Best Healthy Breakfasts Spots In Orange County

With terrific weather during the winter with sunny, sandy beaches to our west and snow-capped mountains to our east, Orange County residents are pretty lucky! We also have many local farms within our reach for the freshest ingredients which makes it easy to live a healthy lifestyle through exercise and eating right. We've rounded up some of the best restaurant options to incorporate into your morning regimen after a brisk walk along the beach, workout at the gym, or an exhilarating bike ride or hike.

Green Tomato Grill
796 N. Brea Blvd.
Brea, CA 92821
(714) 987-3766
www.greentomatogrill.com

Green Tomato Grill is all about fast, healthy, affordable, and sustainable food for the community. That means unique flavors, fresh ingredients, and plenty of vegetables. Since everything is made to order, it allows Green Tomato Grill to easily adhere to any dietary needs from gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, to vegan. Try the Soyrizo Hash Breakfast Burrito (grilled soyrizo sweet potato hash, breakfast potatoes, cheddar jack cheese, scrambled eggs, corn, bell peppers, onions, and cilantro rolled up in a chipotle tortilla) or the Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burrito (maple sage turkey sausage, breakfast potatoes, cheddar jack cheese, scrambled eggs, corn, cilantro, onions, and spinach in a wheat tortilla).

Ruby's Diner
Numerous Orange County Locations
www.rubys.com

Ruby's Diner serves breakfast all day long! In their "How De-Lite-Ful!" section of the breakfast menu, there are four items that are under 650 calories. Multigrain Hot Cakes are a nutritious blend of English walnuts and almond granola. Egg White Omelette is made with egg whites, low-fat American cheese, sautéed mushrooms, diced tomato, spinach, and served with mixed fresh fruit and your choice of toast of English muffin. Skinny Eggs are two jumbo eggs scrambled together with house-made salsa and served with cottage cheese, whole wheat toast, and a wedge of melon. Oatmeal is a bowl of all-natural steel cut oatmeal served with golden raisins, candied pecans, brown sugar, and 2% low-fat milk on the side.

Lighthouse Bayview Cafe
1600 W. Balboa Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 933-1001
www.lighthousenb.com

Lighthouse Bayview Café is a great place to start your morning with a healthy breakfast and a beautiful waterfront view. A great starter is the Greek Yogurt Parfait with granola, kiwi, pomegranate arils, chia seeds, and agave drizzle. Healthy Lighthouse Specialties include Egg White Omelet (egg whites, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, roasted tomatoes, and swiss cheese) and Avocado Toast (poached eggs, cherry tomato confit, arugula, and lemon).

Kitchen In The Canyon
845 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-5388
www.kitcheninthecanyon.com

Kitchen in the Canyon is known for its creative, California-inspired comfort food with a twist. The cozy café atmosphere is great for breakfast and lunch along with seasonal cooking classes and special events. A great way to start a healthy day at the beach is with fresh squeezed orange juice and one of these great breakfast menu items: Yogurt Bowl (non-fat yogurt, granola, fresh berries, and lemon curd), Steel Cut Oats Brûlée (topped with raisins, fresh berries, maple syrup, and freshly grated cinnamon), or Avocado Toast (toasted brioche, jalapeno-cilantro aioli, avocado spread, sliced avocado, tomato salsa jam, and poached or fried egg).

The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove
15 Crystal Cove
Newport Coast, CA 92657
(949) 376-6900
www.thebeachcombercafe.com

The Beachcomber at Crystal Cove is a place to enjoy the view and a little bit of Southern California vernacular beach architecture of the 1920s. While taking in the fresh ocean air, you can also enjoy a healthy breakfast too like an Egg White Omelette (asparagus, roasted tomatoes, spinach, feta cheese, fine herbs, and light Greek salad), Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal (almonds, brown sugar, and golden raisins) or Avocado Toast (avocado, heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onion, arugula, micro ruby radish, goat cheese, poached eggs, balsamic glaze reduction, sourdough toast).

Zama Tea and Kombucha Cafe
434 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 884-3449
www.zamatea.com

Zama Tea and Kombucha Café not only makes amazing healthy teas and kombuchas, but they also have healthy breakfast options to go along with those tasty beverages. Coconut Yogurt Parfait is made from scratch in-house. The fermented yogurt is loaded with probiotics, vanilla bean paste, fresh locally sourced fruit loaded with antioxidants, locally sourced My Favorite Indulgence™ Cinnamon Granola, and drizzled with raw honey or pure organic maple syrup. Refrigerated Organic Oatmeal is made from scratch in-house with organic steel cut oats, almond milk, chia seeds, cinnamon, cloves, organic agave, organic antioxidant rich seasonal fruit, and drizzled with raw honey or pure organic maple syrup.

By Chelsea Madren