Finally, there is sunshine in the morning instead of winter gloom! In a hurry to enjoy the day? Wait! Take a few minutes for a quick breakfast. A quick breakfast jump-starts you and powers you through the day ahead. It gets your body started like turning on a car engine with a key! Your attention, your memory, and even your mood are better. Studies show that children who eat breakfast perform better in school! BUT: “There’s no time to make breakfast and get everyone ready & out the door on time!” Wait! Harvest Home has some fast, delicious ideas to take the rush out of your mornings.
Make oatmeal overnight and in the morning, add fruit, fresh or frozen, nuts, coconut, and mini chocolate chips or even peanut butter and jelly! In a glass jar, mix, for each serving,
½cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup milk of choice (regular or fat-free, almond or oat milk
¼ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon sweetener like honey or maple syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and put in the fridge overnight.
NOTE: Overnight oats can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. You can make them on Sunday night for the whole week and change the taste each day with the goodies you add. They are delicious cold, but if you want them warm, microwave for one minute.
Try a fruit smoothie. Delicious! Helps you wake up and keeps you running better all day. Just make them the night before!
The Easy Basics of Smoothies:
Start with ½ cup liquid (Plain yogurt, almond milk, coconut milk, or regular milk) plus 1 cup of fruit or veggies in a blender.
To make that smoothie smoother, add things in this order: Liquids first, then semi-liquids like yogurt; next, small pieces of fruits and veggies, soft ones first, and lastly, the crunchier ones.
It’s up to you: Find the taste that you like and the nutrients your body needs.
Whatever You Do, Have Some Breakfast. You’ll Be Glad You Did!
Go Bananas!
Recipe: Healthy Banana Muffins
Serves: 12
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup honey or pure maple syrup
1 cup mashed ripe banana, about 3 medium
¼ cup milk, whichever kind you prefer (dairy, almond, etc.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour, or regular whole wheat flour, or white flour
TO MAKE
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
Place the butter in a large bowl & melt in the microwave. Add the honey or maple syrup, mashed banana, milk and vanilla to the bowl. Whisk to combine. Whisk in the eggs.
Sprinkle the cinnamon, baking soda and salt over the wet ingredients. Whisk until well combined. Add the flour to the bowl and stir with a large spoon or spatula until just combined. Be careful to not over-mix.
Fill each well of the prepared muffin tin about 2/3 full.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature
TIPS: Use extra-ripe bananas. The kind with the black spots on the peel!
TIPS AND TRICKS
Smoothie tips,
Too thick? Add a little water
Too thin? Add some yogurt, avocado, or banana
Too bitter? Add honey, strawberries, or any sweet fruit. Or try a little bit of almond, cashew, or peanut butter to cut the bitterness
Want more flavor? Add some cinnamon or a little cocoa powder, or even some cayenne.
Make a Smoothie recipe plan. Buy fruit and freeze it in portions for your daily Smoothies
Freeze chopped kale in small packages to add to your smoothies. Freezing cuts down on the bitterness.
Bananas getting too ripe? Freeze them. It keeps the nutrition and the flavor even when they don't look beautiful. Use them in smoothies or banana muffins.
Skin brightening smoothie: Gets you looking good for spring!
Blend 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder, 1/3 cup of vanilla yogurt, ½ cup of coconut water, ½ cup blueberries, ½ Cup pineapple & 1 Cup kale.
Breakfast in a hurry:
Make smoothie the night before & store in frig in sealed plastic container
Make muffins & freeze in an airtight container for 3 months! Defrost on your counter or overnight in the fridge or microwave
