14 DASH Diet Breakfast Recipes to Make Ahead for Busy Days
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Simplify your morning routine with these flavorful breakfasts. Whether chilled overnight, stored in the freezer or wrapped at room temperature, each of these meals can be made ahead to make the start of the day a little bit easier. Plus, these breakfast dishes are lower in saturated fat and sodium to align with our heart healthy nutrition parameters. This makes them perfect for those following the DASH diet (short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is one of the best eating pattern for lowering blood pressure. With a focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, recipes like our Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup-Inspired Overnight Oats and Make-Ahead Freezer Breakfast Burritos with Eggs, Cheese & Spinach are unbelievably delicious and nutritious, and you’ll want to make them week after week.
Cocoa-Chia Pudding with Raspberries
Have chocolate for breakfast with this unbelievably healthy chia pudding recipe. The deep chocolaty flavor pairs perfectly with juicy raspberries for a fun switch-up from oatmeal for your morning routine.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup-Inspired Overnight Oats
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
These overnight oats re-create the flavors of a popular candy. The chocolate is used in two ways—stirred into the oats, and melted on top to mimic the shell of the peanut butter cup. Flaky sea salt on top balances the sweetness. We use crunchy peanut butter, but creamy peanut butter, almond butter or sunflower butter would work just as well.
Breakfast Blueberry-Oatmeal Cakes
This oatmeal-meets-muffin-tin cake recipe is perfect for having a healthy breakfast available on busy weekdays. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your freezer. For a grab-and-go breakfast, reheat the oatmeal cakes in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
Low-Carb Blueberry Muffins
Just because you're watching carbs doesn't mean you can't have the classic breakfast pastry. In place of all-purpose flour, nutty almond and coconut flours make these muffins fluffy while slashing carbs. A bit of brown sugar blunts the tartness of fresh blueberries. Make these ahead for a grab-and-go breakfast for the week.
Chai Chia Pudding
Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. This healthy breakfast recipe has all the warm, spicy flavors of chai topped with creamy bananas and crunchy pistachios for added flavor and texture.
Make-Ahead Freezer Breakfast Burritos with Eggs, Cheese & Spinach
Mornings just got easier with these satisfying breakfast burritos made with eggs, spinach, serrano peppers and cheese. These burritos can last for months in the freezer and reheat within minutes in the microwave, so keep a stash on hand for when you need a quick, healthy breakfast.
Morning Glory Muffins
These Morning Glory muffins are full of everything you'd expect in the bakery favorite-carrots, apple and raisins, topped with nuts and toasted wheat germ. If raisins aren't your favorite, substitute an equal amount of the dried fruit of your choice.
Banana Cream Pie–Inspired Overnight Oats
Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Start your day with a breakfast that feels like a treat—these layered overnight oats offer a delightful blend of banana, cinnamon and a touch of vanilla to elevate the taste. Right before enjoying, a finishing touch of crumbled graham crackers adds a pie-like charm to this easy breakfast. For the best results, use ripe bananas: their skin should be brown in spots and they should feel a little soft when you squeeze them.
Almond-Honey Power Bar
Great for breakfast on the go! Golden roasted nuts, seeds and oats are enveloped by flavorful almond butter in these delectably chewy, no-fuss energy bars. Unrefined turbinado sugar adds a deep caramelly undertone. Feel free to use light brown sugar instead. Bars stored at room temperature will be softer than those that are refrigerated.
Cinnamon Rolls
Learn how to make cinnamon rolls for a sweet treat. Substituting whole-wheat flour for some of the white flour makes these healthy cinnamon rolls more nutritious.
Breakfast Beans with Microwave-Poached Egg
In Costa Rica, this popular breakfast bean dish is called gallo pinto, which means spotted rooster, referring to the dark beans amid the pale rice. We call for cooked barley here, but you can use whatever leftover cooked grain you may have on hand.
Granola & Yogurt Breakfast Popsicles
These fun yogurt pops studded with fresh berries make a great on-the-go breakfast for a busy morning--perfect for kids and adults alike.
Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding
Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. It's made just like overnight oats—combine chia and your milk of choice, let soak overnight, then top with juicy blueberries and crunchy almonds and dig in!
Make-Ahead Smoothie Freezer Packs
Smoothies are a great healthy breakfast for kids, but busy parents know there's no time for all that chopping and measuring in the morning rush. Make these easy DIY smoothie packs ahead of time and stash them in your freezer until you're ready to whir up a fruit-filled meal or snack kids will love. This makes enough for a workweek's worth of smoothies!
Read the original article on Eating Well.
