There can’t be many amongst us who dislike the fabulousness of a hearty ‘hotel breakfast’ spread – at a time when your body desperately needs fuel to power up, gather mental alertness, and prepare you for the day ahead, the trusty hotel delivers in spades! By starting the day correctly with a healthy meal, you’ll underpin the rest of the day and your body will be less likely to panic for food or overeat later. Also, by stabilising blood sugar levels early on, regulating energy and appetite, you’re more likely to avoid the classic irritability and lack of concentration.
Becoming a morning person is all about getting into a tolerable routine and what better way to do it than by bringing a little excitement to the ritual; a hotel-like breakfast. Rather than stressing your way out the front door on an empty stomach and demolishing a coffee and croissant on the go (both responsible for eventual blood sugar dips), take some time to wake up at the breakfast table, sip a green tea, read the paper, and enjoy a colourful, restorative, tasty meal in the same way you might do on holiday! It can (and should) be a fabulous meal like any other to really enjoy and look forward to. There is a huge amount of choice too; breakfast doesn’t just have to be bran flakes out of a cardboard box… If your reason for not having breakfast is because you’re time-poor, check out my healthy muesli which only involves the time it takes to add milk to a bowl! However, my breakfast this Sunday morning was made up of a selection of healthy dishes but in rather smaller portions – a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and plenty of vitamins and minerals. A bowl of porridge topped with some yummy berries, a hard-boiled egg, smoked salmon and avocado, a small glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a cup of green tea. I’m loving grapefruit at the moment so managed to add a half as well.
See more photos and nutritional info below… Faya x 🙂
Instructions
1) SMOKED SALMON: A great source of protein with 22 grams per 100 (good for muscle repair & growth), it’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids – ‘good’ fats which help reduce inflammation, improve cell function, and have been shown to promote an improved brain function. It’s low in cholesterol and sodium, and has 0 grams of carbohydrates, fibre and sugar.
2) BOILED EGG: Also high in protein (13g protein per 100g), very low in carbohydrates (1g per 100g).
3) AVOCADO: One half of a ripe avocado. Packed with healthy fats, the good monounsaturated fat work wonders for skin, hair, training results and general well being. It also boosts levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol, which can help to protect against damage from free radicals. You don’t need to skip fats to lose weight – the body needs them for a range of functions, and avocado is rich in what we need! So too are almonds for that matter – throw them in too!
4) GRAPEFRUIT: Extremely rich in vitamin C, dietary fibre (pectin), with a remarkably low glycemic index to help your metabolism get to work on fats.
5) PORRIDGE WITH BERRIES: low-GI, complex carb porridge (I’ve opted for a gluten-free brand of oats this morning but to be fair, normal ‘whole rolled oats’ work just as well) which releases energy slowly throughout the morning, cooked in water, with just a touch of skimmed milk added later for authenticity! Rather than stirring in dollops of honey or sugar, why not unleash a topping of some raspberries and blueberries, perhaps with a dusting of cinnamon, to load the dish with flavour, taste and texture, as well as anti-oxidants and complex sugars. VERY hearty!
6) GREEN TEA: Contains not only caffeine for a bit of a wake-me-up, but also plant extracts called polyphenols which have been shown to stimulate thermogenesis and fat oxidation, & therefore increase metabolic rate. That’s short-hand for ‘burn more calories, quicker’. It weighs in at a featherweight 1 calorie/200ml, with no saturated fat, no sodium, no cholesterol etc. and only 0.2g of total carbs! So it’s a pretty safe pick me up, whilst simulating the sensation of being full, and ultimately hydrating! So instead of starting your day with a vanilla latte (c. 250 calories, 12g sugar and too much fat) make it a far healthier caffeine choice!
7) FRESHLY SQUEEZED ORANGE JUICE: like most citrus fruit orange is also a great source of vitamin C (100grams provides c. 89% of your daily requirements) – great for an immune boost in these cold times!
