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8 Ways to (Literally) Spice Up Your Healthy Breakfast

breakfast-spice-585Aren’t we all looking for a healthy fast breakfast? One that fills us up yet is quick to prepare? Well, have no fear, tips are here! For our first-annual Fit Bottomed Eats Week, McCormick is sharing some of its favorite healthy and fast breakfast ideas that are high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Most of the ideas are simple tweaks of adding a spice here or there—but they take your ordinary healthy fast breakfast from normal to nom-nom worthy in about a millisecond.

8 Healthy Fast Breakfast Ideas With Spice!

People are racing to get fit for summer, and research shows that people who make smart choices at breakfast are more likely to make smart choices and have healthier diets throughout the day. For example, ginger and cinnamon not only add great taste to breakfast basics, they also add antioxidants. In fact, research has even shown that ginger can help reduce post-workout muscle pain! Read on for some fun ways to spice up that breakfast!

1. Spicy yogurt. Try mixing one container (6 oz.) of plain or vanilla Greek-style yogurt, one tablespoon maple syrup or honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.

2. Get fruity. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger on store-bought fruit cups or homemade fruit salad.

3. Spread ’em. Spread this on your morning toast instead of sugary jams and jellies: mix eight ounces of Neufchâtel cheese (1/3 less fat than cream cheese), softened, two tablespoons honey and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon until well blended (serves eight).

4. Perk up your java. Dress up your morning coffee by sprinkling ground cinnamon over coffee grounds before brewing.

5. Smooth sipping. Place one small ripe banana, sliced, one cup frozen strawberries or blueberries, one six-ounce container vanilla Greek-style yogurt, 1/2 cup orange juice, one tablespoon honey and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in blender. Blend on high speed until smooth.

6. Say good-bye to boring oatmeal. Sprinkle ground cinnamon on your morning oatmeal to perk up your day. For an extra flavor twist, try adding dried cherries with sliced almonds or walnuts.

7. Egg-cellent eggs. Beat four eggs (or double egg whites!), 1/4 cup reduced-fat milk, 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves and 1/4 teaspoon each garlic powder and ground black pepper. Sauté of cup chopped vegetables in one tablespoon hot olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add egg mixture; scramble. Stir in one cup shredded reduced-fat cheese. Spoon into four whole-wheat tortillas.

8. Spice up box muffin mix. Prepare muffin mix as directed on package, then add one teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/3 cup dried fruit, such as raisins and cranberries, or chopped walnuts or pecans.

And now for some fun spice-a-rific facts:

  • A spoonful of ground ginger has more antioxidants than 3/4 cup of chopped watermelon, 1/2 cup of sliced kiwi and one and a 1/2 cups of chopped sweet red pepper.
  • Just 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon has more antioxidants than 1/3 cup of fresh spinach, 1/4 cup of raspberries or four medium carrots.
  • Only a 1/4 teaspoon of oregano has more antioxidants than one cup of eggplant.

They say (and we agree) that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! What are a few of your favorite healthy fast breakfasts? And how do you spice them up? Be sure to check out www.spicesforhealth.com for additional tips and recipes! –Jenn

FTC disclosure: We often receive products from companies to review. All thoughts and opinions are always entirely our own. Unless otherwise stated, we have received no compensation for our review and the content is purely editorial. Affiliate links may be included. If you purchase something through one of those links we may receive a small commission. Thanks for your support!