Summer is almost here and I’m craving tangy and citrusy treats. One of the little things that puts a smile on my face is walking through the bakery section at WholeFoods. I’m especially drawn to the fruity tarts and lemony desserts lately. The good news is, my gluten sensitivity doesn’t allow me to get my treats from the bakery, but the mouth-watering aroma always make me wanting to bake the gluten-free versions myself. Reflecting back on my own eating pattern in the past few weeks, I’ve definitely have been stretching my ‘treat day’ quota! This doesn’t mean I should deprive myself from desserts. Even better, why don’t we have dessert for breakfast?
I often share this with my clients:
‘if your body craves it, let’s find a way to enjoy it!’
Imagine starting your day with a sweet, tangy and refreshing key lime pie, in chia pudding form. This recipe tastes absolutely divine and keeps my sweet tooth satisfied. Of course, it also gives your body the clean, slow-burning energy to get you through the morning.
When it comes to having an energy boosting breakfast, look for a few things in the recipe of your choice:
High in protein (20g + especially if you are working on boosting your metabolism)
Sweet & Savoury Superstar Ingredients:
Chia seeds: These little seeds are a great source of calcium. Gram for gram, chia has about 5 times the calcium than whole milk. Plus, it also contains omega 3 fatty acid, and nutrients that we often don’t get enough in the Western diet, which is important for maintaining brain function and heart health.
Aim to include 15-20g of healthy fat (add half of a avocado or a thumb size amount of nuts). This tip is not only key to keep you from snacking mid-morning, but this study shows that increasing healthy fat at breakfast can potentially kick up your metabolism and improve your lean muscle tone by helping you burn more fat throughout the day.
Sweet & Savoury Superstar Ingredients:
Coconut oil: 62-65% of the fatty acid found in coconut oil are medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), a metabolism boosting nutrients that is missing from the regular diet. This healthy fat is directly burned for energy and have a thermogenic effect, which enhances your metabolism.
Avocado: Rich in essential fatty acids and energy boosting B vitamins.
As a part of my breakfast series, these two tips are a part of the Sweet & Savoury Breakfast Checklist (link coming soon) that help you have the best mornings.
This quick nutritious breakfast idea is for those of you who want to save time in the morning and is ideal for those who need to be able to grab their breakfast and go. Since this can be quickly prepared ahead of time and stored up to 2 days, you don’t have to put any energy into worrying about what to eat for breakfast. Ready to give it a try? Let’s get started!
Key Lime Chia Pudding
Serves 3
Start your day with a sweet, tangy and refreshing key lime pie in pudding form!
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 ripe avocado, diced
8 tbsp lime juice (juice of 4 large limes)
zest of 4 limes
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
In a blender or food processor, add the almond milk, lime juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract and avocado chunks. Blend everything together until smooth
Stop the blender and fold in the chia seeds and lime zest with a spoon to make sure they are incorporated evenly throughout the pudding mixture
Divide the pudding into jars and refrigerate overnight
Notes
Keep refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Coconut Whipped Cream
Yields 1
Fluffy, decadent, and naturally sweetened whipped cream that's better than the real thing!
Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Ingredients
1 (14oz.=400ml) can full-fat coconut milk*
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Place 1 can of full-fat unsweetened coconut milk in the fridge overnight (note: do not use light and avoid using guar gum containing ones because the cream won't separate from the coconut water)
Drain the coconut water and save it for another recipe (hint: they taste great in smoothies!)
Notes
Scoop the cream into a air-tight container, add the vanilla, whisk with a fork until it gets fluffy. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Why coconut? In my opinion, whipped coconut cream is more delicious than the real thing. It's so simple to make and if you follow my 'lazy method' below you don't even need a hand mixer to achieve the fluffy, decadent result.
Inspired by many food bloggers
Want to learn more about the foods that help boost your metabolism? Contact me to book a free nutrition strategy session and discover what’s the best energy foods for you!