Bananas

I love bananas, really love them. My husband makes fun of me because if we ever go a day without bananas I am honestly sad. I eat at least one a day with breakfast and often have one later in the day for a snack. I don't know why I love them so much but I really do. I knew they were good for you and had potassium in them but recently I have found out even more great things about them.

When you eat a banana, especially when it still has a touch of green (which in my opinion is the only time you should eat them!) makes them one of the best sources of resistant starch, a healthy carbohydrate that keeps you feeling fuller longer.

Slice it up and put it in your cold cereal, granola or oatmeal. It adds great flavor and a touch of sweetness.  Or try out my new favorite way to eat my banana at breakfast. Spread peanut butter on a slice of toast, cover it with sliced bananas and then sprinkle cinnamon on top. It is so good and filling!

Greek Yogurt

This yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt with a slight tang to it. It is packed full of calcium and protein, nearly twice as much as regular yogurt.

Make sure when you pick out a Greek yogurt that you check the nutrition label. Some are definitely more like dessert and are loaded with fat, calories and tons and tons of sugar. I try to pick ones that have 100-130 calories per serving and 8-10 grams of sugar. Your safest bet is to just pick a plain one and jazz it up. That is my favorite way to do it because then I am not stuck with just one flavor, I can flavor it for what ever mood I am in.

Here is one of my favorite breakfasts:

1 cup Greek yogurt
drizzle of honey
couple shakes of cinnamon
fresh strawberries/raspberries/blueberries if I have them
2 T Craisins, dried blueberries or dried cherries
1 T Pecans/almonds/walnuts chopped up

Mix together the Greek yogurt, honey and cinnamon and then sprinkle the other ingredients on top. If I have some granola I like to sprinkle 1/4 cup on top instead of the nuts!

It's so good and tasty and filling!

Oatmeal

Have you ever noticed the heart on a container of oatmeal? That heart is there because oats contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber that's been shown to help lower cholesterol when you eat it regularly.

Steel-cut oats, which take about 15-20 minutes to cook, contain more fiber than rolled oats or instant varieties, but any type of oatmeal is a healthy choice. Just avoid the flavored kinds, which can be packed with sugar. Instead, sweeten your bowl with milk and a bit of honey, and top with fruit and nuts.

I recently discovered overnight steel cut oats. It takes 5 minutes or less of my time and my husband and I have a great breakfast ready for us in the morning. This recipe is so easy, you have no excuse to try it out!

The other great thing about steel cut oats is that they can sit in your fridge for a week and when reheated don't get mushy like regular oatmeal. So I make a batch of these oats on Sunday night and keep them in the fridge and we have quick and healthy breakfasts all week long! Just scoop out what you want and reheat them in the microwave.

Overnight Steel Cut Oats
 6 Servings

1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
6 cups water
pinch of salt

Bring all ingredients to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Cover, turn off heat and let sit on the stove overnight.

In the morning uncover the oats, give them a stir and bring them to a boil. Stir until creamy and warm and then they are ready to eat!

Top them with your favorite nuts and berries, whether dried or fresh. I love adding pecans and craisins and half of a chopped apple to mine with a lot of cinnamon! The fruit adds sugar so I don't even feel the need to add honey or brown sugar to it.

Don't Ever Skip Breakfast!!

Breakfast is sooooo important. I had a nutrition teacher in college that every day would ask us if we had fed our brain. It is so important to eat in the morning and to eat something good for your body so that your brain and the rest of your body can function properly and have the energy it needs to attack the day ahead of it. Skipping breakfast can also set you up for over eating the rest of the day. Now is you are trying to be healthier and lose weight, skipping breakfast will just undo all of your hard work!

"You want to aim for a breakfast that combines good carbs and fiber with some protein," says Erica Giovinazzo, MS, RD.

I will be posting some great, easy breakfasts over the next couple of weeks along with some tips to make them even healthier. If you already are a breakfast eater like me then great, try out some of these new ideas. And if you aren't a breakfast eater, try eating a healthy breakfast every day for a week. I bet you will be surprised with how great you feel and how much more energy you have!

