When I was in high school, I never ever ate breakfast. Never. My first meal was consumed during my lunch break at 11:44 a.m. As a college senior, this former habit is baffling to me. I now wake up craving breakfast, and, if I’m honest, I even go to bed planning what I am going to eat when I wake up. With fall upon us, planning my breakfasts has become even more festive; I love turning on my fall playlist as I stumble into the kitchen to subdue my (embarrassingly loud) grumbling stomach. While I haven’t tried the following recipes yet, I have selected the seasonal breakfasts I will be sampling from my Pinterest board:
1. Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites from All the Healthy Things
The first breakfast I saved was these pumpkin spice energy bites from All the Healthy Things. Pumpkin-flavored everything is one of my favorite aspects of fall, and these on-the-go energy bites will undoubtedly fuel my body when I don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast. With healthy fats from the pumpkin and nutrient-dense oats, I am confident these energy bites will give me a natural, delicious boost.
2. Breakfast Sweet Potato Bowl from Food Banjo
The second breakfast that I pinned was a breakfast sweet potato bowl from Food Banjo. With three main ingredients – apples, sweet potatoes and pecans – this recipe is certainly a nutritious, plant-based way to satisfy my sweet tooth! One swap that I might make is boiling the apples, creating the baked apple texture that I love.
3. Peanut Butter Pumpkin Smoothie from Running on Real Food
As a busy girl, I, of course, had to save some solid smoothie options. The third breakfast that I pinned is this peanut butter pumpkin smoothie from Running on Real Food. (In case you couldn’t tell, I simply do not adhere to the mindset that “too much pumpkin” exists.) Thanks to the recipe’s inclusion of protein powder, this pumpkin drink will be a more filling option than my usual pumpkin spice coffee. When I make this recipe, I might even substitute straight milk for a milk-and-coffee combination to create a more balanced pumpkin coffee alternative.
4. Apple Crisp Smoothie from Dani’s Healthy Eats
Fourth, I want to maximize the fact that apples are in season during fall, so I pinned an apple crisp smoothie from Dani’s Healthy Eats. With protein powder and greek yogurt, I am sure that this smoothie will power me until lunchtime. Furthermore, I love that I can essentially drink a dessert-like, apple-flavored beverage for breakfast without added sugar.
5. Bobo’s Stuff’d Apple Pie Bites
Despite all my intentions to be a chef like Sookie St. James, I know that there are (sadly) going to be some mornings where I am not able to blend, chop or mix my way into the day. Therefore, my last breakfast is a no-prep fall option that I will be buying on my next Target run: Bobo’s Stuff’d Apple Pie Bites. As someone who eats a gluten-free diet, I sometimes struggle to find gluten-free options that are both quick and tasty. While I haven’t yet tried this seasonal product, I have enjoyed the other gluten-free treats that Bobo’s has to offer.
Florida’s fall season might not resemble the fall that Sookie St. James experienced in “Gilmore Girls,” complete with changing leaves and brisk weather. However, these fall recipes will undoubtedly help me feel a little more festive as we venture further into the autumnal months. Between the elements of pumpkin, cinnamon and apple, I am determined to bring fall to me one pinned recipe at a time.