How you start your day, every day, has a HUGE impact on the rest of your day; on your digestion, metabolism, energy levels, blood sugar levels, and even your mood and concentration levels.
Thats why I am constantly working with my clients to establish a healthy (sustainable) morning routine; it’s just about finding what works for you. I always suggest starting your day with:
some breathwork and/or meditation
movement - be it rigourous exercise or stretching
tons of hydration (drink water BEFORE your coffee/matcha)
healthy, balanced breakfast
For today I’m focusing on this last element - a healthy, balanced breakfast. The first meal you eat can completely make or break your day, making it super healthy, energetic and positive, or leave you feeling heavy, stressed, lethargic or moody!
It doesn’t matter so much whether you have it at 7am, or whether you do a small degree of fasting and eat around 10am, or whether your first meal is at noon. The ideal timing for your first meal depends a lot on your lifestyle and current health goals. It’s good to experiment with what works best for you, and also, to moderate your degree of fasting window depending on the stage in your cycle.
Regardless of the timing, it is important that your first meal of the day be balanced and nutritious, always containing:
protein (ideally 20-35g)
fiber (ideally from fruits and/or veggies, as well as nuts/seeds)
some healthy fats, which can be the teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil used to cook your eggs, or the tbsp of almond butter that you add to your smoothie
Keeping this in mind, today I want to share a SUPER EASY, HEALTHY and FILLING breakfast that I love and highly recommend to anyone. It’s my extra-nutritious take on an egg toast (and a different option to the popular avocado toast). This recipes uses:
vegan cashew cheese - an awesome dairy-free (and cholesterol-free) swap for your usual cream cheese, that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, many minerals and vitamins, and even has protein!
kale - a definite superfood; this is one of the most nutrient dense foods, and like all dark leafy greens, it’s filled with vitamins (like vitamin C and A), minerals (including calcium, iron and magnesium) as well as antioxidants, and beneficial properties ranging from supporting detoxification to boosting energy levels.
organic eggs - an excellent source of protein, choline, iodine, vitamin D and omega-3s; nutrients that we need for optimal health.
gluten-free seed bread - a high fiber, high protein and healthy fat rich option of bread with very little carbs, that is great for stabilizing blood sugar. Note: if you dont have access to organic gluten-free seed bread, it can be a slice of Ezekeil or sourdough, preferibly organic. However if you don’t use seed bread, make sure to add a teaspoon of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds to your toast for the added fiber!
turmeric - I add a sprinkle of turmeric and black pepper to the eggs for an added boost of anti-inflammatory antioxidants!
This is a super easy recipe that just adds an extra boost of nutrition to your traditional toast with egg, and another alternative to an avocado toast.
Seed bread with vegan cheese, kale and eggs (served in Balance Market!)
Ingredients:
1 slice of a seed bread (preferably gluten-free, and made with primarily organic ingredients)
2 tablespoons vegan cashew based cheese (or can be organic cottage cheese if you tolerate dairy)
1 teaspoon coconut oil or ghee- for sauteeing kale then egg
1 tablespoon finaly chopped onion (optional)
1/2 cup kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
2 eggs, preferably organic
sea salt (to taste), a pinch of fresh ground black pepper and ground turmeric (about 1/8 teaspoon is usually enough!)
optional add ons to create variations: 1/4 cup sliced or mashed avocado, microgreens, 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, sliced tomato
Instructions:
Heat a medium pan with 1 teaspoon coconut oil, and sautee the chopped onion for 4-5 minutes. Add the chopped kale, sprinkle with sea salt and sautee for 2-3 more minutes.
Remove kale from pan, set aside. In the same pan, crack 2 eggs (with remaining bit of coconut oil in pan; option to add 1/2 teaspoon more if needed). Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and turmeric, and cook to your desired level. Option to leave as sunny side up, or stir to scramble.
Meanwhile toast your slice of seed bread, then spread the vegan cashew cheese on top. If you’re using avocado, add on top of the cheese. Layer with the sauteed kale, and finally with the eggs. Option to spinkle with seeds or microgreens on top, and enjoy!
Note: Option to swap vegan cashew cream for an organic cream cheese or even better, organic cottage cheese. Also, option to swap kale for spinach. And as mentioned, you can layer with avocado, as well as sliced tomato, and if you have microgreens on hand, I suggest to sprinkle some on top. All these create slightly different variations of the same recipe so you never get bored!
For more of my go-to breakfasts, go HERE for 4 nutricious breakfast ideas for your day to day, and HERE for breakfast recipes.
Also, definitely check out my smoothie guide where I teach you how to make my delicious protein smoothie bowls.