Yes you can have it both ways...
We've all been there. You wake up, groggily stumble into the kitchen and realize your stomach isn't quite ready to take on the world yet. They say that breakfast is a very important meal, if not the most important, yet so many of us fight the temptation to skip this meal each and every day. In order not to allow this to happen, we must resort to a morning ritual of positive self talk with our digestive system to coax our bodies to even want breakfast. Once we take that first bite or two, we begin to relax and hopefully enjoy the process of taking in this much needed nourishment.
Ideally a well balanced breakfast should contain protein and some carbs to fuel our bodily systems which are firing up to meet the challenges of the day ahead. Maybe you have a fully stacked day of meetings, a full day of school volunteering, bookings over the lunch hour or lots of prep to do before an important presentation. Days like these are unavoidable but if you don't take the opportunity to fuel your body before this circus starts, you will have missed your chance and locked in the inevitable exhausted, defeated feeling of having not achieved any self care for the day.
It's possible some folks roll out of bed, ravenous and willing to put away a spread made up of all of the basic food groups...my teenage boys come to mind...all the power to these fortunate folks. But even they can succumb to another sunrise pitfall...boredom. Most pantries are stocked to cater to a rotating carousel of a very limited set breakfast choices. This is due to either a limited budget, limited time, limited expiry dates of the items in question or let's face it, limited imagination. All of these reasons are completely valid, realistic and justified.
The staples, such as cereals, yogurt, eggs, may not be easy to change or substitute but we can certainly put a new spin on them to make breakfast more interesting and appealing to all of our senses. When considering this, think beyond what the stomach wants, and consider what the nose, mouth and eyes want too. For instance, simply adding a pleasing new aroma and texture to your boring oatmeal can be enough to make the tummy say, "Yes, I want in on that!".
On that note, Birch for Breakfast is a great way to ignite the taste buds, add a little bit of sweetness without overcharging, and provide a smooth satisfying texture, not to mention a tangy caramel aroma that your nose will love. The kids will love it too, especially if you need to resort to "sweeten" the deal to get it down the hatch! Here are two ways to quickly elevate common breakfast fare that will light up your senses and make you happy that you took the time for a little self care today.
More ways to liven up breaky with Birch Syrup...
Tap our birch recipe blog to find more delightful breakfast ideas:
Birch for Breakfast Yogurt Sunrise
Recipe |
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Serves: One (it's every man/woman for themselves at this time, am I right?!) Prep Time: 5 minutes |
NOTES: Use whatever yogurt flavor you wish. Plain is perfect to limit your sugar intake and the birch syrup sweetens it just enough without adding a lot of sugar or calories. However, use Greek yogurt because it is thick, creamy, luxurious, and substantial, and will leaving you feeling fuller and more satisfied than thin, fat free varieties.
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Ingredients: 3/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt 3 - 4 Tbsp Granola (use gluten free if you have an issue with gluten) 1 cup of berries of your choice 1 - 2 tsp Birch for Breakfast syrup to taste |
Method: Gently wash berries in a colander. Let drain while you follow the below steps. Place yogurt in a breakfast bowl. Gently swirl with a spoon so the yogurt is smooth on top, Measure granola and place in a little pile in the middle of the yogurt. Gently surround the granola with the berries. Drizzle Birch for Breakfast over the berries. |
Birch for Breakfast Apple Pie Bowl
If you love apple pie, you will absolutely adore this breakfast. This will not be the sugar bomb that regular apple pie is so it's perfect for the first meal of the day!
Gluten Friendly Modifications |
To make this recipe gluten friendly, make sure to use Gluten Free Quick Oats instead of regular Quick Oats. |
Serves: One Prep Time: 7 minutes |
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Ingredients: 1/2 cup Quick Oats (Gluten free if needed) 1/2 cup Milk (or use Oat or Almond Milk) 1/2 cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce 1 tsp Cinnamon Birch for Breakfast syrup to taste 1/2 Apple cut into wedges
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Method: Prepare oatmeal and milk in a breakfast bowl according to package instructions. When the oatmeal is cooked, add in apple sauce and cinnamon. Mix well. Place apple wedges neatly in a fanned circle on top of the oatmeal. Drizzle with Birch for Breakfast Syrup letting it puddle here and there on the oatmeal. This makes for varied taste with each mouthful, again just adding a bit of delight to the senses. |