Ayurvedic Breakfast

Why should you eat a warm breakfast?

As a child I grew up eating a warm breakfast mainly consisting of: toast with butter and orange marmalade, an egg, hot tea, and a bowl of porridge. As an adult, I still eat this way, except I sometimes trade hot tea with hot coffee (it’s my way of having balance). I had the privilege of learning proper eating habits taught by my parents. My mother was and still is an amazing cook. She made every meal from scratch using fresh and pure ingredients. My father, a former body weight trainer, taught me the ways our body reacts to food and the techniques of consuming foods. From eating slowly and being mindful of what I’m eating, to recognizing what foods aligns with my digestive system and what may not. How to eat, when to eat, what to eat is how I learned the balance of food and health.

Eating a warm bowl of porridge might seem strange. You may think that you don’t have enough time to cook in the morning. While the typical breakfast of bread, jams, cheese, sausage, yogurt, and muesli provides a lot of energy, it doesn’t provide enough nutrients to fill you up properly. From the Ayurvedic point of view, these foods have cooling properties and can weaken the digestive system, which can lead to lethargy, weight gain and a constant feeling of hunger. Rushing is one of the biggest mistakes we make with our diet, especially in this part of the world. And we either eat too irregularly or too often, and the food we eat is either too cold or not right for our digestive system. 

Every organ has active phases and rest phases. During the morning, our digestive fire is still asleep. A warm meal gently awakens the digestive system, as the food is already at “operating temperature”, so it requires less energy to digest. Heavy, cold food dampens the inner fire and puts too much strain on the digestive system, which affects our well-being throughout the whole day. A healthy slice of banana bread, crunchy nut granola with warm milk or rice pudding with turmeric, cinnamon and other spices are good alternatives to porridge. 

No matter what energy type you are, nutritious, light, warm porridge forms the basis of an Ayurvedic breakfast. But if you feel better and mentally fit without breakfast, you can stick to that. Or, instead of eating a meal, enjoy a warm, nutritious glass of turmeric nut milk or “Golden Milk”.

NOTE: Ayurveda is centred around the three body types, (Doshas): Vata, Pitta and Kapha, which differs depending on character and body type – and therefore require different foods. You can find lots of sources on the internet and reading materials to deepen your knowledge,

RECIPES:

BREAKFAST porridge

Light, warm and nutritious, porridge forms the basis of an Ayurvedic breakfast. It provides sustainable energy without overloading your digestive system. Plus, this tasty meal is quick to prepare.

Servings: 1

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond or oat milk 

  • 1/2 cup oats (or cream of wheat)

  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or coconut sugar

  • 1 small pear, chopped bitesized

  • 1 small apple, chopped bitesized

  • 2 -3 seedless Medjool dates, diced small

  • 1 teaspoon slivered almonds or hazlenuts

  • 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 1/3 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/3 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

    INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a small bowl measure and combine the spices and flaxseed meal.

  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the oats, almond milk, and maple syrup or coconut sugar. Bring to a boil uncovered, over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

  3. Stir in the spice and flaxseed mixture.

  4. Add the chopped fruits and dates, and stir to combine. Let rest in the porridge for five minutes. 

  5. Taste for flavor. Garnish with the nuts and enjoy lukewarm.

Golden Milk (Turmeric Milk)

A nutritious alternative for those who don’t like to eat in the morning. It is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine as a remedy, immunity booster and for cleansing.

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups almond milk

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric

  • pinch of black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil

  • 1 teaspoon pure honey

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

Optional: additional spice or flavor such as ginger, or vanilla extract.

INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer (don’t boil). Simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together.

  • Pour the golden milk into a cup and enjoy.