healthy breakfast recipes

Photo: Christopher Testani

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They say breakfast is the most important meal, but I never put much stock in that idea until I became a dad. After we had our son, Hudson, in 2011, we thought so much about what he was eating; soon, I was thinking a lot more about what I was eating, too. I realized that starting the day with vibrant food is a great way to feel healthier—and to connect with my son. Every morning, Hudson and I go to the garden to pick fruits and veggies. (Best part of life in Southern California? Backyard produce year-round.) He grabs strawberries, I gather greens, and then we use his favorite appliance: the juicer. He loves that something goes into it and something else comes out—and he also loves the combinations we make, like tart apple and ginger. Then we dig into the meal.

My overnight muesli is simple: Soak oats in yogurt before bed and top them with maple syrup and dried fruit in the morning. Sometimes in the evening I whip up dough for a batch of breakfast cookies (trust me, they're healthier than they sound), and then I bake them when we get up. Other times I'll throw cooked rice, an egg, and Swiss chard with sesame oil in the oven for a one-bowl dish. Any breakfast beats the one I relied on pre-Hudson: coffee as I ran out the door. Now that he's manning the juicer, we're both starting the day off right.