Happy Spring!  It’s snowing here…

This blog post is special to me because this concoction is what got me out of bed in the morning during this past (really awful) winter.  It isn’t because it is warm, but because it is SO tasty.  It also cut back on the time I needed to get ready in the morning which allowed for a few more minutes in my warm bed. It keeps me very full and prevents me from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) snacking.  Also, March is National Nutrition Month and breakfast has always been heralded as the most important meal of the day so let’s do it right!

 

This magnificent breakfast has it all!  Let’s go through the layers 🙂

Almond Milk (Unsweetened)

• Less calories than milk per cup
• Heart Healthy
  • no saturated fat, no cholesterol
  • low in sodium
  • high in healthy fats (including omega-3’s which are heart healthy)
• Calcium and healthy bones
  • 30% of daily calcium intake
  • 25% of Vitamin D (tough to get in the winter!)
• Gorgeous Skin
  • 50% of Vitamin E (containing antioxidants essential to healthy skin)
• Low Glycemic Index (body will use carbs as energy, not stored as fat!)
• B Vitamins (iron and riboflavin) which are helpful for muscle growth and healing)

Chia seeds and Flax seeds (ground):

• Omega 3’s!!!
  • Have been associated with preventing Alzheimer’s, and are heart healthy
  • Chia have more omega 3 (gram for gram) than salmon!
• High nutrient, low calorie
  • antioxidants, fiber, quality protein,
  • Chia seeds are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and protein
• Improvement in Type 2 diabetes
• Can improve exercise performance
• improves blood sugars
• May help protect against prostate, breast, and colon cancer

PB2 (or any powdered peanut butter):

• 85% less fat than peanut butter but with all the goodness!
• Mixes well

Banana:

• This link has it all, it’s too much to type! — Food Matters: powerful reasons to eat banana

Berries

• Antioxidants
  • helps fight free radicals that can lead to illness
• eat some sort of berry daily!

Oats

• Oats help lower cholesterol.
• Oats help decrease inflammation
• Oats are dose-responsive, so the more oats you eat, the more effective they are.

Raisins:

• This link should convince you:  Health Benefits of Raisins
  • Constipation
  • Cancer prevention
  • Weight gain for athletes or those having a hard time putting on weight, this is a healthy choice.  If diabetic or on a weight loss program, you can omit or reduce the amount of raisins
  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • Anemia
  • Fever
  • Eye Care
  • Acidosis
  • Eye Care
  • Sexual Dysfunction
  • Bone Health
  • Dental Care
  • Fiber

 

Breakfast of champions, no??

Elyse’s Favorite Overnight Oats:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
  • if using sweetened, omit coconut sugar and maple syrup
• 1 tsp coconut palm sugar (or sugar of choice)
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 TBS chia seeds
• 1 TBS Flax (ground)
• 1 TBS PB2 (I use chocolate)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1-2 TBS raisins
• 1/2 banana diced
• 1-2 strawberries or other berries (diced)
  • could use thawed frozen berries

Directions:

1. Mix almond milk, sugar, syrup, chia, flax, and PB2 together
   1. be sure to really mix in the chia or else they’ll clump together overnight creating a chia “ball”
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir and close and shake
3. Refrigerate overnight, enjoy, and have a delightful day!

 

 

Thanks for being a friend,

Elyse