My own breakfast go-to? It jumps back and forth: green smoothies when I feel like it’s been awhile since green-anything made an appearance on my plate, a bowl of yogurt buried beneath a heap of fruit or compote, a pain au chocolat from my neighborhood bakery when I need a pain au chocolat. I wouldn’t enjoy any one without the others (I’m not the sort of person who can eat the same thing for breakfast every day), but admittedly the pain au chocolat is the one that makes my heart leap up—from joy, yes, but also because my bakery of choice is extremely generous with the chocolate, which makes me sugar-wiggle all morning long.
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Here are a few breakfast ideas to add to your regular rotation that won’t give you the jitters. Most are quick or make-ahead, all have little to no added sugar, and all are thoroughly recommended:
SWEET: SCHOOL MORNING MUESLI AND CHIA SEED PUDDING
Muesli, the Swiss standard, and their little sisters overnight oats and chia pudding, are creamy, spectacularly mushy, and utterly comforting. Fold in fresh fruit, coconut shreddies, nuts and seeds, fruit juice, yogurt, milk or alt-milk. Go to bed. Wake up to breakfast.
Find the muesli recipe here and the chia seed pudding recipe here.
SWEET: YOGURT AND BERRY TART WITH A PECAN CRUST
With a crust that’s just nuts and a tablespoon of honey, and a filling that’s straight-up yogurt, you’ve got a super-high protein, super-low sugar breakfast that’ll keep you going for a while. And you could easily switch up the yogurt (vanilla? fruity?) and the fruit depending on which way the wind’s blowing.
Find the recipe here.
SWEET: TWO INGREDIENT PANCAKES
Two! Ingredient! Banana! Pancakes! That’s all there is to say about that.
Get the recipe here.
SWEET: APRICOT, DATE AND CASHEW SNACK BALLS
Bet you have all the ingredients (all 6 of them) for these in your pantry. Bet you can’t eat just one! Bet you’ll make a batch next week, too, and another one to stash in your desk drawer.
Find the recipe here.
SAVORY: ANY FRITTATA
Eat it hot. Eat it cold. Eat it in a sandwich. Eat it for breakfast and lunch. Put your leftovers in it! Are you pulling the eggs out of the fridge yet?
Get a recipe here.
SAVORY: YOGURT BISCUITS
They’re ready in 20 minutes. Twenty! That includes prep time! Oh, and there are just 5 ingredients.
The recipe is here.
SAVORY: TURKISH-STYLE POACHED EGGS WITH GARLIC YOGURT, CHILI FLAKES, AND WALNUT BUTTER
Your eggs (poached, as above, or a weekday-friendlier fried) want to snuggle into a bowl of yogurt. These ones are kicked up with walnuts and chile—but a heavy sprinkle of roughly chopped herbs (and/or a splatter of hot sauce or olive oil) would be really lovely, too.
The recipe is here.
SAVORY: TOMATO-Y, YOGURT-Y SHAKSHUKA
For the person who likes to linger over the paper at breakfast, even on weekdays: Make a batch of shakshuka on Sunday to carry you through the week, but fry (or soft-boil) an egg while your coffee brews every morning. Finish with a swirl of yogurt and a hit of parsley or mint or dill or all three, if you like.
Find the recipe here.
