Start Your Day With One of These 5 Heart-Healthy Breakfasts

Preparing a healthy breakfast can be challenging, but that doesn’t mean you should always settle for sugary cereals to fuel your day. There are ways you can elevate your mornings with ease. Check out these five recipes that are good for your schedule and heart.

Banana Pancakes

Bananas contain vitamin C and potassium, which benefits your heart health. This simple recipe only requires three ingredients — bananas, eggs and whole-grain flour. Even better, babies and kids will love it.

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 2 medium or large overripe bananas
• ½ cup whole wheat, oat or buckwheat flour
• Optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons hemp hearts or ground flax seeds
• Butter
• Avocado oil or ghee

Instructions:

1. Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and whisk.
2. Add the flour and optional ingredients. Stir until combined and set aside.
3. Heat your skillet over medium-low. Lightly grease the surface with butter or oil.
4. Put ¼ cup batter on the pan. Cook until you see tiny bubbles on the surface.
5. Flip the pancakes, then cook them until they’re lightly golden on both sides. Repeat until finished.

No-Bake Sunflower Oat Bars

Oats provide around 2.11 milligrams of iron per cup — more than 20% of your daily requirement. They are also high in fiber, which can contribute to feeling full. Aside from the quickness of making this recipe, the best thing about these oat bars is their versatility.

Photo Credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya via Pexels

Ingredients:

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats
• ½ cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ ground flax
• ¼ sea salt
• 1 cup sunflower seed butter

Instructions:

1. Place parchment paper in a 9×9-inch pan.
2. Mix flax, sat and oats in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Put a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Melt sunflower seed butter and honey. Wait until the mixture is smooth before removing from the heat and adding vanilla.
4. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well.
5. Press well into the lined dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
6. Slice into bars and serve.

Peach Overnight Oats

Prepare this recipe in only 5 minutes the night before eating it. It contains chia seeds — a great source of omega-3s, antioxidants, calcium and fiber — that absorb over 10 times their weight in water, which helps promote hydration.

Photo Credit: Diliara Garifullina via Unsplash

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 ⅓ cups plain unsweetened almond milk or other unsweetened options
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped peaches, thawed and divided
• 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

Instructions:

1. Mix milk, oats, chia seeds, sweetener, cinnamon, ginger, peaches and vanilla in a mason jar. Stir ingredients well, cover with a lid and shake to combine.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least eight hours or up to five days.
3. Add remaining peaches before eating. Drizzle more sweetener if desired.

Almond Butter & Sautéed Grape Toast

Get two delicious and heart-healthy ingredients in a single bite of toast. Grapes help lower blood pressure and contain antioxidants that help repair cell damage. Here’s how you can pair them with almonds to create a nutritious breakfast for your family.

Photo credit Karolina Grabowska via Pexels

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or refined coconut oil
• 2 ⅔ cups seedless red grapes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced thyme
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• ¼ cup sliced and toasted almonds
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest and 1 teaspoon juice
• 4 slices of crusty bread
• ½ cup almond butter

Instructions:

1. Adjust the oven rack 4 inches from the heat broiler and broiler element. Put a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add oil.
2. Add sugar, one teaspoon of thyme, grapes and salt. Stir slowly until the grapes soften and the juices thicken.
3. Transfer to bowl, and add lemon juice and zest.
4. On the side, place bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden brown — around one to two minutes per side.
5. Spread almond butter on toast and top with sautéed grapes. Add grape juice, remaining thyme and almonds.

Pimento Cheese & Egg Sandwich

Elevate your usual pimiento cheese sandwich with eggs and spinach — a rich source of fiber. You can get this recipe ready in 10 minutes, making it ideal for you if you struggle with hectic mornings.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole-wheat English muffin, split
• 2 tablespoons pimiento cheese
• 1 large egg, scrambled
• ¼ cup baby spinach
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Instructions:

1. Spread pimiento cheese on one half of the muffin. Top with scrambled egg and spinach.
2. Pour the desired hot sauce and top with the remaining half of the muffin.

Eat Your Way to a Healthy Heart

Start your mornings right with these heart-friendly breakfast recipes. Be creative and add your favorite ingredients to the mix.