Tasty, Quick, Nutritious Breakfast ideas

Need a quick breakfast?  A tasty snack?  With classes beginning soon, students need to find quick and healthy breakfast to begin the day. 

We have three recipes that are tasty and nutritious.  Quick and inexpensive to make, these recipes below can be made in advance and inexpensively.  The recipes are easy to adapt to personal tastes.  As always, best way to reduce the price of a recipe is to buy in bulk, make several batches and freeze for future use.

These recipes are healthy, with a lot of fiber.  They can be customized to accommodate any special diet, like gluten free, low sugar or dairy free.  The main recipes are below, with variations included.  All three recipes for oatmeal muffins, oatmeal energy balls and refrigerator oatmeal can be frozen, taken out to thaw the night before or microwave.  Tips and hints are provided at the end of the recipe.

Baked oatmeal muffins

2 eggs                                                              1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups applesauce (unsweetened)                   1 banana, mashed

½ cup honey (can use other sweeteners)         5 cups Old fashioned rolled oats*

¼ c flaxeed meal (optional)                            1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoon baking powder                              1 teaspoon salt

2 ¾ cups milk                                                 

Toppings: dried fruit, nuts, chocolate-chips, coconut (be creative)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large bowl, mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, mashed banana and honey.  Add in oats, flax meal, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well.  Add in milk and mix well.  Grease or line with cupcake liners, 18 muffin tins.  Spoon or pour batter to the top of the muffin tins or cupcake liners.  Add toppings to muffins.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleaning from the center.  Cool and enjoy or freeze them in freezer bags with the air squeezed out.

Servings: 18; Calories for one: 143*; Fat: 4g*; Cholesterol: 25mg*; Sodium: 32mg*; Fiber: 4g*; Sugars: 4g*; Carbs: 23g*; Protein: 6g*; Using the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder Points+: 3*

*amount can vary depending on type of toppings used.

Refrigerator Oatmeal

Basic Recipe

1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats               1/3 cup skim milk

1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt                                     1-1/2 teaspoons dried chia seeds (optional)

In half pint (1 cup) jars or containers, add oats, milk, yogurt, and chia seeds.  Seal and shake well until well combined.  Refrigerate over night.

Nutritional Info:  210 calories, 4g fat, 48g carbs, 8g fiber, 11g protein; Weight Watchers PtsPlus: 7  

This recipe is good cold or warm.  Additional flavors can be added as follows, remember to consider additional nutritional values.  Add the sweetener and extract before refrigerating.  Add the fruit before enjoying.

Blueberry:2 teaspoons maple syrup, ¼ c blueberries

Apple: ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon honey, ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

Peanut butter/banana: 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/4 cup diced ripe banana

Fruit: 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon jam (fruit of choice), 1/4  cup fresh or frozen fruit of choice

Chocolate Cherry: 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon finely chopped dark chocolate, ¼ cup chopped cherries (fresh or frozen)

Pumpkin: ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 2 teaspoons maple syrup, ¼ cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened canned pumpkin)

Tips: 

*If using frozen berries, reduce the milk. 

*The pint or half pint canning jars are perfect for this.  

*The basic recipe can be made and kept in the refrigerator up to five days (if you do not add fruit to the mixture before hand).  So make up a batch on Sunday night to enjoy or the week!

*Can use almond or soy milk, just reduce the amount to a ¼ cup.

*If using non-Greek yogurt, reduce milk to ¼ cup.

*Can freeze basic recipe up to a month.  Take out and defrost in the refrigerator and add in additional flavors the next morning.  Make sure to use plastic containers when freezing.

*If preferred warm, can microwave up to a minute (depending on strength of the microwave)

No-Bake Energy Oatmeal Balls

1 1/4 cup oatmeal (dry)           1/2 cup chocolate chips

2/3 cup peanut butter              1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/3 cup honey                         1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together.  Refrigerator for 1 hour. Roll into 1 ½ inch balls.  Refrigerate/freeze and enjoy!

This recipe is great for breakfast, snack or to take with you for a boost during hiking or other outdoor activities.

Options: add in nuts, dried fruit or coconut