Getting back in to a routine after the summer holidays can seem like an impossible task.
The one thing that I find gets me out of bed and on the go in the morning is the prospect of a really good breakfast. I actually get a bit excited about it and sometimes even plan the night before what I will concoct when the day breaks.
So here are some energy boosting, study-proof breakfast ideas for each day of the week;
Omega Monday
Avocado and egg on wholemeal pumpkin toast;
This is a really great breakfast to start the week. It is especially great for students as it is packed with brain-powering nutrients.
The avocado and egg are rich in omega 3s and 6s, which are essential for healthy brain function and the pumpkin toast is high in vitamin B1, which is great for boosting energy and maintaining high levels of brain activity.
(I also like that the pumpkin toast is nice and seasonal as we transition in to fall!)
Method
Boil an egg.
While the egg is boiling I pop a slice of pumpkin bread in the toaster and then slice up half a ripe avocado and paste it across the toast.
Once the egg is boiled I remove the shell and slice it in to little cylinders and place on the avocado toast.
Finally I season, et voila!
Tooty Fruity Tuesday
Fruit and nut salad (kiwis, blueberries, strawberries and brazils);
This breaky is my Tuesday morning sweet-tooth fix!
The kiwis, blueberries and strawberries are all packed with vitamin C, which is great to help give your immune system a boost as we linger on the precipice of flu-season.
The brazil nuts are good for slow-release energy and have lots of selenium to keep your hair and nails in good nick too for when the weekend finally comes.
Method- this one really doesn’t need explaining
Wash the fruit.
Peel and slice kiwi (if you’re feeling brave leave the skin on- it actually retains a lot more of the nutrients this way).
Put it on a plate, et fini!
‘On Wednesday’s we eat Pink Porridge’
Strawberries, banana and pumpkin seed porridge;
If you’ll excuse the rather tenuous Mean Girls reference this is a really delicious hump day breaky and is a saviour on days where you need to feel full all morning.
On Wednesdays I have a pretty hectic class schedule and need a breakfast that will fuel me through my frantic start.
The porridge oats and banana are great for this as they digest slowly leaving you fuller for longer. The almond milk and pumpkin seeds are packed with vitamin E and antioxidants, which are great for your skin.
I also tend to drizzle a little honey on top for some added sweetness but the honey is also a great addition for its antibiotic properties, which will give your system the boost it needs to make it through till Friday.
Method
Mix half a cup of oats with one cup of unsweetened almond milk in a saucepan and cook on a medium heat for two minutes.
Finely slice a ripe banana and add two handfuls of diced strawberries to the mixture -8 medium sized strawberries should do the trick.
Stir for a minute until all the ingredients are well combined and then leave on a low heat for another five minutes allow the banana and strawberries to break down to form a nice gooey pink mixture.
Top with a drizzle of honey, pumpkin seeds, a couple of banana slices and a quartered strawberry.
Feeling blue-(berry porridge)
Blueberry, banana and brazil nut porridge;
This is my favourite porridge recipe to date and takes surprisingly little work.
The blueberries are full of antioxidants and, coupled with the vitamin E in the almond milk, it will do wonders for your complexion come Friday night.
Method
Mix half a cup of oats with one cup of unsweetened almond milk in a saucepan and cook on a medium heat for two minutes.
Finely slice a ripe banana and add two handfuls of uncrushed blueberries to the mixture.
Stir for a minute until all the ingredients are well combined and then leave on a low heat for another five minutes allow the banana and blueberries to melt in to the mixture.
Turn up the heat and continue to stir the mixture until all the blueberries have popped and turned the porridge a pretty shade of purple.
Top with a few blueberries, a drizzle of honey and some chopped brazil nuts and you’re done.
TGI-FRY-DAY
Honey fried bananas on pumpkin toast;
I’m not a huge fan of the classic ‘fry-up,’ I have to be in a certain mood and -more importantly- have a lot of time on my hands, so here is my fruity substitute.
This is a really delicious Friday treat and tastes more like a dessert than breakfast.
You could have two slices of this if your feeling extra peckish but I like to add a piece of fruit or nuts to have a good mix of nutrients.
Method
Simply pour two tbsp of honey in to a frying pan and heat for one minute.
Slice up a ripe banana and fry it in the honey on a high heat for two minutes.
Pop your pumpkin bread in the toaster and in the meantime peel and chop the kiwi.
Flip the banana slices over and fry for another two minutes.
Spread your honey-fried bananas on the toast and have your sliced kiwi on the side.