Christmas. It’s such a wonderful time of year. We get to gather together with friends and family. We give gifts to show our love and appreciation. And we eat. It’s a tradition that brings us all together and allows us to spend time with those nearest and dearest to us. My Christmas dinner usually consists of delicious, hearty foods like mashed potatoes, turkey, roast veggies. And of course the desserts!
But this filling meal isn’t usually until the afternoon or early evening. It can be tempting to think that will be enough food for the day, but you can’t just wait until dinner! You need to ensure you include a healthy Christmas breakfast to start the day. Often the first order of the Christmas morning is to open presents, but then you need to have a healthy breakfast. This will help ensure you don’t snack on Christmas cookies (or even cookie dough before it makes it to the sheet pan) or the ingredients you’re cooking with for the rest of the day.
Starting your day with one of these breakfast recipes will help stop snacking, fill you up and prevent over eating once you do sit down to your Christmas dinner. Breakfast doesn’t have to be all cinnamon rolls and pancakes. Try one of these breakfast recipes and you’ll be energized for the day.
Seven Healthy Breakfast Ideas For Christmas Morning
French Toast with Fried Egg and Berries
This is one of those classic breakfast recipes that’s always a crowd pleaser and will make all of your holiday mornings better.
Adding a fried egg will up your protein content of this breakfast and the berries can a sweetness to make it a little more festive.
321 calories
Ingredients:
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1 Bread, slice – 110 calories
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2 Egg, large – 144 calories
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¼ tsp Vanilla – 0 calories
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⅓ Tbsp Milk, 2% (Tbsp) – 2.97 calories
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1 Cinnamon, dash – 0 calories
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1 cup Raspberries, fresh – 64 calories
Instructions:
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Combine one egg, vanilla, milk, and cinnamon in a bowl.
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Whisk with a fork until smooth.
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Spray a pan with an oil spray and put on medium heat.
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Soak both sides of bread in mixture and place in pan.
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Top with rest of mixture if not all soaked up.
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Cook ~3 minutes each side, until mixture has been soaked up.
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While toast is cooking, spray a second pan with an oil spray. Crack in egg, then flip when cooked most of the way through. Let cook for another 30-60 seconds, then remove from heat and place on top of bread.
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Serve berries on the side. No berries? Use any other fruit (equivalent calorie amount).
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Note: 1/3 Tbsp = 1 tsp milk. No dairy? Use any other kind of milk, or go without milk.
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
Got leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving? This recipe turns it into a cozy easy breakfast.
326 calories
Ingredients:
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½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
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1 Tbsp Pumpkin, puree, unsweetened (Tbsp) – 5 calories
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1 Apple, small – 77 calories
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⅛ cup Pecans (cups) – 94 calories
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½ tsp Vanilla – 0 calories
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1 tsp Pumpkin seasoning – 0 calories
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1 tsp Cinnamon – 0 calories
Instructions:
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Dice apple.
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Spray a pan with an oil spray (coconut oil spray if you have it).
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Stir fry apples on medium heat ~5 minutes, until browned.
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Add water to oatmeal in a bowl, microwave to desired consistency.
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Add in all ingredients to bowl with oatmeal, serve immediately.
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No pumpkin seasoning? Just use cinnamon. Can’t find pumpkin puree? Just go without.
The Best Banana Bread Mug Cake
This delicious breakfast recipe is super easy to make, so if you don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking, this is the thing to prepare. It’s perfect for holiday mornings and it’s one of the best easy breakfast recipes you can quickly make.
367 calories
Ingredients:
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1 Banana – 105 calories
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1 Egg, large – 72 calories
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1 Tbsp Chocolate chips – 70 calories
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3 Tbsp Almond flour/Almond meal – 120 calories
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1 Cinnamon, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
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Mash banana with a fork in a bowl
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Crack in egg and add almond flour, mix
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Add in chocolate chips and cinnamon
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Spray a mug with an oil spray
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Add in mixture to the mug
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Microwave for 120 seconds. If still watery, microwave another 30 seconds.
Loaded Veggie Breakfast Casserole
How good are breakfast casseroles? Skip that french toast casserole for this healthy option. Double or triple this egg casserole recipe as needed and place into as many casserole dishes as you need to feed the whole family.
320 calories
Ingredients:
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2 Egg, large – 144 calories
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1 cup Broccoli – 31 calories
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½ Bell pepper, red – 18.5 calories
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2 c
ups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories -
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
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1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
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1 Basil, dash – 0 calories
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1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories
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1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
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Note: this recipe works best when making it 2-3 servings.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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Spray a pan with an oil spray.
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Chop veggies and stir fry for ~5 minutes on medium heat.
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Crack eggs in a bowl, whisk with a fork. Mix in ½ the cheese.
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Spray a casserole dish with an oil spray, add in veggies.
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Pour in egg and cheese mixture into the casserole dish.
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Top with the rest of the cheese.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, until you can insert a fork and it comes out clean.
Baked Potato with PB & Banana
Skip the bread and baked goods with this simple switch to sweet potato for a delicious gluten-free alternative! Load up the slow cooker with Christmas dinner while you’re waiting for the microwave for the ultimate lazy Christmas feast!
405 calories
Ingredients:
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1 Potato, sweet, medium, 5 inches – 112 calories
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2 Tbsp Peanut butter – 188 calories
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1 Banana – 105 calories
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1 Cinnamon, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
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Poke holes in potato with a fork.
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Microwave on a microwave safe dish for 4 minutes on each side.
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Slice potato in half, top with peanut butter, then sliced banana, then cinnamon.
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No nuts? Use seeds, e.g. sunflower seed butter.
Easy Pumpkin Pancakes
A delicious savory pancake option if that’s more your style, for an easy breakfast.
308 calories
Ingredients:
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2 Egg, large – 144 calories
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¼ cup Pumpkin, puree, unsweetened – 20 calories
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3 tsp Cinnamon – 0 calories
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⅛ cup Pecans (cups) – 94 calories
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1 Tbsp Maple syrup – 50 calories
Instructions:
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Mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, and cinnamon.
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Spray a non-stick pan with an oil spray.
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Add a VERY small amount of batter to pan, flip with turner when you can easily slide turner under it. You’ll make a LOT of pancakes!
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Top pancakes with syrup and nuts
Shakshuka in the Oven
This always looks great served on a table if you’re looking for a sit-down breakfast option. Shakshuka is always a crowd pleaser, and probably one of the most delicious breakfast recipes you can make anytime, not just on holiday mornings. This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings (so double or triple ingredients when preparing).
352 calories
Ingredients:
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2 Egg, large – 144 calories
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½ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed – 25 calories
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½ cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 3.5 calories
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½ Bell pepper, red – 18.5 calories
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¼ Jalapeño, slice – 0.25 calories
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½ Onion, white – 27.5 calories
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⅓ cup goat cheese, crumbled, – 133 calories
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1 tsp Paprika, dash – 0 calories
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1 Cumin, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Dice bell pepper and onion.
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Spray a pan with an oil spray. Stir fry bell pepper and onion on medium heat until you see some browning (~5 minutes).
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Add in seasonings, tomatoes, and spinach to the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes, mixing frequently.
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Spray casserole dish with an oil spray.
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Add tomato mixture to casserole dish.
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Crack eggs on top of tomato mixture, keeping yolks intact. Top with goat cheese.
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Bake until egg whites turn opaque, about 25 minutes.
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No dairy? Instead of the cheese, top with avocado for the last 5 minutes of baking.