Healthified Apple and Cheese Toasting English Muffin

I love fruit and cheese and saw this recipe and put it on my list, they are delicious! They are also great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Completely satisfying, delicious and healthy!

Healthified Apple and Cheese Toasting English Muffin
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

1 medium apple or pear

4 whole wheat English muffins, split

2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

4 ounces Canadian-style bacon (4 slices)

4 ounces low-fat Swiss cheese (4 slices) 

 

• Core apple and thinly slice crosswise to form rings. Spread cut sides of muffin halves with mustard.
• To assemble, top the cut sides of four of the muffin halves with Canadian-style bacon, apple rings, and Swiss cheese. Top with remaining muffin halves, cut sides down.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Place sandwiches in skillet or on griddle. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes or until sandwiches are golden brown and cheese starts to melt, turning once. You could also cook them in a panini grill or toaster oven. If desired, secure sandwiches with toothpicks.

Per sandwich: 250 calories, 4.5g fat, 19g protein





Source: Live Better America

 

Blue Banana Protein Shake

Blueberries are in season right now and I just can't get enough of them.  I have been tossing a handful or two in my Cheerios every morning and grabbing handfuls out of the fridge when ever a craving strikes.  Blueberries and banana are a great flavor combination and so healthy for you.  Toss them together in this four ingredient shake that will taste delicious and is good for you!

Blue Banana Protein Shake
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1

1/2 cup frozen chopped banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
3/4 cup 1% milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (6 Tablespoons)

In blender, place all ingredients. Cover, blend on high speed until smooth. Pour into a large glass and serve immediately.

If you don't have frozen bananas and blueberries you can use fresh and then add a 1/2 cup of ice.  And if you don't have protein powder try substituting some plain or vanilla Greek yogurt for that added protein to keep you going longer. You can also sub out the blueberries for any berry that you have.

I keep a good supply of bananas on hand, I love them. But when they are ripening faster than I can eat them I like to cut them up into chunks, put them in a sandwich baggie and toss them in the freezer. That way I have frozen bananas whenever the smoothie craving hits!

Source: livebetteramerica.com

Blueberry Oat Pancakes With Maple Yogurt

I absolutely LOVE breakfast foods.  Whether it is a big bowl of Cheerios with bananas, a crispy waffle with strawberries and cream or a plate of eggs, toast and hash browns, I love it all.  A lot of breakfast foods are decadent and aren't the best things to eat when you are trying to eat healthier.  I have been trying out a lot of healthier recipes or altering recipes that I love to make them healthier.  These pancakes taste decadent and you won't believe how good they are for you!  A delicious and healthy breakfast that will keep you full for hours is on the way.

Blueberry Oat Pancakes With Maple Yogurt
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2; each serving is 3 (3-inch) pancakes and about 1/2 cup yogurt mixture

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup blueberries (can be fresh or frozen)
3/4 cup Greek style low fat yogurt
1 T maple syrup

Combine oats, cottage cheese, eggs and vanilla in a blender and mix until smooth. Gently stir in blueberries.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon about 2 T batter per pancake into pan. Cook about 3 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and the edges look set. Carefully flip pancakes over and cook other 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Combine yogurt and maple syrup and serve over pancakes.

Per serving: 410 calories; 12g fat; 26g protein; 6g fiber

Source: Health.com

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  If you are thinking "I am not a breakfast eater" then you need to change your thinking!  Your brain badly needs that nourishment first thing in the morning, so it is time to start feeding your brain!  These breakfast pizzas are really easy and delicious and completely customizable.  Throw whatever ingredients you have in your fridge on them. They can even be made in advance and thrown in the freezer, just pull one out and heat it in the microwave and you have a fast breakfast on the go!

English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas
Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1 cup fat-free egg product or 4 eggs

1/4 cup fat-free (skim) milk

Dash of salt  

Dash of pepper

2 teaspoons canola or soybean oil

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cooked ham

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

2 whole wheat English muffins, split, toasted 

 

In small bowl, beat egg product, milk, salt and pepper with wire whisk or fork until well blended. 

