3 Make-Ahead Breakfasts for Lupus

Written by Emily Brown

Posted on July 24, 2024

Extreme fatigue and joint pain from living with lupus can make meal prep even more of a chore than usual. Getting breakfast ready ahead of time helps ensure a healthy start to a day when you’re just too tired or uncomfortable to prepare food.

Although there’s no one recommended diet for people with lupus, following a few eating tips for lupus — including lupus nephritis — when making meals may help you manage symptoms and support your overall health. For example, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which help fight inflammation, can be incorporated into easy breakfasts.

Below are three make-ahead breakfast recipes that are simple to prepare. Toss them together the evening before to give you a nutritious head start on hard days.

1. Easy Loaded Oats

The Lupus Research Alliance’s 10-minute Perfect Oatmeal is packed with nutrient-dense seeds and fruit, and it’s vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients like chia seeds, walnuts, and flaxseed provide omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Pick your favorite seeds and fruit and add nuts or nut butter, if you wish, to make a flavor and texture profile to your liking. Cook the oats ahead of time, reheat in the morning with a bit of plant-based milk, and stir in the rest of the ingredients. You could also make this an overnight oats recipe by mixing everything (except the nuts) in an airtight container and refrigerating overnight.

Perfect Oatmeal

Servings: 1 | 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup whole oats
2 cups water
Diced banana (optional)
1 cup plant-based milk, such as oat, coconut, or almond milk
1 cup fruit, such as blueberries, sliced strawberries or banana, or cut-up mango or peach
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon seeds, such as chia, flax, hemp, or pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon raw nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, or pecans, or 1 tablespoon nut butter, such as peanut or almond butter (optional)

Instructions

In a pot over low to medium heat, place the oats and water. Cook until the water is absorbed and the oats are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the banana for creaminess and a banana bread flavor, if desired. Add the milk and stir until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the fruit, seeds, and syrup. Stir in the nuts or nut butter, if desired.

2. Ready Anytime Pancakes

Pancakes brighten any breakfast and your day. Sweet Plantain Pancakes from the Lupus Research Alliance can be made in less than 20 minutes, popped in the freezer, and reheated when you want them. This healthy, gluten-free variation features yellow plantain, a good source of both antioxidants and fiber. Choose a ripe yellow plantain — it’s sweeter and less starchy than green. Chia seeds add an omega-3 boost. Top the pancakes with your choice of fixings — fruit, nuts, or a swirl of syrup — for freshness and flavor.

Sweet Plantain Pancakes

Servings: 1 | 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 ripe yellow plantain
1 egg
½ to 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
½ to 1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon melted coconut oil
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Optional toppings, such as fresh fruit such as strawberries or bananas, sliced almonds, or maple syrup

Instructions

Mash or blend the plantain.
Add the egg and mix or blend together.
Add the coconut, chia seeds, coconut oil, and cinnamon. Mix together.
In a hot pan over medium heat, pour some of the batter, depending on the size of pancake(s) you want. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook for 2 to 4 minutes more.
Top with fruit, almonds, or syrup, if desired.

3. Berry Good Breakfast Bowl

This Berry Chia Yogurt Bowl from the Arthritis Foundation packs omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and fiber for a tasty and nutritious start to your day. Although it’s targeted to people with arthritis, the anti-inflammatory ingredients make it perfect for people with lupus too.

This recipe also stars strawberries, which are a good source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. Taking 10 minutes or less to make, this overnight recipe gives you a fruity, zesty, and hearty breakfast to spoon up in the morning. It makes two servings, so you can double the results of a single prep session.

Berry Chia Yogurt Bowl

Servings: 1 | 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 cup milk of your choice
1 cup plain 2 percent Greek yogurt
1 ½ cups fresh or thawed frozen strawberries, plus more for topping
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest (optional)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons chia seeds
2/3 cup muesli
4 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Instructions

Place the milk, yogurt, strawberries, honey, lemon or orange zest (if using), vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a blender. Process until smooth.
Pour the mixture into 2 bowls or airtight containers. Stir 3 tablespoons of chia seeds into each portion. Refrigerate overnight.
Serve each bowl topped with 1/3 cup of muesli, 2 tablespoons of walnuts, and additional strawberries.

Keep It Simple

With these make-ahead breakfast recipes, you can save your energy for the rest of the day. For a small amount of time and effort, these healthy breakfasts supply a wealth of inflammation-fighting ingredients. Use these recipes as a base to build a variety of breakfasts that keep things simple but interesting.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyLupusTeam is the social network for people with lupus and their loved ones. On MyLupusTeam, more than 229,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lupus.

Do you have a go-to breakfast you can make ahead of time? How do you manage meal prep when you’re dealing with lupus symptoms? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

References