Everything you eat either lowers or promotes inflammation. Everyone is different, but for the most part whole foods are your best bet. Many premade breakfast foods are full of sugar, grains, sodium, bad fats, etc. Although they are convenient they aren't doing you any health favors. Avoid the unhealthy convenience by making your own anti-inflammatory breakfasts. Here's how:
NUTTY CHOCO-NANA PALEO PANCAKES
Almost everyone loves pancakes. Try these chocolate gems.
For the Chocolate Sauce:
¼ coconut oil, melted
4 T raw cacao powder
For the Pancakes:
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas
2 T raw cacao powder
2 T creamy almond butter
1 t pure vanilla extract
1/8 t salt
Coconut oil, for greasing
For the Chocolate Sauce:
Melt the coconut oil first and stir in the cacao powder. Mix until fully combined and set aside.
For the Pancakes:
Preheat a large skillet to medium-low heat and add a tablespoon of coconut oil for greasing.
Place all pancake ingredients into a food processor (or blender) and pulse on high until smooth.
Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, scoop out the batter and pour onto the skillet to form one pancake. Cook for five minutes and then carefully flip over to cook for another two minutes. Repeat this process until you have cooked 10 pancakes and the batter is gone.
Transfer the pancakes onto a wire baking rack to cool for five minutes before serving.
Keep pancakes in the refrigerator up to five days or in the freezer up to 30 days.
https://blog.paleohacks.com/nutty-choco-nana-paleo-pancakes/
AMARANTH PORRIDGE WITH ROASTED PEARS
I used to love cream of wheat, but when I learned that grains, especially wheat, promote inflammation in my body I had to find an alternative. Here is a good one.
Porridge
½ cup uncooked amaranth
1/2 cup water
1 cup cashew milk
¼ teaspoon salt
Pears
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 large pear
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
Pecan/Pear Topping
2 tablespoons pecan pieces
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt, for serving
Preheat oven to 400˚.
Drain and rinse amaranth. Combine with one cup milk, water, and salt. Bring amaranth to a boil, and reduce to a simmer (all the way to low.) Cover and let simmer for 25 minutes until the amaranth is soft but there is still some liquid left. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 more minutes to thicken amaranth. Add a bit more milk to thin the texture out if desired.
Toss together the 1 teaspoon maple syrup with the pecan pieces. Roast until the pecans are toasted and the maple syrup has dried, 10 to 15 minutes. Pecans will become quite fragrant when done. Pecans will crisp as they cool.
Along with the pecans, dice the pears and toss with the remaining 1 teaspoon of maple syrup and spices. Roast in a roasting pan for 15 minutes, until the pears are tender.
Stir in 3/4 of the roasted pears in the porridge. Divide yogurt into two bowls and top with porridge, roasted pecans, and pear pieces.
https://naturallyella.com/amaranth-porridge-with-roasted-pears/
SWEET POTATO CRANBERRY BARS
Sweet potatoes have vitamins C & E along with beta carotene which all reduce inflammation.
1 ½ cups sweet potato purée
¼ cup water
2 T coconut oil, melted
2 T maple syrup
2 eggs
1 cup almond meal
⅓ cup coconut flour
1 ½ t baking soda
1 cup fresh cranberries
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato purée, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and eggs. Stir until combined.
In another bowl, sift the almond meal, coconut flour, and baking soda together, and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture and mix well.
Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with coconut oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and use a wet spatula to smooth out the top and to fill out the corners. Press the cranberries on top.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing into squares.
https://blog.paleohacks.com/sweet-potato-cranberry-breakfast-bars/
SMOKED SALMON SCRAMBLED EGGS
Incorporate fatty fish into your diet any way you can to help reduce inflammation.
4 eggs
4 slices smoked salmon, chopped
2 tbsp. coconut milk
Fresh chives, finely chopped
Cooking fat
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, whisk the eggs, coconut milk, and fresh chives. Season to taste.
Melt some cooking fat in a skillet and add the eggs.
Scramble the eggs while cooking.
When the eggs start to settle add the smoked salmon and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
Serve with more chives sprinkled on top.
https://paleoleap.com/scrambled-eggs-smoked-salmon/
TURKEY SWEET POTATO HASH
This is so much better than regular hash browns.
1 tbsp coconut oil or avocado oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium sweet potato, diced
1.5 cups Brussels sprouts, halved
1 pink lady apple, diced
2 cups kale, chopped
2 tsp rosemary
2 tsp sage
1 tsp sea salt
Using a large cast iron skillet, or a pan, cook the ground turkey on medium heat until cooked through, lightly seasoning with some of the seasonings (reserve the majority for later). Set aside, reserving some of the fat in the pan.
Add in the coconut/avocado oil and sauté the sweet potato for 5 minutes, before adding in the Brussels sprouts. Sauté for another 15 minutes until the veggies have softened and crisped to liking.
Add in the diced apple and kale and sauté for another 4-5 minutes or until slightly softened.
Re-incorporate the ground turkey, and add the remainder of the seasonings. Stir until fully combined, and season further to taste.
Serve warm and enjoy!
https://unboundwellness.com/turkey-breakfast-hash/
CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHIA PUDDING
This powerhouse of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids is a perfect start to the day.
2 tablespoons chia seeds
½ cup Unsweetened Silk Vanilla Cashew Milk
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia or 1 teaspoon 100% maple syrup if not low carb or sugar free
⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon raw cacao powder
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
more orange zest for topping optional
Place all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Cover with a lid.
It may look watery, but allow it to sit overnight (or at least a few hours) for it to thicken.
Top with additional orange zest if desired. ENJOY!
https://laurenkellynutrition.com/chocolate-orange-chia-pudding/
Most diseases have an inflammatory component. Keeping inflammation under control brings these benefits:
helps control autoimmune disorders like arthritis, lupus, IBD, etc.
decreases the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer
good blood sugar and cholesterol levels
mood & depression improvement
There are lots of choices for breakfast. Make good choices with recipes like these to start off your day right.
Here's to your health! Happy Cooking!