 

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper and ham in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Pour egg mixture into skillet. As eggs begin to set at bottom and side, gently lift cooked portions with spatula so that uncooked egg can flow to bottom. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs are thickened throughout but still moist; stir cheese into eggs. 

 

Spoon egg mixture evenly over muffin halves.

 

Source: Live Better America 

 

Healthified Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast really is the most important meal of your day.  When I was in college I took a nutrition class and the professor was talking about how important breakfast was and asked how many of us had eaten breakfast that morning.  I was one of the few people that raised my hand.  The teacher was not happy that so many had not eaten breakfast!  She taught us about how our brains need food first thing in the morning, that they do not function properly and at their full capacity if we do not give them much needed nutrients in the morning.  She challenged us to not think of it as eating breakfast but to think of it as feeding our brain.  Every class after that she would ask for a raise of hands to see who had "fed their brain" that morning.  That has always stuck with me, I know I feel so much better and can function so much better when I make sure to eat something healthy for breakfast even when I am short on time.  Studies have also shown that those people who eat breakfast eat less during the day, their total caloric intake for the day is lower than those who do not eat breakfast.  So if you are wanting to lose some weight then you need to eat breakfast! 

I know time is a major factor so whip up a batch of these cookies.  They are delicious and healthy and filling!  You can put them in individually wrapped in your freezer so you can grab one on your way out the door.  The will defrost as you drive to work or school.  Give them a try!

Healthified Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

1/2 cup mashed banana (about 1 large)

1/2 cup chunky natural peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened)

1/2 cup honey

1teaspoon vanilla

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries.

Using a ¼-cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.

Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

 Serving Size: 1 Cookie
Calories: 220
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 35 mg
Sugars: 22g  

Yogurt and Healthy Toppings!

Greek yogurt is all the rage right now!  It is full of so much good protein and calcium and is a healthy and filling breakfast.  And as hard as I try to eat it because I know it is good for me, I just really struggle with plain old boring yogurt.  I need some crunch and some fruit, something in it to make it a little more interesting while still keeping it healthy.  Try out some of these ideas and you will never think the same of your plain old yogurt again!

• Peaches + Maple + Cardamom + Pecans
• Toss together pitted and quartered peaches with a pinch of cardamom and drizzle of maple syrup. Roast in 350°F oven until tender. Eat warm or at room temperature over yogurt with chopped pecans.

• Carrots + Cinnamon + Honey + Walnuts
• Coarsely grate carrots and toss with honey and cinnamon. Spoon over yogurt and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

• Lemon + Almond Extract + Poppy seeds
• Stir lemon juice and a dash of almond extract into yogurt. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.

•  Pistachios + Crystallized Ginger + Honey + Orange
• Whisk together honey, orange juice, and orange zest. Drizzle over yogurt, and sprinkle with chopped crystallized ginger and chopped pistachios.

• Honey + Almonds + Apricots
• Swirl honey into yogurt. Top with coarsely chopped almonds and apricots. Drizzle with additional honey.

• Sweet Potatoes + Maple Syrup + Hazelnuts
• Wrap whole sweet potatoes in aluminum foil and roast in a 375°F oven until tender. Peel and mash with a drizzle of maple syrup. Dollop on top of yogurt and sprinkle with hazelnuts.

• Raw Corn + Lime + Agave
• Whisk together lime juice, zest, and agave. Slice fresh sweet corn kernels off the cob. Toss with lime mixture and sprinkle over yogurt.

• Coconut + Shaved Dark Chocolate + Cocoa Powder
• Toast large flaked coconut in a 350°F oven until lightly browned and fragrant. Cool slightly. Stir cocoa powder into yogurt and top with the toasted coconut and chocolate shavings.  

• Blueberry + Lemon + Sugar
• In a bowl smash together half of the blueberries with fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of granulated sugar. Swirl gently into yogurt. Top with whole blueberries and lemon zest.

