I absolutely love breakfast. Like, I could eat “breakfast” foods and nothing else all day long. My children have thankfully inherited this trait and “breakfast for dinner” is one of their favorite dinners.
Do you love breakfast? Do you have a few “go-to” recipes that you make every single morning?
I get it. I used to have my trusty eggs every morning.
Or I did. A couple of months ago I started focusing on an elimination diet and one of the things that got eliminated was eggs. Y’all I cried. I seriously love eggs so hard.
I even have an awesome friend that I used to get local eggs from. I am pretty sure that she feels like she’s dead to me because I haven’t picked up even one dozen since I decided to follow the Autoimmune Paleo protocol.
Because of this shift, I’m avoiding dairy, gluten, eggs, nightshades, and quite a few other foods. I know. It kind of sucks. But I’m actually feeling better, which helps on days when all I want is a couple fried eggs and some bacon.
What to Eat for Breakfast
Protein is so important. Making sure that you eat protein at every meal helps with blood sugar management, metabolism, and weight loss.
This is because protein helps you feel fuller longer. Because of the density of protein, your body burns a lot of calories to absorb and metabolize it.
When you eliminate eggs from the breakfast menu, it’s common for people (like me) to throw up their hands and walk out in a huff. But there are other ways to get protein (that don’t include sausages and bacon).
Really! You can totally get enough protein in your meal without eating eggs.
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Smoothies
Some people feel like smoothies are the “quintessential” breakfast food. I tend to agree. I am a huge fan of making smoothies for just about any meal.
No, I’m not talking about buying an expensive protein shake mix (though you can totally do that if you want to). I’m talking about smoothies that you make using fresh, real food.
Smoothies that contain ingredients like greek yogurt, oatmeal, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits.
When made right, smoothies can be real nutritional powerhouses. They contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and even healthy fats.
Smoothies have been shown to help you feel full, keep you feeling fuller longer, and help to stabilize blood sugar and insulin.
You can even make smoothie packets to keep in the freezer for mornings when you’re rushed.
A simple fruit smoothie contains around 6 grams of protein, but when you add in greek yogurt (even if it’s dairy free), nut butter, and some greens, you can boost the protein content by quite a bit.
Nuts & Seeds
Stay with me here. Remember, nut butters aren’t just for smoothies. They’re made from real nuts. I know. It’s crazy. And nuts are crazy good for you.
Nuts and seeds contain protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
This is why nuts and seeds are a great contribution to a healthy, protein-heavy breakfast. There are even companies that make grain-free granola using nuts and seeds.
I’ve tried a lot of them, and I honestly cannot pick a favorite. This new take on an old favorite is delicious, filling, and quickly becoming one of my go-to breakfasts.
I promise you won’t miss the oats.
Nuts and seeds are also the perfect fast food if you’re running late in the mornings (because it happens, right mamas?).
Instead of skipping breakfast, grab a small handful of almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds as you’re running out the door. That way you can eat them while you’re on your way to work or story time.
Vegetables
You already know you really should get protein at every meal including breakfast…but what about getting the rest of your nutrients?
Vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, and water. You can’t go wrong adding them into every single meal of the day so if you don’t already you should definitely have vegetables for breakfast.
And no, you don’t need to eat a green salad or roasted veggies for breakfast if you don’t want to (but you totally can).
A handful of spinach or kale is easy to blend right into your smoothie and you won’t even taste it. If you’re feeling a little bit brave, you can try sauteed greens with a steak or sausage for a filling and delicious meal.
And there you have it! Three options for breakfast that don’t include eggs.
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Did you know that there were so many egg-free breakfast options? I was shocked when I realized that my life most certainly was not over when eggs were taken off the menu.