Breakfast is the meal that gets you ready for the day. After a long night of sleep, your body is ready for refueling. Typical breakfast foods like pastries and cereal may be full of sugar, allowing you to crash in an hour or two, well before lunch. Eating foods that are full of protein and complex carbohydrates are the way to gear up for the day.

While most people do not have the time to whip up a large traditional breakfast of eggs, meat, toast, and more, there are many ways to get your needed jumpstart to the day if you are willing to look to the foods eaten in other countries. Rice, curry, and tortillas are all great additions to the breakfast menu. Other places in the world may enjoy a small loaf of bread with some kind of spread.

In Asian countries, people often eat the same things for breakfast as they do for other meals. Soups like congee and miso provide a quick hot meal full of nutrition. In India, eggs may be scrambled with potatoes, onions, and spices before being wrapped in flat bread. Fruit and yogurt are another quick option for starting the day. In some parts of the world, breakfast just means coffee.

The best foods to start with will depend on your personal tastes. If you like eggs, you can serve them any number of ways. All sorts of breads can be used to make sandwiches, wraps or eaten on their own. If you want something different, try heating up leftovers or making a curry with rice and chicken. Fish makes a good breakfast protein if you have it available. Another unique dish to try is a combination of fried rice, black beans, eggs, and spices served in Costa Rica. Do not be afraid to try new ingredients. Sweet potatoes, vegetables and rice all make excellent breakfast ingredients.

Recipe for Sweet Potato Pancakes

This recipe gives you the fun of pancakes with the added nutrition of sweet potatoes! Savory instead of sweet, these pancakes can be served for breakfast or any other meal of the day.

What You Need

• 6 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and finely shredded
• 1 cup onion, finely shredded
• 1 teaspoon herb blend
• 1-2/3 cup unbleached flour
• 1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 cups zucchini, finely shredded
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 large eggs
• 6 teaspoons canola oil

How to Make It

Mix sweet potatoes, zucchini, onions, herbs, lemon juice, parsley, flour, and eggs in a large bowl.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle to medium-high. Add 2 teaspoons of oil and spread around the surface of the pan. Drop the batter on the pan with a large tablespoon, spreading it until it forms a thin pancake. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Cook each pancake approximately 2 minutes per side, or until crisp and golden.

Remove finished pancakes to a platter and keep warm in a low oven. Reapply oil to the pan as needed to keep pancakes from sticking. Repeat steps until all the batter has been cooked.