Nutrition: Make Breakfast Great Again

We partially wake up, get ready, stop to get a cup of dark unleaded to completely wake up then try to beat the morning rush. In a go-go-go lifestyle, we often neglect any form of breakfast because there is a perceived time crunch or breakfast is for kids. The pre-diabetic starter packs we call cereal is heavily marketed towards kids, but there are options on the shelves and even better ones by combining items from the produce and cereal aisles. Most of us are not excited until that rush of caffeine hits our system and we feel mentally alert to start the day. It is time to make breakfast great again, get excited about waking up and preparing the fuel to start your day.

Breakfast is an important of your daily nutrition. Skipping breakfast is associated with other health compromising habits, such as smoking and infrequent exercise[1]. Start by changing the one lifestyle habit at the beginning of your day and stick with it before changing others.

Here are a couple hot and cold options:

Breakfast Power Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1-2 Eggs
• Tortilla or English muffin
• 1 tbl spoon Salsa
• Avocado slices
• 1-2 slices of Turkey bacon halved
• Pinch or a punch of pepper to your liking

Directions

1. Warm a skillet or cast iron pan, drizzle with a little olive oil and wipe down any excess with a paper towel
2. Fry your egg up over hard to put on a muffin or scrambled to make a burrito
3. Precook your turkey bacon on the weekend as a part of your meal prep for the week. Shelf life 4-5 days sealed in a Tupperware stored in the fridge.
4. Slice the avocado while the egg is cooking to save time
5. Dollop a spoon full of salsa on the muffin or spread some down the middle of a tortilla
6. Next add the egg, bacon and avocado
7. Close the sandwich or fold in the sides and roll the tortilla over closing your burrito.

Overnight Oats

Ingredients

• 1 Mason jar
• Equal parts rolled oats and milk. Try adding Greek yogurt for a little extra protein (flavored if you choose)

After that, it is up to you with what you put in the jar.

• Banana, cinnamon, chia seed, chocolate chip, brown sugar, coconut is one of my go to combinations
• Peanut butter, banana, chocolate chip
• Peach, cinnamon, strawberry, banana
• Chia seed, maple syrup, yogurt, vanilla extract
• Pomegranate, blueberry, apple, honey, chia, vanilla extract

Directions

1. Equal parts rolled oats, milk, yogurt
2. Add all the ingredients you wish to combine
3. Mix thoroughly
4. Seal and store overnight
5. Add a little milk to loosen
6. Take on the go if needed

I hope those ideas help you rethink your outlook on breakfast. Be creative with your hot and cold options but most of all control your portions and incorporate it in to your daily routine.