Breakfast made easy!

1. Plan ahead: By getting foods ready the night ahead, you'll be more likely to eat AND have more time to eat. Here are some great breakfast ideas that can be made ahead of time: 

-a smoothie (blend 1 cup of milk with 1/4 cup of sliced almonds, 1 banana, 1/2 cup frozen berries and a sprinkle of wheat germ). You can even blend up a few servings ahead of time and freeze them. 

-yogurt parfait (sprinkle 1/3 cup of oats on to 1 cup of yogurt and top with 1/2 cup of berries. Let sit in the fridge overnight so the oats become tender) 

-egg mcmuffin (crack and scramble an egg in a mug. Place in microwave for 1 min. Place in an english muffin with a slice of cheese. Wrap the sandwich up and heat in the microwave the next morning). 

2. Bring food with you to work: Breakfast doesn't have to be eaten the second you jump out of bed and these baggies of food can be organized the night before. These "snacks" can be combined to make a balanced breakfast and can be eaten at your desk. 

-baggie of cereal or muesli 

-bag of grapes or dried cranberries 

-individual container of yogurt 

3. Better yet- keep these handy foods at work for a convenient breakfast: bring all you need for the week on Monday so there is no packing required everyday : 

-a box of cereal 

-a litre of milk (keep it in the office fridge)

-keep some fruit at your desk in a stylish basket (apples, oranges, bananas) 

-a small box of whole grain crackers 
-a small jar of nut butter 

-individually wrapped cheese like Bonnebell or string cheese (keep in the office fridge). 

-small containers of yogurt 

4. Occasionally drinking premade liquid meals for breakfast is ok too! These drinks have added vitamins and minerals as well as fibre and protein to keep you feeling fuller longer than a juice. Try something like an Ensure, Boost or Nestle's Breakfast Anytime. 

5. Breakfast doesn't have to include breakfast foods. Eating a balanced leftover meal can be a quick and easy way to fuel up. 

Keep in mind that children learn from example. If you want your kids to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning, have them watch you do the same. Eating breakfast together can be time to catch up with family as well as feed the mind and body. They may be more inclined to eat a more grownup cereal if they see you enjoying it.

Superfoods Swap

Turn back the clocks, turn up the energy!

Keeping energy levels high during the colder, darker months of the year can be a challenge. As we snuggle down into our shorter days we often feel less energized and motivated to make healthy choices such as exercising and snacking. This can become a vicious cycle- eating comfort foods, feeling less energized, then turning to those same foods. Breaking the cycle is easier than you think- energizing foods don't have to taste like cardboard OR take hours to prepare. I've already spoken about how eating regularly and preparing balanced meals can help with energy levels- but what about snacks?
Snacks can not only help to boost our energy levels between meals but they can also prevent us from eating meals that are too large (which can zap energy).

An energy boosting snack should contain 3 elements:

1. Carbohydrates. This macro nutrient is the preferred source of fuel for our brain. Carbs turn into blood sugar which feed all of our cells- brain cells and muscle cells included! Eating low glycemic index carbs helps to stabilize energy levels- avoiding sugar highs and lows. Complex carbs such as fruit, whole grain crackers and pita bread are quick and easy examples.
2. Fibre. This nutrient is technically in the carbohydrate family. It provides zero calories BUT helps to slow down how quickly we digest sugar and starch. We want the process of digestion to be slowed somewhat so that the energy from the food can slowly make its way into our bloodstream. Rather than a tidal wave of energy (resulting in an energy crash) we want a constant drip. Fibre is found in whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables.
3. Protein. The role protein plays in energy levels is similar to fibre. It helps to keep us feeling fuller longer by slowing down digestion. It also brings a nice variety to the snack thus avoiding monotony. It is not a calorie free food and therefore portion sizes (like any food) should be according to your true hunger. Contrary to popular belief, protein does not technically provide energy to the body but instead is better used to boost the immune system and repair tissue. That is why it is important to include a source of complex carbs.

A few food examples are:

A handful of dried fruit and nuts
One tablespoon of peanut butter on whole-wheat crackers
Sliced veggies dipped in hummus
Air-popped popcorn sprinkled with shredded Parmesan cheese
Pita chips with bean dip and sliced avocado
Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit and almonds
A fruit smoothie made with low-fat yogurt or milk

So go forth and snack wisely in the wintry months!

The Fake Fiber

We all know that fiber (fibre?) is our friend- it can help move thing along in our digestive tract, help to prevent a whole host of diseases (colon cancer, diverticulosis, etc) and lower our cholesterol. Its not always easy to eat the right amount of fiber everyday (25-30g), especially if you don't know where to find it. So, "lucky for us", the food industry has helped us out by enriching all kinds of food with fiber. We can now find high fiber frozen yogurt, orange juice, cookies, you name it! Its taken the brain work out of fiber intake- or has it?

Not so long ago, a "new" kind of fiber was discovered- one that doesn't taste like cardboard or take 100 chews to get down. It goes by the name of Inulin and can be easily added to practically any food to increase its fiber content. So now we find ultra-high fiber pastas, breads, granola bars, etc. Ever heard of "Smart" Bread or "Smart" Catelli pasta? Rather than adding bran or psyllium (two other kinds of fiber) or using actual whole grains, they use inulin to boost the fiber content. This way you can eat your refined, white cereal products and not have to worry about not getting enough fiber! Is this too good to be true? YES.

Recent studies have tested the efficacy of inulin in lowering cholesterol, helping with bowel movements and even its ability to protect against disease. Unfortunately, inulin is much less effective in improving out health as its cousins bran and psyllium. Who would have guessed that refining our foods then trying to put back the nutrients may not work? Common sense could have told you that but in today’s society, quick fixes and miracle foods are all the rage. Time and time again we are proven that fortifying our foods with miracle nutrients is not the way to prevent health problems.

These fortified foods may be a way to help your family's transition from white grain products to whole grain, but keep in mind that a transition involves continued progression! It is not absolutely necessary to avoid at all costs white pasta, rice and baguette. It is important to keep an open mind about whole grain products which means trying to include them when you can. Why not mix brown and white pasta (or rice) to help with the taste? Or try using other higher fiber grain options such as whole wheat couscous or barely as a side dish? Even making sandwiches with one slice white and one slice brown is possible.

It seems like the more we try to perfect our diets by enriching foods with nutrients like inulin (and omega 3s and probiotics), we end up complicating things. Stick to the basics and use common sense when buying these expensive specialty products.