I'm starting a new tradition in my house. Christmas Eve Breakfast. #YUM When I first thought about what this breakfast should be visions of omelets, french toast, pancakes, potatoes, and bacon, of course bacon ran through my head. I'm a pretty big fan of breakfast, so I was pretty excited about the possibilities. Now I've eaten my way through Thanksgiving and the run up to Christmas Day and it's crazy, but I'm going to pass on all that breakfast excess (or eggcess--harharhar!). Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to indulge during this festive season and will undoubtedly be in a bit of a food coma after Christmas dinner. I thought, however, that it might be nice to treat my family to something light, sensible and a bit more healthy on Christmas Eve. You can call it leaving room for the rest of the Christmas foods or properly fueling yourself for those final Christmas hurdles or even getting a little head start on those New Year's Resolutions. Whatever you call it, here is my suggestion for a tasty, yet health-conscious Christmas Eve Breakfast.

The Meal

French Toast Granola, Blueberry and Chia Yogurt, and Tropical Fruit Salad. A little carb heavy, I know. You can add on an egg-white omelet if you want to up the protein, but I was pretty full after just this. All the parts are straightforward and you can prepare everything in advance and just assemble on Christmas Eve Morning or it's even quick enough for Christmas Morning itself.

How to Make

French Toast Granola: I made this myself because I wanted to invoke the flavors of French Toast since that was what I originally wanted to make. You can make this according to my ingredients or make all kinds of substitutions, or even just grab your favorite granola from the store.

Combine 2 1/2 c. rolled oats, 1/2 c. raisins, 3/4 c. sliced almonds, 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes, 1/2 c. flaxseed meal, 2 T. brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 c. orange juice, 1/2 c. maple syrup in a large bowl and mix until everything is moistened. Spread out the mixture on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 325F until it is dry and toasted, about 1 hr.

Blueberry and Chia Yogurt: I mix about 6 oz of my favorite plain greek yogurt with 2 T. of Wild Blueberry syrup (it is very liquidy and has whole berries) and 1 T. of chia seeds. I let it sit and then top it with my granola.

Tropical Fruit Salad: I serve a small portion of fruit salad (heavy on the mangos and pineapples) on the side.

I hope this post inspired you to eat a little bit lighter on Christmas Eve. You do after all want to save room for dessert on Christmas. I can't believe it's so soon! I hope you'll stick with me to the end. Stay up to date on my posts though social media.