Say it 5 times fast and see what happens! ha, just kidding.

A couple of years ago I spent a week in San Diego in the middle of February. One of the best parts about being on vacation was having time in the morning to relax. Add the inspiration of the beautiful and bountiful produce, and you end up with on of my favorites, dinner for breakfast!

Over the week, we made use of whatever was fresh and local. By the way, did you know that California grows over 28 varieties of avocado? What a great reason to eat guacamole!

Here are some of the dinner-like breakfasts we enjoyed:

• Sauteed red cabbage with fresh peas from the farmers market
• Garlicky asparagus and avocado
• Heirloom tomato and avocado salad
• Sauteed kale with shallots

Everything was prepared simply, we just sauteed the veggies with a tad of coconut oil, salt, and garlic or shallots when they were around. For our protein, we had paleo bread (it’s a type of gluten free bread made with coconut flour and eggs) with almond butter.

It may seem strange at first, but there are a lot of cultures around the world that eat more typical lunch and dinner items for breakfast. In fact, they might look at our sugary pancakes, cereals, donuts and bagels as strange! Want some visuals? Check out these breakfast photos from around the world.

Besides it tasting good, why eat dinner for breakfast? So many of the foods we eat for breakfast in the US are heavy and filled with refined carbohydrates and simple sugars. If you’re used to it, you may not notice how these foods make you feel. But, if you start observing your energy levels, you’ll likely see that it’s a surefire way to end up crashing. After the initial energy boost from the sugar, these foods often leave us feeling tired, bloated, and unsatisfied. It’s a perfect setup for the chocolate in the office, or the candy bar across the street. I know you know what I’m talking about. You know, I always wondered why my former boss kept chocolate for all of us in her office, but it made perfect sense. And more chocolate, candy bars, coffee and muffins means more spikes and drops in our blood sugar, leaving us tired and worn out.

But there are other ways to keep your energy up throughout the day without depending on these pick-me-ups. One way is by starting your day with dinner foods for breakfast. You don’t even have to cook! It’s a perfect way to eat your leftovers 🙂

Here are some ideas for wintery breakfast foods, I am back in NY, after all. These recipes include things like whole grains, protein and veggies. The whole grains and veggies are rich in fiber, which keep you feeling fuller longer and keep your digestive system running smoothly. They also will regulate your blood sugar level. The protein will also give you the energy you need to hold you to your next meal without crashing. Remember, you can use whatever seasonings you like to fit these recipes to your taste. You can also substitute the types of grains, beans, and veggies used. The possibilities are endless!

Dinner for Breakfast recipe ideas (just click on the links for the recipes):

• Brown rice with chickpeas and some steamed or sauteed greens (kale, spinach, collards, swiss chard etc).
• Savory Steel Cut Oats with Miso and Walnuts: I leave out the sweetener in this one, it’s super delicious and rich.
• Root Vegetable Stews: One of my favorite flavor combos is adding peanut or almond butter to soups and stews, especially with sweet potatoes. It adds a lovely creaminess, and a bonus of extra protein. The links above include recipes for Sweet Potato and Peanut soups and stews.
• Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with a cumin lime dressing.
• Miso Soup with loads of veggies, a boiled (or poached) egg and some rice or soba noodles. If you are gluten-free, make sure you read the ingredients on the soba noodles, they often are made with a percentage of wheat flour.
• Tofu Scramble or a Veggie Omelette

What are some of your favorite breakfasts?