3 breakfast recipes that are healthy — but not boring!

By Sherri Young, RN, Nurse-Educator

More and more of my friends are avoiding certain foods — like gluten, dairy or soy — to be healthier or because of a food sensitivity. Sometimes it can even be difficult to get together for a meal!

My friends complain about what they’ve given up, and how boring breakfast has become. But there’s no reason to suffer. Try these delicious breakfast and brunch recipes — and share them with your friends!

1. Apple almond cinnamon muffin recipe

Makes 24 mini muffins or 12 large muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of almond flour
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• ¼ tsp of salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1-2 cups grated apples (including their juices)
• ½ tsp almond extract
• ½ cup of maple syrup
• 3 eggs

Instructions:

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease your muffin pans generously with coconut oil or ghee.
3. Combine dry ingredients (almond flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon) in one bowl.
4. Combine wet ingredients (apples, almond extract, maple syrup, and eggs) in a larger bowl.
5. Slowly mix dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredient mixture.
6. Fill your muffin tins.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes, and then serve.

2. Gluten-free buckwheat pancake recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp potato starch
• 1 cup or more water or coconut, rice or almond milk
• Oil or ghee for cooking

Optional:
o Fresh, frozen or dried blueberries, added to batter or cooked and spooned on top
o ½ cup almond meal added to the batter for protein. Keep in mind, you may need to add more water with this option.

Instructions:

1. Mix pancake ingredients well.
2. Spoon on to hot, oiled griddle or skillet.
3. If using coconut milk, the cakes can be rather thick. It helps to cook them covered at medium-low heat.
4. If you prefer thinner, crispier pancakes, add more water and cook at higher heat.

3. Blueberry chia parfait recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk (or try oat, flax seed, coconut or cashew milk instead)
• 1 cup organic blueberries
• Handful of strawberries, banana slices, cherries — or all three!
• 2 Tbsp organic chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp organic vanilla bean powder

Instructions:

• Combine ingredients in a 16 ounce mason jar, saving one handful of berries to be used for topping.
• Gently stir everything together, and seal lid tightly.
• Shake jar until contents are thoroughly mixed.
• Refrigerate for one hour, or until desired texture is achieved.
• Remove the jar from the refrigerator.
• Stir once more and add your favorite toppings.

Healthful hint: Blueberries, strawberries, bananas and/or cherries with grain-free granola, organic raw honey, and organic coconut flakes make for a delicious parfait topping — enjoy!

Do you struggle with digestive difficulties? It may be time for a digestive reset.