Here's to those who love salads! While it may not be your typical breakfast choice, these salads are nutrient dense and they will give you a boost of energy to start your day with! The base of these salads are greens, such as spinach, chard, kale, because they are full of nutrients, carbs and protein.

B Vitamins found in these greens will convert food nutrients into energy, and the antioxidants and fibers in them will aid your digestive function. The great thing about salads is that they are versatile and you can mix and match your favorite greens, veggies, fruit and meats to give you exactly what you need for a great start!

You can dress your salads in your favorite homemade salad dressings and season them to suit your taste buds. This meal will only take you a few minutes to prepare, which is awesome if you have little time in the morning. Just chop and dice your ingredients, throw them in a bowl and you’re ready to go! Also, don’t forget to add your favorite seasoning and dressing for added flavor.

Breakfast Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups of spinach

2 pieces of cooked and diced bacon

1 diced tomato

1 egg (fried or boiled)

Optional: olive oil, salt, pepper

Spread the spinach in a bowl along with your diced tomato. Then add the cooked bacon and egg on top of your veggies. Season with a sprinkle of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. If you fried your egg, you can break the yolk for an additional dressing.

Chicken and Peach Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups of kale

1/2 cups of cooked and diced chicken

1 diced peach

Optional: 1 tbs almond butter, 1 tbs honey, 2 tbs lemon juice

Spread the kale in a bowl and throw the diced peach onto your greens. Add your diced chicken and mix it all together. For more flavor, whisk together 1 tablespoon of almond butter, one of honey and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Spread it over your salad and you're ready to eat!

Avocado and Black Beans Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups of Swiss chard

1 sliced avocado

2 tablespoons of black beans

1 tablespoon of salted pepitas

Optional: 2 tbs of Greek yogurt, 1 tbs of lime juice, pinch of salt

Spread the chard in a bowl and add your sliced avocado, beans and pepitas on top, and mix them all together. In another cup, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lime juice, salt, and if the consistency is too thick, add some coconut milk until it becomes thinner. Spread it over your salad. Bon appetit!

Feel free to spread some mixed nuts into your salad. Almonds, macadamia, pistachios, walnuts and hazelnuts are a good choice! They are full of healthy fats and protein, so that will give you a boost of energy, especially if you’re about to hit the gym after your breakfast.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so don’t skip it! Instead, have your greens, because they are full of antioxidants, fiber and phytonutrients. It’s also important that you don’t skip your protein first thing in the morning, so if you don’t have any leftover meats, sprinkle your favorite nuts over your salad and you’re done. More importantly, don’t replace your first meal of the day with a protein shake.

Protein shakes are great, but they won’t keep you satiated for too long. A healthy salad with all the breakfast ingredients will do that for you! So don’t shy away from eggs, bacon, and you can even get creative with your cup of breakfast orange juice! You can sprinkle a little bit of that over your favorite salad for a healthy vitamin C dressing.

Start your morning fresh and have a salad! You will see improvements and results in your athletic performance and in the overall quality of life. You will have more energy, less cravings, your skin will look better and life will be good. Salads are versatile, so you can get creative with the ingredients and add your favorite seasonings and dressings. Enjoy!