A Salad for Breakfast? Let's Review!

Today I'm going to review the advantages of having a salad for breakfast and also share some delicious recipes to inspire your morning culinary adventures.

Yes, you read that right - a salad for breakfast!

 While it seems unconventional it's actually really nice and is an idea that's even backed by Harvard Health as being very beneficial. Incorporating salad into your morning routine can provide numerous health benefits and set you up for a productive and energetic day.

My First Breakfast Salad

Now I didn't come up with this idea all by myself, I was actually away for a long weekend with my husband a few years ago and we went to a cute cafe for breakfast. I'm sure you can guess what happened, they had a menu item called a Breakfast Salad.

I had never considered salad for breakfast, but decided to give it a go and surprisingly (to me) my husband decided to try it as well. A little side note here, my husband is usually a bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns and toast kinda guy when we're out for breakfast. I thoroughly enjoyed this breakfast salad, but my husband not only enjoyed it but continued to rave about it for weeks afterward!

Photo by Lou16, design elements from Canva

So what was in this breakfast salad? It included mixed salad leaves, roasted tomatoes, a basic French vinaigrette and was topped with a couple of poached eggs and served with sourdough toast. It really was very basic, but the yolk from the poached eggs mingled with the vinaigrette and salad leaves really well and the whole meal was amazing.

I have tried to recreate this at home a couple of times, but when I do I usually cook the poached eggs so that the yolk is a little firmer and you don't get as much yolk running through the salad which is why the last couple of times I tried I switched to a couple of fried eggs and these worked really well (although they didn't feel quite so healthy!).

Why Should You Try a Breakfast Salad?

I actually googled a breakfast salad as I was curious to see if it was something other people actually ate and it appears that there are a number of different recipes out there and the benefits certainly support this as a great breakfast idea.

Check out these benefits:

Increased nutrient intake: Breakfast salads are a fantastic way to kick-start your day with a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. You can pack them full of fresh vegetables, fruits and other ingredients such as eggs, nuts and seeds that all help to support your overall well-being.

Enhanced digestion: Fiber-rich vegetables and fruits found in various breakfast salads can promote healthy digestion, prevent constipation and keep you feeling full for longer. Incorporating fiber into your morning meal helps maintain a healthy gut and supports optimal digestive function.

Sustainable energy levels: Unlike sugary cereals or pastries, breakfast salads offer a steady release of energy throughout the morning. A combination of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats helps stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing energy crashes and mid-morning cravings.

Boosted brainpower: Research suggests that a well-balanced breakfast positively impacts cognitive function, memory and attention span. Breakfast salads, right in brain-boosting nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and B vitamins, can help you stay focused and alert throughout the day.

Breakfast Salad Recipes

Avocado and Egg Salad

Ingredients: Mixed greens, avocado, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, red onion, bacon bits, lemon juice.

Arrange the mixed greens on a plate. Top with sliced avocado, halved hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion and bacon bits. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salad and enjoy.

Berry Spinach Salad

This is a salad that I have tried a few times and I have found it listed on Pinterest as a breakfast salad, I've only had it as a lunch/dinner salad and I've added mackerel to it as I'm not sure that it contains enough protein for a meal on its own, especially breakfast.

Ingredients: Fresh baby spinach, mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries - side note I've also had this with just strawberries), sliced almonds, crumbled feta cheese, balsamic vinaigrette.

Toss the spinach, berries, almonds and feta chees together in a bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy.

What About a Warm Salad?

I have also had a warm salad for breakfast (this is also a great Sunday night dinner when you need something quick and simple)

Ingredients: Crushed garlic, mixed salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, and eggs. Optional ingredients include roasted sweet potato, spring onions, and capsicum.

Add a clove of garlic (crushed) into a pan with some olive oil and let it heat up. When you can smell the garlic it's time to throw in the mixed salad leaves and let them wilt down, stirring. Once they have started to wilt throw the tomatoes and any other ingredients in to heat through, pop a lid on and take off the heat. 

Now cook your eggs, either poached or fried are great, when the eggs are ready transfer the salad to your plate and top with the eggs.

Will You Be Eating Salad for Breakfast?

So what do you think, will you try salad for your breakfast? Experiment with different fresh ingredients and let us know how you find it.

If you're interested in getting and/or staying healthy why not join our Facebook Group - Healthy Tips to Feel & Look Your Best.

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Oats Based Breakfast Ideas That Include Fruit & Vegetables

Photos by Lou16, template by Canva

I absolutely love oats for breakfast, for years I had porridge every morning until I was introduced to proats.  I think proats is probably my favourite breakfast, although I've recently discovered an oatmeal bake which is absolutely amazing. 

Sometimes, in Queensland, it's too hot to eat proats so one of my alternative oat-based options is overnight oats.

