The Year of You has officially begun! And it’s the perfect time to start swapping some simple and delicious healthy recipes into your morning routine. Breakfast is the most important part of the day, with countless studies showing that how we fuel ourselves after our overnight fast plays a crucial role to how we perform mentally and physically throughout the day.
Do you tend to start your day with a coffee? Try swapping your morning brew with a greener, gentler, caffeine-free option that will be much kinder on an empty stomach, like my favourite Matcha Green Tea Latte.
Instead of reaching for a croissant or piece of toast, dust off your blender and whip up a colourful, nutrient-rich smoothie that will energise you until lunch and help incorporate more wholefoods into your day — all before 12pm!
Brightly coloured foods not only help to keep the immune system strong, they also help to boost energy naturally as well as providing an array of essential vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and enzymes. So start fuelling your body with foods that are close to nature as you can to ensure that you get off to a glowing start this year:
MATCHA GREEN TEA LATTE
Green is the new black this season, so swap your morning brew with this rich and delicious latte mate with nutritious Matcha, known for its natural detoxication, calming and metabolism-boosting qualities. The nuts and seeds provide the protein content that perfectly compliment this antioxidant-rich warmer.
Ingredients
- Matcha Green Tea Powder
- Rice Milk
- Agave Syrup or Honey
- Handful of mixed fruit and nuts
Method
- Add half a teaspoon or a full teaspoon of Matcha Green Tea powder to one cup of rice milk and heat slowly.
- Add in half a teaspoon of agave syrup or honey and stir on a low heat.
- Serve when hot and enjoy a handful of fruit and nuts with this great coffee alternative.
RED CACAO SMOOTHIE
The red pigments help to boost immunity and contain high levels of essential fatty acids for hair and skin health. The cinnamon and nutmeg help regulate blood sugar levels. The addition of cacao boosts free radical fighting antioxidants – it has a long traditional use to help with energy production. The kale is a good source of magnesium and iron for energy too!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of berries – mixture of cranberry and raspberries (can be frozen)
- 1 cup of kale
- 1 teaspoon cacao
- 2 teaspoons chia or linseeds
- Dusting of cinnamon and nutmeg
- 200 – 250 mls of unsweetened hemp or almond milk
Method
- Blend all of the ingredients together for 30 to 45 seconds
- Add the cinnamon and nutmeg on top when glass is poured
BERRY BOWL SMOOTHIE
Make this vibrant and delicious smoothie the before bed for a grab-and-go breakfast the next morning! The spinach in this delicious smoothie provides increased levels of magnesium and iron for a natural energy boost!
Ingredients
- One cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
- Half a cup of porridge oats
- one banana
- one or dessert spoons of yoghurt – coconut or greek style
- 200 – 250 mls Rice, Almond, Oat or Hemp Milk
- Handful of English Spinach
Method
- Blend all of the ingredients together for 45 seconds
- Serve in a small bowl – can be lightly heated if desired
BAKED PEACHES
The almonds and yoghurt help to regulate the energy release of this delicious, filling breakfast. This high fibre energy-boosting option is nutrient density at its best, helping to keep you full and helping to prevent energy-zapping sugar spikes. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals for immune, skin and nervous system support.
Ingredients
- Peaches, sliced
- Coconut Yoghurt
- Coconut Flakes
- Honey or Agave syrup
- Goji Berries
- Passionfruit
- Almonds
Method
- Heat the pear for 10 minutes on a low heat in the oven
- When ready serve with a drizzle of honey or agave syrup and two teaspoons of coconut yoghurt.
- Top with coconut flakes, goji berries, fresh passionfruit and almonds if desired
NUTRITION TALK: Bad Habit Swaps with Rick Hay
Friday 6 January @ 1:00 PM (GMT)
If you’re interested in learning more about how to swap more healthy food int your day, become a member of Yogaia now and join my special talk on Nutrition Swaps on Friday 6th Jan at 1pm! Become more mindful about your eating habits and learn the best tips to get rid of them. After the 15-minute talk you will have the opportunity to dive deeper and ask me questions about nutrition via Yogaia’s online chat. This class is part of our The Year of You program, helping you start the new year as you mean to go on!
What is The Year of You?
From 1st January, join us for a 15-day program of yoga, meditation and workshops, all designed to help you create a year you love!
We’ve teamed up with experts in yoga, meditation, mindfulness and nutrition to create a program that will help you create a lasting yoga practice, incorporate more mindfulness into your life, and create (and stick to) intentions that make you feel like your best self. Feel energised, inspired and motivated to make 2017 your best yet.
About Rick Hay
Rick Hay is a nutritional physiologist, as well as an anti-ageing and fitness nutritionist and has many year’s clinical experience in nutrition, naturopathy, botanical medicine and iridology. He specialises in anti-aging food and fitness, beauty from within, natural sports medicine, obesity treatment, and weight management. He is the author of ‘Your Essential Anti-Ageing Food and Fitness Plan’, an easy to follow 12-week transformation guide. With many years of working one-to-one with patients Rick is gifted with providing nutritional based treatment options for many of today’s most common health and fitness concerns in a practical and accessible way.
