A balanced breakfast has a mix of nutrients to provide energy and keep you feeling full throughout the morning. Opt for a combination of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals to ensure a well-rounded and nutritious diet.
Find these nutrients in many foods, including plant-based foods. If you are looking for a nutritious Flexitarian morning meal continue reading this Flexitarian Breakfast guide.
As a bonus, I also provide a variety of Flexitarian breakfast recipes!
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Pancakes fortified with protein powder and drizzled with a peanut butter maple glaze
Importance of a Balanced Breakfast
Breakfast is often called “the most important meal of the day” by many health professionals.
Numerous studies have found eating a balanced breakfast regularly is associated with a range of health benefits. Some of these include reduced risk of obesity, andtype II diabetes, as well as better academic performance in children and adolescents.
Flexitarian breakfasts are similar to my recommendations for a non-flexitarian healthy breakfast with one difference – moderate/limit the intake of animal-derived products.
The Key To A Flexitarian Breakfast: Limit Animal Products
To adopt a Flexitarian lifestyle, you moderate/limit your intake of meat and potentially other animal-derived products.
Limiting animal products at breakfast is a great way to kick off your day of Flexitarian Eating.
Some Flexitarian Styles of eating, like Marc Bittman’s“Vegan Before 6”, eating plant-based during the first two-third’s of the day, and for dinner, they have the option of eating a meat-based meal.
This daily routine can make eating more plant-based more feasible for many people.
Health Benefits of The Flexitarian Breakfast
Additionally, embracing a plant-based breakfast offers numerous health benefits worth considering.
Opting for plant-based alternatives at breakfast can help reduce the intake of saturated fats, promoting heart health. Additionally, plant-based breakfasts rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide essential nutrients and diverse flavors, which may contribute to improved digestive health.
So, you might ask yourself, how do I make a Flexitarian Breakfast?
I’ll tell you!
Nut Butters for a Healthy Balanced Flexitarian Breakfast
5 Tips For Creating A Balanced Flexitarian Breakfast
Here are my easy-to-follow five tips for creating a balanced Flexitarian breakfast.
Pick more Protein
Incorporating about 25-30g of protein into your breakfast can significantly extend your feeling of fullness throughout the morning. Protein also provides essential amino acids vital for muscle repair and growth.
Some Flexitarian Breakfast Protein Sources include:
Eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, seeds, nuts and seed butter, beans, tofu, protein powders, and protein-fortified breakfast products such as bagels, pancakes, andwaffles.
Here is a list of excellent protein-packed flexitarian Breakfast Smoothie Recipes. I add protein powder to a smoothie for a quick, easy, and protein-packed breakfast. These Flexitarian breakfast recipes keep me full for hours!
Check out my Avocado Toast Recipe! This recipe has fiber, healthy fats, and protein!
Limit Added Sugar
Added sugar at breakfast can lead to energy crashes later in the day.
To help prevent blood sugar spikes, avoid foods such as muffins, scones, donuts, sugary cereals, and sugary yogurts.
However, note that I said “limit added sugar” not omit!
In moderation, breakfast foods that contain added sugar can fit into a healthy Flexitarian diet and lifestyle.
For example, I love this Croffles recipe for entertaining guests for a special occasion like a Mother’s Day Bruch or Christmas Day Breakfast.
Don’t forget those Vitamins and Minerals
A balanced breakfast needs vitamins and minerals. To incorporate a variety of these nutrients, incorporate lots of colorful fruits and veggies into your diet.
You can also opt for fortified foods such as cereals, dairy products, plant-based milks, and grains.
My Smoothie Bowl recipe is another Flexitarian recipe that includes a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Oatmeal, arguably one of the most nutritious of the cereal grasses, has been a staple in continental breakfast bars for decades.
I enjoy oatmeal as an addition to my morning routine, serving both as a nutritious and balanced breakfast to kickstart my day. But, I also enjoy eating oatmeal as a yummy afternoon snack to keep me energized.
My personal favorite time to eat oatmeal is when I am camping and backpacking!
