Becoming A Breakfast Champion

I am the self-proclaimed "world's biggest breakfast champion". I love breakfast. I love breakfast foods. I love the morning and my morning ritual of a great workout followed by a hearty breakfast and my personal study time to feed and nourish my mind, as well as my body.

I am a person who loves variety, especially when it comes to my food. I often speak and consult with folks who eat the same things day in day out with little to no variety. How absolutely BORING! Not to mention how unwise. Even if those few foods they eat are super healthy, they are not getting enough variety in their meals to ensure that they are meeting all of their body's nutrient requirements. Now if the choice came down to eating the same thing for breakfast every day versus skipping breakfast, of course eat the same thing. However, living in the free-est, most abundant country in the world, no one should be in a situation where those are their only two choices. The possibilites and options are truly endless. If you happen to be one of those people that claim to dislike breakfast because they don't like breakfast foods in general or you get bored with the same old foods, hopefully I can shine a new light on breakfast food options. In the last article, I wrote about there being no strict rules for breakfast foods because any food can be eaten for breakfast.

Oatmeal: Many of us know that oatmeal is a very nutritious breakfast. Many of the clients I work with tell me that the only way they can eat oatmeal is with a bunch of brown sugar dumped in it or they only like the little instant oatmeal packets that come in a variety of flavors (the reason we like these so much is because they are loaded with sugar). A healthier way to have oatmeal is to buy "old fashioned oats" or even "quick cooking oats". Then cook them on the stove, in the microwave (I personally try to use this less often b/c oatmeal tends to overflow in the microwave), or in a rice cooker. Here are some ideas to jazz up your oats:

* cook oats in half water/half fruit juice (100% fruit juice - no sugar sweetened juices) for added sweetness. Use apple juice & add chopped fresh apples or other fresh or dried fruit. Use orange juice and add a few tablespoons of dried cranberries (craisins).

* cook oats in non-dairy milk such as vanilla or chocolate soy, rice, almond, oat milk. Add fresh fruit if desired

* add cinnamon & vanilla extract to oatmeal as it cooks. Add some raisins or dates if desired.

* add any fresh, frozen or dried fruit to cooked oatmeal. (if using frozen fruit add it to oatmeal as it cooks. Banana, apples, peaches, pears, apricots, nectarines, raisins, craisins, dates, berries of all kinds.

* add 1 - 2 tablespoons of vanilla or chocolate protein powder to cooked oatmeal.

* add a drizzle of honey or agave nectar to cooked honey.

* add a few tablespoons of non-fat/lowfat yogurt to cooked oatmeal

* add couple of teaspoons of nut-butter to cooked oatmeal (i.e. all - natural peanut butter, soy butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.)

* soak oats in fruit juice or milk (or non-dairy milk) overnight in the fridge. Oats will soak up the liquid. Add a dollup of yogurt, some chopped fresh fruit &/or nuts. You'll have a refreshing cool & hearty breakfast. (Quick version of Bircher Muesli)

*Another thing I love to do is mix my hot cereals so I often make combo cereals like: oats & oatbran, oats & farina (cream of wheat), oats & grapenuts, oats & oatbran & farina, oats & 6-grain, etc. Be creative!

Other hot cereals I love are: farina (cream of wheat), cracked wheat, 6-grain, 9-grain, Irish oatmeal, oatbran, brown rice cereal, etc.


Stay tuned for more on creative breakfasts & becoming a breakfast champion

Melissa Guthrie -- Your Healthy Lifestyle Mentor