In today’s world it just means fast. No-one has time for cooking or complicated breakfast recipes in the week, especially the working week.

But, that’s no excuse for eating badly in the morning. I think most of us have heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s just that not many of us treat it importantly.

Looking at the supermarket breakfast aisle we’re faced with a wall of cereals all making some sort of health claim. To be perfectly honest not many of them really live up to their healthy messages. But this is not an article about the pros and cons of breakfast cereals.

In short, a good short-hand for a healthy start to the day is a low GI, all natural cereal with less than 10% sugar (nb. even low GI products can be high in sugar).

Low GI foods are in good taste

Fast Breakfast Recipes

Low GI cereal with low fat milk and fresh fruit. Not only good for you the low glycemic index (GI) means you’ll feel fuller for longer.

Eggs and sausage. Yes, eggs and sausage! Use a non-stick pan (no oil), free range egg and a low fat sausage. Fast to prepare and filling.

Fruit salad, low GI cereal and yoghurt. Just grab whatever fruit you have handy or is in season and chop roughly (no time to spare on nice cuts). Adding low GI cereal adds some texture and protein. Yoghurt adds some calcium and sweetness.

Bubble and Squeak. Almost forgotten gem but one of my all-time favourite fast breakfast ideas. Using last night cooked (ideally steamed or stir-fried) vegetables, add an egg and pan-fry. Add a slice or two of whole grain toast and away you go.

Get creative with your breakfast recipes. In no time you’ll break free of the cereal routine.

Enjoy!

The following is a list of creative breakfast ideas involving fruit:

1. Spread peanut butter on a small pita and wrap it around a banana. Make sure you get your calcium with a large glass of cold milk.

2. Have a delicious waffle that is topped with berries and yogurt.

3. Fill a pita with fresh fruit and cottage cheese.

4. Have a scrambled egg or omelet sandwich with a tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. Have a fresh banana with it.

5. For a light breakfast, have a muffin or English muffin with a fruit spread, a banana, and a glass of milk.

6. Have a fruit smoothie made in a blender. One recipe is:

Berry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients: 1 frozen banana, peeled and cut up 1/4 cup fresh or frozen berries (such as raspberries, blackberries and/or strawberries) 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice 3 tablespoons plain yogurt

Preparation: Put the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

7. Have a delicious fruit salad. Cut up all your favorite fruits in a bowl. Add yogurt or honey. Add some granola on top. You can also try the following recipe:

Ingredients: 2 cups cubed cantaloupe 2 large red apples, chopped 1 cup red or green grapes 1 medium banana, sliced 1/2 cup lemon yogurt 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

Preparation: In a bowl, combine the fruit and mix. Combine the yogurt and orange juice and sprinkle it over the fruit.

8. Make some pancakes and add fresh fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.

9. Have a parfait that includes layering granola, yogurt, and fruit in a parfait dish.

10. Make a toasted bagel topped with cream cheese and fruit slices such as berries.

11. Have a healthy fruit Hodge Podge:

Ingredients:

1 honeydew melon cut up into chunks 1 banana cut into pieces 1 apple cut into pieces apples 50g of a granola cereal 2 tablespoons yogurt

Combine all ingredients. You can also use your own favorite fruits.

12. You can try this Breakfast Fruit Cobbler:

2 Cups of fresh, canned or frozen fruit Place fruit in a baking dish sprayed with cooking oil.

2 Tablespoon sugar 1 Teaspoon cornstarch 2 Teaspoon water or (juice from the canned fruits) 1/2 Teaspoon lemon juice

Mix together and pour over fruit in dish.

1/2 Cup quick cooking oats 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour 1/4 Cup brown sugar 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon or (1/4 Teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 Teaspoon of nutmeg) 1/4 Cup cold butter

Preparation: Mix together cutting in the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit in dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

A nutritious breakfast includes fruit which is a great source of fiber. Being creative with your breakfasts will make your food more enjoyable and give you the necessary fuel to take on the day.

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1st Cut the bread into ¾ inch slices and remove the crusts.

2nd Mix all other ingredients except the peaches in a bowl and whisk with a fork. Dip the bread into the mixture and gently soak both sides, the mixture should be almost gone after dipping the forth piece.

3rd Cut the edges of a freezer bag (or any thick plasic food bag) to form 2 sheets of plastic. Place the bread on the plastic sheets and wrap them around the bread this allows each slice to be removed from the freezer one at a time. Put in a sealed freezer bag and freeze over night.

When you are ready to eat the toast, place the bread under a hot grill for 3 minutes on each side and serve with peaches.

I love the the fact that eating is the best strategy to losing weight.

Diets, especially those that demand complete and instant change to routine, in many cases are counter-productive. That is, after the diet you put the weight straight back on. Maybe even more weight than you lost.

Plus, diets are plain boring, hard-work, anti-social and expensive.

Much better to eat your way to weight loss or weight management. Or to general health and wellbeing for that matter.

And there’s no better place to start than at breakfast.

If you had just one weight loss strategy to use then a good, filling, healthy breakfast would be it. (On the other hand, skipping breakfast is probably the worst weight loss strategy).

It’s pretty simple. What you eat at the start of the day sets your body and your mind up for the rest of the day. Throwing down a high carb, sugary cereal may be quick and taste great but the sugar rush is over as quick as it starts. What you’re left with is the familiar mid-morning slump. And that takes many of us straight to the cookie jar for yet another quick, tasty, sugary hit.

The good news is a filling, low carb, low sugar, high protein and fibre breakfast is easy to make and will keep you going through the day. You just need to top-up with smaller meals at lunch and dinner.

Here’s a few breakfast ideas and breakfast recipes to get you started. We recommend low GI cereal for weight loss and general health for many reasons especially it’s ability to make you feel fuller for longer.

Traditional Big Breakfast

Low GI cereal with low fat milk

Eggs, poached

Wholemeal toast, no butter

Coffee or tea with low fat milk and sweetened with a natural sugar alternative like stevia

Banana or small juice

Breakfast, Fast

Low GI cereal or porridge with low fat milk and fresh fruit and mint

(avoid cereals high in carbs and sugars, even the so-called ‘healthy’ cereals)

Chinese herbal tea throughout the day

Sweet Success

Low fat, low GI cereal with low fat yoghurt and fresh fruit (look for cereal high in protein and fibre)

Chinese herbal tea

Breakfast Crunchie Smoothie

Blend low fat milk or soy milk, banana, strawberries, low fat yoghurt and low GI cereal

Enjoy!