Waffles, French toast and chocolate pancakes are all considered brekkie staples – but dessert might be the better word for them! While we’re not against something sweet to start off the day – after all, we have a host of delicious pancake and muffin recipes that could light up any sunrise – we also know that brekkie should be nourishing, wholesome and loaded with nutrients, not sugar. That’s why we’re sharing 3 simple no-sugar recipes to get your day off to a good start. 

A balanced breakfast can help you power through the day and fight off those cravings than pop up when you’ve quit sugar. There are a few important elements involved in creating a nutritious brekkie – for instance, healthy fats are a great source of energy and they also help us absorb other nutrients too! Starting your day with these fats is a good way to keep your hunger in check until your next meal, with studies finding monounsaturated fats help balance blood-sugar levels and keep us fuller for longer. Another type of healthy fat – known as medium chain triglycerides – have been found to decrease appetite and sugar cravings throughout the day. Plus, we all know about the benefits of omega 3s for brain health, but they also help keep our hormones regulated too. That’s why eggs, seeds and avocado all make for great brekkie foods. It’s also worth getting a good dose of protein, and while often think of it as a dinner or lunch nutrient, it’s actually beneficial to start your day with a bit of protein. It has been found not only to promote muscle health, but also support weight loss and regulate our satiety hormones.

It’s also worth challenging the norms around breakfast – a lot of us are held back by the belief that only certain foods can be eaten for brekkie, like pancakes, toast and cereal. But you can eat anything for breakfast, and it doesn’t have to be sweet! Just be sure you’re eating whole foods as opposed to refined products. Another misconception around brekkie is that you have to spend hours in the kitchen if you want a nutritious meal – that’s why many of us end up just grabbing the nearest snack and running out the door. But there’s another way – using leftovers can be a great way to cut you’re your cooking time to seconds. Seconds! We’re often at our most tired in the mornings, so it can be hard to work up the motivation to cook, so just enjoy some of last night’s roast veggies or pasta bake. Yep, veggies aren’t just for dinner! You can eat these nutritional powerhouses in the morning too. If you can load up on your serves of veggies in the morning, there’s no doubt you’ll end up getting your 5 serves before the day is done. Now let’s dive into some of our favourite no-sugar recipes here at I Quit Sugar – and there’s a lot more where these came from! 

Sweet Potato Ricotta Hotcakes with Syrup

I know we said no sugar for breakfast, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a sweet treat in the morning – and with none of the guilt! These are loaded with whole ingredients and not a grain of sugar in sight. Oh, and they’re ready in 10 minutes – we really can’t see a downside here.

Get the full recipe HERE.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup buckwheat flour (you can use regular plain-flour if you like)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup grated sweet potato
• 100g full-fat ricotta
• butter, for frying
• 2 passionfruit, inside scooped out, to serve
• 2 tablespoons full-fat natural yoghurt, to serve

Method:

1. Place eggs and milk into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add in the flour, baking powder, sweet potato and sea salt, and stir until through until there are no lumps. Break in the ricotta and gently stir through, not too much as you still want tasty ricotta lumps.
2. Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Add in enough butter to coat the pan. Scoop 1/3 cup of the hotcake batter into the pan to make 1 hotcake. You may be able to fit two to three hotcakes in the one pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form on the top of the hotcake. Flip and cook on the other side until golden. Once cooked, place aside and repeat with remaining mixture. You should make six hotcakes.
3. Divide the pancakes between two plates. Top with passionfruit and yoghurt.

Japanese Crispy Pancakes

Get the full recipe HERE.

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup gluten-free plain flour
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded with a knife or finely chopped
• 1carrot, grated
• 4spring onions, finely chopped
• Olive oil, for frying
• Toppings:
• 1avocado, sliced
• 200 g smoked salmon
• Sesame seeds, to serve
• Tamari, to serve

Method: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, tamari, milk, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, salt and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Gradually whisk in the flour until a batter is formed. Fold the cabbage, carrot and spring onions into the batter until well-combined.
2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the base of the pan. Using a large spoon, heap the batter into the pan like you would a small pancake. Cook on each side for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
3. Once all of the pancakes are cooked, divide between 4 portions and stack with toppings. Each person should get ¼ avocado each, 50g smoked salmon and a sprinkling of sesame seeds to serve. 

Chive Kale and Parmesan Savoury Pancakes with Poachies

Get the full recipe HERE.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain flour (gluten-free plain flour if you prefer)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 cup milk
• 1 bunch (20g) chives, finely chopped + extra for serving
• 4 large kale leaves, stalk removed and finely shredded (about 2 cups worth of leaves)
• 3/4 cup (70g) Parmesan cheese, shredded
• butter, for frying
• 2 eggs, poached, to serve

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Add in the most of the chives (reserve some for serving), kale and Parmesan and mix to combine. Add in the dry ingredients and stir through.
3. Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add a little butter to coat the pan. When pan is hot, scoop half a cup mixture for each pancake and flatten out until 1cm thick. Cook for a few minutes until bottom is golden brown, flip and cook on the other side. Cooking time will be about 4–5 minutes per pancake. Place into a pre-heated oven to keep warm while making the remaining pancakes.
4. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should make four pancakes.
5. Divide the pancakes amongst two plates. Top with poached egg, garnish with chives. 

It’s no secret that a sugar habit is a tough one to beat – wherever you go, sugar is there. Unlike ditching alcohol or illicit drugs, there are few places where sugar is unwelcome. From birthday parties and functions to the office pantry, Sunday markets and the supermarket. Is it any wonder that so many of us find it hard to quit the stuff? That’s why it can also help to join a program like ours – our 8-Week Program is based on accountability, support and providing the essential resources to set you up for success. We’ll help you change the way you look at food – and that doesn’t mean you have to follow restrictive diets or miss out on your favourite foods; we believe you can still enjoy delicious food without jeopardising your health. With celebrity chef Sarah Glover on our panel of experts, you’ll have an array of fun recipes at your fingertips, along with our own exclusive armoury of simple, tasty and healthy recipes for everything from daily meals to impressive entertaining. We’ve also got nutritionists, personal trainers and naturopaths in our team of experts, and they understand what our bodies need and how to best arm ourselves against those cravings. So, if you’ve been having a little trouble keeping that sugar addiction at bay, we’re here to help. We know it can be hard to stick to your health goals – especially when you’re trying to manage it alone. When you sign up with us, you’ll have access to clear-cut meal plans, community support and exclusive access to our sugar-free content. Here’s what’s on offer:

1. 8 weeks of meal plans and shopping lists.
2. 90+ member-only recipes.
3. Community forums to share your journey.
4. Support and guidance from the I Quit Sugar team.
5. Exclusive content from our panel of experts.

So, if you’re ready to ditch sugar and the host of maladies that come with it, it’s not too late to join. We’d love to help you get started on your health journey. Sign up HERE today!