how i keep breakfast interesting

 I'm a big believer in breakfast being the most important meal of the day. The thing is though, I'm a real food lover and generally you can get away with eating a lot more for lunch or dinner (greedy much? - yes I am!) So why do I think of breakfast as being so special? Like many others I find that how I start the day really effects how happy and productive I am throughout the rest of that day. I'm liking the word intentional at the moment, and the reality of being so. I find it much easier to be intentional in all I do, if I start the day with intention in this way. So I try to have something home prepared, yummy and healthy for breakfast, that gets my taste buds going and will keep me satisfied till lunch-time. As you know I enjoy a breakfast smoothie (you can see my favourite blueberry and oat one here) but for those days when I feel I need a bit more than a liquid breakfast (which tends to be the case a lot more in the winter - and certainly at the weekends), I go for one of the below...   H O M E M A D E  G R A N O L A  W I T H  Y O G U R T  A N D  N E C T A R I N E  : I like to have a jar-full of homemade granola on hand at home to whip out on mornings where I'm in the cereal mood (and am trying to avoid reaching for the Frosted Shreddies that are tempting me in the cupboard). I regularly make batches of the stuff for CAFE SMUG so tend to just make a bit extra each time, et voila - our own personal batch of crunchy goodness. There are lots of recipes out there of course. I like mine very nutty and with no dried fruit so take a peek below if you fancy making your own. 3  C U P S  O A T S1  C U P  W H O L E  A L M O N D S1  C U P  P E A C A N S  ( O R  H A Z E L N U T S )1 / 2  C U P  P U M P K I N  S E E D S1 / 2  C U P  S U N F L O W E R  S E E D S1 / 2  C U P  S U N F L O W E R  O I L1 / 2  C U P  H O N E Y  ( O R  M A P L E  S Y R U P )1  T S P  V A N I L L A  E X T R A C T Pre-heat your oven to 160 degrees C and combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spread out onto a baking sheet or tray and bake until golden brown (around 30 mins), turning occasionally. Take out of oven and leave to cool. Once cooled, store in an air tight container and enjoy with yogurt (sometimes Greek, sometimes coconut) or milk (I favour almond milk) and seasonal fruit. I like to add a sprig of fresh mint to my yogurt/fruit based brekkies so keep a plant growing on the kitchen window sill.   S U P E R F O O D  B R E A D  W I T H  P E A N U T  B U T T E R  A N D  B A N A N A  : This superfood bread is totally gluten free, vegan and oh so healthy. It's a Deliciously Ella recipe which you can find here. I tend to rustle some up when I'm feeling particularly 'good' and am avoiding having too much bread. It's not as satisfying as 'real' bread but it's pretty tasty and peanut butter and banana make a v nice topping. Sometime I have it with my homemade jams (and butter!) or smooshed up avocado. I'm a big fan of freshly squeezed orange juice as an accompaniment to brekkie. I have this citrus juicer and I think it's a really good model. Very compact, easy to clean and store.   F R U I T  S A L A D : If I'm feeling fruity and want to keep things really simple, I just chop up whatever fruit we have in the fridge and fruit bowl. I try to include a banana to be sure I'll be filled up and often add sunflower or cia seeds for a bit of extra crunch.   A V O C A D O  O N  T O A S T : If I'm feeling more brunchy, then avo on toast is always a winner. I like mine on sourdough. I smash up 1 whole avocado, adding salt, pepper and chilli flakes. I tend to whack some rocket on top for the extra greens (and peppery taste). The avocado is so creamy there's no need for butter. If you'e wanting to avoid gluten and yeast as well as dairy then go for the superfood bread I've already mentioned above.  H A R D  /  S O F T  B O I L E D  E G G S : Some mornings my body really fancies protein. It's often after a run that I reach for the eggs. I favour poached eggs if out for breakfast, but when home I tend to just hard or soft boil a couple, peel, slice in half and enjoy with sea salt and lots of black pepper. V nice with a fresh OJ or green juice. I sometimes add soldiers of course if I'm particularly peckish.   B A N A N A  P O R R I D G E  W I T H  S T R A W B E R R I E S  A N D  A L M O N D S  : My go-to when I'm after something warm and comforting for breakfast has to be porridge. I make mine in a pan on the hob with almond milk and banana. I use 1/2 a cup of oats, 1 cup of almond milk and 1 crushed banana. Put the oats and almond milk in the pan on a low heat. After a couple of minutes add the mashed up banana and cook for a further 3 - 5 mins. I like to serve mine with flaked almonds, strawberries and a dash of 100% pure maple syrup. What's your favourite healthy but hearty breakfast? Any tips or suggestions for me? I'm always looking for more options to add to my morning repertoire. Let me know in the comments below. Happy eating! I wish you all good starts and intentional days :)