While there has been quite a bit of research coming out recently about what should be considered “healthy” versus “unhealthy” eating, much of which we’ll be addressing in the coming weeks, there is one fact that has remained steady for the past several years.  And it’s all about the benefits received by those that enjoy a healthy, well-rounded breakfast.

Breakfast eaters, in general, tend to have better overall diets.  But even beyond that, this meal gets your metabolism revving, which is a major benefit for the rest of your day.  In fact, research has shown that keeping glucose and insulin at the right levels – including early in the day after your body was fasting overnight – can have dramatic impacts on your metabolism and overall health.

On a more granular level, those that eat breakfast experience an immediate increase in blood sugar, allowing your body some time before it gets hungry again.  Whereas, alternatively, those that skip a well-rounded breakfast end up receiving a boost in “hunger hormones,” such as ghrelin, which encourages overeating and leads to large swings in glucose, or blood sugar.  When your blood sugar doesn’t remain steady, your body is constantly trying to compensate, which can lead to side effects such as obesity and even diabetes.

From helping your brain to function properly, to giving your body the nutrition it needs to stay energized, to reducing cases of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes, we are strong supporters of the power of breakfast.

And, because breakfast is such an important part of the day, we wanted to give you the inside scoop on our favorite recipe to start our mornings off right.

POWER BREAKFAST

This breakfast recipe is easy to make in only a couple of minutes, is delicious, and is chock full of nutrients to get your system going.

Also, know that that this recipe is entirely flexible to fit your nutritional preferences.  We’ve given you plenty of our favorite options, but feel free to add in any favorite vegetables or subtract out any ingredients that don’t fit your preferred diet.

INGREDIENTS

• Quinoa or Brown Rice

• Fresh Meat (Our favorites are bacon, sausage, steak, pork, or salmon)

• Fresh Vegetables

• Eggs (Any style)

• Spinach

• Flavoring (We prefer cheese, soy sauce, salsa and/or chili flakes)

• Optional: Feel free to add additional grains like amaranth or baby sweet potatoes, as well. These are easy to cook ahead in batches and reheat when you decide to create your full breakfast.

DIRECTIONS

1. Start to cook the quinoa or brown rice according to the package specifications. Separately, scramble your eggs with water in a bowl until fully smooth.  As a final preparation step, thinly slice the vegetables you’ve selected.

2. Cook the fresh meat of your choice until almost fully prepared.

3. In a skillet, cook your eggs until they are almost completely cooked to your desired level of doneness. Add to the same skillet your drained quinoa or brown rice, your desired meat source, any additional grain you’ve decided to include, and your freshly sliced vegetables.  Allow to sit for a few minutes until all ingredients are fully cooked.  Lastly, add in your spinach and allow to cook until wilted.

As a final step, add in your desired flavoring and stir the full dish in the skillet to combine.  Allow to cool for two minutes and serve as a hash. Enjoy!