You want breakfast, but you also want to sleep 10 more minutes. You want something for on the go, but not a banana and PowerBar. It’s an age-old struggle we’re all quite familiar with. So, with purely selfish motives, we created three easy, early-morning meals ideal for hurried folks.
Meet the chia pudding that’s basically like an a.m. dessert (goji berries and chocolate), granola that everyone on the photo shoot dubbed "crack," and your own individual quiche that’s like a fluffy pillow for your mouth (to borrow the brilliant words of our recipe developer, Ali Nardi). Sleepy-eyed mornings are about to be majorly energized ones.
Chai Chia Pudding With Breakfast Candy
Serves 5 A cinch to make and travels well — a total winner in our book. Also, chocolate for breakfast was never so guilt-free.
Prep Time
45 minutes (hands-on time, about 15 minutes) Pudding Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (an unopened, shelf-stable box such as Blue Diamond)
2 tbsp light agave
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 chai tea bags
1/2 cup chia seeds Topping Ingredients
1/4 cup dried goji berries
1/4 cup roasted (unsalted) cashews, roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate Your chia pudding will expire along with your almond milk, so make sure it has at least five days left on it. Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan, bring almond milk to a boil. Turn off heat, stir in agave, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and add tea bags. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes. 2. Remove tea bags, squeezing out any excess tea. Add chia seeds to saucepan, stir, and cover. Allow chia seeds to absorb liquid for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Divide chia pudding into five small mason jars with lids or small airtight containers. Store in fridge for up to five days. 4. Combine goji berries, chocolate, and cashews in a small, airtight container. Sprinkle this mix on top of pudding before eating. Serve.
Serves 5 A cinch to make and travels well — a total winner in our book. Also, chocolate for breakfast was never so guilt-free.
Prep Time
45 minutes (hands-on time, about 15 minutes) Pudding Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (an unopened, shelf-stable box such as Blue Diamond)
2 tbsp light agave
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 chai tea bags
1/2 cup chia seeds Topping Ingredients
1/4 cup dried goji berries
1/4 cup roasted (unsalted) cashews, roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate Your chia pudding will expire along with your almond milk, so make sure it has at least five days left on it. Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan, bring almond milk to a boil. Turn off heat, stir in agave, vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and add tea bags. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes. 2. Remove tea bags, squeezing out any excess tea. Add chia seeds to saucepan, stir, and cover. Allow chia seeds to absorb liquid for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Divide chia pudding into five small mason jars with lids or small airtight containers. Store in fridge for up to five days. 4. Combine goji berries, chocolate, and cashews in a small, airtight container. Sprinkle this mix on top of pudding before eating. Serve.
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Granola With Nuts And Ginger
Makes 6 cups Most of the sweetness from this mix comes from dried fruit and ginger. The nuts give you that healthy dose of protein. And, don't skimp on the ginger. Prep Time
2 1/2 hours (active hands-on time, about 15 minutes)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups roughly chopped raw nuts, such as a mix of almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts
1/2 cup pepita seeds
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or oil of choice)
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup dried ginger, thinly sliced
Yogurt or milk, for serving Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 250°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, pepita seeds, salt, and sugar. Add coconut oil and stir to evenly coat. Pout this mixture onto the baking tray and bake for one hour, shifting the mixture around on the pan with a spatula every 15 minutes. 3. Add flaked coconut and bake another 10 minutes. Remove granola from oven. 4. Once granola has completely cooled, add dried fruit and ginger. Store in an airtight container for up to six weeks. Enjoy granola on its own or with yogurt or milk.
Makes 6 cups Most of the sweetness from this mix comes from dried fruit and ginger. The nuts give you that healthy dose of protein. And, don't skimp on the ginger. Prep Time
2 1/2 hours (active hands-on time, about 15 minutes)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups roughly chopped raw nuts, such as a mix of almonds, pecans, and hazelnuts
1/2 cup pepita seeds
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or oil of choice)
1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/3 cup dried ginger, thinly sliced
Yogurt or milk, for serving Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 250°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, pepita seeds, salt, and sugar. Add coconut oil and stir to evenly coat. Pout this mixture onto the baking tray and bake for one hour, shifting the mixture around on the pan with a spatula every 15 minutes. 3. Add flaked coconut and bake another 10 minutes. Remove granola from oven. 4. Once granola has completely cooled, add dried fruit and ginger. Store in an airtight container for up to six weeks. Enjoy granola on its own or with yogurt or milk.
Individual Quiche
Makes 6 individual quiches
Prep Time
50 minutes (active hands-on time, about 25 minutes) Have leftover cooked greens? Stuff those into these light (yet filling) veggie-and-cheese cakes. Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sweet potato, in 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red onion, quartered and sliced, 1/4-inch thick
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
5 large eggs
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup baby spinach
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
Butter, for greasing Special Equipment
Jumbo muffin tin (with 6 muffin cups)
Parchment paper Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Put sweet potato and onion on a baking tray and coat with 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in oven about 15 minutes, until tender, stirring halfway through. 2. Remove from oven and turn oven temperature to 375°F. 3. While the veggies are roasting, grease muffin tin with butter. Cut six 6 x 6-inch squares of parchment, and make a 1.5-inch cut on each side, going towards the middle. 4. Place these in the muffin cups, allowing the cut edges to overlap so they rest evenly in the cups. Divide spinach amongst the muffin cups. 5. In a medium bowl, mix 1 egg with the flour, whisking until smooth. Add remaining eggs, cream, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Divide this mixture into the muffin cups, and top with the roasted veg and goat cheese. 6. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. 7. Serve immediately, or store for up to five days in fridge, wrapped individually in plastic wrap (you can reheat them in the toaster oven for a few minutes). These also freeze well for up to a month.
Makes 6 individual quiches
Prep Time
50 minutes (active hands-on time, about 25 minutes) Have leftover cooked greens? Stuff those into these light (yet filling) veggie-and-cheese cakes. Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sweet potato, in 1/2-inch pieces
1 small red onion, quartered and sliced, 1/4-inch thick
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
5 large eggs
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup baby spinach
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
Butter, for greasing Special Equipment
Jumbo muffin tin (with 6 muffin cups)
Parchment paper Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Put sweet potato and onion on a baking tray and coat with 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in oven about 15 minutes, until tender, stirring halfway through. 2. Remove from oven and turn oven temperature to 375°F. 3. While the veggies are roasting, grease muffin tin with butter. Cut six 6 x 6-inch squares of parchment, and make a 1.5-inch cut on each side, going towards the middle. 4. Place these in the muffin cups, allowing the cut edges to overlap so they rest evenly in the cups. Divide spinach amongst the muffin cups. 5. In a medium bowl, mix 1 egg with the flour, whisking until smooth. Add remaining eggs, cream, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Divide this mixture into the muffin cups, and top with the roasted veg and goat cheese. 6. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. 7. Serve immediately, or store for up to five days in fridge, wrapped individually in plastic wrap (you can reheat them in the toaster oven for a few minutes). These also freeze well for up to a month.