This post featuring my gluten-free breakfast skillet is inspired by my continued partnership with Happy Egg Co. All opinions are my own.
The morning sets the tone for your entire day. If you wake up feeling well rested, energized and ready to start the day, you can guarantee yourself a productive day ahead. However, if you snooze, wake up at the very last second, skip breakfast and rush out the door, you guarantee yourself a day of feeling frazzled and always playing catch-up.
I personally cherish my mornings, especially after a good night’s sleep. I wake up early and refreshed and find my mornings, for the most part, are productive and healthy. (I truly detest out-of-the-norm mornings where I have to rush out the door.)
I tell you this not to brag about how healthy and amazing I am, but to share with you how I’ve been able to create health in my life despite having an autoimmune disease. Having celiac disease has taught me the importance of treating my body with respect, not taking my health for granted, and employing consistent self-care routines.
I truly believe that starting your day off on the right foot is one of the best ways you can care for – and even heal – your body. So today, I want to share tips to ensuring your day starts off right:
Wake up at the same time every morning. Having the same wake time is one way to start your day off right and, as it turns out, is good for you too. In fact, a 2019 study in Diabetes Care found an irregular bedtime and different amounts of sleep each night puts you at a higher risk for metabolic syndrome, thereby raising your chances for heart disease.
Have a morning routine. Having a morning routine can help your body adjust to the coming day. For me, I wake around the same time every morning (5:50 am on weekdays and 6:30 am on weekends) and then take my dog for an hour-long walk. Unless it’s dark, pouring rain, freezing cold or there’s more than 4″ of snow on the ground, we’re going for that walk! The fresh air wakes me up and the movement gets my body going. By the time 7 am rolls around, I’ve already walked three miles and am hungry for breakfast!
Eat a warm, home-cooked breakfast. So many people wake up and grab a quick bite to eat on the way out the door. Usually they grab a granola bar, bagel or something loaded with refined grains and sugar.
I have found the trick to starting my day healthy requires a little effort in the kitchen. In fact, I spend about 25 minutes cooking breakfast (and preparing my kids’ lunches for the day). I’ll take a warm breakfast over a cold breakfast any day!
A warm meal gets me excited too. I seriously look forward to breakfast every morning, and I love filling my body with yummy, wholesome foods. I am so full after breakfast that I don’t even think about food again until 12:30 or 1:00 pm. No tummy growls here.
So What’s for Breakfast?
Now that I’ve convinced you to wake up early to give yourself time to prepare a home-cooked breakfast, I want to share one of my favorite gluten-free breakfast recipes with you.
It’s a veggie-loaded gluten-free breakfast skillet. Ever since I tried Heritage Eggs by Happy Egg Co., I have been cooking up warm breakfast recipes HERE and HERE. I can’t stop dreaming up fun ways to eat more of these protein-rich eggs with creamy yolks.
Heritage Eggs are laid by Speckled Legbar breed hens (which lay light blue eggs) and the Copper Maran breed (which lay the speckled brown eggs). Inside the blue and speckled brown eggs you’ll find the brightest and orangest yolks you’ve ever seen.
So many of my readers write me asking for gluten-free breakfast ideas. Honestly, you can eat many of the same things as you did before you dumped gluten. Of course, you can buy gluten-free cereal, gluten-free bagels and gluten-free English muffins.
However, for me, breakfast cereal and bagels don’t cut it. I eat those foods and then feel hungry an hour later. It’s rarely a satisfying breakfast when cereal is involved.
Instead, I skip the excess carbs and go straight for a protein-rich, healthified breakfast. I find myself always reaching for Happy Eggs, chicken sausages, turkey bacon and/or even these protein pancakes.
You’ll also always find plenty of vegetables on my plate come breakfast time. I often find myself eating half of an avocado (topped with lime and Kosher salt) or slices of crispy English cucumber or bell pepper slices for breakfast.
When I have time, I most enjoy warm, cooked vegetables, and I use whatever vegetables I have on hand.
In my veggie-loaded gluten-free breakfast skillet, you’ll find diced red bell peppers, fresh leafy spinach, sliced mushrooms and chopped onions. If I would have had a zucchini in the house, I would have added it to my breakfast skillet too. You could also add tomatoes, green bell peppers, jalapenos (if you like it spicy), eggplant and even asparagus (trust me, it works). The more vegetables and color you can add, the better!
Regardless of the vegetables you use, the base of your gluten-free breakfast skillet is typically fried potatoes (I think Russet potatoes cook well in the skillet) and the top of your skillet will be scrambled or fried eggs. Everything else in between depends on what you like (and what vegetables you need to use up in the house before they spoil).
On top of the eggs, I typically add fresh avocado (I forgot to add it before I took the photo – doh!) so I can load up on those healthy fats, and feel free to add chopped scallions, chives, cilantro or any other seasoning of choice.
I personally don’t eat a lot of dairy, so I skipped the cheese, but if you like cheese, sprinkle a little shredded Mexican cheese on top of the potato and veggie mixture (before adding the Happy Egg). You can either heat it over the stove top until the cheese melts or bake it in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese browns. Once the cheese is melted, top your skillet with the fried eggs.
If you’re like me and find yourself craving something hearty, healthy and substantial in the morning, try making this wonderful gluten-free breakfast skillet. It makes a totally satisfying warm breakfast… plus, it’s easy to make, loaded with fresh, from-the-earth ingredients, and is truly tasty from top to bottom.
How About ‘Dem Eggs?
If you want to try the Heritage Breed eggs by Happy Egg Co., visit your local Sprouts, Safeway-Albertsons or Kroger stores and look for them in the blue carton. You can’t miss ’em!
I hope that this post has inspired you to take your morning routine more seriously. Whenever possible, wake up at the same time each day, create a productive morning routine, and whatever you do, don’t skip (or skimp on) breakfast.
Taking the time to make yourself a warm breakfast each and every day gives you the best chance at starting your day off a little happier and healthier. Enjoy!
Happy Egg Gluten-Free Breakfast Skillet
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- Non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium russet potato, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1-2 tsp Kosher salt, divided (more to taste)
- 2 Heritage Breed Eggs by Happy Egg Co.
- 1 tsp Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet pan (I used a cast iron skillet pan for optimal flavor). Add potatoes and cook on medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally until partially browned.
- Add mushrooms, bell pepper and onion to mixture. Continue to cook on medium-high heat for 10 minutes until all vegetables are cooked through and slightly brown. Add spinach and pinch of salt, to taste. Cook for one more minute and then turn off heat.
- While vegetables are cooking, prepare Happy Eggs to your liking (I made them over-easy, but you could easily scramble them instead) in a non-stick skillet pan. Once cooked, gently place eggs atop your vegetable and potato mixture. Top with additional salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Optional: Sprinkle with chopped scallions, sliced fresh avocado, shredded cheese, and/or other toppings of choice.
Notes
- I think the bright orange eggs make this dish extra special! I used Heritage Breed eggs by Happy Eggs, available in the blue cartons at Sprouts, Safeway-Albertsons and Kroger stores nationwide. The Heritage eggs are why you see those glowing amber-colored yolks.
- I used a cast iron skillet, which made the potatoes sizzle up nicely. You could also use a regular or non-stick pan.
- Use whatever vegetables you like – there are no rules when making YOUR breakfast skillet.
- I did not top my skillet with cheese, but you could! Simply sprinkle shredded Mexican cheese on top and either cook it on the stovetop until the cheese is lightly melted, or bake the skillet in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese browns. Top the cheese coated skillet with your egg just before serving.
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