I don’t know about you, but I love my food porn. I love looking at pretty pictures of artfully arranged dishes. Just this week I’ve been salivating over the Breakfast Criminals colorful and creative ideas for the first meal of the day. I love that they sell an Instagram-friendly heart shaped bowl too, which will make you smile over breakfast every day.
However, I’m also a super busy lady. I have a baby to take care of and a business to run. So I don’t always have a whole lot of time to put into creating a beautiful breakfast for myself and my family. Sometimes I just need it to tick my top boxes – to be healthy, tasty, and sustain me until lunch. I’m a big fan of keeping it basic if it means that it’s easier and more efficient for you to make better choices. Simplicity is sometimes the key to getting what you need.
The benefits of a big breakfast
Research shows that starting your day with a big breakfast will improve your fertility and decrease hormonal imbalance symptoms. This study by Professor Daniela Jakubowicz in Tel Aviv proved that having a larger meal at breakfast was related to a reduction of insulin resistance in women with PCOS. Not only does this help with fertility, but it also can help manage other symptoms associated with the disorder, such as unwanted body hair, hair loss, and acne, as well as protect against developing type-2 diabetes.
With this in mind, I want to share with you my personal favorite breakfast and brunch ideas. I tend to rotate through these throughout the week. On the weekends I get a bit more time to indulge. I teach my Flo Living ladies that breakfast time is when you want to go all out and eat as much as you want – really filling up will set you up for stable blood sugar and hormone levels the rest of the day. And, as studies show, it will also help you to lose weight.
Weekday ideas
- Avocado smashed on toast – I love to spice up this filling and tasty bite with chia seeds, turmeric, sesame seeds and Himalayan salt. I always use gluten-free black rice Food for Life brand bread.
- Tartines – I so enjoy a nice French-inspired savory open-faced sandwich for breakfast with wild salmon and hummus or egg and dairy free pesto.
- Fruit toast – My favorite nut butter is sunbutter which I love to spread on gluten free toast and top with fresh peach or strawberry slices when they’re in season.
- Eggs – I love eggs all ways for all meals of the day. Scrambled, poached, hard boiled. Check out the viral hashtag #putaneggonit for some scrumptious ideas. Everything can be improved by an egg, I say! One of my new favorites has to be an egg baked inside half an avocado – that’s just genius!
- Smoothie – I’m not a smoothie-only breakfast kind of girl, but if I do have a smoothie I whizz up ½ banana, ½ avocado, frozen blueberries, spinach, almond milk, flaxseed meal, and cinnamon.
- 3 Power Grains – I’ll have oatmeal, quinoa or buckwheat. I’ll either make it sweet with sunflower seeds, coconut oil, and fresh blueberries or I’ll have it savory with olive oil, Himalayan salt, steamed baby kale – and I’ll absolutely put an egg on it!
Weekend indulgences
Any of the above breakfast options are great for brunch for a relaxed, leisurely weekend breakfast time with my husband and baby girl. When I want to indulge though, I pull out a few other recipes which happen to work well as desserts too!
I also just discovered and love the easy and healthful Zemas Foods sweet potato pancake mix.
Check out my take on sugar, the best sweeteners, and get some healthy baking tips here.
Chocolate Avocado Pudding on Toast (this beats Nutella!)
Ingredients: 3 ripe avocados, 4 soaked dates, 1/4 cup coconut nectar plus 2T maple syrup, 1/2 cup raw cacao powder, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt and then some good millet bread.
Instructions: Add all to Vitamix or food processor and puree until smooth
Taste and adjust for sweetness and texture with more sweetener and milk.
Serve on millet toast for breakfast. Add sliced fresh strawberries as desired.
Banana Bread
Ingredients: 3 bananas, 1/3 cup coconut oil, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup coconut nectar, 1.5 cups oat flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions: Mix wet into dry, pour mixture into a parchment lined loaf pan, bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min and then let cool completely.
Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this – the science of your body is on your side!
to your FLO,
Alisa
Good things come in threes:
I want to hear from you
First, what are your favorite breakfast dishes? Which ones hold you the longest until lunch?
Second, try some of my ideas and share your photos on Facebook and Twitter with me!
Third, You know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social! ?
Need more Hormone Help?
If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.
I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.
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I see flax on here a lot. Is Flax bad for female hormonal balance? I know you are the go-to for women’s health but there are some who say flax is a phytoestrogen… I’m confused! Thanks!
I feel challenged with breakfast ideas for my 7 year old and myself. We are DF and GF. Eggs with onion and shredded zucchini is a go to. I would love to try some of your favorites, but where can I find gluten-free black rice Food for Life brand bread? It’s not carried in my local grocery. Thank you!
Sorry I replied below your comment. Amazon had the brand.
My favorite lutealphase breakfast:
Millet
coconutflakes (unsweetened of course)
raisins
A pinch of vanilla powder
sometimes half an apple
Cook millet with coconutflakes and vanilla powder. When done, add raisins and blend them in. Sometimes I add half a sliced apple or some chopped nuts on the top.
Hey alisa! I have a question about the food4life gluten free black rice bread. I’m pregnant, and the rice bread that you reccomend has agave in it..do you reccomend another gluten free bread while pregnant or do you still like this one?
Hi Sam, I would find an option that does not contain Agave!
Alisa
Thanks Alisa! Do you recommend a brand to eat while pregnant? What bread did you choose to eat while pregnant!
Thanks!
I was interested in THE earlier question on flax seed. Confusing.
Is this bad for oestrogen dominance Or not?
And What About tempé and tofu?
Do you have a link for recipes when oestrogen dominant?
Hi Jean,
Please read this post I wrote where I mention flax: https://www.floliving.com/fibroids-diet/
Tempe is great as it is fermented, but I would not eat tofu.
Alisa
Hi Alisa!
My favorite breakfast is 2 scrambled eggs + 1 avacado cut in cubes + 1 cup of spinach cut up + salt + pepper + gluten free croutons = mixed all up in a salad bowl and enjoy. Very filling!
When indulging, I love overnight soaked oats with rice milk (or almond) with cocoa powder, a pinch of ground salt, vanilla (and if you want it sweeter, add a tablespoon maple syrup or date paste) and adding bananas and nut butter on the next morning…!