Brain Healthy Breakfast Smoothies

Here is quick, delicious, nutritious brain-healthy breakfast.

Benefits

  • Stable energy: you get all macronutrients in a glass which will provide stable energy and balance your blood sugar
  • Sharper focus: focus determines how efficiently you process information. By taking sugar and refined foods out of breakfast, you help reduce inflammation that contributes to brain fog
  • Better memory: when your brain is inflamed, it can affect your ability to form short-term memories and also connect to long-term member.
  • Better mood: Inflammation and fat dysregulation resulting from poor food choices tap into flight-fight and anxiety-driven centers of your brain. By providing your brain instead with stable and efficient source of energy from high-nutrient foods, it becomes easier to reduce anxiety and depression. Your neurotransmitters will be stable rather than firing in an chaotic, anxiety-producing pattern = promoting feelings of happiness and sense of peace
  • Reduce risk of cognitive decline: medical studies indicate nutrient deficiency (vitamins C,E, B12, B 6 and beta-carotene is linked to cognitive impairment. These breakfast smoothies pack in brain essential vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and healthy fats.
  • Stronger immune system:
  • Fast food: Fresh is best. You can store in a mason jar with a lid – or another airtight container – for 24 – 72 hours. This minimizes oxidation which breaks down nutrients and changes the color. Shake well before drinking

Basic formula

  • Liquid: Nut milks, oat milk, grass-fed whole dairy milk, kefir, coconut water, filtered water
  • Leafy greens: spinach, baby kale, mix of greens
  • Nature’s fats: seeds (chia, flaxseed, hemp seed, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and/or nuts (almond, cashews, pecans, walnuts, nut butters)
  • Fruits: use organic if it’s on the Dirty Dozen list, go seasonal to increase the diversity of micronutrients, use shredded veggies (carrots, beets, zucchini) or pureed (beet pumpkin, sweet potato, butternut squash). Red/purple fruits are especially rich in brain-boosting phytochemicals
  • Spices: allspice, cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, tumeric (with a pinch of black pepper)
  • Sweeteners: Add bananas or dates. use nature’s sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, molasses or stevia

Starting combinations

Berry Almond Joy

  • 1 cup frozen berries for the fruit
  • 2 tablespoons coconut
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter

Chocolate Strawberry

  • 1 cup strawberries for the fruit
  • Add 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa to the spices

Ginger Spice

  • 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • Pinch of black pepper (to activate tumeric)

Mango Lassi

  • 1 cup mango for the fruit
  • kefir for the liquid
Brain Healthy Breakfast Smoothies
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Servings Prep Time
2 5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 5 minutes
Brain Healthy Breakfast Smoothies
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
2 5 minutes
Ingredients
Adjust servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Place milk in blender. Add seeds, spices and leafy greens. Blend thoroughly.
  2. Add fruit, blend. Add ice and blend.
  3. If you find it needs sweetening, use a banana or 3 - 4 dates. Skip the sugar. If that's a deal breaker, add 1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup or a pinch of stevia (make sure there are no additives)
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Delicious No-Oats Oatmeal

Granted it’s not oatmeal but what else to call it? Creamy and satisfying, nutrient-dense and RESTART friendly, this paleo cereal made itself a permanent part of my breakfast rotation. Add “cake-inspired” toppings for visual delight, gratifying contrast of texture and increased nutrient-density.

  • Carrot Cake
  • Lemon Blueberry
  • Apple Pie

What other combinations could you try? Isn’t it a whole new spin on breakfast?!

Delicious No-Oats Oatmeal
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Delicious No-Oats Oatmeal
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Servings
4 servings
Servings
4 servings
Ingredients
Carrot cake Topping
Lemon Blueberry Topping
Apple Pie
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
Non-oatmeal
  1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Mix in milk
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight
  4. In the morning separate a desired portion size and warm up on the stove top. You can also eat it at room temperature or cold like overnight oats.
  5. Add topping of choice and enjoy!
Carrot Cake Topping
  1. Put shredded carrot, conut and chopped walnuts on top of non-oatmeal. Enjoy!
Lemon Blueberry
  1. Mix in lemon zest, top serving with blueberries and chopped nuts.
Apple Pie
  1. Over serving of non-oatmeal top with chopped apple, walnuts, and a generous dusting of ground cinnamon
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Healthy Quinoa and Fruit Breakfast Porridge

Porridge does not induce visions of delicious food but oh lala a warm bowl on a cold morning is soooo comforting.
Because I often get asked for gluten-free ideas, particularly for breakfast, I’ve been playing with quinoa options. The result perfectly fits the dictionary description of porridge.

1. a food made of oatmeal, or some other meal or cereal, boiled to a thick consistency in water or milk.

The way to take porridge from boring bland to something to look forward to by adding in fruits. Here are some ideas to start; the options are innumerous – let’s play with flavor and textures and know that with variety we get a broader range of nutrients.

Variations
After spooning quinoa porridge into a bowl add mix-in of choice
Banana Berry: 1 sliced banana, 1/2 cup blueberries (or any berry).
Carrot Cake: 1 grated carrot, 2 tablespoons coconut, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (or other nut)
Apple Pie: 1 chopped apple, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Pumpkin Pie: add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and
Customize! Using whatever fruits — apples, peaches, nectarines, oranges, mango, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or whatever you have in your fridge — and nuts or seeds – walnuts, almonds, pumpkin – on hand.

