They say breakfast is the day’s most important meal, and I’m not one to disagree. After we wake up, our bodies need macronutrients to fuel our mornings and give us the power to get through the entire day.
Indeed, intermittent fasting has its place. But for those who want more than our daily cups of Joe in the morning, breakfast is non-negotiable.
What better to kick start the day and the old metabolism than a JERF breakfast?
JERF breakfasts provide all the essential macronutrients like fats, protein, and complex carbs. The whole foods composition of JERF breakfasts also benefits your hormones, just like the Mediterranean diet.
If you’re looking for an all-natural way to jump-start your mornings, look no further than these JERF breakfast recipes.
But before we go into some delicious breakfast ideas, let’s address the elephant in the room:
Table of Contents
What’s “JERF?”
JERF is an acronym that stands for “just eat real food.” The JERF diet is the whole foods-based, like the Paleo and Mediterranean diets.
What sets the JERF diet apart from the Paleo diet is that the former allows for more carbohydrates. The only condition for including carbohydrates in the JERF diet is that the carb source must be natural or plant-based. If it comes in a box or from a factory, it’s automatically not JERF-friendly.
Unlike the Paleo diet, the JERF diet also allows dairy. So, if you’re big on yogurt and milk, the JERF diet won’t be a stretch to follow.
Like the Paleo and Mediterranean diets, the JERF diet allows for no processed foods like processed grains, baked goods, and sugars. As a result, eating a purely JERF diet leads to better insulin sensitivity, higher energy levels, and a better mood.
In short, the JERF diet may just be the perfect way to hit many of our health and fitness goals.
Now that we’re clear on the JERF diet let’s look at some enticing and energizing JERF breakfast recipes. These recipes aren’t only delicious and easy to prepare — perfect for those of us with busy lifestyles!
1. Yogurt-creamed Oats
Take your morning oatmeal to the next level with this yogurt-creamed oat recipe!
You’ll need oats and a cup of Greek yogurt. Also, have an ounce of nuts and berries to add flavor to your morning oats. For nuts, go with the following:
- Almond
- Macadamia
- Brazilian
- Pecans
You have free rein over the berries you’d like to add. But if you need to start safe, you can’t go wrong with blueberries.
Gather your oats and yogurt and mix them in a bowl. Add the nuts and berries after. Let the berries infuse into the oats and yogurt, and add them as you stir. The result is a delicious, creamy, and energizing take on oatmeal!
2. Bacon and Eggs
Here’s a satiating JERF breakfast combo that has stood the test. Bacon and eggs are a mainstay combination for us breakfast lovers. It’s a match in heaven that takes the guesswork out of putting food groups together.
Bacon and eggs give you a protein-packed start to the day with the added fat to match. Protein helps your muscles recover from demanding resistance training sessions, while fat is necessary for hormonal health.
To go full-on JERF, be selective with the oil you use to fry your bacon and eggs. Choose JERF-friendly options like sesame oil or olive oil. If you’re watching your calorie intake, you can also air-fry.
3. Pan-fried Potato and Onion Omelet
Try this pan-fried potato and onion omelet for a balanced start to your day. You’ll need eggs, some microwaved diced potatoes, and onions. For flavor, prepare some chili powder or flakes, salt, and ground black pepper.
First, dice your potatoes and microwave them until they’re soft. From here, chop some onions and crack eggs into a bowl. Add the diced potatoes and onions to the eggs. Whisk the eggs and make sure that the potatoes and onions spread evenly. Add chili flakes and ground black pepper for added spice.
Once your omelet mix is ready, pre-heat your non-stick frying pan. Use sesame oil or olive oil if you need to. You can pour your omelet mix into the pan and fry away.
This recipe gives you all the carbohydrates, protein, and fat you’ll need for the morning. Your metabolism and taste buds will thank you!
4. Quinoa Trail Mix Bowl
This quinoa trail mix bowl recipe is about as simple and fast as they come. You’ll need a cup of cooked quinoa, an ounce of nuts, and a cup or two of assorted berries. For the berries, choose strawberries and blueberries if you don’t have a favorite in mind. Of course, you’ll also need a cup of rolled oats.
Begin by cooking the rolled oats. Once you’ve cooked them, gather the rest of your ingredients into a bowl. Mix the quinoa with some milk or yogurt. Add in the nuts and assorted berries.
