Morning food needs to be easy food. Somewhere between meditation and showering I try to find the time to throw together a quick breakfast for my husband and I. His is always the same - sausage, eggs and maybe some sliced avocado. The only variety comes in whether the eggs are scrambled or fried and whether he gets a sprinkling of aged white cheddar on the scrambled eggs.

I need more variety. The tricky part is that variety takes creativity and time - two things I'm running very short on most mornings. My only hope for a good breakfast is to make things in advance.

More often than not I have some sort of overnight oat (also known as Muesli) in the fridge and if I'm really on top of things on Sunday afternoon (my usual prep time), I will have made some protein pancake batter to keep on hand as well. Lately, to make the overnight oats a little more interesting, I've been experimenting with different chia puddings and porridges. This beet version is one of my more successful concoctions and not only makes mornings interesting, but also a lot more colorful.

For this breakfast pot I've layered the oats and chia porridge with fresh kiwi and strawberries. Get creative and try some yogurt and nuts, or honey and granola thrown in the mix. With the oats and chia porridge made in advance, all that's left is to slice some fruit and throw everything together.

Note, these recipes make much more than you will need for one serving. I keep these in the fridge and use them to layer a number of breakfasts throughout the week.

Basic Overnight Oats*

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tbsp maple syrup

Place all ingredients in a mason jar with a lid. Secure the lid and shake to ensure the ingredients are combined. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

*If you like more protein in the morning, mix in a scoop of protein powder and add more almond milk to thin out the mixture as needed.

Beet Chia Porridge

1/2 banana (I use frozen)

1 small beet, peeled

1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 dropper full of liquid stevia

1/4 cup chia seeds

Place the banana, beet, almond milk and stevia in a blender and blend until completely combined. Pour beet mixture into a bowl and stir in chia seeds. Mix well. Cover and leave in the fridge until ready to use.

Chia Porridge Breakfast Pots

To make the pots, alternate layers of porridge and oats with fresh fruit, nuts, granola or yogurt.

I'm a sucker for anything chocolate. With my (perhaps ever-so-slightly) addictive personality, I think it is safe to call me a chocoholic. That is why, when I finally hit the right combination to make a pile of healthy ingredients taste just like a chocolate milkshake, I did a little happy dance in the kitchen. Okay, maybe it was around the whole house.

The cacao powder really adds a creamy texture so don't leave that out and by all means, please insert your own happy dance.

1 frozen banana

1 to 1 1/2 cups almond milk

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon cacao powder

1/2 tablespoon ground espresso

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

1 tablespoon unsweetened carob chips* (optional)

Place all ingredients in a high powered blender (I use this one) and blend until smooth. If you are making the smoothie ahead of time, you will want to use the additional half cup of almond milk as the smoothie will thicken considerably as it sits.

*I use the carob chips to add a deeper chocolate flavor without bringing refined sugar into the mix. Feel free to leave them out if you are not a fan.