GO-TO BREAKFAST RECIPES

In my opinion, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I love breakfast because for some reason, it feels special. As you open your eyes, it’s something delicious and comforting and gives you a little extra courage to start your day. Now, I know that not everyone is a breakfast person, and sometimes we all like to sleep in and skip straight to lunch. However, breakfast is not just great for the time of day you eat it, but also the actual breakfast food. Personally, I could eat breakfast for lunch and dinner, so even if you’re sleeping until noon, having a few easy breakfast recipes on hand may be helpful.

It’s now been a while since I have written a “recipe post”, but my last one, my mom’s “Best Butter Chicken and Garlic Naan” was quite the success. So, today I figured I would share another series of recipes with you, but some that are a bit easier to follow, especially for teens cooking for themselves. These are the recipes that I make for myself (when my mom isn’t making me dosas of course). Feel free to adapt any of these recipes to your own taste.

(All recipes make 1 serving!)

1. Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Overnight oatmeal is the perfect breakfast for busy mornings. You can quickly throw it together in a jar the night before and then grab it to-go in the morning before work/school. My favorite combo is the classic banana/peanut butter, but you can experiment with different combos (strawberries and chocolate, apple and cinnamon, pear and chai…the possibilities are endless).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup milk of choice
• 1/4 cup vanilla flavored yogurt (Greek yogurt helps to make an extra creamy oatmeal)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon sweetener (honey, maple syrup, etc)
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter (I like creamy)
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional, but it helps to thicken it up, plus it adds extra healthy fats to keep you full)
• 1/2 a banana (chopped into coins)
• tablespoon of peanuts (optional)

Method:

• In a jar or container, stir together oats, milk, yogurt, cinnamon, salt, sweetener, peanut butter, and chia seeds, leave the jar in the fridge for at least three hours (overnight is best though).
• In the morning, add your banana and top with peanuts.
• Take it on the go and enjoy!

2. The Best Avocado Toast

OK, I know this is a complete millennial move, but I had to keep it on the list. Avocado toast can be incredibly tasty if it is made correctly. Much of the time, it is overcomplicated and there is too much added to it for the avocado to shine through. Other times, it lacks seasoning and is just straight avocado on bread — which you are then charged $12 for. Instead, you can easily make it at home with just a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bread of choice (sourdough works really well, but any bread you like will taste great).
• 1/2 an avocado
• Juice of 1/4 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder (this is the secret ingredient)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (I use avocado, obviously 😉 )

Method:

• Start by toasting the bread.
• In the meantime, use a fork to mash the avocado to your desired consistency. Then, stir in the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cumin powder.
• Heat the cooking oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, crack the eggs and let them cook until they are set to your liking (I highly recommend runny yolks).
• Assemble your avocado toast: spread half the avocado mixture on each slice of bread, top with fried eggs, and finish with a little sprinkle of salt and pepper on top of the eggs.
• Let the yolks run over the toast and enjoy! (warning: this can get a little messy).

3. Sleep-Deprived Smoothie Bowl

I would like to think that the name for this smoothie bowl I randomly chose is quite witty, but essentially, this breakfast is the best of both worlds. You get a refreshing, quick smoothie bowl and your daily morning coffee all in one. It’s so delicious, and a more filling way to enjoy a smoothie for breakfast (since they often don’t fill me up on their own).

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 an apple, cut into cubes (freeze it beforehand for a thicker base).
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon peanut (or any nut) butter
• 1/3 cup iced coffee/cold brew (or 1 packet instant coffee)
• 1/4 cup milk of choice
• 1 tablespoon sweetener-maple syrup, honey, etc (optional)
• 1 scoop protein powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)

Method:

• In a high speed blender, combine the banana, apple, chia seeds, peanut butter, protein powder (if using), cocoa powder (if using), sweetener (if using), coffee and milk.
• Pour into a bowl and top with desired toppings. Here is a list of some of my favorites!:
  • More peanut butter (because it is my obsession)
  • Toasted nuts (like almonds or walnuts)
  • Chia/Flax seeds
  • Fresh sliced fruit/berries (banana, strawberries, raspberries, etc)
  • Cacao/chocolate chips
  • Coconut flakes

4. Not Your Average Scramble

Going back to eggs for a minute. When I contemplated savory American breakfasts, I realized that eggs quickly become a staple. However, to spice things up a little bit, I thought I would show you how I often make scrambled eggs. This recipe is inspired by my mom who makes an Indian “chapati scramble”. I decided to slightly Americanize it today and came up with this:

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• *1/4 cup chopped onions (optional)
• *1/4 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
• *a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• bread of choice– white, wheat, mini croissant, (the croissant works very well in this).
• 1 tablespoon butter (or cooking oil of choice)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Method:

Breakfast is what keeps us going throughout the day, and I think that today, we often underestimate the power of a comforting meal in the morning. Next time you wake up hungry, I hope that you will return to this post to try out one of these recipes. I tried to include both savory and sweet for the range of palettes out there, and worked to create something that everybody can enjoy. So, grab your breakfast, put on your shoes, and go make the most of your day.

In the future, I also plan on writing a post that highlights some more Indian recipes from my mom’s kitchen, and I would greatly appreciate any feedback on what you would like to see!

“Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.” -Alfred A. Montapert

Happy Living!

Featured image by @Bacon the Wright Way ↗ on unsplash.com