Use leftover quinoa to make breakfast in minutes. Simply warm up 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan, add 1/2 cup cooked quinoa. Stir occasionally, adding milk to preferred consistency, until it’s warm Serve with toppings of choice per above variations.

Healthy Quinoa and Fruit Breakfast Porridge
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Servings
2 servings
Servings
2 servings
Healthy Quinoa and Fruit Breakfast Porridge
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Servings
2 servings
Servings
2 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Place quinoa, cinnamon stick and 2 cups milk in a saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil, immediately turn down heat to simmer and cover.
  3. Stirring occasionally, cook for 20 minutes, until quinoa is uncurled and soft.
  4. Add milk to the desired consistency. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup or honey.
  5. Top with fruit and nuts. Apple Pie: 1 chopped apple, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  6. Banana Berry: 1 sliced banana, 1/2 cup blueberries (or any berry).
  7. Carrot Cake: 1 grated carrot, 2 tablespoons coconut, 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (or other nut)
  8. Pumpkin Pie: add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and Customize!
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Carrot Cake Pancakes

Delicious, nutritious! I love the fact that I can put 3 cups of carrots into breakfast and my family will gobble it up. As always, I make a double-batch to freeze for later in the week.

I originally found this recipe on Pinterest, but significantly reduced the sugar and used whole-wheat flour.

Variations:
• Use half grated carrot and half grated apple
• Use grated carrot and grated raw beet
• Use only whole-wheat flour but increase the milk by 1/4 – 1/3 cup
• Serve with vanilla Greek yogurt, or plain Greek yogurt mixed with honey and top with chopped nuts of choice

Carrot Cake Pancakes
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Servings
8 - 10 pancakes
Servings
8 - 10 pancakes
Carrot Cake Pancakes
Print Recipe
Servings
8 - 10 pancakes
Servings
8 - 10 pancakes
Ingredients
Adjust servings: pancakes
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix flour, sugar, baking power, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  2. In another bowl whisk eggs. Whisk in milk, vanilla and melted butter (or coconut oil).
  3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until combined.
  4. Stir in shredded carrots, chopped nuts, and chia; add coconut if using.
  5. Heat pancake griddle or large skillet over medium-high heat and brush with butter or coconut oil. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter into skillet, turn down heat to medium and cook 3 – 4 minutes per side until golden.
Recipe Notes
  1. Can add half Greek yogurt and half milk for more protein
  2. Always serve with fat from nature (a bit of butter on the pancake and/or protein (a scoop of Greek yogurt, quality sourced breakfast sausage)
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Mango Lassi Overnight Oats

Lassi is a yogurt-based milkshake or smoothie Indian style. They come in all kinds of flavors, but I absolutely adore mango lassis. And I adore cardamom.

Sprinkle granola or chopped nuts on top for the contrast of the crunch.

This is an outrageously delicious way to start the day. It’s like dessert for breakfast!

Mango Lassi Overnight Oats
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Servings
2 servings
Servings
2 servings
Mango Lassi Overnight Oats
Print Recipe
Servings
2 servings
Servings
2 servings
Ingredients
Adjust servings: servings
Units:
Instructions
  1. Mix oats, cardamom, chia and flaxseed.
  2. In food processor or blender, puree 1 cup diced mango with milk, Greek yogurt and honey. Stir into mixed oats. Cover and refrigerate.
  3. Place the remaining 1/2 cup mango into a covered container and refrigerate.
  4. In the morning layer overnight oats and diced mango in a bowl. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Jump start a second breakfast by making a double batch of the oats, cardamom and milk. The next day I mix it with shredded carrot or apple, or both. YUM!

Or mix in any summer fruit (peach, plum, berries). YUM!

 

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Nutrient Dense Berries and Nut Pancakes

Berries, bananas and nuts oh my! These are so delicious and nutrient dense, made with whole wheat flour and oats, keeping bellies satisfied and fueling our brains for a day at school or work.

Double the recipe because they are super delicious to have in the freezer for busy weekdays.

Toppings

  • Mashed fresh (or defrosted frozen) berries — add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey if you need it sweeter
  • Plain Greek yogurt mixed with a touch of honey or berry puree / preserves
  • Nut butters, warm it up a bit so it is more spreadable, and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey
  • Chia Jam from Gimme Some Oven
Berries and Nut Pancakes
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Servings
8 people
Servings
8 people
Berries and Nut Pancakes
Print Recipe
Servings
8 people
Servings
8 people
Ingredients
Adjust servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a bowl, combine first 5 ingredients.
  2. Place bananas in another bowl, mash and mix with milk, eggs and almond extract.
  3. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients; stir until smooth. Mix in berries.
  4. Warm a skillet over medium heat; brush with butter, avocado or coconut oil.
  5. Measure 1⁄4 cup batter; pour onto skillet. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Recipe Notes

Modified from

Epicurious: Fruit and Nut Pancakes

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