Want To Have A Great Day? Start With A Great Breakfast
If not skipped altogether, breakfast tends to be the most routine, the most boring and the least nourishing meal of the day.
At the end of a night’s fast, our bodies need replenishment with a full range of nutrients. What do they get? A dose of caffeine and, if time allows, a piece of toast or a sugary, fat-filled bakery muffin or pastry.
A better breakfast starts with complex carbohydrates and includes some protein, a small amount of fat and a fruit or vegetable for additional vitamins and minerals. Fixing a better breakfast does not require much time or effort. A bowl of whole-grain cooked cereal topped with fruit, skim milk or low-fat yogurt and a glass of juice takes just minutes to make.
Even though relatively quick foods are needed for most mornings, it’s important to vary selections. Variety promotes better nutrition and makes breakfast more appealing.
Buy or make your own low-fat granola, muesli or breakfast bars. Prepare, bake and freeze a variety of low-fat muffins ready for microwave reheating. Serve with a bowl of fruit and nonfat yogurt, or a quick blender drink.
Add variety to your mornings with these and other breakfast foods.
Fruit and Honey Oatmeal
3-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, peaches, pears, cranberries, blueberries, apples, dates, mixed fruits or raisins
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
2 cups quick or old-fashioned rolled oats
In a 3-quart saucepan, bring water, dried fruit, honey, cinnamon and salt to a boil. Stir in oats; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook about 1 minute for quick oats or 5 minutes for old-fashioned oats or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Let stand until oatmeal reaches desired consistency.
Yield: 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving (with dried apricots): 280 calories, 2.5 grams fat (8 percent fat calories), 10 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Chewy Fruit and Oat Bars
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 (8-ounce) container vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons skim milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
3 cups quick or old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup diced dried mixed fruit, raisins or dried cranberries
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In large bowl, combine sugars, yogurt, egg whites, oil, milk and vanilla; mix well.
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add dry ingredients to yogurt mixture; mix well. Stir in oats and dried fruit.
Spread dough onto bottom of ungreased 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered.
Yield: 2 dozen bars.
Nutrition information per bar: 145 calories, 2 grams fat (12 percent fat calories), 60 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Banana-Yogurt Breakfast Smoothie
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1 medium banana, peeled and sliced (frozen for thicker shake)
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Place all ingredients in a blender container; cover. Blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth.
Yield: 2 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 280 calories, 2 grams fat (6 percent fat calories), less than 5 milligrams cholesterol, 58 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 100 milligrams sodium, 12 grams protein.
Breakfast Kugel
1 (16-ounce) package lasagna
1 (24-ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tart apples, peeled and sliced thinly
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups raisins, optional
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Cook lasagna according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.
Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, puree the cottage cheese; mix in vanilla and salt. In 2 separate bowls, mix the cinnamon with the apples and mix the raisins into the applesauce.
Spray a 9- by 13- by 2-inch baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. To assemble, layer starting with lasagna noodles (save a portion for a top layer), then the applesauce mixture, the cottage cheese mixture and the apples. End with a layer of noodles and top with the cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot or cold.
Yield: 8 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 346 calories, 6 grams fat (16 percent fat calories).
Peach Muesli With Berries
2 cups quick or old-fashioned rolled oats
1-1/2 cups apple juice
1-1/3 cups coarsely chopped peeled peaches (about 2 medium fresh, frozen and thawed or canned)
1 (8-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries or strawberries
Combine all ingredients except berries; mix well. Cover; refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (May be stored, covered, in refrigerator for up to 4 days.) Serve cold, topped with berries.
Nutrition information per (1-cup) serving: 270 calories, 4 grams fat (13 percent fat calories), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 40 milligrams sodium, 52 milligrams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 8 grams protein.
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN, RECIPE - The Seasonal Cook CREDIT = Laura Carnie The Spokesman-Review