National Nutrition Month - Importance of Breakfast
Monday March 25, 2019
You stayed up late folding laundry, snoozed the alarm one too many times and now the kids don’t want to put their shoes on… sound like a familiar morning in your house? The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency knows that the morning rush can be hectic and it can be really hard to fit in a nutritious breakfast, but wants residents of the tri-county to know just how important it is.
“Studies show that eating a healthy morning meal helps prevent further weight gain, and also provides you with essential nutrients that can be stored into energy so you can feel productive for the rest of the day,” says Yvonne Atwood, Director of Personal Health and Disease Prevention. “Probably the most appealing benefit is that breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism and helps you burn more calories throughout the day.” We’ve provided you with a few quick and easy breakfast recipes that can help fuel your body throughout the day and won’t take up too much of your morning.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-3 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
(Optional Mix In's: 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, chopped almonds, raisins, pumpkin seeds, protein powder, flaxseeds)
Instructions- Place the peanut butter, honey and vanilla in a microwavable bowl and microwave the ingredients for 20 seconds.
- Stir the mixture until well combined then add in the remaining ingredients (and any extra mix-in's).
- Stir well and ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Roll the mixture into 8 balls and place the balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Press the balls flat slightly and place them in the fridge for at least an hour to set.
- Store breakfast cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
- Banana Blueberry: 1 large banana, 2 cups blueberries, 2 cups spinach
- Pineapple Blueberry: 1/2 banana, 1 1/2 cups pineapple, 1/2 to 3/4 cup blueberries, 2 cups spinach
- Kiwi Watermelon: 1 sliced kiwi, 1 cup diced watermelon, 1 cup grapes, 2 cups spinach
- Banana Berry: 2-3 cups mixed berries, 1/2 large banana, 2 cups spinach
- Melon Berry: 1 cup melon, 1 1/2 cups mixed berries, 2 cups spinach
- Pineapple Banana: 1 large sliced banana, 2 heaping cups pineapple, 2 cups spinach
- Pre-pack quart-sized baggies with whatever flavor smoothie you want - see above for some ideas on different options.
- Freeze
- Add contents of the smoothie and 1 cup low-fat milk to the blender – mix and go!
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana, medium (1/2 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup ground oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- Pinch of salt
- First, preheat oven to 350ºF and spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Place a ripe banana in a medium size bowl and mash. Then, whisk in eggs, vanilla extract, honey, and almond milk.
- Then, in a large bowl, mix together rolled oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients and then add melted coconut oil and mix again. Finally, add berries and mix until combined.
- Transfer batter into muffin tin, filling each muffin to the top.
- Bake at 350ºF for 18-20 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days OR freeze for later for up to 3 months.
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is committed to promoting wellness, preventing disease, providing health care, and protecting the environment.