While camping, I prefer to keep things simple and easy. I love this hot oatmeal to go alongside my hot coffee. It’s a comforting breakfast with simple ingredients and is ready in less than 30 minutes (especially, if you use old-fashioned oats!)
Ingredients – Base Oatmeal Recipe
This Creamy Oatmeal recipe is so easy anyone can make it.
Steel-Cut Oats: I prefer to use steel-cut or Irish oats when making oatmeal. If you prefer to use any other type such as old-fashioned rolled oats, you can do so but the cooking time with change. I prefer McCann’s Steel Cut Oats for its chewy texture and delicious flavor.
Oatmilk: Homemade or store-bought oatmilk will do. This can be used as a non-dairy milk alternative. Alternatively, you can use other plant milk such as soy milkfor a little more protein.
Whole Milk: I like to use whole milk, but for even creamier oatmeal I’ll use heavy cream. To keep this recipe vegan, use coconut milk instead.
Butter: Finally, I love to add a bit of butter at the end of cooking. Add the butter to your big ol’ pot of oats or a bit in your bowl after serving. This adds to the creaminess.
Salt: I add a pinch of salt (kosher) to bring out the flavors and natural sweetness of the oats.
I have a whole list of oatmeal toppings below, but I love to add some healthy fats with some nut butter and more protein with added protein powder. I prefer to add Vital Proteins Collagen powder to my oatmeal because its taste and texture does not interfere with the flavors of the oatmeal and toppings.
Step-By-Step Instructions For Creamy Oatmeal
Add oats and oat milk to a medium pot and turn the stove to medium heat.
Cover the pot with its lid and let the oatmeal sit on low for 15 minutes. Consider a heat diffuser to keep the heat very, very low.
Mix in the butter and then let sit, off the heat, for 5 min.
Top oatmeal with your favorite toppings and dig in!
The Best Oatmeal Toppings
Now, for the best part, let’s top the creamy oatmeal!
I’ve compiled a list of possible add-ins and toppings that are great options to add to this Creamy Oatmeal Recipe. This list is not all-encompassing – please get creative with the toppings and listen to your taste buds! This is the best way to make an oatmeal bowl you will love to make and enjoy again and again!
Fruit – Fresh fruit such as raspberries and bananas, dried fruits such as cranberries and apples, freeze-dried fruit such as strawberries and blueberries.
Seasoning – nutmeg, cinnamon, cinnamon sugar, flakey sea salt
Other – cookies (e.g. Quest Peanut butter protein cookies), date bars (e.g. Lara bars), granola bars (e.g. Kind bars), extracts (e.g. almond extract, vanilla extract)
Some Creamy Oatmeal Topping Combinations
Berry Dolche De Leche: Fresh berries with a drizzle of dolche de leche.
Blueberry Banana Bread: Mix in ½ tsp cashew butter along with fresh or freeze-dried blueberries and banana chips or fresh bananas. Top with walnuts and some more of your fruit toppings.
Dark Chocolate Cherry: Mix in 1 tsp cherry jam. Top with fresh cherries and/or dark chocolate chunks. Option to top with slivered or sliced almonds.
Strawberries and cream: Mix the strawberry jam, freeze-dried, or fresh strawberries directly into your oatmeal. Then mix in a little sweetened condensed milk or half and half. Top the oatmeal with more sweetened condensed milk, sliced strawberries, or freeze-dried strawberry crumbles.
Easy PB&J: Mix in 1 tsp peanut butter or PB2 powder. Top with dried cranberries or raisins. Drizzle with a bit more peanut butter. You have the option to top with chopped peanuts, too.
Apple Cinnamon: Mix in ½ tsp butter and ¼ tsp cinnamon. Top with bite-sized apple chunks or dried apples. Option to dust with brown sugar, date sugar, cinnamon, and sunflower seeds or pecans.
FAQ (Ask A Dietitian!)
What Is Oatmeal?
Oat groats, Steel-cut, and Rolled oats are all oatmeal!
Below are the differences between these many oats.
Oat groats: Oat groats are cleaned, toasted, hulled, and cleaned again whole oats. These cook similarly to rice.