• Strawberries + Vanilla + Brown Sugar + Pecans
• Stir vanilla extract into yogurt. Top with diced fresh strawberries. Sprinkle brown sugar and coarsely chopped pecans over top and serve.

• Banana + Cinnamon + Peanuts
• Mash banana and cinnamon together with a fork until smooth. Swirl gently into yogurt and top with finely chopped peanuts.

• Strawberries + Maple + Balsamic Vinegar
• Whisk together balsamic vinegar and maple syrup in a bowl. Add the berries and set aside to macerate for 30 minutes. Spoon over yogurt.

Source: The Buzz Feed

Quick and Healthy Breakfasts

Don't skip the most important meal of the day just because you don't think you have time.  You can make a quick, delicious and healthy breakfast that will get you on the right foot for the day!

Top Greek yogurt with fresh blueberries or granola.

Make a batch of steel-cut oatmeal at night.  In the morning cover it with fresh fruits or raisins and heat it up. 

Eat a poached egg on a multi grain English muffin with a glass of fresh orange juice and some fresh fruit.

Make an egg-white omelet with basil and chives fresh from your garden, along with peppers, garlic, onion and a little Swiss cheese.

Frosted mini-wheats with berries and low fat milk.

Low Fat Pumpkin Pancakes from the Titanium Chef

I can't get enough pumpkin right now, it has been going in bread, cookies, muffins, oatmeal, granola and now these tasty pancakes!  There is just the right amount of pumpkin in these, they are good with a chopped apple or a handful or raisins or chopped cranberries thrown in.  Enjoy them with warm maple syrup.

Pumpkin Pancakes

1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 T canola oil
1 cup nonfat milk
1/3 cup pure pumpkin

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.  Combine egg, oil, milk and pumpkin in a small bowl.  Stir pumpkin mitxture into dry ingredients just until moistened, don't over stir!  There will be small lumps and that is exactly how its supposed to be.  Let batter sit for five minutes.

For each pancake, scoop 1/4 cup batter on a hot griddle or nonstick skilled sprayed with cooking spray.  Turn pancakes when bubbles appear and edges are cooked, after about 2 minutes.  Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on second side. 

Makes 8-10 pancakes.

Per two pancake serving:  Calories 226, calories from fat 46, total fat 5g.

Feed Your Brain...Eat Breakfast!!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Many people say that they aren't hungry or don't feel like eating in the mornings. Well if that is the case don't eat breakfast for hunger, eat it for your brain.Your brain needs that energy and nutrients in the morning to have it functioning correctly all day long! Studies from the Journal of Nutrition are also showing there are fat burning benefits to eating breakfast. The study featured in Eating Well  magazine says that, "Eating a breakfast made with 'slow release' carbohydrates, such as bran or oatmeal cereal, 3 hours before you exercise may help you burn more fat." The reason why is these 'slow release' carbs don't spike your blood sugar as high as refined carbs, such as white toast. Insulin levels play a role in signaling your body to store fat, having lower levels may signal your body to burn fat. Go to this link to see a bunch of yummy 'slow release' carb recipes! Now go eat some breakfast for your brain and to lose some fat!!
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/breakfasts_that_fight_fat?emcampaign=NBC-NL-12082009-EW

Grape Nuts Bars--from Jamie The Titanium Chef

Whether your are a Grape Nuts fan or not you will love these bars.  They are great for breakfast, for a snack and as a treat.  These bars do not have a lot of fat in them but are packed full or good fiber and protein with just the right amount of sweetness.  They also are incredibly easy to make...Give them a try!

Grape Nuts Bars
3/4 cup reduced fat peanut butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
4 cups Grape Nuts

Line a 9X13 pan with foil and spray.  Place first three ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat for 2 minutes, stirring after each minute, mixture should come to a boil.  Pour in Grape Nuts and stir to combine.  Dump mixture into pan and press down lightly to level out.  Allow to cool.  Lift foil to remove them from pan and cut into 30 squares.  Store in an airtight container or individually wrap in plastic.