I understand you’ve been looking for some easy-to-make, great breakfast recipes, especially if you’re short on time for cooking. The alarm rings and you hit snooze twice and then you have 12 minutes till it’s time to get out of bed. It seems like there’s only one way to eat a granola bar, and that’s to clobber it.
However, it doesn’t need to be that way! For many years, I never ate breakfast again after a certain point before developing a few “good” breakfasts that don’t require me to flip my entire kitchen over and bring out the jelly doughnuts. These are the ones that remained.
1. Two-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
You’ll need one ripe banana and 2 eggs. That’s it. In a bowl, mash banana and add eggs; cook small-sized pancakes in a nonstick pan with a little butter. They will take approximately 5 minutes from start to plate.
It’s softer than a traditional pancake – akin to a crepe. I stir in a little cinnamon to the batter, and drizzle with peanut butter. Are a lot tougher to come across and are simply cleaned up with 1 bowl and 1 pan. This is kind of a telling answer since my kids much rather get these than the boxed version of the mix.
2. Overnight Oats You Prep in Two Minutes
Every morning, I relied on this overnight oats recipe more than any other recipe. Take a mason jar or other container that has a lid. Include half a cup of rolled oats, half a cup of milk (any type of milk will do), a tablespoon of chia seeds and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. Stir, seal, refrigerate before going to bed.
All by morning, it has become thick and like pudding. I use toppings that I have in the house, such as frozen berries, sliced almonds and a scoop of Greek yogurt. Best of all, it’s chilled and served straight from the refrigerator. No cooking. No waiting. I have made them using almond milk, oat milk and whole milk and they all taste great.
3. Microwave Scrambled Eggs
Don’t immediately judge me, hear me out. Open two eggs into a microwave-safe mug, and whisk with a fork, adding a splash of milk. Heat for 30 seconds, stir and microwave for another 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste.
This leaves you with fluffy and soft scrambled eggs in about 90 seconds without any culinary mess. Sometimes I add a little shredded cheese and baby spinach to it and reheat it in the microwave. When I first got a flat, I learnt to cook this, and still use it when I am really rushed for time in the morning. Combine with toast and it’s a good breakfast.
4. Peanut Butter Banana Toast
Simple is not synonymous of dull. To make the sandwiches, toast a slice of whole wheat bread, spread a thick layer of peanut butter and top with sliced banana. Time: approximately 3 minutes (if you have an old toaster).
When half asleep, even the most minor of actions matter and I keep a jar of peanut butter that only has peanuts and salt in it by the toaster. I occasionally drizzle in some honey and sprinkle some flax seeds. Plus there’s just a little of the healthy fat, and some protein and carbohydrates, which makes me feel full until lunch – not a lot of fancier breakfasts can do that.
5. Greek Yogurt Parfait
Top with Greek yogurt and a layer of granola and any fruit that you have. Here’s the full recipe. I use Fage plain yogurt, a few store bought granola and frozen blueberries that I let thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
The frozen berry trick is a MUST have, as my fresh berries go bad in about 2 days. Frozen ones are more affordable, will keep for several weeks, and will taste as good as when thawed. This can be put together the night before and then taken out the door. Tasty, but with a lot of protein. I’ve had this as breakfast about 200 times and I have never gotten tired of it.
6. Avocado Toast (The Real Version)
Yes, it’s got a lot of memes, but avocado toast has become so popular for a reason. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to half a ripe avocado, which you’ve broken apart with a fork, and toasted bread. Completed in less than 4 minutes.
What people don’t seem to realize is the quality of the bread. A thick slice of sourdough or a crusty whole grain loaf is a huge improvement over the typical sandwich loaf. I squeeze a bit of lemon juice on the avocado to help keep it fresh and to give it a bit of zing. With an extra minute I’ll serve it with a fried egg. But in actuality, it does just fine on its own.
7. Smoothie That Actually Fills You Up
The vast majority of the smoothie recipes will leave you hungry in 45 minutes. There’s a solution: protein and fat. My favorite mix:
- 1 banana frozen
- A handful of frozen spinach (I promise, you won’t notice)
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
- A scoop of protein powder
- Enough milk to blend nicely
I have a NutriBullet as I was looking for a compact and easy-to-clean processor. This will only take around 3 minutes, including cleaning out the blender cup. The trick is using the frozen fruit as it will keep the smoothie cold and thick without the need for ice. On Sundays I make smoothie ingredients in a batch and put them in individual freezer bags for easy assembly in the morning – it’s literally dump and blend.
