Fuel Your Day with Breakfast

What’s the most important meal of the day? Did you say breakfast?

I would content that all meals are important. Much research has been conducted around breakfast. We know breakfast is an important meal.

• Breakfast helps jumpstart our metabolism after fasting all night.
• Kids that eat breakfast do better in school (1).
• Eating meals and snacks throughout the day helps reduce hanger (you know – hunger-induced anger). This is both funny and true. Low-blood sugar, which can result from skipping meals, increases irritability. So friends, hanger is real.

I’ve been a registered dietitian (RD) for almost 10 years.  Many of my clients have several common barriers to eating breakfast. The most common barriers are time and lack of appetite. 

If you are rushed in the morning, consider these time savers:

1) Make breakfast the night before.
- You can have breakfast for dinner and reheat leftovers in the morning.  Try my frittata recipe. It’s great for breakfast, brunch, or breakfast for dinner.

2) Prep for a quick breakfast.

- Make a smoothie pack in the freezer. In the morning, you can blend the smoothie

- Try overnight oats or museli. These breakfast cereals can be mixed with milk, yogurt, or a dairy alternative and can sit in the fridge overnight.  Try adding fruits or nuts to have a balanced breakfast with a variety of foods.

3) Build a balanced meal.

To build a healthy meal, incorporate at least 3 different food groups. Try to include 1 or 2 servings of fruits or vegetables at every meal.

4) Try drinking your breakfast.

If you don’t have a big appetite in the morning and you're pushed for time, try having a small breakfast or drinking your breakfast. Try a smoothie or fruit and yogurt. These are small, quick and easy breakfasts.

What are your thoughts?

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

Do you find it easy or difficult to eat breakfast?

I would love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to comment below or comment on Instagram or Twitter.

If you enjoyed this post, you may enjoy:

 Breakfast Ideas for Every Day

Homemade Granola Recipe

Dutch Baby Recipe

References:

1) Faught et Al. Healthy lifestyle behaviors are positively and independently associated with acadmic achievement: An analysis of self-reported data from a nationally representative sample of Canadian early adolescents. PLoS One: 2017; 12 (7). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5533436/.

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Vegetable Frittata Recipe

Good morning! I love starting my day with breakfast. Breakfast is a fantastic opportunity to fuel your body. I try to start my day with at least 3 different food groups and include 1-2 servings of fruits or vegetables. It's my personal challenge to start the day with a healthy, nutrient-dense meal.

Mornings can be rushed. So, I like easy breakfast recipes that are tasty. I like making breakfast for dinner or "brinner" too. So, making a "brinner" that reheats well for the next morning is a win-win.

Frittatas are one of my favorite breakfasts. A frittata is an egg dish that combines vegetables, milk, cheese, and sometimes a protein. It's similar to a baked omelette or crustless quiche.

Here’s the recipe for one of my favorite frittatas.

Ingredients

6 large eggs

1/4 cup skim milk

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 cup asparagus, cut into quarters

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

1/8.teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray

Kitchen Tools:

Mixing bowl

Whisk

Sauté pan

Oven-safe baking dish (I use my favorite Emile Henry dish. You could also use an oven-safe skillet.)

Kitchen knife

Cutting board

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 400*F.

Pour olive oil into sauté pan. Add mushrooms and salt. Sauté for 10 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Set aside to cool.

Crack eggs into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk eggs until combined, and they become a pale, yellow color. Add milk, 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, and black pepper. 

Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. I like to use canola oil spray. Poor egg mixture into the baking dish. Top with asparagus and the remaining cheese. 

Bake the frittata for 15-20 minutes until the center is set. Slice and enjoy!

For more tips, encouragement, and recipes for a healthy lifestyle, you can follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

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National Nutrition Month: Put Your Best Fork Forward

Dutch Baby Recipe

Homemade Granola Recipe

Breakfast Ideas for Every Day

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Breakfast Ideas for Every Day

March is National Nutrition Month (NNM). The theme for this year's NNM is Put Your Best Fork Forward. This month, we are focusing on how you can make healthy eating choices every day. Let's start at the very beginning with first meal of the day, breakfast.

Breakfast is the first opportunity you have to fuel your body. You are breaking the period of fasting, or not eating, while you’re asleep at night.

Eating breakfast is a healthy choice with many benefits. Children that eat breakfast perform better in school. Our brains need fuel, aka food, so it's important to start our day with a healthy, nutrient-dense meal.

Some people skip breakfast because they are running late for school or work. It can be hard to make time for cooking and eating breakfast in the morning. So, here are some quick and easy breakfast ideas you can prepare in advance or assemble quickly.

• Whole grain cereal, low fat milk or milk alternative, and fruit
• Breakfast sandwich with whole grain English muffin, turkey sausage, and cheese
• Mediterranean omelette with eggs, feta, tomatoes, and spinach
• Whole grain waffle, peanut butter, and fruit
• Breakfast burrito with a whole grain tortilla, eggs, cheese, and vegetables.
• Frittata with eggs, vegetables, and cheese
• Granola, low fat yogurt, and fruit

That’s seven ideas, so you're set for a week of tasty, nutritious breakfasts. You can eat one every day for a week without repeating. Can you think of more delicious breakfast ideas? Share your favorite breakfast ideas in the comment section below.

