For decades, we have been getting to hear the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast. But how many of us literally follow this?
Being a woman entrepreneur, keeping ourselves fit and healthy is of utmost importance. No matter how late I am running for my next meeting, I prefer to sit down for a while and enjoy my breakfast. If we won’t keep ourselves energetic, then who will?
In a recent conversation with a few women entrepreneurs who have rough-tough schedules shared how having a wholesome breakfast can change everything.
Let’s hear from them about why having a power-up breakfast is important for a productive day.
1. Burritos
Starting the workday off with a full belly and some coffee has been my routine for years. I am a firm believer that beginning on the right foot determines how the rest of your day will go. The go-to breakfast food that keeps me going and instantly boosts my mood is a breakfast burrito.
Breakfast burritos are extremely customizable for diet restrictions, and you can use pretty much anything in your fridge or pantry to make them. My go-to recipe has sauteed black beans, scrambled egg, cheddar cheese, sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh salsa, sour cream, and my favorite hot sauce in a fluffy white or whole wheat tortilla. I then pan fry the burrito for a few seconds on each side to make the outside nice and crispy and the cheese inside super melty.
You can add anything from avocado to roast chicken, fresh lettuce, turkey bacon, or even crumbled tofu. I sometimes make a couple at a time and refrigerate one to reheat the next day if I am short on time as these burritos keep really well. This breakfast is packed with protein and keeps me full until lunch. I never get sick of these burritos and have them almost every morning!” Laura Ritterman, Owner of Recipe Fairy
2. Banana Smoothies
After my morning celery juice, I have a large power smoothie jam-packed with 5 bananas, 2 dates, some greens, and frozen fruit. I usually use pineapple because of its myriad health benefits; it’s high in fiber and contains vitamins A and C, manganese, calcium, and folic acid. It’s also a great anti-inflammatory!
Dates are a must in my morning smoothies because they’re packed with healthy carbs, as well as antioxidants. And, of course, adding greens gives it that extra vitamin and mineral boost. Green veggies like spinach and kale have the power to prevent disease, improve eye health and even help you live longer. So, really, there’s nothing they can’t do! Plus, it’s a great way of getting more green veggies if you’re not a big fan of them on their own.
My morning smoothies are sweet, and nutritious and they fill me up for 3 hours or more – until lunchtime at least. All you really need is a good-quality blender. They make the perfect breakfasts for busy entrepreneurs because they set you up for the day ahead, and you can take them with you on the go! So many people skip breakfast because they’re short on time, but this is the worst thing you can do.
If you find yourself lacking time in the morning, just whip up a smoothie the night before, so you can grab it on your way to the office. Nadia McDannels, founder of the successful healthy living blog Berryabundantlife.
3. A wholesome bowl of tofu
I love this breakfast for how balanced it is. It’s packed with plant-based protein from the tofu, slow-burning carbs from the bread, and fats from the olive oil. All of these are important to me because this is what gives me long-lasting energy without that mid-morning crash. This breakfast is also packed with fiber, which leaves me feeling fuller for longer. Petranka Atanasova – Food Blogger, Photographer, Recipe Developer, Former Chef
4. Avocado Toast
If there’s one dish that I pretty much eat every day for breakfast, it is Avocado Toast, as it is a nutrient-dense food that is not only easy to make in the morning but also offers me a great source of nutrients, protein, and fiber that allows me to sustain high energy levels throughout my busy days. And when topped with crusty or toasted whole-grain bread and sprinkled with salt and pepper, I find that 1 peeled and seeded avocado in a bowl offers me a good amount of healthy fat and filling fiber that usually keeps me well-satisfied and full throughout the rest of the morning. And the best part about it is that it can also be mixed with a variety of other dishes in the morning, so there are some days like on weekends that I like to spice things up by topping it with egg, turkey ham, or ricotta. However, since I’m often in a hurry on weekdays, I simply mash up one peeled avocado in a bowl, put in a small dash of lime or even orange, add about half a teaspoon of cilantro, put in a few cut-up tomatoes, throw in some salt and pepper for the taste, lay it on 2 toasted slices of whole-grain bread, and voila! I have myself an instant breakfast that’s both nutritious and satisfying. Eden Cheng, Co-Founder, PeopleFinderFree
5. English breakfast and white tea
As a female entrepreneur myself, I like to have a calm breakfast, sit at my table, and take a moment to relax in the morning. I have some backyard chickens, the Americana breed, to be exact, and they lay eggs that have a shell color of light blue. I do two eggs, a whole wheat bagel and grass-fed butter toasted, and a bunch of fresh fruit like cut-up peach slices, plums, apples, pears, kiwi, and sun kiwi. I sometimes add a cup of raw milk on the side as my beverage or white tea. Sitting down to have a nutrition-rich breakfast gives me a great start to my day and grounded energy to take on anything that comes my way. I love thinking about my backyard chickens while enjoying the fresh eggs. I enjoy my eggs sunny side up so I can get my whole wheat bagel or English muffin in the yolk.
