Winter season can trigger the need for comfort food, but you don't have to derail your diet with an unhealthy breakfast. You can choose from several warm and wholesome dishes for your winter breakfast, and many only take a few minutes to prepare. A little planning is all it really takes to enjoy a healthy and nutritious breakfast all season long. Skip the processed foods and stick with a few hearty, nutritious alternatives.
Here are just six healthy breakfast ideas to get those dreary winter days off on the right start:
1. Steel-cut oatmeal with fruit. Oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast items you can add to your menu year-round. During the winter months, add some fresh or frozen berries to warm oatmeal as a natural sweetener. Steel-cut oatmeal that you cook on the stove offers more nutritional benefits than the instant variety, so plan accordingly.
2. Omelet with veggies. Whether you prefer an all egg-white omelet or like to add a few yolks to the mix, whip up a tasty omelet and fill it with some frozen vegetables. Veggie cheese or salsa are some great low-calorie additions to this hearty morning meal.
3. Whole grain pancakes with peanut butter and honey. If you have more than a few minutes to spare in the morning, make some whole grain pancakes and top them with peanut butter, honey, and a few slices of bananas. Whole grain pancakes are full of fiber and will keep you full and satisfied for hours. You only need to use a little bit of honey to sweeten that stack. One of my pantry staples is powdered peanut butter by Bell Plantation; it has just 45 calories and 5 grams of protein per serving.
4. English muffin with nut butter. If you prefer salty over sweet in the morning, enjoy a toasted English muffin topped with almond butter or another nut butter. Nut butters contain enough fat to curb hunger pangs for a few hours. The healthy carbs from the English muffin will give you plenty of fuel to get through a busy day.
5. Whole grain waffles with low-sugar fruit jelly and berries. Another time-saving but nutritious breakfast is frozen whole grain waffles topped with low-sugar fruit jelly and fresh berries. If you're very hungry, enjoy this with some all-natural Greek yogurt.
6. Whole wheat breakfast burrito. Fill a whole wheat tortilla with vegetables, scrambled eggs, and low-fat cheeses for a tasty and wholesome meal first thing in the morning. Go with a low-carb wrap if you want to boost your protein count for the day.
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