As much as I like to think I'm a fancy-pants-y-poo in the kitchen, I'm not. I really enjoy creating in the kitchen, but I'll always prioritize simplicity and ease in all recipes. Most of the recipes you'll find on my site live up to that motto, containing whole-food-based ingredients that you likely already have kicking around the house. I'm not a fan of those recipes that cost me my whole paycheque (okay, I'm exaggerating a bit), but even more so when they don't turn out as I expected them to (womp, womp!)

For that reason, I try to keep things wallet-friendly around here as well, and most of all, gluten, dairy and refined-sugar free because that, from my personal experience and knowledge as a holistic nutritionist, is what is going to get you feeling your absolute best!I'm typically an advocate of making everything from scratch (including salad dressing, stir-fry sauce, treats and almond milk) but I recognize that that's not always possible.

Sometimes it comes down to finding high-quality products that are in line with your food values and standards. From my experience working with clients 1:1, it's typically less daunting when I propose it that way. Making any changes in your diet can be an overwhelming experience when you're used to eating a certain way for a period of time.

Once they can get down the healthy eating shtick, then we can add in the next element of making more of our food from scratch – but please don't feel the pressure to start there, unless of course, you feel you are already close to being there!

You've probably heard me say it time and time before, but one more time never hurt:

"Health is a journey – take it one step at a time"

This recipe, along with my Sweet Potato Egg Trio, usually find their way onto client meal plans as they're both mega delicious and provide the perfect foundation for a healthy balanced breakfast. When throwing together a healthy breakfast, you want to steer clear of the typical cereals and muffins that are easy breakfasts to turn to and take this as an opportunity to load up on protein, healthy fats and fibre.

Starting your day in such a way will make all the difference in your energy and hunger levels throughout the day. There's a big difference in how I feel if I have a breakfast like avocado toast versus my Sweet Potato Egg Trio. Nothing against avocado toast, because for the most part, it is quite balanced, but it would be more well-rounded and beneficial to add something like hemp seeds or an egg on top of it.

An example of protein, healthy fats and fibre you can use interchangeably at breakfast include:

Protein: eggs, chia pudding, protein powder in a smoothie,hemp seed n'oatmeal, hydrolyzed grass-fed gelatin, chili (think outside breakfast food!)
Healthy Fats: eggs, hemp seeds, coconut milk, shredded unsweetened coconut flakes, avocado, nuts & seeds
Fibre: chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flax, apples, bananas, cashews

Now that you have the basics, you can really build just about any type of breakfast you wish. But remember, let's start with the basics – let's start with this creamy, dreamy Coconut Yogurt Parfait!

Coconut Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients

1 cup coconut yogurt (Silk, Yoso or homemade)
1/4 - 1/2 unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tbsp cacao nibs
1-2 tbsp raw cashews
1/2 banana, sliced
1 tbsp maple syrup, raw honey or yacon syrup (optional)

Directions

Scoop half of the coconut yogurt into the bottom of a bowl. Layer in the shredded coconut, cacao nibs and banana.
Top with the remaining amount of coconut yogurt and remaining ingredients.
Drizzle with natural sweetener (maple syrup, raw honey, yacon syrup) if you wish.

What's your favourite easy-peasy breakie?