In addition, I love Ayurvedic principles that speak to the power of mindful eating and truly being so grateful for the food. No matter your religion or culture, taking a moment to be grateful for the food in front of you is really important at the beginning of your meal. Also, sitting down, chewing your food, being calm, and how you eat your food is a really important part of eating breakfast, more so beyond just what you are consuming physically. If you are stressed out, getting yelled at or yelling at someone, or frazzled while eating, you are eating all of these intense emotions, and that can lead to an upset stomach. Focus on having a peaceful morning while you are eating, and you’ll have a great start to your day. Katie Ziskind, LMFT, RYT500, Owner, Wisdom Within Counseling
6. Bread and Peanut nut butter
A good breakfast choice is whole-grain bread and some nut butter. I like this option because you can vary it and try different nut butter and bread for a slightly different taste. Fruit spread can be added too if you like a little sweetness at breakfast, but just be sure to get some fiber, protein, and fat out of your breakfast. Those components of your meal will help you to stay full, so you don’t overeat later on in the day. They are important components of the diet for health as well. Whole-grain bread and nut butter also contain a host of vitamins and minerals the body requires for health. These are considered “essential nutrients,” meaning the body cannot make them, and we must consume them in the diet. I would consider this a “nutrient-dense” breakfast with a lot of value nutritionally. I also appreciate that it is super easy to prepare and could easily be transported as well. To take it with me, I might cut the bread in half and make a little sandwich. You could easily put this in a small container or small bag and eat it at your desk at work. Jinan Banna, Ph.D., RD. A registered dietitian and professor of nutrition.
7. Tigrillo
Being a wife, mother and CEO are wonderful yet demanding, so I must not neglect my health and diet. Therefore it is of utmost importance to eat well, especially at breakfast.
One of the most exquisite dishes that help me maintain energy throughout the morning is a typical Ecuadorian dish called Tigrillo. This dish is based on green plantain, a banana that exists in the Equatorial zone of the planet; it is produced on the coast in areas up to about 1000 m above sea level; my family and I live at 2900 m above sea level;
To make this succulent breakfast for a family of 6-8, you will need 10 green bananas, ½ cup butter, 3 stalks of green onions, 6 eggs, and a cup of grated cheese. Now to prepare this meal. First, you must peel the green plantains and boil them; then, it is mashed and kneaded, the eggs are beaten and then scrambled in a pan. Meanwhile, in another pan, the green onions are sauteed in the butter, and lastly, everything is mixed together. Add salt to the taste. Tigrillo takes its name due to its final presentation, which is similar to the skin of the tigrillo, a small wild feline native to Ecuador. You can accompany this dish with coffee, fruit juice, or herbal tea.
My husband is American and has fallen in love with this local breakfast that allows us to have the necessary nutrients to sustain us until lunchtime. Also, it is important to note that this dish is really quite easy to make! Bárbara Luna de Murphy, Founder of Joyeria Flor de la Vida
8. Green Smoothie
This Green Smoothie is the perfect way to start the day! With only 3 simple ingredients, it is healthy, easy, and tastes sweet, creamy, and delicious. In less than 10 minutes, you can make this for an instant breakfast, snack, or make any time during the day when you need an energy boost. As a business owner of the popular healthy eating website and a mom, starting the day energized is super important because as any business owner will tell you, there is always something to do! For years, I would ‘wing’ it when it came to making a smoothie. It would turn out ‘too sour,’ ‘too sweet,’ or ‘too bitter,’ and all the benefits of a good smoothie would go to waste. This green smoothie, though, has the perfect balance between sweet mango and good-for-you-greens kale and spinach! Beyond its taste, this green smoothie also boasts an impressive nutritional lineup. Vitamin C from the mango, fiber from kale, plus phytonutrients and antioxidants from spinach – just to name a few benefits – you can’t simply achieve a better way to start the day than filled with a powerhouse of a smoothie! Olena Osipov, founder, iFOODreal
