Breakfast
We know it’s a cliche, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true: breakfast is the most important meal of the day for growing kids. Sadly, though, 30-48% of American children skip breakfast every day. To us this is a crime. Getting your kids to eat that mighty little meal is about the simplest way we know to set them up for better grades, better health, and better energy. Kids who eat a regular breakfast score better on standardized tests, they get sick less frequently and they’re less likely to become obese.
But the quality of that breakfast matters: it needs to be made from real food from plants and animals, not the chemicalized, artificial sugary stuff that still passes for food in this country. Eating “toaster pastries” or some other junky “breakfast” will just start him out on the blood sugar roller coaster where the more sugary stuff he eats, the more he’ll want.
If your child eats and drinks enough sugar, we can pretty much guarantee you he’ll totally refuse that broccoli at dinner. Besides what it does to their waistlines, sugar will change your child’s taste buds ~ it can actually turn them off of vegetables altogether.
But kids do love sweet, especially in the morning, so give them something gently sweet, like fruit. And pair it with some protein or healthy fat to give it staying power and keep them off that blood sugar roller coaster. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be real food that tastes good.
Following are some ideas for delicious, super-quick breakfasts that include some protein, fiber and fat…
Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
• 1 Cup Steel Cut Oats
• 3 Cups Water
• 1 Cup Apple Juice (optional if you don’t want an apple flavor use an additional cup of water instead)
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/4 tsp Almond Oil
Recipe Facts
Serves: 4.0
Serving Size: one half cup
Preparation Time: 5 minute(s)
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours (overnight using a timer which will switch it on warm)
Nutrition Facts per serving
Calories: 204.9
Total Fat 3.4g
SSaturated Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 11.5mg
Total Carbohydrate 37g
Dietary Fiber 5.1g
Sugars 6.9g
Protein 7.1g
Cooking Directions:
Wipe crockpot with almond oil, ghee or lightly spray crockpot with expeller sunflower oil or grapeseed oil spray.
Add water and or apple juice, cinnamon, vanilla and oatmeal to crockpot and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours If using it overnight it works best if your slow cooker is on a timer and can switch to warm.
Additions: Nuts and seeds really soften when added to the crock-pot oatmeal. Some suggestions are pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, ground flax seeds, wheat germ or a combination. Fruit is also a nice addition 1-2 diced apples, or pears. Frozen berries are great to add right before serving so they don’t get mushy.
Tips: For a thicker oatmeal use a little less water then thicken with your choice of milk.
Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
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Monday, June 1st, 2009
- 2 C almond milk, well chilled
- 1-2 scoops whey protein powder
- 1 ripe peach or 1 cup frozen slices
- 1/2 frozen banana, peeled
- 1/2 C fresh or frozen pineapple or mango
- 1 frozen coconut milk “ice cube” (about a generous tablespoon)
- 1 T whole oats
- 1 T pure unsweetened cranberry or cherry juice (not concentrated!), optional
- 1 T dried unsweetened coconut
Put all ingredients into a good (sturdy) blender and blend until smooth.
Yield: about 3 cups
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Monday, June 1st, 2009
- 2 C unsweetened chocolate soy milk
- 1-2 scoops whey protein powder
- 1 large ripe banana
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder (or 1 teaspoon cocoa powder)
- 4 ice cubes
Put all ingredients into a good (sturdy) blender and blend until smooth.
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups
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Monday, June 1st, 2009
- 2 C any milk (cow or unsweetened: almond, hemp seed, soy, for the most protein)
- 1-2 C fruit (fresh or frozen), canned or cooked pumpkin, or sweet potato
- Protein (2 tablespoons plain protein powder or nut butter, ¼ cup silken tofu, or ½ cup pasteurized egg whites)
Optional extras:
- Fats (1 tablespoon ground flax seed or oil, slice avocado, 2 tablespoons coconut milk) Fiber (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, oat bran, whole rolled oats)
- Sweeteners, to taste (banana, juice or agave nectar)
- Spices, to taste (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove, nutmeg)
Put all ingredients into a good (sturdy) blender and blend until smooth.
Yield: about 3 cups
Notes:
Think about combina tions that you like when mixing and matching, such as nut butter and chocolate, or pumpkin and apple pie spices, or tropical fruits and coconut.
If you use presweetened milk or tropical fruits, omit extra sweeteners. Add sweeteners last, in any case, and taste smoothie before adding them, as you may find them unnecessary.
Don’t ignore the extras-smoothies are a great way to add extra fiber or Omega 3 fatty acids
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Monday, June 1st, 2009
Have a little more time?
Enjoy the “10 second” Fruit Roll Up French toast-style:
Warm a little butter or olive oil in a large sauté or frying pan over medium heat. Whip together 2 eggs and 1/3 cup milk (can use cow, soy, almond, rice, etc) with a dash of vanilla and 1 t of cinnamon. Make up 4 Fruit Roll Ups (recipe here) and pinch the ends of each one together until they seal a bit. Carefully place a whole roll up (one at a time) into the egg mixture and soak it like French toast. Lift the roll up out of the mixture and place it into the frying pan, folded side down to keep it together. Gently cook the Roll Up until the edges are sealed and the whole thing is lightly browned. Serve as is or offer a bit of syrup or agave nectar for dipping.
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Monday, June 1st, 2009
Sliced apple, pear, peach or other seasonal fruit
Small handful nuts or seeds such as almonds, cashews or pumpkin OR peeled boiled egg
A piece of fruit and a few nuts or a boiled egg make a great balanced breakfast and take no time at all to make.
Yield: 1 serving
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Monday, June 1st, 2009
- 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt (blend with 2 tablespoons whey protein powder, ¼ cup silken tofu, or plain cottage cheese to increase protein content)
- 2 teaspoons sweetener (try honey, agave nectar or mashed banana)
- Berries or other chopped seasonal fruit
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, wheat germ or oat bran to taste
- Cinnamon to taste
Gently mix all ingredients together and enjoy! Garnish with favorite cold cereal or granola, if desired.
Yield: 1 serving
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Monday, June 1st, 2009
Whole grain wrap or toaster waffle
2 tablespoons nut butter (blend with silken tofu or whey protein powder to increase protein content)
1 teaspoon ground flaxseed or wheat germ
Whole banana or sliced seasonal fruit
Nutmeg
Spread the wrap (or waffle) with nut butter, sprinkle with ground flax or wheat germ, top with fruit, sprinkle with nutmeg, roll and eat!
Yield: 1 serving
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