So since everyone else has cute ‘link love’ Friday’s and ‘tip day’ Wednesdays I thought I might start something of my own. So here goes- the first weekly “How To” from BEELifestyle… How to (do) Primal Breakfasts.

It seems this is a tough one for everyone, and in my transition over the past month into more of a primal lifestyle breakfast is the hardest one for me. I can find a big salad to scarf at lunch with a bunch of fresh ingredients, I can bring home some salad, grill up some chicken or steak and steam some veggies for dinner, or I can fast during one (or both) of the two, but what the heck do I eat for breakfast?

I can find one article from Mark’s Daily Apple that talks about primal breakfast’s, but mostly it seems the primal community either fasts till noon, or eats something light for breakfast. Now maybe I’m just too new, but really I’ve always been a big breakfast eater. Now that I’ve been eating less calories (but feeling more full) during the day I’m noticing that something that really sets my day, mood and appetite off is what I eat for breakfast.

First off though, let me give you a picture of what kind of breakfast eater I am. I work a regular 8-5:30, which means I’m up at 6:30… okay, 6:45… okay, 7:00-ish and get out the door in 15 minutes. All my primping and priming have to be done the night before, I do a quick fix in the mirror as well as the normal attack my teeth and face with toothpaste and face wash, and then get the hell outta dodge, hoping to make the 7:20 train. But Bee… where’s breakfast in that? Well, that’s a good question.

I’m fortunate enough to work at a firm that supplies us with as many snacks as we want, and we have a great kitchen (with fridge and microwave- no stove/oven) and good coffee. I’m also in charge of getting snacks. Besides the fact that I HAVE to buy things like twizzlers and cheeto’s, I’ve also introduced the office to things like apples and raw nuts.  So that means I can make my breakfast at work, but am pretty limited. Here’s what I figured out for breakfasts - especially breakfast’s on the go. Here’s that other list I could find with breakfasts from Mark’s Daily Apple - and just to be clear - a lot of these are the same, I’ve just given them my own tweak and added a few.

The Incredible, Edible…. You know the rest.

It’s easy to hard boil an egg!

Egg-actly!

How to Hard-Boil

1. Place the eggs in a pot.

2. Fill the pot with water- so all eggs are completely immersed.

3. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat.

4. Once the pot boils, take the eggs off heat immediately- but keep in the covered pot for 10-15 minutes (I seem to do perfect with 12).

5. Take the eggs out of the heated pot and either in an ice bath or under cold running water (this separates the egg from the shell, making them easier to peel).

6. Enjoy!

Make a batch on Sunday night and you’ll have grab-and-g0 breakfast ALL WEEK LONG! Wa-hoo! Be careful though as they last about a business week, so don’t go thinkin’ you can make a month long stash. Unless you want the putrid smell of rotten eggs to fill your home (or you’re preparing for a prank… but that’s none of my business).

If you fall in love with eggs (like I am) try the SoG’s egg salad recipe- Yum!

Recipe Tip: Try Eggs mixed with a little avocado (or if you’re daring, deviled eggs with avocado and prosciutto - here’s the recipe)!

Smoothie Time!

Of course traditional smoothies are all fruit- and delicious! Costco has a great bag of frozen blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries (for cheap). Mix the bag with water and you’re good to go! Berries are chalk full of antioxidants and natural sweetness, mix berries with water (or nut milk) and you’re done! I got the magic bullet for Christmas and although it doesn’t have the motor power as a vitamixer, it’s an awesome one serving smoothie maker (you can also use it to make awesome homemade salsa). I can pop the ingredients in it’s single serving mug the night before, put it in the fridge and it’s ready to go with a quick blend in the morning. Too easy!

Not the vibrator.

Of course it’s always good to start your day off with something green. Try some delicious fruit smoothies with green stuff- a great way to start the day! These are from Eat Spouts!

The only problem with Smoothies are that the carb count can rise quickly (especially with dense and dried fruits) so watch your portion size and your mixer (stick with ice/water instead of juices).

Recipe Tip: Blend the fruit first- then add the greens!

