Look lets be real, no one wants to cook after practice… we want to stuff our faces and get going with our day. It’s time to change things up from the standard protein bars and eat a real breakfast to start recovering faster and get your energy back up.  I grabbed five of my fast and easy breakfasts to help you get your day going after practice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry quinoa 
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• 2 tablespoons ghee or extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 cup cheddar or pecorino cheese *
• 1 zucchini diced or shredded*
• 1/2 cup diced mushrooms *
• 1/2 diced tomatos *
• 1 patty of vegetarian sausage cooked and chopped up *
• Salt/pepper, to taste
• Hot sauce, to taste (optional) 

*Indicates optional add-ins*

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Soak the quinoa for 5 minutes and drain.

In a saucepan over high heat, combine the quinoa with the broth/water and 1 tablespoon of the ghee/olive oil and bring it to a boil. 

Reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is fluffy and all the liquid is absorbed.

In a bowl combine the eggs, cheese, (whatever add-ins you want) I personally love cooked vegetarian sausage and tomatoes but sometimes I just toss in whatever I happen to have in the fridge, cumin, cayenne, salt, and remaining ghee/olive oil in a large bowl. 

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the cooked quinoa and add to your bowl with the eggs and add-ins.

Spoon the mixture into a greased 12-cup nonstick muffin tin. Bake the protein bites for 20-25 minutes. 

Remove them from the tin and let cool on a rack. 

If you’re like me splash on that hot sauce for an extra kick!

Approx:

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 12

Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories 108  

Total Fat 5.6g 7%

Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%

Trans Fat 0g  

Cholesterol 66mg 24%

Sodium 531mg 23%

Potassium 174mg 4%

Total Carb 9.2g 3%

Dietary Fiber 1.3g 4%

Sugars 0.8g  

Protein 6g  

Vitamin A 6% · Vitamin C 5%

Calcium 3% · Iron 9%

*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

I am fully aware this is so last year, but it’s in my top 5 favorites for a reason. Creamy avocado with crisp toast and a nice runny egg on top makes me drool as I type this. Besides tasting so good avocados are rich in potassium and help prevent muscle cramping after a crazy morning practice… not that any of us need an excuse to eat more avocado. The toast and egg are just the cherry on top adding protein and carbs to keep that energy up and not crash after practice.

Ingredients

• 1 avocado
• 2 slices of bread (I love French bread guilty pleasure)
• 2 eggs 
• fresh cracked pepper and sea salt

That is it, seriously guys this is all it takes

Directions:

Toast two slices of bread.

Mash the avocado in a bowl. 

Cook two eggs to your liking (I prefer them fried in a nonstick skillet)

Spread the avocado on to your toast, grind salt and pepper to taste on the avocado, then top with your egg!

Seriously it is that easy and SO good. 

Approx:

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 1

Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories 600  

Total Fat 36.6g 47%

Saturated Fat 6.7g 34%

Trans Fat 0g  

Cholesterol 327mg 119%

Sodium 708mg 31%

Potassium 1078mg 23%

Total Carb 51.8g 17%

Dietary Fiber 13.3g 48%

Sugars 2.8g  

Protein 22g  

Vitamin A 23% · Vitamin C 26%

Calcium 8% · Iron 28%

*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients 

• 1  large sweet potato
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 red or green bell pepper
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• Eggs for frying
• Salsa (el pato jalapeno salsa is my absolute favorite)
• Cumin
• Cayenne
• Garlic and onion powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut/olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

Directions:

Chop up half of an onion and start sautéing it in 1/2 tablespoon of coconut/olive oil in a large pan so you have room to add everything else.

Dice up the peeled sweet potato into half inch cubes while your onions simmer down. 

Once you are ready to start cooking the sweet potato toss in the other tablespoon of olive oil (I will admit I occasionally toss in a tablespoon or two of butter, I’m from the south and no matter how healthy I try to be sometimes you just need some butter)

Toss in the sweet potatoes and season with S&P, cumin, cayenne, garlic and onion powder to your taste. 

Cook until the potatoes are almost done, about 10 minutes on medium high heat, then add in your bell peppers. Once potatoes are nice and tender turn down the heat, add your black beans and cook until warm.  Top with fried eggs cooked to your liking a spoonful of salsa and dig in!

