoa to two parts water. It prepares just like oatmeal and cooks in about 10 minutes so start by gently boiling the water then adding the quinoa. Once the water starts to evaporate, stir by fluffing the stuff with a fork until it is all soft and fluffy. You will know when it is finished because each seed will become clear and you will be able to see the germ. Next transfer to a tupper-ware or other container to be refridgerated. For extra antioxidants I then add a handful of blueberries or any kind of fresh berries (tis the season) or frozen berries work really well also. Crush some walnuts with your bare hand and add some of them also which are full of Omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats. I add clover honey for sweetness but although delicious, this is optional. Dash on some cinnamon for flavor as well as increasing glucose tolerance and better fat burning which I explained in my post “Spice it Up With Cinnamon“.
With this breakfast ready to go in your fridge you have no excuses to get super energized each morning with slow burning carbs. Protection for every day stressors and wear and tear from super antioxidants. Countless benefits from Omega-3 s for your brain, hair, skin, fat burning, joints, etc, etc. And improve every aspect of your body’s ability to burn fat. Still want to skip breakfast?
Steve Bergeron Training and Nutrition 