by Sophia Wan Brodsky
Many people feel like they don’t have time to make breakfast, but these recipes will change your mind!
Chia Pudding
This is such an easy recipe. It takes at most 5 minutes to make, and the next day, your breakfast is ready to eat. Chia seeds are high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and calcium. There’s a multitude of chia pudding recipes out there, and from this basic chia pudding recipe, you can add your favorite flavors. Another great thing about this recipe is that you can eyeball it - exact measurements aren’t very important.
3 tablespoons of chia seeds
1 cup of milk
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of sweetener
Combine all of the ingredients in a mason jar, seal the lid, and shake until combined. Put in the refrigerator until thick enough to eat (overnight).
This recipe can be modified based on your own preferences, it’s essentially fool-proof. You’re free to adjust the quantities. For the milk, animal or plant based milk works. I typically use unflavored soy milk. For the sweetener, I recommend using honey or maple syrup, but this is up to you. For variations on this recipe, you can add citrus zest, cocoa powder, fruit, or nut butter, although you may have to use a spoon to fully combine the ingredients.
Granola Bars
Granola bars are a perfect snack that, once again, you can add your favorite flavors to! They can be great sources of protein, fiber, and fats. It’s not totally necessary to do so, but I highly recommend toasting the oats and any nuts you want to add.
1 cup of smooth nut butter
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon sea salt
2½ cups whole rolled oats
Any add-ins you want (chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit,etc.)
Mix the salt, rolled oats, and add-ins in a large bowl.
Mix the nut butter, vanilla, and honey together. Unless the nut butter you are using is very runny, heat this mixture in a saucepan over low heat until warm and thoroughly mixed.
Pour the nut butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine
Press into a baking pan lined with parchment paper, using the flat surface of a glass to flatten it if necessary
Chill in the fridge until firm, about 1 hour, and slice into bars
Turkey Meatballs
Turkey is generally lower in saturated fat than beef, and this is a delicious dinner choice!
1 ½ pound of ground turkey meat
1 cup of breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of fresh parsley (or a pinch of dried parsley)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of peeper
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
A couple tablespoons of water (as needed)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 jars of tomato sauce (48 oz)
Mix the ground turkey meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, parsley, cheese, salt, and pepper in a large bowl
If the mixture is dry, add water until it’s sticky enough to be formed into a ball
Roll into 1 inch diameter balls
Heat the olive oil a large pan over medium-low heat and brown the meatballs on all sides
While the meatballs are cooking, heat the tomato sauce in a large pot over low heat
Lay the meatballs on a plate covered with paper towels to drain the oil
Drop the meatballs one-by-one into the hot tomato sauce and cook for at least 15 minutes. You can break one open to see if it’s properly cooked.
Tofu Stir Fry
This is a great healthy meal option, particularly for vegetarians! Tofu has plenty of protein, calcium, and iron. For this recipe, feel free to tweak the quantities to suit your taste.
3 pounds of firm to extra-firm tofu
3 tablespoons of oil (preferably a neutral oil such as grapeseed or corn)
1-2 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh ginger
3 bunches of scallion, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths with the white and green parts separated
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 small dried chiles (optional)
⅓ cup of vegetable stock or water
Cut the tofu in ½ inch cubes and let sit in a collider to drain the liquid
Place the oil into a large skillet over high heat and add the garlic, ginger, and chiles when hot. Stir for 10 seconds, then add the tofu and the white parts of the scallions. Stir occasionally until the tofu begins to brown, a couple of minutes
Add the stock and cook, stirring, until half of it evaporates (less than a minute)
Add the green parts of the scallions and stir for 30 seconds
Add the soy sauce and stir, taste and adjust the seasoning as you wish.
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Pasta
I absolutely love pasta, and with this recipe, you can quickly whip-up a hearty and delicious meal.
16 oz pasta
6 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
12 cups packed baby spinach
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans of cannellini beans
Cook the pasta until it’s al dente, and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water
In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes
Add the pasta and spinach, tossing it until the spinach is wilted. If the pasta starts to dry out, add in the pasta water. Add the cannellini beans.
Stir in ½ cup of parmesan until combined an add salt and pepper
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