Cold Summer Breakfasts

by Michelle Spano
Start your day off on the right foot while keeping your cool. The best part? Most of these can and should be made the night before, so you can hit snooze once more…
Overnight oats: Combine gluten-free oats with your favorite milk (the same amount of liquid you’d use if making it hot) and any additional toppings like peanut butter, bananas, cinnamon, or dried fruit. Mix and pop in the fridge overnight for a healthy and satisfying breakfast that will keep you full all morning long.
Chia pudding: For a truly unique breakfast treat, mix 2 cups of your favorite milk with ¼ cup of chia seeds. Add honey or maple syrup, chopped nuts, and dates or your favorite dried fruit. It will look thin at first, but when you wake up, it will be double in size, and will be the consistency of tapioca pudding! For a smoother, classic pudding texture, blend ingredients in a blender prior to chilling. The fiber and protein will keep you going long after you start your day with this cool breakfast.
Deconstructed Smoothie Bowl: Make your favorite smoothie and pour it in a bowl instead of a glass. Top with nuts, seeds, and fruit. Somehow, eating a smoothie with a spoon just makes it more exciting!
Greek Yogurt Overnight Power Bowl: Mix one cup of Greek yogurt with gluten-free oats, peanut butter, banana, flax seeds, raisins, cinnamon and your favorite sweetener (optional). Add in pumpkin puree for an added nutritional boost! You will look forward to waking up when you know this breakfast is waiting for you!
Smoothie Popsicles: Because nothing sounds more fun than having a popsicle for breakfast! Make your favorite smoothie the night before and pour it into popsicle molds. Pop one out before you head out for your morning commute. Bonus: These are great for kids, too (and are a super sneaky way to get them to eat healthy)!
Protein Muffins: Bake up a batch of muffins for the week using Greek yogurt or protein powder. A quick Internet search will show you that there are countless recipes all over the Internet (yes, even gluten-free!) so you can get really creative. This one may not be cold per se, but a room temperature breakfast is better than hot eggs on a 95 degree morning.
Protein Shakes: The trick is finding your favorite gluten-free protein powder as your base. From there, add in bananas (keep frozen bananas on hand for the best texture), peanut butter, and any other fun additions you prefer. Throwing in blueberries and/or a handful of greens is a also great way to add some plant-based nutrition to the mix. This breakfast ensures you’ll stay cool and stave off hunger throughout most of your day.
- GIG of NA