August 2013
Easy Solutions:
Breakfast is How Every Day Starts for the Best!
I’m a hard-core believer in breakfast. I guess it goes back to my growing up years when I was not allowed to leave for school without eating a decent breakfast (Thanks, Mom!) As an adult, I gradually realized that when I ate a hearty and healthy breakfast, I had a better supply of energy all morning long. Not only that, I felt more alert and my stomach didn’t growl as much. When my son went to school, I fed him a hearty breakfast to wake him up and fuel him up. Breakfast is an essential spark that wakes up your body and your brain and it does the same for kids. So, take a look at some breakfast options and easy recipes below, jot down your grocery shopping list and then get stocked up for breakfast in your kitchen. You’ll be amazed how this sets up the entire family for a successful start to the school year!
Here’s a fun blog about ‘Go-to’ meals, including breakfast. Take a look for some new ideas as your summer schedule turns into faster paced days and weeks ahead.
https://marketbasketnutrition.com/simplehealthytastyfood/go-to-meals-are-healthy-quick-cheap
3 Easy Menus for a Powerful and Healthy Breakfast!
#1 Yogurt-Fruit Parfait: Stack up layers of vanilla or plain low fat yogurt with cut-up cantaloupe, watermelon, blueberries and/or apples. Sprinkle on some ground cinnamon or nutmeg. Top it off with crunchy whole wheat cereal, nuts or both. Add a glass of 1% milk, soymilk or almond milk. Enjoy a cup of steaming tea or coffee.
#2 Egg & Muffin: Start with a fresh pear or nectarine. Add a hardboiled or scrambled egg and a healthy, homemade muffin (see recipe below.) Add a glass of 1% milk, soymilk or almond milk. Enjoy a cup of steaming tea or coffee.
#3 Super Cereal: Fill your cereal bowl with whole oat cereal. Add toppings for powerful nutrition such as raisins, raspberries (fresh or frozen/thawed), sliced banana, sunflower seeds, toasted wheat germ, ground flaxseeds and more. Enjoy with 1% milk, soymilk or almond milk. Or, if you like yogurt better than milk, use that instead. To round it out, eat a quick spoonful of peanut butter, almond butter or soy nut butter. Enjoy a cup of steaming tea or coffee.
Easy Recipe For Everyone!
Banana-Pineapple Muffins
Here’s a muffin that is full of healthy fruit and not too much added sugar!
Kids can help by measuring the ingredients, cracking the eggs, peeling and mashing the banana, stirring the batter and spooning the batter into the muffin pans, with supervision.
Makes 12 muffins (or about 24 mini muffins)
1 cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup White flour
1 teaspoon Baking soda
Pinch Salt
¼ cup Applesauce, unsweetened
2 tablespoon Vegetable oil, light tasting olive oil or canola
1/2 cup Sugar
2 large Eggs
2 large Bananas, very ripe
½ cup Pineapple in a can, crushed, in juice, drained
Vegetable oil spray to coat muffin pans
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, measure and stir up the flours, baking soda and salt. Set this aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, measure and add the applesauce, oil, sugar and eggs. Mix this with an electric mixer or stir with a wooden spoon until it is smooth.
- Add the dry, mixed ingredients into the wet, mixed ingredients. Stir well.
- Peel and mash the bananas. Drain the pineapple juice and measure pineapple. Add both fruits to the muffin batter and stir just to mix. Try not to over-mix the batter.
- Spray muffin pans lightly with vegetable oil spray.
- Spoon muffin batter into the muffin pans. Wipe off large drips that spill on the pan with a paper towel.
- Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a table knife into one muffin. If it comes out clean, they are done. If not, put back into the oven for 3-5 minutes and re-test.
Nutrition per serving (one regular size muffin): 170 calories; 2.5 gm fat; 0 gm saturated fat; 0 trans fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 125 mg sodium; 35 gm carbohydrates; 2 gm fiber; 3 gm protein; 0% DV vitamin A; 6% DV vitamin C; 0% DV calcium; 6% DV iron
Money Saving Tip: Save the pineapple juice from the can for a smoothie or drink it.
Time Saving Tip: Double the recipe and freeze half the muffins for another time.
Cooking Tip: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the muffin batter for extra nutrition.
Nutrition Inspiration!
Where do you get inspiration to eat nutritiously? At a recent community event, I was happy to find this refreshing summer fruit dominating the refreshment table. It’s 3-in-1: Great nutrition; a sweet flavor and a mighty thirst quencher. Does this give you any new ideas for tasty and nutritious after-school snacks? I hope so!
Take Action Now!
Jump on board with a healthier lifestyle for you and your family! Please LIKE my facebook page and read my weekly blog for everyday solutions to a healthier meal plan, grocery list and home kitchen. And, be sure to bookmark my website as a trusted destination for tasty and sensible nutrition and wellness information.
For immediate help with easy meal plans and recipes, invest in my e-book bundle of 4 books. There’s one book of meal plans with grocery shopping lists, and 2 books of recipes to get you going!
Please note that I am an in-network provider of nutritional counseling for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina*. I am accepting new clients and will be delighted to help you achieve your health and nutrition goals. Contact Cindy to find out more or to set up your first appointment!
*Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Wishing you a Smooth Segway into the New School Year!
Cindy
Cindy Silver, MS, RDN, LDN
Registered Dietitian
Winston-Salem, NC