Want to have dessert for breakfast? 

That’s going to make many of us wake up with a spring in our step! 

Breakfasts can be simple, fun, quick-to-make and healthy – all at the same time. Dietician and nutrition expert Julia Zumpano recommends 300 – 500 calories for breakfast, which is about 25% of your daily calorie intake. More important than calories, she says, is to make sure your first meal of the day includes a healthy assortment of foods. 

Here’s one of my favourite breakfast jars that is gluten-free (and guilt-free), is loaded with protein and carbs, and your daily quota of vitamins and minerals for that jumpstart morning!

Ingredients: Serves 01

Rolled oats (soaked overnight in water) – 4 tbsps.

Nuts of your choice – soaked overnight – 01 tbsp.

Seeds of your choice – soaked overnight – 01 tbsp.

Dry fruits of your choice – 01 tbsp.

A seasonal fruit (for topping) – 01 tbsp.

Non-diary milk – 100 ml

Jaggery powder – 01 tsp.

Chia seeds (or Conscious Food Flax seeds) – 01 tsp.

Instructions: 

Before you go to bed, soak the rolled oats in a mason jar (or any other open-mouthed jar) with just about enough water. The next morning, just layer the jar with all the goodies you soaked for your healthy breakfast jar. Pour your favourite non-diary milk to the brim, sprinkle chia seeds, fresh fruit and jaggery powder. Seal and take it along with you to work or dig into it instantly before you plunge into your day’s work. 

Include this completely plant-based breakfast in your list and have fun alternating the ingredients with nut butters, dark chocolate chips, granola, and your favourite fruit. Get creative and invent your own along the way! Online marketplaces like Earthbased offer a wide range of non-dairy products, nuts and dry fruits to choose from. 

Good to know: Soaking nuts and seeds overnight neutralises phytates and enzyme inhibiters that make digestion difficult.  Overnight oats keep your hunger pangs at bay, are loaded with fibre, vitamins and minerals and complex carbohydrates that stabilise sugar levels. (healthline.com)