It’s November? Already?! Time seems to be flying and dragging, all at the same time, don’t you agree? I hope you are healthy, happy, and finding lots to be thankful for as we continue to grind through this pandemic.
As the days (and our patience!) get shorter, we all need gentle reminders to be taking good care of ourselves. It’s so easy to resort to behaviors that provide a false sense of comfort when the going gets tough – eating foods that don’t serve our bodies, drinking more alcohol, skipping workouts, and binging on TV shows instead of getting those precious ZZZs (see my blog from last month for more on that!). We are all doing our best, and kudos to you for all that you have done to keep yourself and your loved ones safe in the past 9 months. If we are to persevere, it’s important to be doing the little things to keep our bodies, minds, and souls intact.
In the spirit of self-care and perseverance, this month I’d like to challenge you to take your breakfast game up a notch. Why breakfast? I’ve found that many people struggle with healthy breakfast ideas so they either skip this important meal altogether or fall back on the old standbys: bagels with cream cheese, cereal, pancakes, or baked goods, none of which provide many nutritional benefits. While there’s no harm in enjoying these classic breakfast staples on occasion, breakfast is an opportune time to start your day strong with delicious, nutrient-dense foods. We don’t usually think about prioritizing vegetables at breakfast, but I’m here to change your mindset about that.
For the month of November, I’m challenging you to have a vegetable with breakfast – every day. If every day feels overwhelming, try starting with weekdays, or even just every other day. Some is better than none, and as you start to see and feel the benefits of having more veggies, it will be easy to make it a daily habit.
There are lots of creative and simple ways to include a veggie with breakfast. Here are a few:
- Add veggies to a smoothie – frozen cauliflower, spinach, kale, chard, cucumber, winter squash, carrots, beets, celery, parsley all work well!
- Sautee a bunch of veggies with eggs or tofu for a veggie-packed scramble
- Pre-make a veggie-heavy quiche or egg muffins and have a serving for breakfast throughout the week
- Make savory oats – cook your oats and garnish them with salt and pepper, sauteed veggies, and a drizzle of olive oil
- Top avocado toast with your favorite veggies and an egg. (If you want someone to make it for you, Heirloom Market in Old Wethersfield makes the best avo toast with greens, pickled onions, and radish – so good!)
- Make sweet potato hash with greens and sausage or a plant-based protein like beans or tofu
I can’t wait to hear and see what you come up with. I’d love if you’d follow me on Instagram @swanintegrative and TAG me in your pics of your veggie bomb breakfasts. Use the hashtag #veggieforbrekky. The most creative post will win a $50 Whole Foods gift card so that you can keep the veggies coming!
