Make your Morning a Fertile one !

Oh, Breakfast, I have such a love-hate relationship with you.

In the morning, sometimes it’s so hard to find time to eat breakfast. Think about it, we’re rushing around, trying to get out the door, rushing to get to the bus stop before we miss the bus, getting our stuff packed with what we need for the work day, and we overslept this morning so we have even less time than usual for that mad dash out the door. Who has time for breakfast?

But at the same time, we’ve heard, we’ve read, we’ve seen on google, that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

We know we’re supposed to eat it. We WANT to eat it. So we feel guilty when we don’t. When that happens we decide to assuage our guilt by stopping at Starbucks and getting a Triple Venti No Foam Latte and a doughnut. In addition to being breakfast, this has the added bonus of keeping us caffeinated (which is great, since we overslept).

Then we crash mid-morning once our sugar high wears off, and we go off in search of a pick-me-up before lunch. We grab a diet coke (hey, it’s DIET, right?). And the cycle continues.

I think about those times when I’m able to eat a good breakfast. I feel full from my food, satisfied, focused, clear, and ready to face the day. This is when I love breakfast.

I also think about the times I’m not eating breakfast, or eating something like the Starbucks doughnut. I’m not satisfied at all. This is when I hate breakfast.

There’s a reason breakfast is revered as the most important meal of the day.

When we wake up in the morning, it’s been several hours since we last ate. Our blood sugar is understandably low. Breakfast gives us the fuel we need to start our day and to replenish the blood sugar that our bodies need to make our muscles and brains work their best.

Studies have also linked eating breakfast to better overall health, including improved memory and concentration, lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, and lower chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight.

Research also suggests that eating a healthy breakfast can boost your fertility. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University found that a big breakfast increases fertility amongst women that suffer from irregular periods due to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS were put into two groups; one group ate their biggest meal at breakfast, the other at dinner. The study found that the bigger breakfast group had decreased glucose, insulin and testosterone levels. In addition, women were also found to be ovulating at a higher level when they ate a bigger breakfast.

My friends, I have a wonderful, easy, YUMMY, fertility-friendly breakfast alternative for you.

Quinoa Salad Bowl

This is one of my favorite go-to breakfasts. My husband introduced me to the quinoa salad breakfast when he discovered them at a carryout place near his work, and I’ve adapted it for us to eat at home, using a Mason jar to keep the ingredients fresh.

Ingredients

About ¼ cup cooked quinoa (prepared ahead of time according to package directions)

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced

½ avocado, sliced

A handful of something leafy and green (whatever you like, arugula, leafy lettuce, spinach)

4-5 grape tomatoes

Directions: Place the ingredients into a wide-mouthed Mason jar in the order listed. If you want to add a little dressing (sometimes I like to add olive oil), put it in the jar first, coating the bottom. Seal the jar tightly and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it.   When ready to eat, empty it into a bowl, toss and enjoy! If you’re rushing out the door in the morning, grab your Mason jar and eat it when you’re ready.

These ingredients will fill up about a 12-oz Mason jar. You can use a bigger jar and add more of everything if you want a bigger salad.

The best thing about this breakfast is that it’s easy and takes little time to prepare, and it’s really healthy and good for you. All of these foods are great for boosting fertility. Another super thing is that you can make a few at a time and they will keep in the fridge in the sealed airtight Mason jar for up to 5 days, so you can grab and go all through the week. Plus, it just tastes really great (Okay, that’s a lot of best things!)!

So, dear breakfast, as long as there are quinoa salad bowls in the world, I think I’ll keep you.

Love,

Stephanie