By Bob Greene for TheBestLife.com

I’m a big fan of breakfast—in fact, starting off each day with a healthy, balanced breakfast is one of the key guidelines on my Best Life plan. A morning meal jump-starts your metabolism, delivers some much-needed energy after a night’s rest and can help with weight loss.

Don’t think you have the time? Check out these five dishes, which you can throw together in five minutes or less.

Speedy Cereal

Be picky about what you pour into your bowl. Our guidelines: Opt for a cereal that has at least 4 grams of fiber, no more than 5 grams of sugar, and no more than 120 milligrams sodium per 100 calories. (Click here for a list of healthy cereal choices.) Top it off with fat-free or one-percent milk or calcium-enriched soy milk. To add more nutrients and flavor, top with some fresh fruit or a tablespoon or two of nuts. Or try this shortcut: Mix a few healthy cereals together, put them in a re-sealable plastic bag, and go.
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Last week I ran far, far away from home, where it’s been six-digit temperatures for the better part of the summer, in to the cool, loving arms of Portland, Oregon. I’ve never been to that part of the country and I can say it was just about love at first sight. To you Portlanders – well done! It’s one of the most beautiful, friendly, genuinely unique places I’ve ever visited.

I took in the scenic hikes at Mt. Hood, enjoyed tastings at local wineries, had lunch at the downtown food carts, and even picked up a bottle of honey (my go-to souvenir for any vacation). One of the things I loved the very most were the blackberries. They were very much in season while I was there, with many restaurants advertising all sorts of blackberry treats. The ones I enjoyed most were right out of a basket at the Portland Farmers Market on the PSU campus. Plump, juicy, and perfectly sweet… they were a far cry from any blackberry I’m used to having in Kansas.

When I returned home, I couldn’t get that sweet taste out of my mind. So this weekend, I made due with the blackberries I had access to and made what my husband called the best muffins I’ve ever baked. It seemed only right to share them with you.

I wanted a muffin that would let the blueberries shine, not be too heavy, and complement a breakfast rather than be the main course. I found a recipe that I could easily modify over at DozenFlours.com. Her recipe was great as-is, but I had to add a few of my own tricks to truly make it mine, make it a touch healthier, and help me savor that Portland blackberry flavor I was after.
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Welcome to part four of my “How to Eat Gluten Free” series. In case you missed the first three editions, check them out for some delicious and healthy inspiration in eating gluten free for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t have celiac disease and I don’t adhere to a gluten free diet. However, as more and more of my friends are forced to go gluten free, I desire to know how to cook for them on nights that my husband and I host them for dinner. After all, tacos on corn tortillas get old after four nights in a row.

Additionally, because I’ve noticed feeling sluggish and tired myself after consuming particularly carb-heavy meals, I’ve grown interested in carving some gluten out of my diet just for trial and health’s sake.

With that said, let’s move onto the main event: dessert! At first thought it seems desserts are off limits for the gluten-free eater: no cake, no cookies, no muffins – basically no anything that contains flour. But thanks to the innovation and creativity of several gluten-free cooks and professional chefs, there are now countless options when it comes to enjoying gluten-free desserts.
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Baking in the summertime seems ridiculous, especially considering how hot it’s been. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable… like when my niece turns three! I’m the “weird” aunt who doesn’t give the kids juice, or candy, or chicken nuggets. So it’s to be expected when I make her a special birthday treat that it’s going to be healthy. I decided to kick-off her third birthday with a healthy, delicious, kid-friendly breakfast.

With plenty of in-season strawberries at my disposal, I chose a strawberry muffin. It looks like a cupcake to a toddler, but it’s so much better for her. Plus, I just wanted a strawberry muffin!

My goal was to use whole grain flour and not use any sugar, and a quick search lead me to Yummly where a recipe made that possible! This recipe for Strawberry-Lemonade Muffins was exactly what I was looking for and more. With a few slight modifications I was able to make this on a whim with ingredients I had on hand… with a few helping hands.
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Muffins are one of those things we quickly give up when we start watching our weight. And for good reason. Some the size of a softball made with starchy white flour, butter, loads of sugar, and likely some syrupy canned version of what used to be fruit combine to make a breakfast that will have you crashing before you can wash it down with coffee. Or, there are Van’s muffins. If you need a muffin fix, then reach for these.

Found in the frozen natural foods section at most major grocery stores (we’ve found ours at Super Target and Kroger), these make a nice addition to a balanced breakfast. We actually prefer them as dessert.

The best part is, it’s not a softball-sized muffin. It’s actually the best part of the muffin – the muffin tops, or as Van’s calls them, muffin crowns. In a portion-crazed world, these are just right for a quick breakfast, a snack, or a dessert.
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