Quick and Easy Weekend Breakfasts

Good Morning and Happy Friday! With the weekend so close we can practically taste it, I’ve put together some of my favourite cheat day breakfasts for you – just in time for Saturday and Sunday!!

I’ve mentioned previously a bit about my weekday breakfasts (smoothies) here – but now I thought I’d share a little about my weekend breakfast routine, on those magical days when I can take a bit more time and create a meal to enjoy on our deck.

Day-to-day I’m following a pretty strict low-carb diet, but Saturdays (and occasionally Sundays, if I’m completely honest) are my cheat day and it’s a time to relax a little. I still like to cheat clean though (relatively speaking) so without throwing all caution to the wind, here are my favourite cheat day breakfasts:

:: Banana Protein Pancakes – super fast and with only three ingredients, this just might be the easiest breakfast ever.

1 large ripe banana

2 eggs

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (I use an egg white powder but presumably any would work)

Bonus: these are also excellent with a large spoon of peanut butter

Serves 2 – makes 8 small pancakes.

Mash your banana and add the eggs, whisk well and mix in one scoop of your protein powder. (Add your peanut butter at this point, if you’re using it).

Grease pan with a drop of coconut oil and place on a medium/high heat. Add large spoons of pancake mixture (3″-5″ across) and cook until it starts to bubble. Flip and cook the other side.

Garnish with sliced banana or strawberry and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar (optional – pancakes are plenty sweet enough by themselves)

For a little added indulgence (or just to mix it up occasionally), sprinkle chocolate chips or blueberries onto the pancakes before you flip them.

 

:: Avocado Toast with Poached Egg – a breakfast that looks as beautiful as it tastes! I can’t be the only one obsessed with avocado toast, not only is it picture-perfectly Instagrammable but it’s bloody delicious (disclaimer: I would eat avocado with everything if I could)

2 slices of whole meal or sourdough bread

1 avocado

4 eggs

Zest of one lemon

1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes

Parmesan cheese to garnish

Salt and Pepper to season

Serves 2

Put a medium saucepan full of water on a high heat and add a tbsp of white vinegar. Bring the water to a boil.

Meanwhile toast your bread, mash the avocado and season with salt and pepper, add lemon zest and crushed red pepper flakes before spreading half of the mixture onto each slice of toast.

Once the water has reached boiling turn the temperature down and wait for the bubbles to subside, swirl the water gently and drop your eggs into the center. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the whites are firm.

Top each slice of avocado toast with 2 poached eggs and garnish with some shaved Parmesan and more cracked black pepper.

 

:: Sweet Omlette – this one is almost as easy as the protein pancakes and again requires very few ingredients.

2 eggs

1 tsp of maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (cinnamon helps regulate your blood sugar level)

1 tbsp chia seeds (optional for extra protein)

Serves 1

Beat your eggs and add the rest of the ingredients, mix well.

Grease a small pan with a drop of coconut oil and place on a medium/high heat. Add your egg mixture once pan is hot and cook, moving the egg mixture from the sides to the middle to allow it to cook evenly. Once one side is done, flip for another couple of minutes on the other side.

Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, some blueberries and toasted almond slices – or whatever you fancy really!

 

:: Shakshuka – I had been wanting to try this for the longest time and finally got around to making it last weekend, it is now a firm favourite and will be making its way into regular brunch rotation.

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

1 small red pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 jalapeño, cored, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 tbsp of tomato paste

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

Large handful of fresh spinach (kale or Swiss chard), roughly chopped

4 eggs

Salt and pepper to season

(Optional: fresh parsley and crumbled feta to garnish, a sprinkling of red pepper flakes if you like a bit more heat, sourdough toast to serve)

Serves 2

Grease a large frying pan with a drop of olive oil and put on a medium heat. Once pan is hot add the onion and sauté until translucent, add the pepper, garlic, tomato paste and jalapeño and cook until softened – around 4-5 minutes.

Add your diced tomatoes and spices to the pan, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 20 minutes, adding the leafy greens in to wilt just before the end.

Finally, crack your eggs into the tomato mixture and cover the pan, let the mixture simmer for another 6-8 minutes (depending on firm you like your eggs) or until the whites of the eggs are cooked.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, a sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese and cracked black pepper. Serve with toasted sourdough if you’re missing the carbs.

 

All of these recipes are packed with protein and make for a fantastic start to your weekend – so enjoy! It’s a public holiday in the BVI on Monday so I’ll be making lots of breakfast favourites… Do you have any that I should try?