Steel-cut oats: These are oat groats cut into 2 to 3 pieces. These take longer to cook than old-fashioned or quick quick-cooking cooking oats. Steel-cut or Irish oats have a chewier texture old-fashioned when compared to old-fashioned.
Rolled oats: Also known as Old-fashioned oats, rolled oats are groats that have been steamed and flattened with large rollers. Rolled oats take about 15min to cook.
Quick-cooking rolled oats: Finally, we have quick-cooking oats which are oat groats that have been cut into several pieces and then steamed and rolled into thinner flakes. Quick oats are the fastest-cooking oats, taking only about 5min.
How To Make Oatmeal Creamy without Milk?
To make oatmeal creamy without milk, use a plant-based alternative such as oat, cashew, soy, coconut, or almond milk.
Is Oatmeal Better With Milk or Water?
The answer to “Is oatmeal better with milk or water” depends on your personal preference.
Do you prefer the taste of oatmeal made with milk or water? For me, I prefer the taste of oatmeal when it is made with milk. Milk has additional health benefits such as protein, vitamins, and minerals that aid in a balanced breakfast.
The Bottom line is, make a breakfast you will enjoy. Healthy food should taste great!
Like this recipe? Check Out These Breakfast Articles and Recipes!
I love to make Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend for quick lunches and dinners. I enjoy making this recipe to include as an easy side with dinner or base for a grain bowl.
It is quick, easy, and ready in under 30 minutes making it ideal for busy weeknights.
In this article I will show you how to make the fluffiest Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend recipe!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
You will love this harvest grain blend because it makes an excellent side dish for a variety of meals such as roasted chicken or grilled shrimp. However, this recipe makes for a great base main dish such as grain bowls!
Maybe best of all, this recipe makes for great leftovers and meal prep for last-minute weeknight meals. The flavors meld in the refrigerator overnight and are excellent the next day.
I love to make a big batch and eat it throughout the week in my grain bowl creations.
Please note that this article contains affiliate links. These links incur no additional cost to you but may provide a small commission to support the upkeep of our site. Thank you for your support and understanding.
My Greek Salad Inspired Grain Bowl Recipe
Ingredients and Tips for These Grains
In this recipe, I encourage you to use your favorite combination of flavors. Use your creative brain to find different flavor combinations you love.
Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend
If you do not have the Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend you can sub for orzo, red quinoa, Israeli couscous, rice, or a combination of grains.
If you would like the grains mix to have more flavor, cook in vegetable broth, chicken stock, or broth.
Olive Oil
I use Graza Olive oil for this recipe and a bit more drizzled overtop for flavor. I also enjoy using avocado oil or butter.
Vegetable Broth
I usually have a batch of homemade veggie broth in my freezer that I made from veggie scraps. However, use your favorite vegetable broth or vegetable broth bullion if you don’t have the time to make broth from scratch. You could also use chicken broth or chicken stock in this recipe.
Lots of Fresh Herbs
I love to add fresh herbs to this recipe. It depends on what I have on hand and what I am serving this dish with, but some fresh herbs I use include basil, parsley, cilantro, thyme, and oregano.
Other Add-ins To Include In Your Batch Of Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend
Try this with some freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh cracked black pepper, flakey sea salt, red pepper flakes, or even a little bit of your favorite cheese! (I am partial to goat cheese).
Step-By-Step Instructions
Rinse the Grains: Rinse the Harvest Grains Blend under cold water in a fine mesh sieve to remove excess starch and debris.
Boil the Liquid:In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of broth and olive oil to a boil.
Add Grains:Once the liquid is boiling, add the rinsed Harvest Grains Blend to the saucepan.
Simmer:Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until the grains are tender and have absorbed the liquid. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Fluff and Season: Once the grains are cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat to cool slightly. Give the mixture a taste, then add your favorite seasonings and fluff grains with a fork.
If adding fresh herbs, pour grains into your serving bowl. Then let the grains mix cool before adding the herbs to the fluff the grains with a fork.
Rinse the Harvest Grains Blend under cold water in a fine mesh sieve to remove excess starch and debris.
Boil the Liquid
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of broth and olive oil to a boil.
