Monday, August 4, 2014
5 On-The-Go Hearty, Heart-Healthy Breakfast Ideas
A healthy breakfast does not require a lot of time or energy every day.
All you need to do is stock up on good ingredients when you’re at the grocery store each week. Then take a few minutes each morning to put it together. These few changes in shopping and morning habits can help you to establish a lifetime of healthy eating.
Here are five tasty, hearty and heart-healthy breakfast ideas that take no more than 10 minutes to prepare. They can be eaten at home or on the go, so you won’t miss a beat in your busy day – and you won’t miss any flavor.
The suggestions are from Katherine Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD, a dietitian in Cleveland Clinic’s Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation Program. Each incorporate at least three main food groups to ensure you receive the necessary protein, fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals needed for good health.
Measure a ½ cup dry serving of old-fashioned – not quick-cook or instant – oatmeal into a microwave-safe bowl. Pour enough water over the oatmeal to cover, and stir. Microwave on high for 2 ½ to three minutes until done. Top with chopped walnuts, frozen berries and a dollop of nonfat vanilla yogurt.
Ever cook an egg in the microwave? It’s fast and, unlike frying an egg in a skillet, you don’t have to add fat. Whisk one large egg in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 45 to 55 seconds until firm. Set the cooked egg on a slice of whole-wheat English muffin and top with a slice of 2 percent-fat cheese. Top with remaining half of English muffin and serve with a cup of fresh fruit.
Spread one tablespoon natural almond butter one toasted whole-grain frozen waffle and a tablespoon of fruit preserves on another. Press the two waffles together to make a sandwich. Enjoy with a 4 ounce glass of calcium- and vitamin D-fortified 100 percent orange juice or 8 ounces of your milk of choice – skim, 1 percent, soy or almond.
For a quick on-the-go meal, prepare single-serving sandwich baggies filled with your favorite low-sugar, high-fiber (meaning at least 3 grams of fiber) cereal. Or mix together your high-fiber and not-so-healthy cereal. As you head out the door, take along the cereal, a banana, a container of non-fat yogurt and a spoon. You can eat each item separately or mix the cereal, banana and yogurt together in whatever combination you want.
Put a skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. When the pan is hot, quickly sauté a handful of bagged spinach and two to four tablespoons of canned low-sodium diced tomatoes until the spinach wilts and the tomatoes are warm. Pour ¼ cup to 1/2 cup egg substitute over the veggie mixture and top with a tablespoon of 2 percent-fat shredded cheese. Cover the skillet until the egg is cooked through and the cheese melted, about two minutes. Place the cooked egg onto the bottom half of a sliced, 4-inch whole-wheat pita and cover with the other half. Enjoy with an 8-ounce glass of milk.
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