Creative Breakfast Ideas

Eating breakfast everyday fuels your body with energy, helps concentration and problem-solving ability as well as promotes weight management. We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why do so many people disregard it? Here are a few quick ideas to make breakfast more appealing:

Breakfast Burrito:
½ Tbsp Smart Balance or similar
2 egg whites
¼ cup diced tomatoes
2-4 slices of avocado
5 diced jarred jalapeno slices
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 Tbsp salsa

Heat butter in pan and add the egg whites. Once they start turning white, add in the tomatoes, avocado and jalapenos. Keep stirring until the eggs are cooked thoroughly (about 3-5 minutes). Warm the tortilla and add the egg filling. Wrap it up and dip in salsa. For a vegan version, substitute black beans for the eggs. For a creamier filling, add some cheese. You can switch it up with different veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, sprouts, carrots, or onions, too. If you don’t like the wrap idea, put it on a whole wheat English muffin or bread.

Kashi Go Lean Strawberry Flax Waffles:

These are soo good! They have a tangy and fresh strawberry taste and are a perfect size for a breakfast snack. You can get them in the freezer section in your local grocery store and they are about $2.69 per box of six.

Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 2 Waffles (84g) Calories 160, Calories from Fat 30, Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5g ,Monounsaturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 300mg , Potassium 50mg , Total Carbohydrate 31g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 5g, Carbohydrate 20g, Protein 8g

Yogurt with cereal or granola (like a parfait):

1 6-oz container of low fat yogurt, any flavor (I like vanilla, peach and strawberry the best)
½ cup cereal or ¼ cup granola of your choice (I personally love Special K with strawberries)
Then, add some fresh fruit like strawberries and blueberries.
That’s it… very simple and very tasty.

Grab-and-Go Oatmeal* Comparisons:

I was reading this month’s Shape magazine and ran into this comparison of oatmeals. There are so many options out now, so hopefully this can help narrow down your decisions…

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal – 140 calories and 4 grams of fiber
$2 at local Starbucks
This ready to eat breakfast has just a fraction of the fat found in the chains pastries. Request the nut medley, brown sugar, or dried fruit topping for 50-100 extra calories.

Kozy Shack Ready Grains – 210 calories and 7 grams of fiber
$2 at local grocery stores
This oatmeal is packed full of oats, barley, brown rice, low-fat milk and fruit and can be eaten hot or cold. It is also packaged in individual containers for your convenience.

Uncle Sam Instant Oatmeal with Soymilk – 160 calories and 5 grams fiber
$4 at local grocery stores
This oatmeal has heart and brain healthy omega-3 fatty acids from the ground flaxseed and is also made with soymilk powder giving it a creamy texture.

Muscle Milk ‘n Oats – 300 calories and 4 grams of fiber
$4 at local health stores
This oatmeal contains 30 grams of protein in each bowl! They come in individual packages making it easy and convenient to make in the morning.

Amy’s Multi-Grain Hot Cereal Bowl – 190 calories and 5 grams of fiber
$3 at local grocery stores
This oatmeal has a nutty taste and is made with 8 organic whole grains. This is a very convenient option because all you have to do is pop it in the microwave.
*Taken from February 2009 Shape magazine.