What you eat for breakfast can set you up for the rest of the day. Having a meal that contains cereal and fruit is not my idea of healthy. Cereals are often refined and contain sugar sending your blood sugar through the roof, which then sets off the insulin, eventually you will crash leaving you fatigued and craving more refined carbs and sugar.

Personally, I try to postpone breakfast until I am hungry or at least until I have fasted for 10-14 hours. Read about fasting here. 

My ideal breakfast contains fat and protein as it enables me to go longer between meals and it stabilises my blood sugar to ensure my mood is stable and my cravings are minimal. I also try to include vegetables in my breakfast whenever possible.

Here are some ideas of what to make for breakfast

Green eggs

Ingredients (1 person)

• 1/2 leek
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp pesto

Method

Add the oil to a pan, chop the leek and add to the pan and add the salt. Fry until the leeks are soft, add the pesto and heat for 1-2 minutes. While the pesto is cooking whisk up the eggs in a bowl, then add to the pan and turn until the eggs are cooked

Mushroom Frittata (2 people)

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp olive oil, ghee or coconut oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 large portobello mushrooms (other mushrooms are fine too) chopped 
• 1 hand full chopped herbs of your choice (basil, parsley or other)
• 2 tbsp pine nuts (optional)

Method:

• whisk eggs lightly with salt and pepper
• heat oil in a pan/skillet, add the pine nuts and mushrooms cook until tender (approx 2-4 minutes)
• Add egg mixture and cook until edges have begun to sizzle and set, about 2 minutes. Transfer pan/skillet to oven and bake until centre is just set, 18 to 20 minutes. Let rest at least 5 minutes. Serve with herbs and feta/avocado.

No eggs breakfast

This can be done with any vegetables that you prefer, I like it with leek and mushroom or eggplant and onion

Chop up your preferred vegetables and cook with salt, add sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds, half way through add your preferred pesto (vegan or non vegan), finish off with dill and have it with avocado or a feta cheese, delicious!

You can add meat to this dish if you like; chop up ham or other and add at the beginning of the cooking for a crisp addition

Baked eggs (2 people)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 small red onion , peeled, halved and sliced
• 1 minced garlic clove 
• 1 small red capsicum, halved lengthways and sliced into strips
• 400g can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 tsp EACH paprika and cumin
• 1/4 tsp EACH black pepper and cayenne pepper (or other hot spice, adjust to taste)
• 4 eggs eggs (up to 6 eggs ok)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley or coriander, roughly chopped

Method

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F 
• Heat oil in a medium size cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
• Add capsicum, cook for 1 minute. Add diced tomato, cook for 2 minutes until broken down and it becomes a bit pasty (see video).
• Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix to combine well.
• Lower stove to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes until just thickened enough to make indentations (don't want dry sludge, needs to still be saucy).
• Make indentations in the mixture and carefully crack the eggs in. Leave to cook for 1 minute until edges of whites are set (Note 1).
• Transfer to oven and bake for 7 to 12 minutes until whites are just set but yolks are still runny (or to your taste). OR cover with lid and steam on stove for 3 minutes (runny yolks), or just simmer them without a lid.
• Remove from oven/stove and serve immediately, scattered with the coriander or parsley. Serve with crusty bread, or pita bread

For ideas on smoothies, see here

Portobello mushrooms and bacon with hollandaise on toast or eggplant (grain free)

• 2 portobello mushrooms
• olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 20 g butter
• shaved parmesan
• 2 slices of sourdough bread/gluten free bread or use eggplant instead of grains (fried in oil)
• 2 rashes of bacon (omit if vegetarian)
• 2 tablespoons fresh hollandaise 
• 2 sprigs of fresh tarragon or lemon thyme

Method