I like to make sure I increase the nutritional content of these meals by adding a couple of servings of fruit and vegetables to them.  Starting the day with fruit and vegetables helps you to hit your daily target. Let's review how you can do that with each of these three meal ideas.

Proats with Cauliflower!

Yes, you heard correctly and if you're anything like me when you read that you probably thought cauliflower for breakfast - you're crazy! I actually really enjoy it though so let me take you through how I make it.

First of all, I've been enjoying proats for years using just oats and when I was told I could substitute the oats for cauliflower I was NOT going to do that, however, I did decide I would try adding a little bit of cauliflower to my oats and take it from there.

• 2/3 cup oats
• 1/3 cup frozen cauliflower rice
• 2 scoops Arbonne protein powder (if you use a different brand then this may need to be adjusted, it's basically one serving)
• 1 2/3 cup water (you can use milk of your own choice and also adapt the amount if you prefer your proats a different consistency)
• 1 tsp nut butter (optional)

Add the oats and the cauliflower to a bowl next put the liquid and protein powder into a shaker and shake. This ensures you don't get lumps in your proats so please don't skip this step. 

Add the protein shake to the oats mixture and mix well.

Pop into the microwave for 2 mins, take out and stir well, then put back in for 1 minute.

If you're adding nut butter pop it in now and then stir really well before putting it in a bowl to serve. 

I top it with fruit and seeds ie cherries and pumpkin seeds or strawberries with sunflower and flaxseeds.

Now I wouldn't personally want to add more than a third of cauliflower to my oats and I will admit you can taste the cauliflower, but I actually don't mind the flavour I think it goes well together, especially for chocolate or mocha flavour oats. Vanilla oats don't disguise the cauliflower flavour nearly as well, in my opinion.

Overnight Oats

I love making my overnight oats, but most of my recipes only used to contain fruit and no vegetables, as I was scrolling Instagram one day I came across a carrot cake overnight oats recipe and had to give it a go. I didn't really like it to be honest, but I did love the idea of having carrots for my breakfast so I experimented and remembered that my husband's secret ingredient when he makes carrot cake is pineapple so...check out my carrot cake overnight oat recipe that I DO like.

• 2/3 cup oats
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• a small handful of frozen pineapple
• 2 scoops Arbonne vanilla protein powder
• 2/3 cup DF milk (I like to use oat milk)
• 1/3 cup coconut yogurt
• 1 tbsp nut butter (I use almond)
• dash of cinnamon

Topping

Yogurt & pumpkin seeds

Combine the oats, carrot, chia seeds, protein powder, cinnamon and pineapple together in a container and give a quick stir. Now add the milk and coconut yogurt and mix together really well. Place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning roughly spread your nut butter on the top and then add the yogurt or see below for the bonus recipe and use my protein-enhanced yogurt (this is what I prefer to use. Originally I tried using just one scoop of protein in the base layer and the other scoop in the yogurt layer, but one scoop in the base leaves it tasting a little bland it definitely needs the full 2 scoops).

Finally, sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on the top and enjoy!

Oatmeal Bake

There's no way I can think (just yet anyway) how to add any vegetables into this bake, but it does contain a couple of serves of fruit and it tastes delicious.  I find it super easy to prepare and pop into the oven as I do a few other jobs before it's time to eat. Here's the recipe, let me know if you try it:

• 1 banana
• 3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup frozen berries

I make this all in the pie dish that I am going to cook it in so that there are fewer dishes to wash! So, after turning the oven on to preheat at 180C, mash the banana then add the oats, baking powder, chia seeds and plant milk. Stir it all together well before adding your frozen berries and mixing them in well (I've tried lots of different versions and prefer using mixed berries). 

When the oven has come up to temperature pop the oat mixture in for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Voila! It's finished and tastes delicious. You can eat it by itself or add a dollop of yogurt on the top - my personal favourite way is by adding some of my protein-enhanced yogurt (sometimes a few fresh berries on top as well).

Bonus Recipe

Well not really a bonus recipe, but here's how I make my protein-enhanced yogurt. I basically take a scoop of Arbonne's vanilla protein powder and a very generous dollop (or two) of coconut yogurt and mix them together. The result is a sweeter flavoured, protein-packed yogurt that is great on the bake above, or on top of pancakes or waffles. I have even mixed fresh berries through this and eaten it as a snack. 

Photo by Lou16, Template by Canva

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Egg-based Breakfast Ideas That Contain Fruit & Vegetables

Created on Canva by Lou16

Eggs are a very popular breakfast option that is packed full of protein to make you feel full throughout the morning. There are ways in which you can pack an additional nutritional punch to your eggs, however, by adding some fruit and vegetables to them.  There are a number of different ways in which you can do that, let's review some of them.

Veggie and Egg Scramble

This is something that my husband regularly has.  He usually takes a little bacon, some bell peppers and spring onions and sautes them in the pan. Once they are softened he adds in some beaten eggs and scrambles them all together.

