Breaking the Fast, aka"Breakfast"

Plus A Mother's Day Brunch Recipe

There seem to be two camps regarding breakfast: those who can’t live without it and those who can and do so regularly. Many prioritize more sleep, but breakfast abstainers miss out on the opportunity to provide the metabolic booster that breakfast contributes to our system. Restricting calories is never the way to go, especially first thing in the morning. If anything, it’s the best time of day to indulge! 

We get a lot of questions here at CCN about skipping breakfast in terms of intermittent fasting (IF).  A doctor or health professional should monitor IF, just like Keto. They are both very dangerous if not done correctly and can wreak havoc on your endocrine system (hormones). We at CCN feel neither is effective for long-term weight loss goals because you must do something sustainable. So unless you plan to do this for life and are prepared to miss out on so much quality of life… eating out, enjoying parties, etc., don't flirt or toy with such restriction. Unless you have a medical condition that requires you to eat this way, it's not worth it. #endofsoapbox

Without further ado, 5 reasons to eat Breakfast every day: 

1. It breaks the fast—your body is in a fasting state, and your blood sugar is stable while you sleep, but once you wake up, it’s essential to let your blood sugar know you’re awake too. Ideally, you’re eating within an hour of waking up! The only exception is if you’re working out right away – then eat within an hour of finishing your workout. Exercise first thing in the morning starts your metabolism like eating a meal. 

2. Lowers your chances of obesity—Providing your body with fuel consistently throughout the day prevents end-of-day binging, which leads to fat storage. This, in turn, lowers your chances of heart disease. 

3. Revs up your system—Eating first thing in the morning not only prevents fat storage but also allows your system to burn at a faster rate! It speeds up your metabolism.

4. Gives you energy—Eating breakfast fuels your muscles and cells, but it also helps with mental clarity.

5. It’s fun—I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t love a great breakfast. It’s fun to get creative and quick, but you can also play with traditional breakfast meals and make them healthy.

There is definitely a place at the breakfast table for pancakes and waffles, but indulge smartly by adding a scoop of collagen to the batter, topping them with toasted nuts or nut butter, or enjoying some breakfast meats on the side to balance those macros! 

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and this Spring Vegetable frittata is something you can be proud to put on your table. It’s beautiful with all those colors, and it’s delicious! 

Spring Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients

• ½ Tablespoon avocado oil

• 1 cup spiralized turnip or rutabaga (Sweet potato or butternut squash noodles work too! You can find these already spiralized in many stores now, or you can use shredded instead)

• 1 small zucchini, chopped

• ½ pound asparagus spears, chopped into 1-inch pieces

• ½ cup white or yellow onion, diced

• 8 eggs + 2 Tablespoons filtered water, beaten

• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon dried Italian herbs

• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

• ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved

• ¼ cup Fontina cheese (or any mild cheese), grated

• 4 ounces goat or feta cheese crumbles (keep chilled)

• Optional: Diced chicken or turkey breakfast sausage

• For garnish: 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Warm the oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Saute the turnip/rutabaga, zucchini, asparagus, and onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Add the garlic powder and Italian herbs to the egg mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the veggies in the skillet, and stir once or twice to combine with the vegetables.

Add the tomatoes and Fontina cheese (if using, add diced chicken sausage now). Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat without stirring.

Sprinkle the goat/feta cheese crumbles over top of the frittata. Transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook for about 12-15 minutes or until eggs are set.

Sprinkle with fresh basil, slice, and serve immediately.