Kick start your day with these 4 warming breakfasts (all under 400 calories)

It’s SO hard to get out of your warm bed on a cold morning. But the thought of tucking into these hearty breakfasts should get you up and moving!

Warm up with a smoothie bowl, decadent French toast, fruity oats, or simple baked eggs – all from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge .

These breakfast recipes will take the chill out of your morning

Join the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge to access recipes like this and 4,000 more!

1. Hot Chocolate Smoothie Bowl

We had you at chocolate, didn’t we? This easy to prepare breakfast will warm you up from the inside out on a cool morning. You only need 10 minutes and a handful of ingredients too, making it ideal for any day of the week.

Ingredients (Makes 1 serving at 318 calories)

• 3/4 cup reduced-fat milk of choice (187.5 mls)
• 1 pitted, dried dates (15 grams)
• 1 small banana (90 grams)
• 1 tsp chia seeds (4 grams)
• 1 tsp peanut butter (4 grams)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (2.5 mls)
• 1 tablespoon cacao/cocoa powder (8 grams)
• 1/2 tsp Natvia (available from Tesco) (2 grams)
• 1 tsp cacao nibs (4 grams)
• 1 tsp ground almonds (3 grams)

Method

1. Place the milk in a saucepan and heat until it’s almost boiling.
2. Place warm milk and remaining ingredients, excluding the cacao nibs, in a blender and blitz until smooth. Be careful of hot milk in the blender with the steam.
3. Pour into a bowl and sprinkle with cacao nibs to serve.

2. Slow Cooked Maple Banana French Toast

A real family favourite, this recipe makes six serves, so you’ll have enough for everyone, or some leftovers to enjoy another day.

Ingredients (Makes 6 servings at 334 calories per serve)

• 6 slices wholegrain or gluten-free bread of choice (240 grams)
• 6 free-range eggs (300 grams)
• 480ml almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 tsp cinnamon (1 grams)
• 4 tsp vanilla extract (20 mls)
• 3 tbsp maple syrup (45 mls)
• salt
• 4 small bananas, sliced (360 grams)
• 4 tsp coconut sugar (16 grams)
• 4 tsp unsalted butter (16 grams)
• 4 tsp cacao nibs (16 grams)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Line a baking dish with baking paper or lightly spray with cooking oil.
2. Place bread slices over the bottom of prepared dish.
3. Mix the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk for a minute or two until evenly distributed and the eggs are mixed well.
4. Pour over the bread slices in the dish so the bread is saturated with the mixture.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and the egg mix is set.
6. About 15 minutes before the French toast is ready, combine the banana slices with the sugar.
7. Heat the butter over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the banana slices and sauté for about 2 minutes each side or until the bananas have browned slightly and caramelised with the sugar.
8. Serve one portion of the French toast with some of the caramelised bananas and a sprinkle of cacao nibs per person. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days to reheat for another meal.

3. Baked Eggs On Spiced Lentils

Get organised and prepare the lentils from this recipe ahead of time so you can easily assemble everything else when ready to serve and have a nutritious breakfast on the table in no time.

Ingredients (Makes 1 serving at 313 calories)

• 1/4 cup dried red lentils (45 grams)
• 3/4 cup water (187.5 mls)
• 1/4 brown onion, finely diced (25 grams)
• 1/2 tomato, chopped (50 grams)
• 1 tsp curry powder (1 grams)
• 1 cup baby leaf spinach (30 grams)
• 2 free-range eggs (100 grams)
• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (1.3 grams)

Method

If cooking on the stove:

1. Place lentils, water, onion, tomato and curry powder in a saucepan over a medium-high heat.
2. Stir to combine and bring to the boil then reduce to a very low simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils are tender.
3. Check while lentils are cooking and add more water if getting too dry.

If cooking in a slow cooker:

1. Place lentils, water, onion, tomato and curry powder into the cooker. Stir to combine and put on a low setting for 2 hours, until the lentils are tender.

For both methods:

1. Then for both methods of cooking the lentils, preheat the oven to 180C / gas mark 4. Pour lentils into an ovenproof dish and stir through the spinach.
2. Make a well/hole in the lentils for each egg. Crack eggs into prepared wells/holes.
3. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until eggs are set.
4. Serve topped with chopped parsley.

4. Oats With Vanilla Cherry Compote

A delicious breakfast porridge. Make the cherry compote ahead of time and store in the refrigerator or freezer to enjoy for a fast breakfast.

Ingredients (Makes 1 serving at 341 calories per serve)

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (50 grams)
• 1/2 cup water (125 mls)
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk of choice (125 mls)
• 1 cup frozen cherries, pitted and chopped (150 grams)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (2.5 mls)
• 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (30 mls)

Method

1. Place the cherries, vanilla and orange juice in a saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for approximately 5 – 7 minutes, until slightly thickened.
3. In another saucepan cook the oats with milk and water for 5 minutes, stirring until thick and creamy. Thin with extra water if you wish.
4. Serve porridge oats with vanilla cherries on top.

Mums, lose weight on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge!

If you want to improve your overall health and wellbeing but don’t have the budget for a gym membership or fancy pre-made healthy meals – our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is an awesome program to check out.