Breakfast of champions: awesome greek yogurt parfait

Breakfast of champions: awesome greek yogurt parfait

Breakfast really is an important part of having a healthy day and the name comes from the original intention; breaking the fast from your night of slumber. It is important to jump start your metabolism so that your body is ready to use the nutrients and calories provided rather than trying to store them (ie build fat). 

Yogurt is a great choice as it is a rich source of protein and if you choose one with live and active cultures, you're also getting a nice dose of healthy bacteria, also known as probiotics, to keep your immune system strong and your gut happy. Greek yogurt is also a great choice because it is strained and therefore has a higher amount of protein per serving. 

The trouble is, most fruit flavored yogurts are LOADED with sugar. While some sugar is naturally occurring from both the milk and the fruit, labeling doesn't differentiate between that and what is added. Plain yougurt is lower in sugar, but in my opinion, a bit dull (and I'm a dietitian!).

Enter the parfait!

This is a great option because you can prepare your breakfast the night before; in a bowl if you're going to eat at home or in a glass jar if you're going to hit the road and take breakfast with you.

Greek yogurt parfait:

• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 - 1 cup berries, fresh or frozen (raspberries are the highest in fiber)
• flavorings such as cinnamon, vanilla extract or nutmeg
• 1-2 tablespoons slivered almonds

1. Scoop your yogurt into desired bowl or jar. Add seasonings to taste and mix it up!
2. Pour fresh or frozen fruit on top
3. Top with almonds
4. In the morning, the fruit will have gotten juicy and when you stir up the parfait, the ruby red color is lovely (although perhaps defeating the purpose of layering the parfait...)

Plain yogurt spiced up with cinnamon and vanilla

Frozen fruit is often less expensive than fresh (but is just as nutritious)

Ready for the fridge!

Breakfast of champions!

In terms of minding your wallet, I also love getting the large containers of yogurt as they're usually less expensive per serving. This is also lighter on the planet because I reuse those containers. Other than starting seeds, I don't have much use for those individual yogurt cups and you can't always recycle them either.

Added bonus of the spices? Beyond excellent flavor, they're also loaded with antioxidants! You can also add them to your coffee grounds before brewing your morning Joe. Double dose of antioxidants in the morning? Double win!

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I like it a latte! Spice up your morning mug

I like it a latte! Spice up your morning mug

If you're trying to cut back on added sugars, sweetened coffee drinks are a great target. Mochas and blended coffee drinks are jam-packed with added sugars, added fats and aren't doing your waistline any favors. Try making your coffee at home to save money, calories and wasting paper cups. Triple win!

When you brew your coffee, you'll get the best flavor if you grind the beans just before brewing. Most of the time I remember to do this the night before as part of my "getting ready for tomorrow" routine. One simple way to mix things up? Add some spices!

Dried orange peel and cinnamon

Good choices:

• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground cloves
• dried or fresh orange peel (orange zest)
• vanilla extract
• almond extract

Simply add your desired spices to the coffee grounds before brewing et voila! Spiced coffee without added sugar!

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Home brew: sports drinks

Home brew: sports drinks

I recently completed an epic journey by bicycle called the climate ride; it was a 300 mile voyage that went from New York to DC to raise awareness about the environment, climate change and to advocate bicycles. Basically the coolest thing I have done to date, hands down.

Naturally, to prep for such a trek, I did a bit of training. When you're exercising for long periods of time (anything over an hour), it may be wise to consider a sports drink to replace simple sugars and electrolytes. If you're exercising for under an hour, plain water is sufficient for most occasions. If you're slurping gatorade during your 20 minutes of cardio, it is unlikely you created a calorie deficit (ie you're drinking what you burn).

Initially, I was purchasing sports drinks, but to be honest, I didn't really like the flavor all that much and I really didn't like the idea of buying all of those plastic bottles that were shipped from who-know-where (even though I was careful to recycle them).

What is a green dietitian to do? Make her own!

