Quick Organic Breakfast Recipes and Ideas

You already know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you are committed to an organic lifestyle but sometimes it seems that you can’t face one more bowl of quinoa flakes and if you have to choke down another free range egg you will begin to cluck.

Even though breakfast is important it can be difficult to find the time to fix interesting foods to give you that first burst of energy in the morning even with conventional grocery items. When you add “only organic, please” to the mix you can feel overwhelmed and reach for that comforting box of Sugary Toxins.

Stop. Wait. Think. No matter what foods you love best you can find organic versions from cereal to muffins. Best of all, it is easy to convert your favorite recipes to organic ones.

If you normally don’t have time for breakfast you may be sabotaging your health by picking up donuts and additive laden muffins during a mid-morning break. There really is no excuse; a quick and organic breakfast can be thrown together in seconds. Make sure the ingredients you use are all organic.

Consider the following possibilities.

• Apple slices and peanut butter
• Yogurt and banana with a little granola sprinkled on top
• A fruit smoothie
• Hard boiled egg
• Organic cereal (there are hundreds of varieties and versions of your favorites)
• Whole grain bread with peanut butter and honey
• Scrambled egg, cheese, avocado, and salsa in a whole wheat wrap
• Homemade muffins (make ahead on the weekend and freeze. Just warm in the microwave as needed)

Unlike a decade ago, nearly anything that you can buy in a conventional version can be found in an organic version today. If your favorite grocer doesn’t carry organic items look for a WholeFoods or Sprouts near you. Other places to find organic foods locally are:

• Health Food Stores
• Farmers Markets
• Co-ops
• Bakeries

You can also find a large selection of organic items online at the following sites:

• Amazon
• ShopOrganic

Nearly everything you would normally buy is available at these stores, from fruit juices to sausage. Well known, quality organic brands include:

• Stonyfield Farmmanufactures organic dairy products and is available nationally.
• Hain owns a variety of organic companies and makes beverages under Hain and celestial.
• Organic Prairie has breakfast sausage and other meats
• Nature's Path makes cereal, granola bars, waffles, and toaster pastries

If you have an hour or two on the weekend you can create a week’s worth of your favorite breakfasts to eat on the go. Muffins, quick breads, pancakes, and waffles can be made and frozen. You just need a microwave and a few seconds to warm them up during the week. You can even chop up your favorite fruit mixture and freeze it for smoothies. Just add the frozen fruit to some organic vanilla yogurt and blend well.

Remember to use all organic ingredients for organic results.

5 Grain Carrot Nut Muffins

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 cup of organic 5 Grain Cereal (uncooked)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups sour milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. Add liners to muffin pans
3. Melt butter and set aside
4. Mix dry ingredients including sugar
5. Stir carrots and nuts into the batter
6. Mix milk, vanilla, egg and butter
7. Add the wet to the dry and stir to combine
8. Spoon into the prepared muffin tins
9. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar
10. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the tops are crispy and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.

Makes 12

Quick Organic Whole Grain Pancakes

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups organic sour milk or organic yogurt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl
2. Mix wet ingredients in another bowl
3. Add the two together and fold quickly until well blended.
4. There will still be lumps in the batter
5. Pour batter onto a hot griddle and make pancakes as usual.

You can add a variety of ingredients such as dried cranberries, blueberries, nuts, or whatever you like.

This makes about a dozen pancakes. Freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then place in a freezer container. Heat in the toaster or microwave.

Starbucks Style Vanilla Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 vanilla sugar
• 5 tablespoons organic, unsalted butter, cold
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Scrapings from a 1/2″ piece of vanilla

1. Rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients until flour is crumbly.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg yolk, vanilla scrapings, and vanilla extract until blended. Add to the flour mixture and stir with a fork until dough forms a ball. Dough will be sticky.
3. Place the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet
4. Pat the dough into a round about 1-inch thick.
5. Cut the dough into wedges.
6. Sprinkle tops with sugar and let stand twenty minutes.
7. Bake for 15 minutes at 400F or until golden.
8. While still warm top with a mixture of 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and enough cream to make a glaze.

If you have a favorite breakfast recipe you can easily convert it to organic. Just substitute organic ingredients for the ingredients the recipe calls for. Use the same amounts as called for in the recipe.

When you shop buy organic items and ingredients and slowly phase out anything that is not organic in your pantry. Having a variety of organic foods and ingredients on hand can help you have a healthy, organic breakfast each day.