38 Low/No Starchy Carb Breakfast Ideas, and counting…

Jul 3, 2007

**Think outside the box…

**Use grass fed organic full fat dairy when available

**Use low carb tortilla, bread, crackers etc.  There are several good brands on the market.

**I tend to avoid anything that comes out too much like a baked good because I still find that addictive and not a smart way to start the day (see my Surviving Myself Blog “A Scone By Any Other Name”), but there are lots of good paleo-esque recipes online.

1.  All natural Apple and Chicken chicken sausages (lots of companies make them – I like Han best) with no sugar added applesauce.

2.  Breakfast Burrito – whole grain low carb tortilla filled with any mixture of vegetables, chicken, salsa, cheese, sour cream, etc. Be creative, but be sure to use a couple of ounces of protein.  If you use a few beans you will increase the carb count but likely stay full longer.

3.  Sliced banana covered with full fat Organic Greek yogurt (grass fed if available), heated in the microwave and  then sprinkled with chopped walnuts.  This would also be good with apple and cinnamon and perhaps toasted almonds.

4.  Strawberries mixed with a combination of the Greek yogurt and cottage cheese (for substance and staying power) and a little stevia to sweeten it.

5.  Turkey Chili with either sour cream or grated cheddar.  I use a great turkey lentil chili recipe that freezes really well in individual portions. This is a wonderful winter morning start.

6.  Open faced grilled Swiss cheese and tomato on a whole grain low carb cracker or flat bread.  Also try with grilled eggplant, mozzarella and a touch of your favorite marinara.

7.  Lox and cream cheese on a “low carb vehicle” as above.

8. Zucchini fritters, or zucchini/potato pancakes.  There are lots of good recipes for this or other veggie based fritters.  Make sure to use eggs for protein.

9.  Cottage Cheese or ricotta with either cocoa powder or cinnamon and something to sweeten it.  By itself, or on a Kavli or other insubstantial or low carb cracker.

10. Cottage cheese pancake.  Literally just cottage cheese.  Takes forever to cook but well worth it.

11. Cottage Cheese on a Kavli or any low carb cracker that has been schmeared with a little raspberry or strawberry jam.

12.  Eggs, eggs, eggs…organic, of course – try deviled (which can be made in advance en masse and stored, as an omelette with veggies like spinach and feta, stewed tomatoes and feta, swiss and mushrooms, canadian bacon, peppers and onions, zucchini, garlic and onions with jack cheese, etc.  Try as a wrap with chemical-free bacon bits and perhaps a sprinkle of cheese – and don’t forget the veggies.

13.  Pizza veggie burgers – try Dr. Praeger’s or Boca or Morininstar’s Pizza flavored – there are plenty on the market.  Top with a little grated mozzarella and your favorite marinara.

14.  Trader Joe’s Meatballs prepared as above.  I’m not a big fan of soy, but the Trader Joe’s Mealtless meatballs are delicious and really convenient.  You can take them right from the freezer, and can even eat them cold.

15.  Low carb whole grain bread, or one of those crackers that you would never be tempted to just snack on otherwise, topped with peanut or almond butter and a little sliced banana.  The key is to use enough PB or almond butter and not overwhelm yourself with the carbs.

16.  Caesar salad with chopped hard boiled eggs.  Think Middle Eastern or Israeli.

17.  Chopped Shepard Salad (cucumber, tomato, garlic, lemon) with crumbled feta and Kalamata olives. My current favorite.

18.  Variety of raw veggies (carrots, red and yellow peppers, celery) with dips of hummus and peanut butter.

19.  Cottage cheese, blueberries and toasted almonds.

20.  Cottage cheese with peanut butter or almond butter stirred in with blueberries or strawberries – sort of like PB and J.

21.  Paleo breakfast cereal or granola and either cashew, macadamia or peanut butter mixed in.  Great with apple or banana slices cooked right in as the sweetener.

22.  Paleo breakfast cereal or granola with whey protein (post cooking) and flavored with maple extract and cinnamon.  Almond or orange extracts are good too.

23.  Paleo granola parfait with full fat organic yogurt and fruit.

24.  Breakfast smoothie.  A good protein powder (like Whey Cool or Pure Paleo Protein  from Designs for Health) with your choice of milk types (rice or Almond) or yogurt with fruit, PB or other nut butters.  You can get all kinds of creative, like pina colada with actual pineapple and coconut extract, or vanilla flavor protein with rum extract and pumpkin pie spice (eggnog).

25.  Baked apple stuffed with cottage cheese and topped with chopped nuts.

26.  Braeburn apple with sharp cheddar cheese.

27.  Pear with brie.  You get the picture.

28.  Apple or banana with nut butter.  Tip:  Measure out the nut butter and put it away before starting to eat!

29.  Baked tomato (slice in halves or thirds in discs) sprinkled with a little garlic powder and topped with grated cheese of your choice and grilled.

30.  Quiche and all its various guises.  Naturally use some extra whites, perhaps reduced fat cheese and milk, and fill with veggies.  Crust can be made from phyllo, or left out altogether.  Can be frozen in individual pieces.

31.  Spinach Pie – made with chopped frozen spinach, cottage cheese, egg substitute or real eggs minus some yolks, dill, onion and perhaps grated Romano.  Proportions are not that critical, just need enough egg to hold it together.  Bake in a pan till center is firm.  Cut and freeze in individual pieces.  Reheats well.

32.  Ham and Swiss on G&G crispbread or some equally-resistable, light weight or low carb cracker, from The Thin Commandments, by Gullo.  Use low-salt, low-fat  nitrite-free ham.

33.  Ham and Swiss Cheese Roll ups filled with pickle (or some such) and heated briefly in the microwave to melt the cheese.

34. Frizzled Orange Beef With Poached Egg.  Also from Protein Power.  Real gourmet fare if you want to take the time.

35.  Fluffy “Pancakes” from Protein Power, by the Eades made with cottage wheat germ, a little flour (can be almond or other low carb type) and eggs.  They’re surprisingly good.

36.  Any leftover lunch or dinner items containing protein, fat, veggies or fruit, and minimal whole grain carbs.  Even just leftover veggies like broccoli with a piece of cheese melted on top works.

37.  Baked Stuffed (scraped thin) Potato Skins – stuffed with anything you like:  broccoli and shredded cheese, turkey chili, crumbled turkey bacon and lite sour cream.  Be creative, but include protein and good fat.  the key is to just use the skin as a crispy thin shell and fill it with proteins and veggies.

39.  Breakfast Blintzes made with thin egg crepe filled with cottage cheese sweetened (with Xylitol, Erythritol, Stevia or other harmless sweetener or a little honey), drizzled with pureed frozen strawberries, banana chunks and chopped walnuts.

**Check the Low Carb diet books like: The Hampton’s Diet, the Rosedale Diet, The Paleo Diet Eat Fat , Lose Fat.  They all have some interesting and unusual recipes if you want to take the time.

**Wherever possible, use all natural, unprocessed, chemical-free, whole food, organic ingredients.   Freshly ground flaxmeal is a good substitute for nuts.   V8 (low-sodium perhaps) can work as an easy, portable veggie substitute.