Hello, I’m Ferran (no, Ferra didn’t just make a typo) and I’m thrilled to share a guest post on the blog today! Ferra is one of my dearest friends, and we’ve been sharing recipes, food finds, and new restaurants from the moment our friendship started. We’re both active believers that eating healthy food is the best way to maintain overall health. And I’m betting that if you’ve read this far, you might share that same taste for, well, let’s call them non-traditional breakfast options. I have a great one for you today.

Healthy lunch and dinner options have been fairly easy for me to come up with, but breakfast has always been a struggle. I enjoy a good croissant, cheese danish, or bagel––you get the picture, I love a breakfast pastry! But while they taste divine, those carbs turn to sugar quickly, don’t provide much in terms of nutrition, and leave me feeling jittery, hungry, and floppy about an hour later. Which then leads to me making more unhealthy food choices to get me through the morning until lunchtime.

See if this sounds familiar: One of the main reasons I turn to things like bagels for breakfast is that I wake up ravenous and want to eat something quickly. Putting a bagel into the toaster is easy, quick, and delicious, but not healthy everyday, and the same goes for cereal. I’m not a huge smoothie fan, because I find I need something with substance that I can chew in the mornings in order to feel sated. Eggs can be a great option, but I can’t eat them everyday and they require more time and effort than I typically want to exert in the mornings. Anyway, I think you get the point: breakfast can be a challenge for all of us.

I knew I had to come up with something healthier for breakfast that would stick with me until lunchtime and be easy to prepare. This summer I finally figured out a breakfast bowl that I enjoy eating, easily fits into a Sunday meal-prep routine, and goes together about as quickly as toasting a bagel, but has far better outcomes throughout the morning. It’s a great option to add into your breakfast rotation if you are looking for something new to try. 

I’m calling it The Tropical Chipotle Breakfast Bowl. 

It’s lettuce, quinoa, black beans, avocado, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, and red onion, drizzled with a spicy chipotle caesar dressing and served with a side of watermelon. It’s the perfect way to eat healthily during the week and survive the heat of the summer. 

For those who need a little extra: Add a fried egg on top for a protein-packed breakfast option or turn it into a dinner option by adding salmon and a little cotija cheese. 

Meal Prep Instructions:

If you are into meal prepping, your morning breakfast bowl will come together in about 2 minutes during the week. Here is how I meal prep these breakfast bowls:

Cook a large batch of quinoa, around 2-3 cups dry, depending on how many bowls you want to make throughout the week and if you are going to use it for any other meals. I also like to use organic bone broth instead of water when making quinoa because it makes it even healthier!

Drain and rinse two cans of black beans and place them in a glass container.

Chop, wash, and spin dry the lettuce and place it into a glass bowl with a silicone bowl cover, and as long as you don’t add dressing, it should stay fresh and crisp all week.

Drain one can of pineapple and place it in the glass container.

Dice 1 red onion and place it in the glass container.

Make chipotle caesar dressing:

I like to convert an entire bottle of caesar dressing into chipotle caesar, as it makes dressing the bowl effortless during the week and allows you to use it for other salads as well. Open a bottle of Primal Kitchen Caesar dressing and pour a small amount (about 1/8 cup) out in a glass dish (don’t waste it, refrigerate it and use it the first time you make bowl). Next, add as much chipotle hot sauce. Cholula Chili Chipotle Hot Sauce 5.0 OZ” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>This brand is my favorite. I tend to add a little, shake the bottle, taste, and add a little more if needed. It doesn’t take very much to add some heat and that smokey flavor. Now add a little to the dressing you poured out to make room for the hot sauce and you’re good to go.

If you want to start your morning off with an extra boost of hydration during these hot, summer days, pair your breakfast bowl with a side of watermelon. Watermelon is super easy to add to your meal-prep routine as well. Cut and cube a section of watermelon and place in glass container and eat on it all week. 

Once you’ve meal prepped everything, the only thing to do in the mornings is to build your bowl––then just cut your avocado and cherry tomatoes and drizzle with dressing. 

A quick tip, if you haven’t invested in silicone Stasher 100% Silicone Reusable Food Bag, Sandwich Storage Size, 7-inch (15-ounce), Clear” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Stasher bags, it’s an absolute must for keeping avocados from turning brown once you cut them! And yes, much better than squeezing lime juice on them. These days, when I cut a fresh avocado and only need 1/2, I leave the pit in the other 1/2 and put it in a snack-sized Stasher bag. Then I simply push the air out as I’m sealing the bag, and put it in the fridge. The next morning, the avocado is just as fresh as it was when I put it in.

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Glass Bowls

Stasher Bags

Primal Kitchen Caesar Dressing

Cholula Chipotle Sauce