Nutritionist TJ's Top 3 Energising Breakfasts

If you’ve ever found yourself crashing mid-morning after a quick bowl of sugary cereal or a slice of white toast, you’re not alone. While convenient, these kinds of breakfasts don’t do much for you nutritionally, and can spike your blood sugar, leaving you feeling hungry, sluggish, and craving more empty carbs just a couple of hours later.

Last time, I looked at the  pros and cons of skipping breakfast . But when you do eat a morning meal rich in plant protein, fibre, healthy fats and a range of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, you’re giving your body the steady fuel it needs to stay full, focused and energised – without the crash. 

Not only does a nourishing breakfast help sustain energy and improve concentration, it also makes a big dent in your daily nutrition targets early in the day. Hitting your daily goals for protein, iron, or fibre becomes a lot more manageable when you get a head start with the first meal of the day (a well-formulated multivitamin like Extracted's award-winning Multee can also help cover your bases for all essential vitamins and minerals). 

And the best part? A balanced breakfast doesn’t have to take long. Below, we’re sharing three simple, delicious, protein-packed plant-based recipes that deliver lasting energy, essential nutrients, and feel-good flavour – all in under 15 minutes (or instant in the case of the granola once you’ve made a batch)! 

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 280g firm tofu

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• Pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)

• 75ml soy milk

Method:

First of all mix up the nutritional yeast, turmeric, paprika, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper and soy milk in a small bowl.

Break the tofu up roughly - a mixture of some small bits with some larger chunks remaining works well.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan then add the broken tofu - fry for a few minutes until the tofu is just starting to turn golden.

Now add the sauce and stir through the tofu. It’ll seem a little wet at first but the tofu will soon absorb the liquid (along with all the flavour) until it reaches a perfect scramble consistency. Be careful not to over-cook the tofu so it dries out - you want to keep a soft and loose scramble texture!

Ingredients (serves 8):

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup chopped dates

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

• 2/3 cup water

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

Method:

Preheat the oven to 150C

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl (oats, walnuts, dates, cranberries, seeds, cinnamon. Then mix in the water and maple syrup to thoroughly combine everything.

Spread the mixture out onto a baking tray, and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until it’s golden brown all over. You should take the granola out every 10 minutes and give it a stir (it may require breaking up a little to ensure it’s nice and crumbly).

When it’s golden, take it out of the oven to cool. It may feel slightly soft while it’s still warm but don’t worry, it’ll get nice and crunchy as it cools.

You can store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 weeks.

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 1 frozen banana

• 1 cup frozen blueberries

• 1-2 large handfuls fresh spinach

• 1/2 fresh beetroot

• 1 scoop plant protein powder

• About 1 cup water

Toppings:

• 1 fresh kiwi fruit

• 1 Tbsp toasted almond flakes

• 2 Tbsp fresh blueberries

• 1 tsp chia seeds

Method:

Chuck all ingredients in a blender and whizz up until smooth... that's it! You can add a little more water if you want a more liquid consistency, or a few ice cubes to make it thicker. Cut up the kiwi fruit and arrange on top along with the other toppings. It's that simple.

These are great for post-workout refuelling. The natural sugars in the fruits and the protein from the nuts, seeds, and protein powder is the perfect combination for muscle recovery and growth.