It wasn’t until recently that I started eating vegetables for breakfast. I used to eat alllll the processed carbs, foods like cereal, frozen waffles, and bagels and cream cheese.
But I now crave vegetables for breakfast, and it’s definitely my most favorite meal of the day. These dishes are about the only things I can make without following a recipe, although I did look up the basics first before experimenting with my own versions.
Mornings are hectic for many people, so some of these dishes may need to be left for the weekend. However, many of these you can make or prep ahead of time!
I’m not a food blogger (or a photographer – sorry that the photos aren’t pretty!), so I didn’t create recipes for the exact dishes that I make. However, I included links to similar recipes so you don’t have to create something from scratch.
Are you hungry yet? Okay, let’s dig in!
Vegetables for Breakfast
1. Breakfast hash
This one is definitely my favorite breakfast to make. There are so many possibilities with the types of vegetables you can include, and it keeps me full for long periods. I use sweet potatoes or regular potatoes as a base (I’ve even used parsnips), then add in my “fixins.” Other veggies I add to the potatoes are onions, red bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach.
Then top with eggs made your way, sausage, bacon, or shredded chicken, like this slow cooker/Instant Pot buffalo chicken from the Real Food Dietitians.
Scrumdiddleyumptious!
A breakfast hash recipe for you to try is this Whole30 sweet potato hash with sausage and eggs by Michele of Paleo Running Mama. Or cook up this bean, potato, and veggie vegan breakfast hash by Karissa of Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen.
Tip: The potatoes take a long time to cook, so I often roast a bunch ahead of time. They store in the fridge for several days, and I just take out what I need for each day. Usually we’ll have roasted sweet potatoes with dinner the night before, and I’ll use the leftovers for breakfast.
2. Cauliflower rice
Ahhh, I love cauliflower rice. It’s so simple to heat up frozen cauli rice, and it’s so delicious! Like the breakfast hash, you can top it with eggs, shredded chicken, bacon, or sausage. My favorite way to eat it with eggs, Mexican cheese, sour cream, salsa, and avocado. Oh, and a little bit of Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Seasoning Blend. Yummmm… my mouth’s watering just thinking about it!
3. Breakfast salad
What?! You’ve never eaten salad for breakfast? It’s probably the simplest way to eat vegetables for breakfast!
I like to eat breakfast salads when I don’t have time to cook anything in the morning. You can prep your salad and also hard boil eggs ahead of time for a grab-and-go-option!
My salad is usually spring mix, hard-boiled eggs, roasted and salted sunflower seeds, and Primal Kitchen’s ranch dressing (as seen in the below photo).
4. Sauteed spinach
I like to refer to this as wilted spinach, but it doesn’t sound nearly as appetizing as sauteed spinach, does it?
Again, I like to top the spinach with scrambled eggs and hot sauce. This doesn’t fill me up as much as eating hash or cauliflower rice for breakfast, so I’ll usually eat some sourdough toast with it.
5. Green smoothie
Have you jumped on the green smoothie train yet? This is a great option if you’re not a fan of eating vegetables and need to ease your way in by combining it with fruit. My favorite blog for recipes is Simply Green Smoothies.
Just a note of caution: Be careful with the amount of fruit you consume through smoothies. One smoothie most likely contains your daily serving of fruit.
I discovered recently that my frequent bloating was a result of eating too much fruit. The USDA’s daily recommended fruit amount for a woman my age (36 years old) is 1.5 cups per day. Many registered dietitians recommend even less than that (approximately one cup of fruit per day).
6. Veggie muffins
This carrot and zucchini muffin recipe has been on regular rotation in my household for years. My variation on the recipe is that I replace the raisins with more shredded carrots. I also make regular sized muffins because my kids can eat a lot in one sitting.
We also love these sweet spinach muffins from Natalie of Super Healthy Kids.
7. Egg muffins and quiche
I will admit that these aren’t my favorite ways to eat vegetables for breakfast, but I included them because other people like them.
Egg muffins are great make-ahead options and perfectly portioned! This recipe shows you how to customize your veggies for the egg muffin perfect for your individual tastes.
The quiche is similar to the egg muffins, just on a larger scale. I don’t usually make quiches because I’m the only one in my house who eats eggs. (My husband doesn’t like them, and my daughter is allergic. My son occasionally eats them, but not often.)
I made this crustless asparagus, leek and feta quiche once for Christmas breakfast with my in-laws, and it was delicious!
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