8. Egg Muffin Cups (Batch Prep for the Week)
This is the only recipe in this list that will require a little work in the beginning, but will pay off every weekday morning! Beat 8-10 eggs in a bowl, place in a muffin tin that has been greased, top with fillings (such as diced bell peppers, ham, cheese, spinach) and bake at 375°F until firm, about 18-20 minutes.
It yields approximately 10-12 egg cups which can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Pick up two in the morning, heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds and you have breakfast. I’ll typically make a batch on Sunday late afternoon/evening as I do other clean-up around the kitchen. This is what keeps it interesting, each week it’s a different combination of ham and cheddar and the next week it’s mushroom and Swiss. They also freeze well and will help to get breakfast ready for a whole fortnight!
9. Instant Oatmeal Done Right
The instant oatmeal packets from the store have a ton of sugar in them and make you fall apart at 10 AM. However, it will take just as long to make your own version and so will taste better. Place ½ cup of quick oats in a bowl and add hot water or milk and microwave for 90 seconds.
Then finish it with some real stuff: almond butter, sliced banana, brown sugar or walnuts. This is not a flavored packet; the difference is astounding when you taste them together. A canister of Quaker quick oats is in the pantry and I have no fears of it going bad. Cost per serving is likely to be about 15 cents — this is a great added value.
10. Breakfast Quesadilla
Place a flour tortilla in a hot, dry skillet, and add shredded cheese to one side of the tortilla and fold it over. Cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until the cheese melts and the outside is crispy. That’s your base. Then you can add scrambled eggs, black beans, salsa or whatever you have in the refrigerator.
I began creating these as I came to understand that I didn’t enjoy eating toast for breakfast anymore. This is only about five minutes and is not a ‘fast breakfast’ but a ‘real meal’. The cheddar cheese with scrambled eggs and a few slices of avocado sandwiched between is my favorite! If you have a cast iron skillet, you will help to ensure that your tortilla is crisp.
Top Breakfast Recipes for Beginners: Tips That Actually Help
Over the past few months (and years at that) I made all these recipes, and it was clear that a few patterns emerged.
- First, prepare foods in advance, if possible, the night before. It’s hard to eat a banana at dawn at 6 o’clock in the morning. When you take a banana off a banana tin it’s almost like no big deal.
- Second, get an excellent nonstick pan (one)! I have a T-fal 10-inch pan, which I purchased for about $25, and I can easily make eggs, pancakes and quesadillas. Cleanup: Clean up quickly with a paper towel.
- Third, have your breakfast items in sight. When the oats, peanut butter and eggs are all clearly displayed in the pantry or fridge, you’re much more likely to actually use them than to take a packaged bar. These little changes had more impact than each and every recipe.
FAQs
Which Are the Fastest Top Breakfast Recipes for Beginners Short on Time?
Peanut butter banana toast and Greek yogurt parfaits are likely to be the quickest as they take less than three minutes. The second most time consuming preparation is microwave scrambled eggs which takes around 90 seconds. With the night before oats you can count this as zero minutes of morning prep — which is a pretty good deal.
Can I Meal Prep These Breakfast Recipes on Sunday?
Absolutely. Over-the-counter options like egg muffin cups, overnight oats and smoothie freezer bags all are excellent for Sunday batch meal prep. I typically dedicate several hours a week (say 30 minutes) and the breakfast is taken care of for the entire week of work. The egg cups are best reheated in the microwave for 30 seconds only, not to be allowed to become rubbery.
Are These Recipes Healthy Enough for Everyday Eating?
Most of them are good nutritional options particularly those that are egg, oat or Greek yogurt based. The secret is to keep an eye on sugar added to foods. Avoid flavored yoghurt, a minimum of sweetener in oats and whole grain breads. These recipes do not use processed ingredients, which is a good start over many quick-bread types of breakfast.
What Basic Kitchen Tools Do I Need for Quick Breakfasts?
With the exception of a few items, a nonstick skillet, a microwave-safe mug, a blender (like a NutriBullet is great, you don’t need a large one) and a muffin tin cover it all. Most likely you already have these in your possession. A good toaster is great too, but, of course, a skillet can toast bread just as well if you put both sides between the butter.
What If I Don’t Like Eggs?
Stay away from egg-based recipes and embrace the overnight oats, smoothies, yogurt parfaits and peanut butter toast. There are still lots of egg-free high protein foods to choose from. Nut butter, and oats, are good protein carriers and provide the long-lasting energy you need to get through the morning.
Conclusion
When it comes to cooking breakfast, it doesn’t take any of your culinary abilities or time that you don’t have. Choose two or three of these recipes and experiment this week to see how these recipes become automatic. So if you’re pressed for time what is your usual breakfast?