What is a sports drink? Mainly water, but it also includes simple sugars to help fuel your muscles as well as electrolytes to help your body absorb the water and to maintain muscle function. Some sports drinks contain caffeine, some don't.

Homemade Sports Drink

• 1-2 cold brew tea bags (available in decaf, if preferred)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash potassium-based salt alternative*
• 3 tablespoons sugar (or less; 3 tablespoons is the same level as gatorade)
• lemon juice to taste

1.  Fill your water bottle almost full with water and add your tea bags and allow to "brew" for a few minutes until desired strength is reached
2. Add sugar, salt, potassium and lemon juice and shake well. Add ice to fill water bottle, or more water. Enjoy!

You probably know bananas are a rich source of potassium (422 mg per medium banana), but here are a few more. For reference, adults need 4700 mg potassium/day.

Description of Food Item	Portion Size	mg of Potassium
Tomato products, canned, paste, without salt added	1 cup	2657
Beans, white, mature seeds, canned	1 cup	1189
Dates, deglet nor	1 cup	1168
Tomato products, canned, puree, without salt added	1 cup	1098
Raisins, seedless	1 cup	1086
Potato, baked, flesh and skin, without salt	1 potato	1081
Snacks, trail mix, tropical	1 cup	993
Soybeans, green, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	1 cup	970
Squash, winter, all varieties, cooked, baked, without salt	1 cup	896
Plantains, raw	1 medium	893
Spinach, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	1 cup	930
Sweet potato, canned, vacuum pack	1 cup	796
Beans, baked, canned, with pork and tomato sauce	1 cup	746
Buckwheat flour, whole-groat	1 cup	692

This information comes from USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24

*Potassium based salt alternatives aren't for everyone; if you don't have adequate kidney function, take certain medications or have any other health conditions, please speak with your doctor or make an appointment with a registered dietitian before using this (or any) sports drink

Banana "ice-cream"...a low-calorie dessert that actually tastes super!

There are few things more delicious than excellent ice-cream. And with summer's heat, ice-cream is a tempting way to cool off. However, the high number of calories of even a reasonable portion might take you off track from your beach-bod journey. And the whole pint? Don't get me started! What to do?

I was introduced to this ice-cream substitute last summer from my lovely former roommate Kelly. Even though I am a dietitian, I have a huge sweet tooth. When she was telling me about this frozen banana mush as being something worth trying, I had a pretty high level of skepticism. I tried it though and am an official convert; it really is creamy and delicious! This is lovely dessert that tastes like ice-cream but has the calories of one banana. Magic? Pretty much!

What is in a name? In order for the food package to be labeled as ice-cream, it must contain a minimum of 10% milk fat. Fat gives the creamy mouth feel of good ice-cream, but it also bulks up the calories and saturated fat content. Soft serve treats are sometimes lower in fat and calories, but don't have enough fat to be labeled as ice-cream. Search for the work ice-cream on the menu boards and your cone will be melted before you see it; it isn't there!

Banana "ice-cream"

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana per person/serving

Optional ingredients and flavors

• cocoa powder
• melted chocolate chips
• cinnamon powder
• vanilla extract
• peanut or almond butter

Directions

1. Peel banana and place in plastic bag or reusable container. Freeze until solid (note: if you're trying to hurry things along, slice the banana. More surface area = faster freezing time).



These slices quickly freeze solid



• Place frozen banana in food processor and blend until smooth and creamy; this will take a few minutes. Scoop down the sides of the bowl to make sure there aren't any lumps! 

Smooth and creamy "ice-cream"!

• If you're interested in flavors, add 'em! If not, scoop some into your bowl and enjoy! 



Cocoa powder and cinnamon added...yum!

• If you have left overs, scoop it into a container and store in the freezer. For best results, let the frozen "ice-cream" warm up for a few minutes before serving; this will help it be just as creamy.

Kelly has her own lovely blog called Off The Wall; I'd recommend you check it out! She has great recipes for you to try and love!

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