Approx:

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 6

Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories 118  

Total Fat 6.2g 8%

Saturated Fat 3.9g 20%

Trans Fat 0g  

Cholesterol 67mg 24%

Sodium 48mg 2%

Potassium 261mg 6%

Total Carb 12.1g 4%

Dietary Fiber 2.6g 9%

Sugars 3.8g  

Protein 4.3g  

Vitamin A 29% · Vitamin C 82%

Calcium 1% · Iron 10%

*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk (can be soy, almond etc)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup feta 
• Handful of halved cherry tomatoes 
• 1 packed cup of spinach
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 cup mushrooms (I use whatever is on sale button or portobello)
• Garlic and onion powder to taste
• 1 tablespoon coconut/olive oil

Directions:

Preheat your over to broil.

In a bowl, whisk together your eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Get out a cast iron skillet or any skillet you can also place in the oven. 

Make sure to grease the sides and bottom, especially if using a cast iron.

Dice your onion and toss it in the skillet on the stove top with the tablespoon of oil and let sauté until light golden brown. (I let mine go for 15-20 minutes while I mix chop and prep everything else so that I get them nice and caramelized)

Slice or dice your mushrooms to your preference.

Add in your mushrooms let them cook down for a minute or two then give everything a good stir because you’re about to not touch it anymore. 

Top your onion mushroom layer with the spinach so that it covers the entire skillet bottom and begins to wilt.  

Pour your egg mixture over the spinach and let it cook on the stove top until the eggs begin to set then sprinkle with feta cheese.

Once the eggs start to set transfer the skillet to your broiler for about 5 minutes.  If you have an old gas broiler and the flame is close go ahead and just keep an eye on it as yours may only take 2-3 minutes. When it’s done flip it over on a serving plate and dig in!  I love to make this ahead of time and slice it into four giant pie slices  wrap them up individually and eat one in the morning cold.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 4

Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories 183  

Total Fat 12.7g 16%

Saturated Fat 6.8g 34%

Trans Fat 0g  

Cholesterol 256mg 93%

Sodium 514mg 22%

Potassium 298mg 6%

Total Carb 6.3g 2%

Dietary Fiber 1.1g 4%

Sugars 4g  

Protein 11.8g  

Vitamin A 44% · Vitamin C 13%

Calcium 10% · Iron 11%

*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Yeah that’s right, I said it … cookies for breakfast.  These cookies are addictive and full of ZERO guilt.  They have oats which are excellent at allowing your body to slowly release sugar giving you a long steady stream of pumped up energy, Vitamin B1 to turn carbs into more energy, fiber to feel full, and bananas to provide those carbs you’re turning into energy! Bananas are also the potassium queens and make magic happen.  Maybe we should call these super energy cookies instead? Regardless of what they are called these are perfect for when you need to feel replenished after your morning practice but may also be guilty of wanting sweets this is the way to go.  Totally customizable to your taste and so easy to pop out of your bag after morning practice and devour. 

Ingredients:

2 large old bananas (the best ones have black marks and may be a touch too squishy) I keep bananas in the freezer in bulk strictly for this recipe.

1 cup of quick oats

Additional add-ins: (optional)

1 tablespoon of peanut butter 

1 tsp Cinnamon

Dark chocolate chunks

1/4 cup crushed nuts (walnuts or peanuts are excellent)

Shredded coconut

Dried fruit (cranberries etc)

Directions:

Preheat your over to 350.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and give it a light spray of cooking oil.

Mash those bananas! Mash, mash, mash until they are creamy with a handful of chunks left!  Don’t worry if you are using old frozen ones and it seems watery the oats will soak it all up.

Add in your cup of quick oats and mix it all up together.

This is the fun part, pick out whatever add-ins you want just don’t get too crazy and add ten things in or the cookies won’t hold together.

I always add in 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and a teaspoon of cinnamon to mine.  On occasion I toss in chocolate chunks but honestly these are so good they don’t need them.

Once you have your cookie ‘dough’ ready scoop out 12-16 cookies and flatten them a little into a cookie shape then bake them for about 15 minutes. Let them cool and toss in a bag to bring to practice!

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 1

Per Serving % Daily Value*

Calories 620  

Total Fat 14.2g 18%

Saturated Fat 2.9g 14%

Trans Fat 0g  

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 81mg 4%

Potassium 1255mg 27%

Total Carb 114.3g 38%

Dietary Fiber 16.6g 59%

Sugars 31.2g  

Protein 17.4g  

Vitamin A 5% · Vitamin C 34%

Calcium 6% · Iron 32%

*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet