Power-Packed Breakfast Bites To Start Your Day On A Healthy Note

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Vegetable Pancakes)

Makes 6

Indian breakfasts tend to be loaded with carbs, with vegetables often getting sidelined. Charge up your meals with these veggie-loaded Japanese pancakes called okonomiyaki, which may soon become your favorite breakfast food.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• White pepper to taste
• 2 cups tightly packed, finely-sliced vegetables (cabbage, carrots, capsicum, spring onions, spinach)
• 1 green chilli, minced
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• Oil for shallow frying
• For the topping:
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• Mayonnaise, to taste
• Chilli sauce or Sriracha sauce, to taste

Method

1. Break the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat well. Whisk in the wheat and the rice flour, soy sauce, salt, and white pepper. Add the thinly sliced vegetables, green chili, and ginger paste, and mix them in using a fork.
2. Heat a large nonstick frying pan with a little oil in it. Pour in a cup of the batter and lightly spread it to a half-inch thick pancake. Add more pancakes as per the size of the pan. Cook covered until the bottoms of the pancakes are brown. Flip and cook the other side until it turns brown.
3. Serve the okonomiyaki fresh and hot, topped with any or all of the toppings mentioned in the recipe. You can even put the mayonnaise and chili sauce in squeeze bottles and drizzle them over the pancakes.

Moringa (Drumstick Leaf) Theplas

Makes 6

The humble Indian moringa is gaining popularity around the world as a superfood, as it's rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins. These theplas, packed with drumstick leaves, are delicious and can be a filling and nutritious breakfast option.

Ingredients

• 1 cup tightly packed drumstick leaves
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1-inch piece of ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp oil, plus more for frying
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 3/4 tbsp curd

Method

1. Wash the drumstick leaves and pat them dry. Put them in a small mixing jar. Add the green chilies, ginger, and oil. Blend these ingredients to a rough consistency without adding any water.
2. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, and add the remaining ingredients. Add curd or water to the dough, such that the dough is medium tight (that is, the dough should be slightly tighter than roti dough, but not as tight as poori dough).
3. Cover the dough with a moist cloth and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Preheat a tawa on medium heat. Divide the dough into six portions and roll them into smooth balls. Keep them covered.
5. Roll each piece of dough thinly into a roti. Dust the roti lightly with dry atta as required so that the roti doesn't stick to the rolling pin. Place on the hot tawa. Once the underside is cooked, flip the thepla. Lightly brush the cooked side with oil and then flip again to apply oil on the other side. Turn the thepla once more, pressing it down to cook evenly. Remove and serve hot or keep it warm on a thick cotton napkin placed inside a casserole. Cook the remaining theplas the same way.
6. Serve the theplas with fresh curd and pickle.

Morning Glory Muffins

Makes 8 to 12

Muffins are the quintessential grab-and-go breakfast, so it makes sense to pack them with nutrient-rich add-ins such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Bake a batch of these breakfast muffins, and serve them with a glass of milk or a smoothie.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup curd
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup grated apple
• 1/2 cup cranberries or raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, spices (cinnamon, ginger, and cloves), and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, curd, and vanilla extract.
5. Pour these wet ingredients (the mixture in Step 4) into the mixing bowl with the atta mixture and gently stir 5 to 6 times.
6. Add the carrots, apple, cranberries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds to the bowl. Mix gently so that everything is just combined (don't overmix).
7. Scoop the batter into the muffin tray, filling each cup almost to the top.
8. Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.
9. Once done, remove the muffins and transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. The muffins stay good for two days at room temperature when stored in a covered container. They can also be frozen and defrosted at room temperature or in the microwave.

 Ruchira Ramanujam runs a popular food blog, tadkapasta.com, with her partner Ranjini.

Last updated on: August 30, 2025