The Breakfast Club

As I've mentioned before, my commute to work often leaves me crunched for time. I realized early on that skipping breakfast resulted in both a miserable commute and endless morning. More often than not, I broke down and fell into the processed grain pitfall that was the basket of bagels and muffins in the cafeteria. Making sure I was putting something nutritious into my body took some preliminary planning, but I've developed a series of breakfast spreads that are my go-to on my busiest mornings. The best part? Almost all of these ingredients are super inexpensive!

Gluten-free Rolled Oats & Banana

My favorite meal by far is a bowl of Trader Joe's gluten-free rolled oats and a banana. If you have a sweet tooth like I do, you can add a teaspoon of agave nectar or honey and a dash of cinnamon to your oats. Not only are they super inexpensive, but they're filling and gluten free. Sometimes I mix the banana in, but it's a great complement and also ridiculously inexpensive. Sometimes I'll bring an extra banana with me to snack on at my desk, but this breakfast almost always tides me over until lunch.

I am also proud to say that after years of being an avid coffee consumer, I have officially made the transition to tea. Relying on coffee every morning was a bit troublesome, and the migraines that ensued on the days I would skip my cuppa were totally not worth it. When I'm in a hurry, I'll just use a tea bag, but loose tea is my newest obsession.

Apple with Almond Butter & Hard Boiled Eggs

At the beginning of each week, I like to hard boil about half-a-dozen eggs and set them aside in the fridge. I've recently fallen in love with Trader Joe's almond butter, and I was completely astounded to read that the only ingredients in it were almonds. That's it. I'm not kidding! Who knew clean eating would be this easy? I sat down and compared the nutrition facts to a jar of peanut butter my roommates had left sitting on the table and I will note that a serving of each has about the same amount of fat, so I like to indulge in it sparingly. I like to cut up a whole apple and spread it with some almond butter, which along with two or three eggs is a pretty decent amount of protein. I usually end up snacking on a handful of almonds or a second apple mid-morning, I think because our bodies process the natural sugars in apples at a rather quick pace.

Grain-free Banana Pancakes

When I have a little more time on my hands, I like to make banana pancakes! These take a little more time to prepare and cook, but the preparation process is insanely easy. In its simplest form, all you need for these no-grain pancakes is one ripe banana and an egg. I like to add a pinch of baking soda to make them fluffy and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Drizzle them with a spoonful of honey or agave nectar if you're looking for a little something sweet, but these taste great on their own. If you're looking for something really filling, I would suggest doubling the ingredients by using two bananas and two eggs, and maybe even a tablespoon or two of almond butter mixed in.

Do you have any quick and simple breakfast recipes? I would love to hear them!