5 Healthy Versions of Familiar Breakfast Dishes

For most people, Sundays are traditional breakfast days, whether that means whipping up some pancakes or scrambling some eggs with hash browns. But if you’re watching your waistline and health, Sunday breakfast can become a pitfall. Here are five ways to boost the nutritional value and cut the calories of your favorite breakfast dishes.

1. Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

This healthy alternative to ordinary breakfast muffins is filled with fiber and low in sugar.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 cups whole wheat flour

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Grease a 12-muffin tin with cooking spray
• In a large bowl, mix the coconut oil and maple syrup, beating them with a whisk until combined
• Add the eggs and continue to beat
• Stir in the buttermilk, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla extract, whisking to blend
• Stir in the zucchini
• Add the flour, stirring until just combined
• Fold in the nuts
• Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups
• Bake the muffins for 20 minutes until golden on top
• Allow muffins to cool before serving

2. Vegan Banana Quinoa Pancakes

Pancakes are traditional breakfast food, but they aren’t the best way to start your day. After all, they’re filled with simple carbohydrates, fat, and sugar. This healthy version is vegan and uses cooked quinoa and buckwheat flour in place of white flour, adding protein and fiber.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 dates, pitted and soaked
• 1 banana, crushed
• 1 packet powdered stevia

Directions

• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and combine until smooth
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones
• Preheat a skillet under medium heat
• Add some coconut oil, and dab some mixture onto it
• Wait a few minutes, and then flip
• Serve the pancakes with margarine and maple syrup with some fruit on the side

3. Vegetable Chicken Breakfast Burrito

The traditional breakfast burrito is filled with unhealthy, high-calorie and fatty ingredients — cheese, sausage, potatoes, eggs. This healthy version consists of lean proteins and vegetables. It’s low in fat and calories but high in taste.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 chicken breast, grilled and diced
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon plum sauce

• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 2 mushu wrappers
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

• Grill the chicken and dice it
• Heat a nonstick pan and add one tablespoon olive oil
• Pour the beaten egg in the pan and spreading the egg evenly, moving in a circular motion
• Once the egg begins to set, place the green onions on top
• Cook on low heat, seasoning your onions with salt and pepper
• Plate your eggs along with your diced chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, wrappers, and sauce

4. Light Eggs Benedict

The traditional Eggs Benedict is loaded with fat and calories. This one uses low-fat ingredients that don’t skimp on taste.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 whole wheat English muffin
• 2 slices Canadian bacon
• 1/4 cup lemon low fat yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Cooking spray

Directions

• In a skillet over medium heat, lightly brown Canadian bacon in cooking spray
• Remove the bacon from skillet
• In a small saucepan combine the lemon yogurt, dry mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper, whisking gently on low heat until warm and smooth
• Fill a large skillet with two inches of water and one tablespoon vinegar
• Bring the water to a boil
• Reduce heat and keep water at a slow boil
• Crack the eggs in a dish and pour them in the skillet
• Simmer for five minutes
• Toast the English muffin
• Place the toasted muffin halves on a plate with ham on top
• After five minutes, remove the eggs from the water, and place on top of ham
• Drizzle the sauce over the top, and garnish with parsley

5. Roasted Tomato Tofu Scramble

This vegan alternative is a healthier option instead of your traditional scrambled eggs. It’s low in fat, high in protein, and filled with vegetables.

Ingredients

• 4 tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 packages extra firm tofu, drained
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Dice the tomatoes
• In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper
• Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for half hour
• In a medium bowl combine the garlic powder, herbs, and turmeric
• Crumble the tofu in the bowl, and mix to combine
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat
• Add one tablespoon oil
• Sauté the vegetables until tender
• Add the tofu and nutritional yeast
• Serve with the roasted tomatoes

References

1. “29 Healthy Versions Of Your Favorite Comfort Foods,” BuzzFeed, January 4, 2014.
2. “56 Cheap and Healthy Breakfast Recipes,” Greatist, February 7, 2015.
3. “Best Healthy Breakfast Recipes,” Food Network, August 23, 2015.
4. “Healthy Breakfast and Brunch Recipes,” Cooking Light, February 28, 2013.