8 Power-Breakfast Combinations To Start Your Day Right

You have probably received the advice ‘Start your day right to have a great day ahead’ umpteen times. What that means in terms of nutrition is to begin the day with a brilliant breakfast, that is designed to ensure satiety, satisfaction, happiness, taste, and all essential nutrients. This is even more important today, when we are working from home and the line between work and leisure time is blurred.

A good breakfast can start you off on the right foot to take on the never-ending demands on your time and energy that are bound to come by during the course of your day.

Tips For A Nutritious Breakfast

A good breakfast includes -

1. Fruit, vegetable: Choose one rich in Vitamin C such as oranges, lemons, grapes, melon, amla or tomato.

2. A source of fibre: Include a good source of fibre (at least 3 grams fibre per serving). Good sources of fibre include whole-wheat chapatti, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals (bran, oatmeal, dalia, shredded wheat); brown rice, fruits and vegetables.

3. Protein: Include a good source of protein, such as milk, soymilk, cheese, yoghurt, meat, fish, poultry, beans, or eggs.

4. Just a little fat (nuts and seeds are ideal).

Power Breakfast Recipes

Bean and veggie salad

Mash boiled rajma or lobia beans and mix with low-fat plain yogurt. Add spices as desired (mustard, dill, parsley, or pepper). Spread on multi-grain bread and top with lettuce, sliced cucumber, and tomato. Chill and eat.

Kosambari

Soak daal (split green moong or yellow moong) for around 1 hour. Discard the water and add grated carrot, chopped cucumber, tomato, and shredded coconut to it. Add salt, lemon juice, and some chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start popping, add curry leaves, asafoetida and red chilli broken into pieces. Add a finely chopped apple on top. You can add a chopped boiled egg on top too, for additional protein and satiety. Mix well and dig in.

Oats and Quinoa Porridge

Roast quinoa and oats lightly for a few minutes. Add milk (or almond milk), cook till done on slow flame ( for about 5 minutes). Add honey , some cinnamon and nutmeg, some chopped nuts and 1 tbsp flax seeds. Chill and consume.

Eggs and Spinach

Poach two eggs. Line a toast with sautéed spinach (saute spinach leaves in 1 tsp oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes and half chopped onion till tender). Place the poached eggs on top, sprinkle some cheese, roasted seeds and top with salsa.

Oats smoothie

Whiz kiwifruit, cooked oats, banana chopped, and milk (any) for thirty seconds. Pour into glasses, add honey to taste, sprinkle some chopped walnuts and a dash of cinnamon and sip.

Barley Delight

Cook pearl barley with some grated veggies (carrot, baby corn, mushrooms) and place on a plate. Add some grated cheese, and place a pan fried egg seasoned with salt and pepper on top.

Banana Pancakes

Mix multigrain flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add an egg, some milk, honey, butter or olive oil and whisk until the batter is smooth. Cook the pancakes on a pan lightly greased with oil on one side. Add thin slices of banana to the pancake before turning it to the other side. After a minute flip it around and cook for another 1 minute. Garnish with assorted cut fruits.

Apple dairy mix

Mix grated apple with cottage cheese. Add chopped walnuts, raisins and anjeer. Place on a whole wheat bread and dig in.

(Kavita is a nutritionist, weight management consultant and health writer based in Delhi. She is the author of Don’t Diet! 50 Habits of Thin People (Jaico), Ultimate Grandmother Hacks: 50 Kickass Traditional Habits for a Fitter You (Rupa) and Fix it with foods.)