You have to have a hearty breakfast every day to fuel up your machine aka your body! After a fasting of more than 10 hours, a good and filling meal is very much essential to make you gear-up for an active day. If you want to perform well all day long, you can’t afford to avoid your breakfast. But busy schedule and lack of time make us too lazy to reach for a healthy breakfast.

Especially when it's cold and dark outside, it can be tempting to fill up on unhealthy comfort food. However, it's important to ensure you still have a healthy diet and include five portions of fruit and veggies a day.

Try out these easy and beautiful breakfast recipes to start your day. These foods give you energy and help you feel fuller for longer, stopping the temptation to snack mid-morning.

Porridge or Oatmeal

Winter is the perfect season for porridge. Eating a warm bowlful on a cold morning isn't just a delicious way to start your day, it also helps boost your intake of starchy foods and fibre. Oats also contain lots of vital vitamins and minerals.

Make your porridge with semi-skimmed, milk, instead of sugar try to add on honey.

Add a sliced banana, berries or other fruit for extra flavour and to help you hit a tough day!

Ingredients

• 50g porridge oats
• 350 ml Purabi milk
• Purabi yogurt, thinned with a little milk and clear honey, to serve
• Salt/sugar- according to taste

Method

• Put 50g porridge oats in a saucepan, pour in 350ml milk or water and sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring from time to time and watching carefully that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
• To serve, pour into bowls, spoon Greek yogurt, thinned with a little milk on top, add on some chopped fruits of your choice and drizzle with honey.
• Yummy!

Chicken Stew with Milk

The best comfort food of winters.  This beautiful stew is a powerful breakfast or dinner you can rely on for the full day, however a bit hectic.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons refined oil (preferably olive oil)
• 250/350 gm boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick chunks
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Salt and pepper- as per taste
• 1 large potato cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups Purabi milk

Method

• Generously salt and pepper the chicken.
• Heat oil and butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat and add chicken, fry till it becomes light brown.
• Flip the chicken over and then add the onions and all the vegetables on top. Cover with a lid and let the onions steam until tender (about 10 minutes).
• Add chicken stock, salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and continue to cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender (about 20-30 minutes). Or put on the lead and wait for 2/3 whistles.
•  Open the pressure cooker and add milk to the stew, cover again and slow cook until it comes to a boil and gets slightly thick, add butter.
• Keep it covered and remove from the heat.
• Serve with garlic or plain crusty toasts.

Paneer and Vegetable Roll/Tortilla

Try your hands on some quick and easy paneer roll. You can pack it with you and eat along on the way to work/office/ college.

Ingredients

• Purabi paneer – 200 gm
• Vegetables- Onion, capsicum, cabbage and tomato
• 4/6 tawa roti/ paratha
• Thick tomato ketchup
• Mayonnaise (optional)
• Lettuce or cabbage (whichever is available)

Method

• Make the whole-wheat roti or paratha as usual and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a saucepan and add the capsicum and onion.
• Add thick tomato ketchup and paneer pieces and mix everything well.
• Season with salt and other spices. Add mayonnaise. Switch off the flame.
• Spread the aluminium foil and place the tawa roti/ paratha over it. Place the lettuce/ cabbage leaves evenly and add two tablespoons of the paneer filling.
• Roll the paneer Frankie tightly till the other end and fold the ends tightly in the foil.