If you want more breakfast recipes, you can try: 

Dutch Baby Recipe

Vegetable Frittata Recipe

Homemade Granola Recipe

Do you usually eat breakfast? Or, are do you tend to skip breakfast?
What are the barriers that keep you from eating breakfast? What helps you eat breakfast?
Feel free to share your comments below.

I love eating breakfast for dinner. Try these recipes in the morning for a great start to your day. Or, try them for a quick dinner. I bet you can make a great breakfast for dinner in less time than you can order take-out.

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National Nutrition Month

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Dutch Baby

I made my first Dutch baby. What's a Dutch baby? Let me back up. A Dutch baby is an impressive but surprisingly easy breakfast. It's like a cross between a crepe and a popover. It's almost like a giant pancake. However you describe it; it's delicious. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Toppings
Fruit
Powdered sugar

Equipment
Large mixing bowl
Microplane
Whisk
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Cast iron pan
Oven mitts

Preheat oven to 450*F. Add canola oil and butter to your cast iron pan. Allow cast iron pan to preheat in your oven for at least 10 minutes. 

Crack eggs into your mixing bowl. Mix the eggs well until they are a pale yellow. Add milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Add your dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Gently mix ingredients until incorporated. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

Carefully remove cast iron pan from oven with oven mitts. Quickly pour the batter in the cast iron pan. And, put cast iron pan in the oven. 

Cook the Dutch baby for 15-17 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

I like to top the Dutch baby with whatever fruit I have in my kitchen. Today, I used some sweet strawberries. Then, I topped the Dutch baby with about 1/2 tablespoon of powdered sugar. It's a delicious and impressive breakfast. I hope you love it. Make it, and share it with someone you love!

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Homemade Granola Recipe

Homemade Granola Recipe

RDtipoftheday's Homemade Granola

I love breakfast! It is my favorite meal of the day. As a Registered Dietitian (RD), I get asked  "what is the most important meal?". It's breakfast! As the name suggests, you break your fast of not eating all night. It's the best way to start your day. Let's start your day with homemade granola. It's a great start to fuel your day.

Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups old fashion oats
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sliced almonds

Instructions
Combine oil, honey, sugar salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and water. Mix together. Add oats, pecans, and almonds. Mix until dry ingredients are coated. Place on 2, 9 x 13 half-sheets lined with parchment paper or a nonstick pastry mat. Bake at 300*F for 20-25 minutes until golden and toasty brown. Enjoy!

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy my homemade granola.

Strawberries & cream (well . . . vanilla yogurt) with RDTOD's homemade granola

RDTOD's granola breakfast bowl: peaches, blueberries, & yogurt 

 Red, white, and blueberry yogurt bowl

I'll be sharing more ways to enjoy granola, so stay tuned! For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

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7 Quick Breakfast Ideas to Jumpstart Your Day

Quick and Fruity Breakfast Smoothie

Good morning! Do you know why it's a good morning? I had a great breakfast! I wake up and am motivated to get out of bed because of breakfast. It's a great way to start the day. I love this simple, quick smoothie to start your day in a healthy way. If you're looking for a quick breakfast, this is your recipe.

I love fruit and yogurt, which is the base of this smoothie. I love using frozen fruits for smoothies. They keep your drink cold. And, frozen fruit is a great way to eat fruit out of season and get micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals, in the winter. Fruit is picked in season. Then, frozen. Since I can't get fresh peaches and blueberries this time of year, frozen fruit is the way to go.

Here's the recipe for my Peach and Blueberry Smoothie.
1 ripe banana
1 1/4 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup blueberries
6 ounces light vanilla yogurt (I used Yoplait yogurt.)
1/4 cup skim milk

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This smoothie is a gorgeous color. It has a thick, silky texture that still allows you to drink it through a straw. It's portable. It blueberryrific. It's peachy! It's a great way to start your day.  Enjoy!

I know many of you are working on your new goals and resolutions. If your goal is to eat breakfast, try this delicious smoothie. It takes very little time to prepare and is a great way to start your day.

For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. 

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Easy Entertaining Round Up

Do you love food? 'Tis the season for hosting parties, gathering friends and family, and eating. This means a multitude of opportunities for cooking and entertaining.

I love food and hosting company, but I sometimes have a little entertaining anxiety. Will the food turn out okay? Do I have all the ingredients? Will my guests like the food? Did I make enough food for everyone? How can I make sure the food will be ready in time or at the same time?  Most people are at least a little concerned about entertaining. 

Let me help take some of the stress out of entertaining. Here are some of my favorite ideas to take the fear out of entrees. With this Entertaining Made Easy series, your fears will be eased, and you will become a better host or hostess.

I would love to see how you are entertaining, so tag your entertaining pictures with #EasyEntree and #EasyEntertaining. And, tag me, @RDtipoftheday, so I can see what you do. You may be featured on the blog, Twitter, or Instagram.

Easy Entertaining: 8 Simple Sides

Easy Entertaining: 6 Easy Entrees

Easy Entertaining: 5 Breakfast Entrees for Entertaining

For more recipes, tips, and encouragement from a registered dietitian (RD), follow me, RDtipoftheday, on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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