The traditional wisdom tells us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I honestly don’t know if I buy that – I think lunch and dinner are pretty important too. 😉 However, I can tell you that I wake up hungry. I want food and I usually have about 15 minutes to prepare and eat whatever it is I’m having (this is after I deal with feeding the kids and completing the whole lunch prep deal). I’m not kidding; I’ve timed it. Sure, I could wait until after I drop them at the bus stop and make it a leisurely affair, but at that point I will have been up for over an hour. Homey don’t play an hour before breakfast. I could also get up earlier. Guess what? Homey don’t play that either, so 15 minutes it is.
Leftover sweet potatoes for breakfast? Oh yes.
General Mills would love for me to believe that the only thing I could possible prep and eat in 15 minutes is cereal. There are a couple of truths about breakfast that General Mills doesn’t want me to believe: 1) breakfast does not need to be sweet and carb laden and 2) our sweet expectation where breakfast is concerned makes us perfect targets for plenty of crappy processed breakfast foods that have more sugar than a Snickers bar 3) releasing yourself from the arbitrary designation of what makes “breakfast” food allows for some really fun, healthful, and delicious experimentation, and finally 4) veggies work at breakfast. You game? Still need convincing, check out our Sugar Busting series and see how many references there are to breakfast cereal.
I’ve had two fantastic quick non-traditional breakfasts that I want to share with you. I won’t call them recipes, because they’re just not that complicated – sounds perfect for pre-coffee functioning, yes?
Quick Sweet Potato Brekkie
leftover sweet potato (mine was baked and then broiled w/coconut oil and salt
leftover quinoa
shredded unsweetened coconut
chopped pecans
drizzle maple syrup
I opened the sweet potato and spooned some leftover quinoa over the potato halves. Warmed briefly in the microwave and then added the other ingredients. Delicious, very fall feeling, very satisfying, and oh so delicious.
Open Summer Sammie Brekkie
whole grain bread (I used Ezekial)
ripe avocado
sliced tomato
chopped fresh basil
sprinkle salt & pepper
Toast bread if you prefer – Mr. Little Sis is big on toast. I admittedly like the way bread gets softer as it sits with stuff on it. Spread the avocado. Place tomato slices on top of avocado. Sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Fantastic, delicious, satisfying, energizing, and as totally right for breakfast as it would be for lunch.
More ideas how to incorporate veggies into breakfast? Bigg Sis has some tips for you.
My daughter-in-law makes the casserole every Thanksgiving as it’s one of her favorite dishes. Not necessarily mine but thanks to her I at least started to eat sweet potatoes.
“Break up with the box”. Loved this. Also loved the In Living Color reference. Going to be walking around all morning singing the theme now…
I’ve never been a fan of “traditional” breakfasts. When I was younger and not-so-smart, I would just skip breakfast altogether. Now, (and just a little smarter) I often eat my leftovers for breakfast. That Open Summer Sammie Brekkie looks awesome! Nothing like avocado on toast.
That sweet potato breakfast looks absolutely incredible! I will be giving that a try soon. Another quick and healthy breakfast I like is oats and quinoa (3:1) left soaking with almond milk overnight. I pop it in the microwave for about a minute and then dump in dried cranberries and walnuts. It’s so good and so easy (and so much cheaper than a bunch of the prepackaged kinds).
Sounds delicious Mel! I wonder how long it would take on the stovetop after soaking. Hadn’t occurred to me to soak quinoa overnight – brilliant way to speed up morning prep. Thanks! And you’ll love the sweet potato. 🙂
You are right about waking up hungry. That’s me right now. I don’t have sweet potato, but the tomato Sammy is coming up, and the tomatoes are the last from my little garden.
These are marvelous ideas for breakfast. I have a two and a three year old and while they are very picky, I can always get them to eat hot cereal. I would like the other ideas especially the Sammies.
My husband has to be gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, etc, etc. I noticed the Ezekiel bread. Does the sprouting counteract the gluten effects?
Hi Joanne. The sprouting does NOT counter the gluten so far as I know, but you could sub out a gluten free option. I meant to mark these recipes individually to denote the ones that are gluten free as written – I’ll have to do that. Thanks for asking – and let us know if your picky eaters go for any of these!
I never considered a Sweet Potato for breakfast, but it sounds pretty good. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a fun weekend!
Miz Helen
I understand. We’ve not fully eliminated the microwave from our food prep. You are, of course, welcome to substitute the oven or a covered pot on the stove.
Open Summer Sammie Brekkie
my sister's pantry 
These look wonderful! I LOVE sweet potato and can’t wait to give this a try.
Thanks Katie! Sweet Potato Lovers Unite!
Sweet potatoes are something I recently learned to enjoy, I definitely have to try this.
I’m a fairly recent convert as well. I think the marshmallow casserole version kept me away for years.
My daughter-in-law makes the casserole every Thanksgiving as it’s one of her favorite dishes. Not necessarily mine but thanks to her I at least started to eat sweet potatoes.
“Break up with the box”. Loved this. Also loved the In Living Color reference. Going to be walking around all morning singing the theme now…
Now I am too. 😉
Spot on advice, Lil Sis! I told my husband the other day – there’s no leftover that isn’t a candidate for breakfast, especially soup!
Thanks Patty! Trying to retrain my own taste buds. I think breakfast is the only time I crave sweet over salt.
I’ve never been a fan of “traditional” breakfasts. When I was younger and not-so-smart, I would just skip breakfast altogether. Now, (and just a little smarter) I often eat my leftovers for breakfast. That Open Summer Sammie Brekkie looks awesome! Nothing like avocado on toast.
Leftovers for breakfast makes so much sense – and yes, avocado on toast is good any time!
That sweet potato breakfast looks absolutely incredible! I will be giving that a try soon. Another quick and healthy breakfast I like is oats and quinoa (3:1) left soaking with almond milk overnight. I pop it in the microwave for about a minute and then dump in dried cranberries and walnuts. It’s so good and so easy (and so much cheaper than a bunch of the prepackaged kinds).
Sounds delicious Mel! I wonder how long it would take on the stovetop after soaking. Hadn’t occurred to me to soak quinoa overnight – brilliant way to speed up morning prep. Thanks! And you’ll love the sweet potato. 🙂
You are right about waking up hungry. That’s me right now. I don’t have sweet potato, but the tomato Sammy is coming up, and the tomatoes are the last from my little garden.
Yay garden tomatoes! I’m working through the last of mine as well. I’m guessing our current cold spell may be the last of them.
These are marvelous ideas for breakfast. I have a two and a three year old and while they are very picky, I can always get them to eat hot cereal. I would like the other ideas especially the Sammies.
My husband has to be gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, etc, etc. I noticed the Ezekiel bread. Does the sprouting counteract the gluten effects?
Hi Joanne. The sprouting does NOT counter the gluten so far as I know, but you could sub out a gluten free option. I meant to mark these recipes individually to denote the ones that are gluten free as written – I’ll have to do that. Thanks for asking – and let us know if your picky eaters go for any of these!
I never considered a Sweet Potato for breakfast, but it sounds pretty good. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a fun weekend!
Miz Helen
“microwave”?? that freaked me out…
I understand. We’ve not fully eliminated the microwave from our food prep. You are, of course, welcome to substitute the oven or a covered pot on the stove.
Looks so good!
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