Healthy Brunch Recipes That Taste Just as Incredible as Your Go-to Restaurant Order

Sharing the morning with guests who don't know each other all that well—or who could use a nudge to reconnect? An interactive buffet always gets the party buzzing. But instead of the classic bagel bar, switch things up with this healthy brunch food option. Set out a big bowl of chia pudding (seeds are one of the top eight heart-healthy foods to add to your menu, according to dietitians) for guests to serve themselves and garnish as desired with a selection of fresh fruit, nuts, unsweetened large coconut flakes, cocoa powder, and honey.

Sure, you could set out a bunch of bananas or a bowl of berries. Or you could up the ante and make fresh fruit *actually* enticing with this healthy brunch menu idea. Slicing the fruit in advance means it's not only attractive but also easy to snag. Pair it with a maple syrup-mascarpone dip and you have a side dish that can play double duty as dessert.

With all the stacking, assembly, and messy transportation required, breakfast sandwiches might seem like a challenge if you're attending a potluck or are hosting a crowd. But this healthy brunch idea offers the best of both worlds; it's portable, feeds 12, and comes together shockingly quickly. The key? Baking the veggie-stoked egg portion in a sheet pan!

Go ahead, invite guests to BYOB. No, not bottles of sparkling wine for mimosas (although we'd never say no to that!). After you make the base easy oatmeal mixture for this healthy brunch recipe, ask each diner to "build your own bowl." A buffet of toppings including fresh and dried fruit, toasted nuts and nut butters, sweeteners, and baking spice blends allow every bowl to be its own unique masterpiece.

Related: How to Cook Oatmeal and Take Your Bowl Over the Top—31 Different Ways

Salad isn't just a dinner starter any more. A bed of leafy greens, fresh avocado, radishes, and carrot ribbons act as the base. This healthy brunch recipe comes with not one but two dressings, too: an herbaceous vinaigrette and a runny egg yolk.

Sure, coffee is a crowd-pleaser drink pairing with your healthy brunch menu. But why not perk things up with a healthy smoothie? Thanks to Greek yogurt and chia seeds, plus banana, spinach, and pineapple, this 10-minute mix is a sweet and speedy way to add an impressive 7 grams of fiber and 16 grams of protein to your total nutrition tally.

As sweet as a pastry while being far lower in refined carbs and sugar (two of the five biggest triggers of chronic inflammation), these low-fuss pear parfaits are "OUTSTANDING!" according to one BH&G reader. Roasted in a bit of butter, plus orange juice and vanilla, then topped with maple-infused Greek yogurt, this fresh fruit recipe is the epitome of balance. Garnish with slivered almonds for a welcome textural contrast as well as a little more heart-healthy fat.

A fresh berry topping is a delicious way to perk up, sweeten up, and vitamin-stoke these rich, mascarpone-filled crepes. Lemon zest in the batter gives the healthy brunch menu option a zesty citrus punch. Although this entrée might look fancy and fussy, one BH&G fan says the crepes have, "Extremely good batter and are super easy to make."

Step away from those massive bakery muffins and bite into one of these sneakily high-protein muffins instead. Yogurt, applesauce, and mashed chickpeas (shh…we won't tell the picky eaters!) make these pie-spiced muffins dense yet tender.

Test Kitchen Tip: Try this healthy brunch recipe with white whole-wheat flour or half all-purpose and half whole-wheat to add a tiny bit more fiber, if desired.

The savory hash brown basket of these adorable egg cups is just the beginning. Inside of this creative muffin tin recipe, you'll find a cheesy baked egg topped with vibrant basil pesto and fresh, sweet-tart cherry tomatoes. This healthy brunch food option will please gluten-free, low-carb, and low-calorie diners alike; along with anyone who enjoys savory brunch fare.

Think of this Mexican bread pudding like baked French toast with a little Latin American flair. To add even more nutrition to this healthy brunch, start with a whole-wheat baguette instead of white bread. Then serve it fruit plus a side of one stellar sauce: Cinnamon, cloves, crunchy walnuts, raisins, and piloncillo (AKA panela, a raw form of pure cane sugar commonly used in Central and Latin America) team up for a syrup that's unlike anything you'll find on supermarket shelves. "So good... Couldn't stop eating it," one BH&G fan raves.

Now here's a bright idea: A scoop of canned pumpkin lends loads of moisture, natural sweetness, and satisfying autumnal flavor to classic pancake batter. (It's a good source of fiber, iron, and vitamin A, too!) Together with a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, the pumpkin makes this one of our favorite healthy brunch recipe ideas come fall—or any time of year.

Channel your inner Julia Child and add this healthy brunch recipe to your line-up this weekend. We explain how to make the fluffy, protein-rich egg exterior, then you can get creative and stuff it with your favorite vitamin-rich fresh, sautéed, or roasted vegetables.

Test Kitchen Tip: The key to a perfectly light omelet is to not overcook it—the eggs should be just set and shiny.

Cookies before noon?! This healthy brunch menu dessert makes it a totally reasonable—and nutritious—choice to cure your cravings any time you desire Nut butter, whole rolled oats, and mashed banana make these breakfast cookies a dreamy end to any healthy-ish feast.