These will make you look forward to waking up

Getting up to go to school or work can be such a chore sometimes—unless you’ve got a healthy breakfast to perk you up and give you the glow you need to survive the day. For a breakfast to truly provide you the fuel your body needs, you need fat, carbohydrates, protein and of course, flavor, writes Debra A. Boutin, chair and dietetic internship director of the Nutrition and Exercise Science at Bastyr University in her article What is a Balanced Breakfast?

But before you salivate at the thought of scarfing down that early morning heart-stopper called bacon cream cheese bagel (hey, after all, “it fits the criteria"), we do have to mention that finding the right balance across all four elements might be more complicated than just adding greens. Don’t worry: Here are five balanced, easy breakfast recipes you can try to start your next work week with!

The Breakfast of Champions (300-400 calories)

1 cup cooked oatmeal

1 cup water

1 apple

1 tsp. cinnamon powder

1 tbsp. honey

2 eggs (poached)

chopped parsley

a dash of paprika salt and pepper to taste

Oatmeal is the godsend for calorie-pinchers, as well as those with not-so-refined culinary skills, since it's filling and easy to make. Honey and cinnamon are low-calorie powder substitutes for common household flavorings while the bananas add a lot of texture and natural sweetness to your oats. Eggs are an easy and cheap source for protein and fat. You can also experiment with other toppings to add variety to this staple breakfast meal.

Smoothen Those Folds (200-300 calories)

1 cup almond milk

1/2 avocado fruit

1 cup mango chunks

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tbsp. chia seeds

20 grams ashitaba leaves, plucked

20 grams spinach plucked

Breakfast smoothies are all the rage in other countries, but Pinoys haven't yet bought the idea that "juice" can be filling. Smoothies can be loaded with heavy fruits and power-packed with good sources of protein-like dairy products. Plus, you can chug it all on the go. Trust us, blending is the future!

Chunky Peanut Butter Meal (450-500 calories)

2 slices wholewheat bread

2 tbsp. peanut butter

¼ cup raisins

1 cup skim milk

As simple as the recipe might look, everything your body needs is right here (so yay to quick breakfast ideas like this!). Most people are afraid of peanut butter because of its fat content, but considering the protein and minerals it has, the benefits are seriously worth it. This meal alone packs about 20 grams of protein for muscle repair and health. The raisins and whole-wheat bread are great sources of carbohydrates, and will help keep you full for the rest of the morning.

Protein Pancake (400-500 calories depending on your protein powder)

½ cup mashed boiled squash

½ oats

1 cup protein powder vanilla

2 egg (or egg whites)

2 tbsp. Greek yogurt

Makes three to four pieces

Leave it to gym buffs to find ways to add more and more protein in their diet. This is a perfect pre-workout meal to give you enough energy to breeze through any routine. This will take a bit more time to cook than your regular pancakes because it contains no flour (which is a really good thing if you’re counting calories), but the taste is worth the wait. Yogurt adds an extra whallop of flavor in the morning.

Can't Say Goodbye to Rice? (450 calories)

1 cup brown rice

2 scrambled eggs

1 cup chopped vegetables (celery, tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots)

1 tbsp. turmeric powder

2 tbsps. olive oil

This is basically your semi-guilt-free sinangag a.k.a low carb breakfast, for those days that you just have to have rice in the morning. Now, rice isn’t such a bad carbohydrate to have especially if you have the brown, red, or even black varieties. Micronutrients such as thiamine, riboflavin, iron and zinc can all be found in this Asian staple, but non-white grains contain more because they retain their husks. The olive oil sautéed vegetables combat diseases, like type-2 diabetes and several heart problems while turmeric doesn’t just make it everything tastier, it also has high levels of vitamin C and E.

Recipes adapted from Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson (whose clients include Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini and Penelope Cruz), Foodviva.com, Prevention.com, Tastemade.com and Oureverydaylife.com .