Healthy peanut granola breakfast bowl

Published January 2025 | 5 min read
Expert contributor Bridget Foliaki-Davis, nutritionist
Words by Jo Hartley

This healthy peanut granola yoghurt bowl is one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to kick start your day.

Whether it’s a quick smoothie, a vegie-filled breakfast bowl or protein-packed eggs, what you eat in the morning can set the tone for the day. A nutritious breakfast fuels your body and brain, boosting energy, motivation and mood while helping to curb cravings.

“Breakfast is the first meal we consume after an overnight fasting period, which is why it’s often known as the most important meal of the day,” says nutritionist Bridget Foliaki-Davis.

Choosing the right foods can help boost your energy and alertness by replenishing glucose and providing essential nutrients for overall health, she adds.

What does a healthy breakfast look like?

It might seem tricky knowing where to start, but a healthy breakfast can be simple and easy, says Bridget.

“A nutritious breakfast should include protein, fibre and healthy fats,” she says. “Eating vegetables in the morning is great for a good dose of antioxidants and nutrients.”

The best foods to eat for breakfast, she says, include:

• protein: eggs, lean meats like turkey or chicken, and salmon
• healthy fats: nuts, seeds and avocados
• fruit and vegetables: dark leafy greens, capsicums, berries, stone fruit and citrus fruit.

Bridget also recommends including a glass of water or green tea with your breakfast for added hydration.

What are healthy breakfast habits?

Starting your day with a healthy breakfast is great but keeping up good breakfast habits is just as important. Take Bridget’s top tips to build habits for the long term.

• Avoid eating on the go.
• Take 10 to 15 minutes to stop, sit and enjoy your breakfast.
• Focus on your meal so you recognise when you’re full – your stomach needs about 15 to 20 minutes to let your brain know it's satisfied.
• Take your time to chew your food well – it helps you feel fuller faster, supports digestion and prevents overeating.
• Before eating breakfast, hydrate with water, enjoy a tea or even drink an electrolyte drink.
• Avoid distractions like phones or TV as this can cause you to overeat or eat too quickly.

For more wellbeing information and helpful advice, download our new HCF Healthful app^* which lets you track your health and wellbeing in real-time by completing healthful activities, goals and achievements with the guidance of a 24/7 smart coach.

How to build a healthy breakfast bowl

Starting your day with a nutrient-packed breakfast bowl offers a variety of benefits, says Bridget. Not only are they customisable (you can add ingredients to satisfy your tastes), but they can also be filling – especially if you include fibre and protein – and they’re really quick. Plus, she adds, you can keep your breakfast interesting and enjoyable by mixing and matching flavours, textures and toppings.

The options for breakfast bowls are endless. However, Bridget recommends using the following points as a guide.

• Pick a vegetable base: spinach, cooked kale, cauliflower rice, fermented or sugar-free pickled vegies and leftover roasted vegies.
• Add a protein: eggs, salmon, beef, chicken, tofu or tempeh all pack a protein punch and, explains Bridget, they “keep you full for longer and set you up for better eating habits for the rest of the day”.
• Add a healthy fat: mix it up with avocado, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds.

"A handful each of fibre and protein, followed with a sprinkling of healthy fats, is a good rule of thumb for portions," says Bridget. "Eat until you’re comfortably full and then stop. If you need extra, try adding more fibre for its nutritious and filling benefits."

Peanut granola yoghurt bowl

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4

Ingredients

Peanut granola

• ½ cup (58g) rolled oats
• ½ cup (60g) roasted peanuts 
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 1 tbsp peanut oil or neutral oil
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry compote

• 225g strawberries
• 2 tbsp cane sugar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For serving

• 3 cups (680ml) whole milk or non-dairy yoghurt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. To make the granola, pulse the rolled oats and peanuts together in a food processor or blender until only a few pieces of peanut remain.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, peanut butter, oil, salt and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Add the oat mixture and mix using a spoon or your hands until everything is well combined.
4. Transfer the oat mixture to a baking sheet and evenly spread into a thin layer. Bake for 30 minutes, turning the tray halfway through. Granola should be lightly browned and beginning to crisp.
5. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then break apart. Return to the oven and continue to bake until the granola is evenly golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Let sit until cool.
6. To make the strawberry compote, combine the strawberries with the sugar, maple syrup and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit starts to fall apart but some pieces remain, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a heat-safe jar and let cool slightly.
7. To serve, divide the yoghurt between four bowls. Swirl in a few tablespoons of the strawberry compote and finish with a generous sprinkle of granola.

This is an edited extract from The Yearlong Pantry: Bright, Bold Vegetarian Recipes to Transform Everyday Staples by Erin Alderson. Published by Hardie Grant Books. Photography by Erin Scott.

Looking for a little extra support?

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