2-3 cups any greens of your choice, 2 cups papaya, 2 oranges, 3 dates

1 handful lettuce leaves, 1 handful mint, 4 bananas, 1/2 cup water

Winter Smoothie - 1 cup organic frozen berries (any kind), 2 cups fresh spinach, 1/4 inch fresh ginger, water

1/2 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, water

4-5 kale leaves, 4 apples, 1/2 lemon juiced, water

2 big handfuls mixed baby greens, 2 pears, 2 mangoes, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Choc-mint – 2 cups spinach, 10-12 mint leaves, 3 bananas, 2 Tbs. carob powder, 1 cup water

1 handful of spinach, 2 stalks of celery, 2 bananas, 2 pears, 1 apple, 1 cup water

1 small handful of spinach, 2 cups arugula, 2-3 mangoes, 1 cup water

1/2 head romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 1 large mango, 1-inch fresh ginger

1 handful wild greens (e.g. dandelion), 1 small handful mint leaves, 3 cups honeydew melon

3-4 stalks celery, 2 ripe persimmons, 1 banana

1 handful chard leaves, 5-6 kale leaves, 3 large bananas, 1 cup water

1 handful parsley, 3 cups of peeled papaya

Jolly Green Smoothie!

My favorite Smoothie add-on’s

Flaxseed

Ginger

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Cinnamon

Nut Milk (Almond, Coconut)

Dried Fruit and Nuts

Careful of the sugar on your fruit!

Sometimes I’m in such a rush that I resort to the dried fruit and nuts that I have at my desk. These are another careful slope, as dried fruit can pack a ton of sugar and carbs, but a handful of almonds and some dried apples or pears is delicious and can curb the hunger till lunch.

Tip: Make SURE the dried fruit has no added sugar.

Apples and Nut Butter

Mmmm Nutty Fruity Goodness

I just found SunButter- my new favorite alternative to peanut butter (which is a NO-NO primal eating wise), but any nut butter will do. I like apples because they’ve got a low glycemic index, high water content and are a deliciously sweet alternative to the rich nutty taste of nut butter. Plus it’s fun to try the new types of nut butter out there (almond,cashew, sun, etc.)

Salad

We often order from salad places at work, and in NYC the make-your-own salad restaurants give you waaaay more than one portion for lunch, so I save it and eat it the next day! Order lunch on Wednesday, put it in the fridge, breakfast Thursday.

Chock-full-o-deliciousness

Omelettes

I admit, rarely do I make an omelette on a workday, but I enjoy them on Saturdays and Sundays and I think I could probably make them more often on weekdays, all you need is 10 minutes.

Grab a handful of your favorite veggies (peppers, broccoli and celery are my fav’s), a couple o’ eggs and a sprinkle of cheese (or not) and you’re good to go! I like dousing mine with salsa and a dash of hot sauce for an extra kick. You can’t beat it! I also dig turkey bacon with it, although that’s a ‘once in a while’ on the primal cooking list, so I only do it a few days a week. Delish!

Tip: Get yourself a great mixer and make your own salsa! Oh yeah, we’re primal now!

Omelette anyone?

Things that are great- but only once in a while…

Berries and Oatmeal

Berries are a great way to start the day, natural sweetness, antioxidants galore, and they’re quick and easy to transport. So why not put them in a little oatmeal- one of the better grains (full of protein). This one is high in carbs (0bviously) so use less oatmeal, more berries- add the mix to some nut milk and you’re good to go!

Berry good time!

Berries and Fage

Depending on what stage or how extreme you are with the primal diet, some people eat yogurt and others don’t. I think one of the main stay’s of the primal diet is that if you’re going to eat something, it should be high quality- and Greek yogurt is just that. Fage is my favorite (pronounced Fa-yeh). High in protein, low in calories, low in carbs, it’s delicious and creamy. Drop some berries in as a natural sweetener and you’ve got a healthy breakfast.

Fa-YEH!

Turkey Sausage

Okay, I admit it. I buy these when I get sick of the other stuff- and eat these. Probably about 1-2 times a week, kept in the freezer at work. These are already cooked (frozen) turkey breakfast sausages. They’re low in calories, high in protein, low in carbs- but high in sodium (because of the preservatives) which makes them not very ‘primal.’ But they’re not going to ruin the lifestyle, and they’re quick and easy. Plus they’re a salty alternative when I don’t want something sweet and am all egged-out.

Pumpkin Smoothie

Pumpkins are another ‘once in a while’ type thing while living primal. But they make an amazing smoothie, especially when mixed with bananas, nut milk and pumpkin pie spice.

Dessert for Breakfast? OKAY!

Tip: Note how dense pumpkin is, you use too much and it’s more like pumpkin yogurt. Dilute with water or Almond Milk.

Anything I missed?

Next week- HOW TO: Primal Snacks!