We’re all guilty of having a second breakfast. Whether it’s a mouthful of muesli because we’ve already had eggs or a piece of sourdough for a pick-me-up, it’s often all we need to tide us over until lunch. And although it can be good to have many small meals throughout the day, if you’ve eaten an adequate breakfast, should you really still be hungry?
Someone who is a firm believer in “food is fuel” is an internationally acclaimed nutritional biochemist, Dr Libby Weaver. According to Weaver, the key to sustained energy is choosing the right foods. Her latest book, The Energy Guide, draws on years of academic and clinical experience to teach people how to reboot their diet to improve sleep, reduce stress and generate optimal energy—all of which start at breakfast.
While boredom is often the culprit for your mid-morning snacking, sometimes your first breakfast is actually to blame. Below, Dr. Weaver shares six of her favorite breakfast recipes to keep you fuelled and focused until lunch.
Pumpkin Quinoa Porridge
Serves 4
1 cup (250g) mashed roasted pumpkin
1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted, or ghee
2 cups (370g) rinsed, cooked quinoa
2 Tbsp almond butter
100g blueberries
1 pomegranate, seeds removed
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup (optional)
Method
- Place the pumpkin, cinnamon, and half the coconut oil or ghee in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until warmed through.
- Place the quinoa and remaining coconut oil or ghee in a separate saucepan and warm gently over medium heat.
- Spoon the quinoa into a bowl and top with the pumpkin. Add the almond butter, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, and a drizzle of maple syrup if you like.
Breakfast Bowl
Serves 4
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 avocado, cut into quarters
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 handfuls of watercress or baby spinach leaves
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup (55g) mixed seeds, such as linseeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds
Method
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and gently lower the eggs into the water. Cook for 6 minutes, then remove from the pan and rinse under cold water. Peel straight away.
- Divide the avocado, tomato, and watercress or spinach among four bowls. Top with a soft-boiled egg, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil and sprinkle with seeds.
Strawberry Chia Pots
Serves 4
250g strawberries, hulled and halved
1 banana, chopped
1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp melted extra virgin coconut oil, at room temperature
1 × 400ml tin coconut cream
1⁄2 cup (70g) black chia seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
Method
- Place 200g of the strawberries and the banana, spices, vanilla, coconut oil, and coconut cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold through the chia seeds.
- Divide among four serving pots or bowls then covers and refrigerate overnight. Serve with the remaining strawberry halves and a sprinkle of extra chia seeds.
Sesame Eggs with Asparagus Soldiers
Serves 4
1 bunch asparagus (180g), trimmed
1 Tbsp Dukkah or toasted sesame seeds
Sea salt
4 eggs, at room temperature
Method
- Steam the asparagus for 3 minutes or until bright green and tender.
- Place the dukkah or sesame seeds in a bowl, add salt and mix to combine.
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Gently lower the eggs into the pan and cook for 4 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and transfer to egg cups.
- Cut the tops off the eggs straight away, sprinkle with the dukkah or sesame seeds and serve with the steamed asparagus.
Avocado and Eggs Bowls
Serves 4
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
A handful of small basil leaves, torn
A handful of small flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 avocados, halved and stones removed
Method
- Combine the lemon juice and olive oil. Place the egg, tomato, and herbs in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and gently mix to combine.
- Fill the avocado halves with the egg mixture and finish with a drizzle of the dressing.
Omelets with Avocado and Leafy Greens
Serves 4
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 sheets nori, sliced into 1 cm strips
2 avocados, thinly sliced
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Heat half the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add half the beaten egg and swirl to coat the base of the pan; you want a thin omelet so pour off the excess if you add too much.
- Cook until the edge of the omelet starts to set, lifting it with a spatula and allowing any uncooked egg to run underneath. Once the base is set, flip and cook the other side. Remove the omelet from the
pan and repeat with the remaining beaten egg. - Top each omelet with nori, sliced avocado, and spinach. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, then roll up to enclose the filling.
- Cut the omelets in half and divide them among four plates to serve.
Images and recipes from The Energy Guide by Dr. Libby Weaver, published by Macmillan. Available at all good book retailers on April 1, 2017. If you’d like to hear more from Dr. Libby Weaver, she will be touring Australia this May presenting “Sort Your Sleep,” a symposium about mood, stress, and fatigue.
