Happy Wednesday and welcome to Flawed yet Functional! Just in case you don’t know me, I’m Emily, and I’m into all the crazy diets like Paleo, Keto, and the Autoimmune Protocol because they’ve done crazy good things for my health. Because of my diet changes, I’ve become a huge believer in eating healthy hot breakfasts because it allows you to fit more vegetables into your day and gets you started on the right foot, health-wise. Want to know how I do it? Check out the 4 best tips to fit healthy hot breakfasts into your morning!
Make a Plan for the Week
You’ve heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Well, healthy hot breakfasts don’t happen by accident. They take careful, purposeful planning.
Why?
There is no way in H-E-double-hockey-sticks you are going to want to cook a hot breakfast in the morning without a plan and food waiting in the fridge. Even then it’s going to take serious effort some mornings.
So you need to make a plan that’s easy and utilizes batch cooking. Choose simple, tasty recipes that come together in 30-60 minutes that will also reheat well for leftovers. If you are new to hot breakfast during the week, I recommend only planning maximum two meals for the week. Cook one on Sunday for eating Monday and Tuesday then another on Wednesday morning for Wednesday through Friday.
Make a plan, and make it easy.
Prep All Ingredients Ahead of Time
A good veggie filled breakfast hash is my favorite healthy breakfast dish. It is easy to make a huge batch and it reheats beautifully. If you can tolerate eggs, a yolk-y egg on top of any hash is totally delicious and a great way to change up the dish when served as leftovers.
But hash takes a lot of prep time, so do your tired-morning-self a favor and chop all the veggies the night before. Place each chopped ingredient into a separate container and pop it in the fridge.
Don’t worry about the condition of the veggies come morning. They will be absolutely fine! I’ve done this with everything from squash to onions to mushrooms to potatoes. All will be fine; chop ahead of time. (ha, that rhymed!)
Chop everything the night before.
Wake Up Earlier
Will you forgive me for typing that? Yes, my dear friend, if eating a healthy hot breakfast is a priority then you must give that priority the time it needs to get accomplished.
Now I didn’t say you had to get up at the crack of dawn or even that you need to do it every day, but if you need 30 minutes to cook your meat and veggies, then you better get up 30 minutes earlier!
Confession: I love early mornings. It’s quiet. I get to drink hot tea and read my Bible ALL BY MYSELF, and I get to cook uninterrupted. It’s great. Give it a try for a while. You just might love it too!
The second reason you need to get up earlier is so that you have time to eat the food! What good is cooking a fabulous hot meal if there’s no time to eat it? Schedule in enough time to cook and eat the meal and set your alarm accordingly.
Set your clock so there’s time to cook and eat your meal.
Re-Heat Leftovers Properly
Hokay, so…(anyone know what old viral video that’s from? Read it with a french accent. You may just be in your mid-30’s if you know it!) if you want to eat hot breakfast but not slave over the stove every day then you need to know how to reheat leftovers properly so they are every bit as delicious as the first time you make them.
Don’t Use the Microwave
The microwave has very few good uses and properly reheating food usually isn’t one of them. It overcooks some areas while leaving others ice cold, and it turns meat to rubber. Although, I must confess, the microwave does a fine job reheating pancakes. But if your food has meat in it, then the microwave is no good! Also when only reheating one bowl/plate at a time is not a bit faster than the stove top!
Use the Stove-top for Hash or Mixed Meals
Grab a saucepan, throw in the leftover vegetable hash from the fridge, and turn the heat on medium-low. Watch the pan and stir occasionally while you do the other things you need to do to pull breakfast together. When the food is steaming and sizzling, pour into your bowls and enjoy. The meat and veggies will be full of flavor and the perfect texture, just like the first time you cooked them!
Put Roasted Vegetables Under the Broiler
Roasted vegetables reheat quickly and wonderfully under the broiler. Pour Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes and Kale Chips onto a rimmed baking pan and slide it under the boiler for 2-4 minutes. The crisp will return and the dish will have the same great texture and flavor as the first time you roasted it!
Word of caution: don’t walk away from food under a broiler! Burning happens quickly! Set a timer!
Eating healthy hot breakfasts is possible. Yes, it will take work, and yes, I’m so sorry but you will likely have to wake up earlier. However, your efforts will result in more productive days for you and your family and many positive long-term health effects. Do your future self a favor and begin today to plan how to eat healthy hot breakfasts every day!
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