Add Grains
Once the liquid is boiling, add the rinsed Harvest Grains Blend to the saucepan.
Simmer
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 12-15minutes or until the grains are tender and have absorbed the liquid. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Fluff and Season
Once the grains are cooked, remove the saucepan from the heat to cool slightly. Give the mixture a taste, then add your favorite seasonings and fluff grains with a fork.
If adding fresh herbs, pour grains into your serving bowl. Then let the grains mix cool before adding the herbs to the fluff the grains with a fork.
Bagels can be a satisfying and delicious addition to your healthy lunches and breakfasts.
I try to keep my bagel breakfast balanced with the addition of fruit, veggies, and protein.
Light cream cheese is great, but one of my favorite combinations is a bagel topped with my homemade Healthy Honey Almond Cream Cheese, which includes cottage cheese as a secret ingredient. It is terrific on English muffins, spooned over Croffles (one of my favorite Korean Recipes), or spread over top of a plain bagel from your local bagel shop.
My favorite is this spread on a blueberry bagel, especially Dave’s Killer Bread cinnamon raisin Bagels.
Ingredients and Tips
Cottage Cheese – I prefer a full-fat cottage cheese for the most flavor.
Honey – In a pinch, you can swap for maple syrup.
Almonds – I prefer to use toasted almonds. It will give the spread more flavor. If you have food allergies to almonds, you can use sunflower seeds.
Vanilla Extract – You could swap for almond extract
Salt – I use flakey sea salt or kosher salt
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a food processor, blend the cottage cheese until smooth.
Add the chopped almonds, honey, vanilla, and salt to the food processor. Blend well.
Taste the mixture and adjust the honey to your liking.
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Enjoy your homemade honey almond cream cheese spread on bagels, toast, or as a dip for fruit.
Creating a Balanced Breakfast
You may have heard breakfast is “the most important meal of the day” for many, and this is true. Numerous studies have found eating a balanced breakfast regularly is associated with a range of health benefits including reducing the risk of obesity, type II diabetes, and better school performance in children and adolescents.
A balanced breakfast includes a variety of nutrients in appropriate proportions to provide energy while promoting satiety.
I like to start my day with a balanced breakfast because it kickstarts my healthy eating for the rest of the day. You might be thinking, but Sarah, bagels are NOT healthy. Au contraire, my friend.
Bagels have carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. But most of all, I love the taste! I especially love bagels because I engage in regular exercise. Bagels are a convenient and tasty way to fuel my workouts.
Tips On Creating a Balanced Breakfast
Here are some tips for creating a balanced breakfast.
The Cinnamon Raisin Remix and Boomin’ Berry Bagels pair oh so well with this recipe. It’s important not to get too hung up on the numbers but here are a couple of reasons why I love to include Dave’s Killer Bread Organic Bagels in my diet.
With 11 to 12g of protein and 12 to 14g of whole grains, these bagels are baked to keep you fuller longer. Pair The Cinnamon Raisin Remix Bagel with a heaping 1/4 cup of my Honey Almond Cream Cheese and you are eating 18g of protein.
Pair that combo with a piece of fruit and you’ve got yourself a balanced breakfast or healthy lunch any dietitian would be proud of! Fruit adds additional fiber, vitamins, and minerals making it a smart addition to a balanced breakfast.
More Healthy Recipes
Enjoy these other breakfast recipes that are vibrant, nutritious, and tasty.
This Honey Almond Cream Cheese is sweet, creamy, and delicious. Compared to Panera's Honey Walnut Cream Cheese, this recipe is a awesome alternative because it contains higher levels of protein and lower amounts of both fat and sugar. Enjoy your homemade "cream" cheese on bagels, toast, or as a dip for fruit.
My Healthier Version of a Peanut Paradise Smoothie
Enjoy this Peanut Paradise Tropical Smoothie Copycat recipe anytime! I love this popular smoothie recipe because it is:
Simple to make
Contains easy ingredients
Super nutritious
A quick breakfast
Pleases my taste buds
This smoothie is a delicious and less expensive version of Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s Peanut Paradise Smoothie. It is just as good, if not better.
