What to Eat for Breakfast & Jelly Filled Oatmeal Muffins

I’m back again with one of my favorite light and fresh recipes- Jelly Filled Oatmeal Muffins!

This week’s recipe focus is all about breakfast and the things you should eat (and avoid) when preparing your first meal of the day. A few months ago I wrote a post about the benefits of eating breakfast, and today I’m excited to share some of my favorite things to eat in the morning, which yes, includes these delicious muffins I whipped together the other day.

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What to Eat for Breakfast

Protein

This is HUGE for me. I get low blood sugar easily, and the best way to avoid sugar crashes later on is to load up on protein all throughout the day. This is also great if I worked out in the morning, since it helps rebuild muscle and decreases muscle recovery time. Eating protein in the morning also helps balance out your day, because not only do you eat less throughout the day, but it also helps you avoid loading up on too much protein in the evenings. 

There is a such thing as too much protein (what you don’t use will be stored as fat), so don’t go overboard on it. The CDC recommends 2-3 servings of protein a day (about 46 grams a day for women and 56 grams for men)¹, and I try to space that out throughout the day. I normally have a serving of protein at breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack (when I workout) and dinner. 

Good sources of protein include eggs, lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish), legumes, Greek yogurt and protein powder. 

Carbs + Fiber

Another key to staying full for hours is eating foods that are good sources of carbohydrates and contain lots of fiber. Carbohydrates tend to get a bad rap, but when consumed correctly, they have so many benefits! They provide energy by providing our bodies with the glucose they need in order to function. Glucose comes from the sugars and starches in foods, which are broken down by insulin during digestion and then enter the cell walls to provide them with the energy they need to keep going. Eating foods high in fiber also help prevent the onset of Type 2 Diabetes, as well as obesity. And, when you are smart about the carbs you consume, you can actually lose weight!² The key is choosing the right carbohydrates and not eating too much of them.

I try to eat most of my carb heavy meals in the morning, giving my body plenty of time to digest them over the course of the day. Occasionally I’ll have pasta, sweet potatoes or another carb heavy food at dinner, but I try to limit those to once or twice a week. I am also trying to reduce the amounts of grains I consume, and stick mostly to rolled oats, sprouted bread (like Ezekiel’s) and quinoa. 

Good sources of carbohydrates include vegetables and fruit (like watermelon, berries, carrots, winter squashes and sweet potatoes), rice, whole grains and legumes.

Fruit 

Fruit is a great way to get a TON of vitamins and minerals in your diet without even realizing it. Most are easy to digest, which helps get your metabolism revving after fasting between diner and breakfast. They are also high in fiber, and the sugars found in fruits are a good way to get some quick energy first thing in the morning. Lots are high in vitamin C and antioxidants, which are perfect for helping boost your immune system!³ Who doesn’t want that? 

Since fruit is naturally high in sugar, I try to limit my daily intake to 2 servings a day and eat them primarily in the morning. In the afternoons and evenings I load up on all my veggies! 

Good fruits to try are berries (my faves are blackberries and strawberries), watermelon, oranges, grapefruit (without added sugar!), pears, apples and bananas.

Good fats

Fats are another food group that have received a lot of negative press lately. But did you know that fats don’t really make you fat? I know the name “fat” is very misleading, and I used to fall into the trap of buying err’thing fat free. However, research shows that when you consume the right kinds of fats that there are so many benefits that come along with it! Your body uses fats to do a number of different functions, including dissolving certain vitamins so they can be absorbed in the body. When you consume healthier dietary fats (Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated and Omega-3 fatty acids), you can reduce your risk of Type 2 Diabetes, improve blood cholesterol levels, and even decrease your risk of coronary heart disease.⁴ Incorporating fats into your diet can also keep you fuller longer! 

As great as fats are for you, they still need to be consumed in moderation. I use a lot of olive oil when I cook, coconut oil when I bake and nuts or seeds in my salads. I like adding some avocado with my eggs, peanut butter to my smoothies, and avoid heavily processed foods that may contain high levels of the “bad fats” (trans-fat and saturated fat). 

Good sources of fats are olive oil, peanut oil, coconut oil, flaxseed, walnuts, sunflower seeds and fish (if you like that in the morning…).

Jelly Filled Oatmeal Muffins

So when coming up with a light and fresh breakfast recipe for y’all, I took all of those points into consideration. I made these with whole grains that your body will love, filled them with some yummy jelly (because we all love a little something sweet, amiright?), and paired them with some scrambled eggs and fruit on the side. Talk about a balanced breakfast, y’all! I was seriously full till lunch (normally I need a snack or two between breakfast and lunch), and it left me feeling energized and ready for the day. Best of all, they are SO easy to whip together, and you will love love love them! 

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Jelly Filled Oatmeal Muffins

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• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 muffins 1x

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Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 rolled oats
• 1/2 coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup egg whites
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 jar jelly (I used strawberry)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin pans with silicone muffin liners and spray with coconut oil.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flours, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the egg whites, yogurt and vanilla.
4. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
5. Place 2 Tbsp of the batter in the bottom of each muffin cup, smooth it out and use a spoon to create an indent in the center of the batter.
6. Scoop about 2 tsp of jelly into the indention in each muffin. Carefully cover the jelly with the rest of the batter and smooth it out until the jelly is fully covered. Seal the edges by pressing down around the perimeter of the muffin.
7. Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and cooked through. Cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and liners and finish cooling on a baking rack.
8. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week! Top with some peanut butter or serve with a side of eggs and fruit.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keep an eye out for my upcoming post “What NOT to Eat for Breakfast”, where we’ll go through some of the mistakes we make when it comes to our first meal of the day! 

Looking for some more breakfast food inspiration? Check out these recipes! 

Now it’s your turn to talk! Answer one of the questions in the comments below:
What do you normally eat for breakfast?
What is your favorite type of muffin?

Sources:
1 http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/how-much-protein
2 http://www.med-health.net/Benefits-Of-Carbohydrates.html
3 http://livelovefruit.com/eating-fruit-for-breakfast-completely-transform-your-health/
4 http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fat/art-20045550?pg=2