The combination is a sweet marriage of berries, nuts, and quinoa. If you’ve got an even sweeter tooth, you can add honey.
You can also prepare this trail mix bowl the night before. Refrigerate it and have it in the morning, just like overnight oats.
5. Nut and Granola Parfait
Here’s another simple JERF breakfast recipe. To prepare your nut and granola parfait, you’ll need some Greek yogurt, two ounces of almonds or walnuts, and some rolled oats. You’ll also need a cup of strawberries or blueberries. Raisins are optional but make for excellent garnish.
Take a bowl and fill the bottom with the rolled oats. Smother the oats with your Greek yogurt. Use as much yogurt as you want to. From here, top the yogurt with nuts and berries. For a hint of sweet and sourness, sprinkle raisins atop the nuts and berries.
This parfait recipe is an all-natural source of heart-healthy fats, and it’s also a simple and quick way to start your day!
6. Banana and Berry Breakfast Pudding
While it’s a mouthful to say, this pudding recipe is JERF-friendly, and even kids will want a mouthful of it.
For this unique take on breakfast pudding, you’ll need two sliced bananas, a cup of rolled oats, and yogurt or milk. You should also prepare four tablespoons of chia seeds and some assorted frozen berries. Finally, if you have any, you’ll need half a tablespoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and all-natural nut butter.
Place all of the ingredients except the frozen berries in a blender. Then blend the mixture to your desired consistency before adding the frozen berries.
Once you’ve done this, you have two options. You can either consume it immediately or — for the best results — you can leave it in the fridge overnight.
Either way, you’ll be in for a tasty and nutritious JERF breakfast!
7. JERF Breakfast Porridge
This porridge recipe is sure to rev your taste buds and your energy levels. Here are the ingredients for this JERF-friendly porridge recipe:
- Whole oats
- A tablespoon of cinnamon
- A cup of almond milk
- A pinch of salt
- Half a cup of your favorite dried fruit
This JERF breakfast porridge recipe is an overnight recipe. Start by soaking your oats in two cups of water and leaving them in the fridge overnight.
Remove the oats from the fridge the morning after, and drain all water from the oats. Throw the oats into a blender with two cups of water. Add a tablespoon of cinnamon and a cup of almond milk.
Pulse the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. After blending the oats, pour them into a pot and add another cup of water. The water will add volume to the porridge.
Cook the oat mixture at medium heat and stir frequently. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes creamy. After this, add a pinch of salt and stir a few more times before adding your dried fruit.
Turn off the heat and cover your porridge for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, grab a spoon and dig in!
Kickstart Your Morning With These Easy JERF Breakfast Dishes!
These JERF breakfasts are sure to give your mornings a healthy and all-natural start, allowing you to get energized and embrace the JERF lifestyle as soon as your alarm goes off! Try out these different recipes to enjoy different flavors and have a healthy, balanced diet.
FAQs About JERF Breakfast
People who are not entirely familiar with the concept of JERF breakfast have some questions about it. Let’s look at the top three FAQs about JERF breakfast:
What is the JERF diet?
JERF stands for ‘just eat real food.’ It focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables and unrefined cooking oils. Moreover, the JERF diet involves adding pastured meat and eggs from healthy chickens to your diet to achieve the health benefits of fresh food.
What is a non-processed breakfast?
Banana and egg pancakes, homemade muesli, mug cakes, vegetable soups, Kodiak cakes, and yogurt are some prominent examples of non-processed food. JERF diet highly discourages processed grains, sugar, and baked goods. If you eat a non-processed breakfast, you will have higher energy levels, a better mood, and greater insulin sensitivity.
What is the most fulfilling breakfast?
There are many different healthy recipes that you can try to have a fulfilling breakfast. Some of the most fulfilling breakfast recipes are yogurt-creamed oats, pan-fried potato and onion omelet, and the traditional bacon and eggs.
Sources
- https://www.justeatrealfood.ca/post/homemade-oat-porridge
- https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7805452/hormone-balancing-foods-how-diet-can-help/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/balance-hormones
- https://www.justeatrealfood.ca/
- https://myfitstation.com/21-day-jerf-challenge-just-eat-real-food/