Why You Will LOVE This Recipe
I drink a lot of protein-fortified smoothies while training for marathons and half marathons. These protein shakes ensure I am achieving my protein goals week by week.
Smoothies are a quick and easy way for me to get the essential nutrients I need to ensure adequate nutrition while I train.
Ingredients and Tips
Milk: Chose the type of milk based on your preferences. I enjoy soy milk. However, dairy-free options include coconut milk, almond milk, or option to use cow’s milk..
Ripe Bananas: I prefer to use frozen banana chunks for creamy texture smoothies.
Creamy Peanut butter: Option to use chunky or smooth. This is an essential flavor in this smoothie and provides a dose of healthy fats. If you don’t have peanut butter you can create another easy recipe variation with nut butters.
Non-fat Greek Yogurt: I usually have unflavored, Greek Yogurt in my fridge. I like to add this for boost of extra protein and thickness If keeping this smoothie vegan, the option to omit the yogurt and swap for plant-based milk or yogurt.
Vanilla: Vanilla Extract for extra flavor
Optional: Vanilla protein powder ( chocolate protein powder will work too for a chocolate peanut butter smoothie) Also, check out this smoothie if you love peanut butter and chocolate.
Dates: Feel free to use more or less dates based on your sweetness preference. I like to limit the added sweetness to my smoothies and adding dates allows me to eliminate added sugar in my smoothie recipes. If you want an even sweeter smoothie or don’t have dates on hand, maple syrup works well.
Optional – Ice cubes: I say ice cubes are optional because I don’t usually use them. The frozen bananas and yogurt keep this smoothie thick and flavorful.
How to Make This Smoothie
Add Ingredients
Starting with the Milk, add all ingredients to a blender.
Blend
In a high-speed blender, blend the ingredients on high speed until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. Taste the smoothie and adjust the flavors to taste. I.e. add more peanut butter 1 tsp at a time, vanilla, or dates for sweetness. This ensures you have a tasty smoothie suited to your preferences.
Serve and Garnish
Once you are satisfied with the taste and consistency, pour your smoothie into a glass. Garnish with date caramel, crushed peanuts, whipped cream, a sprinkle of turbinado sugar, or warmed peanut butter drizzle. Enjoy!
Note: Other Add-ins include flax meal, collagen powder, or chia seeds. This smoothie is best consumed day of but if you do have leftover smoothie, you can freeze it in ice cube trays to add to your next peanut butter smoothie creation! This smoothie is very similar to my variation of Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie recipe, another delicious drink with cocoa powder and chocolate protein powder for chocolatey goodness!
FAQ (Ask a Dietitian!)
What is in a peanut paradise at Tropical Smoothie?
Typically this smoothie has Peanut butter, bananas, yogurt, milk, and ice. My version of this recipe incorporates dates, vanilla extract, and protein powder too!
Is Peanut Paradise Tropical Smoothie healthy?
Yes, A peanut paradise tropical smoothie is healthy! It is always important to consider portion sizes, added sugars, and ingredients customized based on an individual’s nutrition needs, allergies, and intolerances.
How many calories are in the Peanut Paradise Smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Café?
Supposedly, the Peanut Paradise smoothie from Tropical Smoothie Café has 600 to 700 calories in a 24-ounce smoothie.
My variation of this smoothie includes 366 calories per serving and 21g of protein. The beauty about making your copycat smoothies from home is you can customize the ingredients to exactly what you want. Not only is the smoothie super delicious but it is also way less expensive to make the smoothie from home!
Enjoy This Smoothie Recipe? Try These Smoothies Too!
Starting with the Milk, add all ingredients to a blender.
Blend
Blend the ingredients on high until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. Taste the smoothie and adjust the flavors to taste. I.e. add more peanut butter 1 tsp at a time, vanilla, or dates for sweetness.
Serve and Garnish
Once you are satisfied with the taste and consistency, pour your smoothie into a glass. Garnish with date caramel, crushed peanuts, whipped cream, or warmed peanut butter drizzle. Enjoy!
Notes
Other Add-ins include flax meal, collagen powder, or chia seeds.
