It’s important to start your day off right, and to do so you’ll need to steer clear of traditional breakfasts.

Most popular breakfast foods are filled with grains and sugar. Think about it, there’s cereal, donuts, pastries, pancakes, waffles, and the list goes on. These breakfast foods are a fast-track to weight gain.

Instead of a breakfast that’s high in sugar, I’d like to see you fill up on protein and veggies in the morning. Yes, protein and veggies are wonderful for breakfast! Eating like this will help you achieve your fitness goals quicker and will give you loads of natural energy to carry you through your day.

This breakfast skillet has chorizo, eggs and arugula – but feel free to also experiment with other combinations of protein and veggies in your breakfast skillet. Enjoy!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What You Need

Serves 4

• 2 links chorizo, casing removed
• ½ yellow onion, chopped
• 15-oz can diced tomatoes
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup arugula
• sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place the chorizo links in a medium, oven-proof, skillet over low heat. Cook until all sides of the chorizo are browned. Periodically deglaze the pan with water. Allow the chorizo to cool, remove it from the skillet, and then slice each link into 10 pieces.
3. Sauté the onion in the leftover chorizo fat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes to the skillet. Arrange the halved cherry tomatoes and slices of chorizo around the edge of the skillet. Use a spoon to create four 2-inch wells in the tomato and egg mixture. Crack each egg into a ramekin and gently pour one egg into each well.
4. Place the skillet in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs are set. Top with fresh arugula and season with sea salt and black pepper. Enjoy!

Nutrition

One serving equals 289 calories, 20g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 17g protein.

Here’s an easy meal that epitomizes lean eating! It’s a simple skillet dish that doesn’t require any highfalutin kitchen skills, yet turns out tasting phenomenal! So often healthy eating is brushed off in favor of a quicker, easier option – however with a recipe this simple there’s simply no excuse to put off eating healthy any longer.

Scroll down and purchase the ingredients below. Then get home, pull out your favorite skillet, and start cooking. In about 30 minutes you will be done, your home will be filled with yummy food smells, and the family will gather to enjoy a scrumptious, lean-body meal that gets you all one step closer to your fitness goals. Don’t wait, let’s do this now!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

What You Need

Serves 8

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• A yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced or shredded
• 1 cup butternut squash, finely diced
• 7oz can, Hatch, green diced chiles
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• sea salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• lean ground turkey (1 lb)
• 1 cup egg whites

Instructions

1. Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the olive oil and garlic until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until tender. Add the Brussels Sprouts, butternut squash, and diced chiles and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove the veggies from the skillet and set aside in a bowl.
2. In a large bowl combine the chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Add the ground turkey and use your hands to work the spices into the meat. Return the skillet to medium high heat and add the turkey. Cook, stirring often and breaking the turkey into small pieces, until no pink remains. Add the veggies back in. Stir well and pour in the egg whites. Cook, stirring continuously, until the egg whites are set. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition

One serving equals 139 calories, 5g fat, 8g carbohydrate, 1g sugar, 126mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 16g protein.

Is there anything better than single skillet dinners? I wish every meal only required a single pot, pan or skillet! That would sure save us some clean up time. This recipe, for Skillet Fried Chicken with Apple, is everything that a comforting, cold weather dinner should be. The chicken is lightly coated in coconut flour, giving it the feel of fried chicken without the extra fat, calories and guilt. Apple cider and fresh apples along with fresh sage bring seasonal flavors and close-your-eyes worthy taste.

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need

• 2 pounds chicken tenders
• sea salt and black pepper
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• ¾ cup broth (chicken or bone)
• ¾ cup Apple Cider
• 2 apples, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, minced (use the smallest leaves intact as garnish)

Instructions

1. Season the chicken tenders on both sides with salt and pepper. Set 1 Tablespoon of the coconut flour aside, and dredge the chicken through the remaining coconut flour, shaking off the excess.
2. In a 12-inch skillet place 2 Tablespoons of the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil.
3. Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 Tablespoon of coconut flour and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Deglaze the skillet with the broth and cider and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the apples, vinegar and sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until the apples soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken back to the skillet, and cover with the sauce. Garnish with fresh sage leaves. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 216 calories, 12g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 12g sugar, 265mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 29g protein.

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 (12.8 oz) package chicken apple sausage, chopped
• 12 eggs
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives, minced
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup roasted red bell pepper, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Melt the coconut oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often, until browned. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Leave the drippings in the pan.
3. Whisk the eggs, nutritional yeast, garlic, parsley, chives, sea salt and black pepper in a large bowl until frothy.
4. Pour half of the egg mixture into the skillet. Sprinkle the sausage over the eggs. Cover with the remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle with the red pepper.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until puffed and set. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 326 calories, 16g fat, 15g carbohydrate, 2g sugar, 843mg sodium, 4g fiber, and 31g protein.

This mixture of tender veggies is perfect for packed meals for the week. The savory and tangy flavor element from the vinegar adds the perfect amount of kick to liven up a serving of protein.

One of the reasons that I chose these three particular vegetables (red onions, mushrooms, and asparagus) was because it will last all week in the fridge without getting soft, soggy or otherwise undesirable. In fact, the flavors intensify over a few days and you can continue to enjoy the same batch all week!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 8

Here’s what you need

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, halved and sliced
• 2 bunches Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
• 4 cups white mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• ¼ cup white wine
• sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes.
2. Add the asparagus and sauté for another 4 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and vinegar and continue to sauté for another 4 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper and continue to sauté until the liquid is gone and the veggies are tender and flavorful. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 43 calories, 2g fat, 5g carbohydrate, 2g sugar, 4mg sodium, 2g fiber, and 3g protein.