I heart breakfast.

I've been lounging on the couch a lot lately, my nose in a book.

The kind people at Barefoot Running sent me a copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Barefoot Running. Sounds like a scintillating read, right? I thought so.

Is there anything better than sneaking in some time on the couch with a good book?

Yes: Breakfast is better.

It might be impossible for you to convince me that I should love another meal more than I love breakfast. I dig it with every taste bud I've got. And while you might argue that one falls in love with breakfast simply because one wakes up hungry, I beg to differ. For me, it's not about that. Rather, it's about the meal itself. It can be sweet or savory, baked oatmeal or boxed cereal, eggs...toast...you name it. I love it. (Unless, of course, you name bacon. It's the only breakfast item I will not touch. I think it stinks, and it's too salty. But I digress...)

Aside from being quite tasty (in my opinion), breakfast is truly the most important meal of your day. After a night of burning calories (yes, we burn calories while we sleep)—it simply makes sense that we need to refuel when morning comes. A car doesn't go without gas, right? You should expect the same from your body. It can't function properly without food. Healthy food, to be more specific. So it goes without saying (but you know me, I say it anyway) that your day should always start with something healthy and nutritious. Bonus points if it's delicious! But it's not just about our ability to function.

Noodle this quote from WebMD:

Let's say you snack on something healthy before you hit the hay. Lights out at 10:00PM, alarm goes off at 6:00AM, you don't eat breakfast, blah blah blah and suddenly it's time for lunch. And it's noon, which means you've just gone 14 hours without eating. So you'll probably devour something (maybe even too much of something) for lunch. That is, unless you've staved off hunger by dipping into the office candy bowl. Regardless, I bet you feel like crap.

But this doesn't have to be. Just eat breakfast! Do that for yourself. It doesn't have to be cereal. It doesn't have to be oats. It doesn't have to be eggs. It has to be healthy, and it has to hold you over. Think protein, think carbs. Think clean. Remember that breakfast, just like any other meal, isn't about feeding a hungry stomach—it's about fueling a healthy body.

Speaking of, I need to fuel this body. And since it's Saturday, I've got the time to whip up something delicious and (of course) nutritious. I think I'll go with another one of Ashley's great Breakfast Bakes.

Visit her "Recipes" page, then scroll down to find a few of her favorite variations. Girl is a whiz when it comes to breakfast. I've been making her Bakes off and on for a while now. They're quite good. And I love that you can make them in the oven OR the microwave.  Also, I love that you can tweak the ingredients and still find great success. I stuffed this one with blueberries and a kiwi, then topped it off with almond butter, sliced bananas and crumbled Roasted Maple Cinnamon almonds:

So good. But I do think this next one is even better:

I stuffed it with peanut butter, then topped it with sliced bananas and Lee's Blueberry Chia sauce. I mean, I literally can't explain how good it was. Would it help you to know that I made it two days in a row? Or that I'm currently salivating over the picture above? Oh, man. I might make this today's breakfast, too.

But before I do that, I need to clarify one thing: I baked all of the above in a cereal bowl. Portion control? Check.

Question: What is your breakfast of champions?