Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, not only because it provides you with the energy and nutrients you need to function, but also because it sets the tone for healthy habits moving forward. There are plenty of healthy breakfast options to choose from that range from sweet to savory, but if you’re feeling uninspired by the basic oatmeal or egg meals, here are three delicious recipes that Elliot Prag, lead chef for the Health-Supportive Culinary Arts program at the Institute of Culinary Education, recommends to ease stress and inflammation.
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Golden Turmeric Milk
Turmeric is a known anti-inflammatory and ginger is fantastic for digestion, so this recipe is ideal for cutting through bloat and easing an upset stomach to start off your day.
4 cups blanched almonds
4 ounces fresh turmeric
2 ounces fresh ginger
10 cups water
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, or to taste
1. In 2 batches, puree almonds, turmeric and ginger with water in a blender until smooth. Strain milk through chinois.
2. Transfer milk to a 1-gallon pot. Bring milk mixture to a simmer over medium flame (to help infuse the flavors). Turn off the heat and add pepper, cinnamon and maple syrup to taste.
Amaranth Porridge
Yields 12 servings (4 ounces each)
Both the amaranth and papaya included in this recipe are known anti-inflammatories, so they’re a wonderful addition to spice up your basic morning oatmeal.
3 cup amaranth, soaked 6 hours in water to cover with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
8-9 cups filtered water
3 tablespoons flax seeds, ground
3 cups almonds
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup raw honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter
Apricot-Papaya Puree (recipe below)
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place 1 cup of the almonds on a half-sheet pan. Toast almonds, let cool, then roughly chop and set aside.
2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of almonds, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Using a high-speed blender, process almonds and their water in batches. Strain almond mixture through chinois and set milky liquid aside covered in the refrigerator until needed. Discard solids or save for another use.
4. Drain amaranth and combine with sea salt and 3 cups of water in a 4-quart pot
5. Bring amaranth to boil, reduce to simmer and cover the pot. Stir amaranth frequently, adding water in 1-2 cup increments until grains are cooked and no starchy aftertaste remains. Grain should still be chewy.
6. Remove pot from heat and stir in freshly ground flax seeds. Add additional salt, if desired.
7. Serve alongside toppings including fresh nut milk, toasted almonds, sweeteners, cinnamon, butter, and/or Apricot-Papaya Puree to taste.
Apricot-Papaya Puree
Yields 2 cups
5 dried unsulphured apricots, soaked in boiling water until soft (about 5 minutes)
1 ripe papaya (½ pound), peeled, seeded and chopped
1. In a high-speed blender, blend apricots with papaya, adding a bit of soaking water if necessary to form a smooth puree.
Fish Congee
Yields 10 servings
Airing on the more savory side of the breakfast menu, fish congee is a popular Asian dish which, according to Prag is easy to digest, warming and soothing on the stomach.
8 cups water
¾ cup white basmati rice, soaked overnight
¼ cup long grain brown rice, soaked overnight
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ pound burdock root, thin diagonal slice
¼ pound carrot, small dice
½ pound onion, small dice
1 pound white fish fillet (sole, flounder, sea bass or red snapper will work)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons tamari, or more to taste
½ cup finely sliced scallions
2 sheets nori, cut in thin strips* (scissors work best for this)
1. In a 1-gallon pot, combine water, white basmati rice, long grain brown rice and salt. Bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes, then add burdock, carrot and onion. Lower the flame, cover and allow to simmer, stirring frequently until the rice is creamy and lightly thickened (1 to 1 ½ hours).
2. Cut fish fillet into 2-inch pieces. Add to soup 3 minutes before the end of cooking, or until just tender.
3. Turn off the flame and add toasted sesame oil, tamari and scallions.
4. Ladle into bowls and garnish with nori strips.