I will sometimes have this with bell peppers, spring onions, cherry tomatoes and roasted sweet potatoes.

Another variation on this is my spinach scrambled egg breakfast.  I always have cubes of frozen spinach in the freezer so I'll defrost a cube and add to a pan with some crushed garlic and saute before adding beaten eggs and scrambling together - I usually serve this with tomatoes and black beans which I cook as follows. I half or quarter some mixed cherry tomatoes and add to a pan to saute along with 1/3 tin of black beans (rinsed), fresh parsley if I have any and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Sweet Potato and Kale Hash with Fried Egg

Peel and dice a sweet potato and saute it in a pan with some olive oil. Once it's almost fully cooked, add in some chopped kale and continue to cook until the kale is wilted. Fry an egg and serve it on top of the hash.

Zucchini and Tomato Frittata

Thinly slice one zucchini and some cherry tomatoes and arrange them in a greased pie dish. Beat some eggs and pour them over the vegetables. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Frittatas are a great way to use any leftover vegetables that you have, I've used baby spinach, bell peppers, broccoli and spring onions as just a few examples.

Breakfast Salad with Soft Boiled Eggs

There are a few different options for breakfast salads that you can check out, but here's just one for you using a soft-boiled egg or two.

Chop up some mixed greens, cucumber and strawberries and toss them together in a bowl. Soft-boil an egg (or two) and serve it on top of the salad.

Mushroom and Spinach Omelette

Saute some sliced mushrooms and spinach in a pan. Beat some eggs and pour them over the vegetables. Fold the omelette over and serve. 

Obviously there are lots of different flavour options when it comes to omelettes and lots of different vegetables you could add.

French Toast with Berries

I used to always have French Toast as a savoury option until the internet when I discovered people often had it with maple syrup and other toppings.

Take your bread and dip it into some beaten egg, fry on both sides until golden brown and serve with fresh berries and honey or maple syrup.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but the possibilities are endless when it comes to incorporating fruits and vegetables into your egg-based breakfasts. Not only will you be getting a delicious and satisfying meal, but you'll also be fueling your body with important nutrients to start your day off right.

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Reviewing Why a Protein-Rich Breakfast is Important

Image created by Lou16 using Canva templates

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day (it was certainly a favourite saying of my mothers!), but did you know that having a protein-rich breakfast can provide several health benefits? 

Protein is an essential macronutrient that plays a crucial role in various physiological processes in the body. Consuming protein-rich foods at breakfast can help build and repair tissues, increase satiety, improve metabolism and regulate blood sugar levels.

Here are some of the benefits of having a protein-rich breakfast:

1.  Helps in Building and Repairing Tissues

Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of the body's tissues. Eating a protein-rich breakfast can aid in repairing damaged tissues and building new ones. This is particularly important for people who engage in physical activities such as weightlifting and endurance training. Studies have shown that consumming protein-rich foods at breakfast can help improve muscle mass and strength.

2.  Increases Satiety

Eating protein-rich foods at breakfast can help you feel full for a longer time, which can prevent overeating and snacking later in the day. This can help in weight management and weight loss goals. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate a high-protein breakfast consumed fewer calories throughout the day than those who ate a low-protein breakfast.

3.  Improves Metabolism

Protein has a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates and fats, which means that the body burns more calories by digesting protein-rich foods. This can help boost metabolism and increase calorie burn throughout the day. A study published in the Journal of American College of Nutrition found that consuming a high-protein breakfast can help improve metabolic rate and increase fat burning.

4.  Regulates Blood Sugar Levels 

Eating protein-rich foods at breakfast can help stabilize blood sugar levels, which can prevent energy crashes and sugar cravings later in the day. This is particularly important for people with type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consuming a high-protein breakfast can help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels.

5.  Helps Alertness

Protein provides the amino acids your brain needs to function at its most optimal level.  When you eat a protein-rich breakfast it raises your brain's tyrosine levels. Increased tyrosine levels help your brain to produce neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and dopamine, which give you energy and make you feel awake and alert.

Some Examples of Protein-Rich Breakfasts

Try to aim for at least 20-30 grams of protein at breakfast to reap the benefits.  Examples of protein-rich breakfasts include:

• Eggs
• Protein Smoothies and/or smoothie bowls
• Overnight oats
• Breakfast parfaits
• Proats
• Greek yogurt with fruit, nuts and seeds
• Protein pancakes
• Salmon or lean meats

To sum up, having a protein-rich breakfast can provide numerous health benefits and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating protein-rich foods into your breakfast routine can improve muscle mass and strength, increase satiety, improve metabolism and regulate blood sugar levels. So, the next time you're planning your breakfast, make sure to include some protein-rich foods!

More health tips can be found in my Facebook Group - Healthy Tips to Feel & Look Your Best.

Image created in Canva by Lou16

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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