Taking online classes, especially during the winter, has thrown off a lot of our morning routines. I used to make myself a smoothie and a hot coffee to-go every morning before running out the door for my 8 AM’s. But now that I don’t have to physically be anywhere, my morning routine has become much more relaxed. As a result, I started eating breakfast later, or skipping it entirely! However, that’s not ideal, and I quickly pulled myself back on track using these easy recipes — I can make almost all of these in under five minutes and still be on time for class.
The first was, and still is, my go-to — a smoothie! I keep frozen fruits and fresh spinach stocked, so all I have to do in the morning is dump both into the blender with a little bit of water. I usually throw about three quarters of a cup of greek yogurt in for protein — you could also use protein powder if you prefer. I just throw a straw into the cup I used to blend my ingredients together and drink it straight out of there for convenience and efficiency in the morning, although I doubt it would take you much more time to pour it into a cup.
Continuing with the idea of fresh fruit in the morning, you can also make yourself a bowl. I base mine with either greek yogurt or an açai blend. I then top mine with peanut butter, fresh berries, granola, and coconut shavings — the possibilities are endless. Some of my friends use cacao nibs, honey, spirulina, and more — all options are delicious!
Next up, a more savory idea — an egg quesadilla. I like to start warming my pan first, then while it heats up, I prep my ingredients. I usually go for simplicity, with a single egg and my favorite seasonings, but you can also mix in some veggies. Once you have your egg mixture ready, oil or butter your pan and pour the mixture in. Swirl it around your pan so it evenly covers the base. Once it has a solid bottom, I put my tortilla on top of the egg and wait for it to bind. Once the tortilla has warmed up and bound to the egg, I flip the combined tortilla and egg, then sprinkle on some cheese. Fold over the tortilla, let both sides brown, and there you go! It sounds like a bit of a long process, but once you’ve done it a couple times, it only takes a few minutes.
Next up, oats. Yes, old news. However, they’re a classic for a reason. You can go sweet or savory with these. I like to make my overnight oats sweet, and my baked oats savory, but you really can’t go wrong. As long as you take the time to prep these at the beginning of the week, getting them ready in the morning only takes about thirty seconds. All you need to do for overnight oats is give them a quick mix and maybe throw in some fresh berries; baked oats just need to be thrown in the microwave!
Lastly, if you’re really pressed for time, a protein bar and a fresh piece of fruit is still a solid breakfast! Some people choose to make their own protein bars; I usually just buy myself all natural ones.
I hope these breakfast ideas will encourage you to fuel your body and brain before your early morning lectures! Best of luck with the rest of the semester!