I got a craving for granola and yogurt. I had just gotten some organic, whole fat Greek style yogurt at MOM’S Market so I was halfway there already. I had made a huge batch of trail mix for a recent road trip, so I didn’t even need to gather the nuts and seeds. Within 20 minutes, my post-yoga snack for the next day was ready and waiting. And a bonus, I’ve got granola for a week! This is a great example how a little bit of prep can make healthy eating for the week happen with ease.
I woke up this morning and headed into the kitchen with the intention of making tea, and instead found myself making homemade muesli.
(The tea happened a bit later)
I recently fell into a breakfast rut, tired of some of my favorites. I used to keep a bag of Bob’s Red Mill muesli in my pantry, but I took it out of the rotation when I tired of it.
I’m glad I did because it led me to realize how simple it is to make my own (and much more cost effective).
Muesli is flexible – you can add what you like or your body is craving, and you can eat it cold (either with milk or yogurt) or warm.
It also makes the perfect on-the-go mason jar meal.
Xandra’s 5 Minute Breakfast Muesli:
2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 tsp (or to taste) cinnamon
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 tbs coconut flakes
2 tbs chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened raisins
Combine ingredients in a bowl, and serve over yogurt, in milk, or warmed on the stovetop with milk.
Store remaining muesli in a glass storage container.
What’s your favorite way to simplify breakfast? Let me know in the comments below!
Peace, Love, and Wellness,
As we get ready for spring, I thought I’d take one look back at my favorite cool weather breakfast. I love it so much I might eat it through the beginning of spring, but probably not into summer.
I start the night before with my favorite new appliance – my Zojirushi rice cooker – it’s so much more than that! I put 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of Steel Cut Oats in the rice cooker, set the timer, and go to sleep. It doesn’t even matter if I’m not sure when I’m going to be awake and ready to eat the oatmeal because the rice cooker has a warming function that works for at least a couple of hours!
[updated note: this would probably be a 2 person serving; it was perfect for me in the earlier days of nursing when my body was still craving lots of good quality calories]
When I wake up the next day, I get all of my ingredients out and ready. Depending on my mood, or on what fruit I’m adding, I sometimes add a splash of maple syrup (the real stuff! not the caramel flavored colored high fructose corn syrup stuff). Then I mix in some cinnamon, which I use in just about everything. You can really add whatever you’re in the mood for.
So where are the Super Foods, you ask? Here they come!
In goes a teaspoon of Maca powder which is great for a lot – I have found it to really help boost my energy and keep me more focused. Then I add a heaping teaspoon or two of chia seeds – amazing little things! They help balance the blood sugar, they’re a great source of omega 3 essential fatty acids, and they’re a complete protein to mention just a few things. Check out www.mychiaseeds.com for more info.
Next comes my fruit, and this changes based on my mood and what I have on hand. Sometimes it’s bananas and/or dried cranberries. Sometimes I heat up some frozen strawberries and make a syrup and mix that in.
Then I’m ready to dig in and eat a great balanced breakfast that keeps me energized and full for hours without the crash that we get from refined foods.
So let’s recap the recipe and a bit about why each ingredient is so healthy:
Steel Cut Oats – whole grain so it hasn’t been stripped of any vitamins or minerals
Maple Syrup – just a little bit for a natural sweetener
Cinnamon – yum! (plus it is loaded with antioxidants and has antibacterial properties)
Maca powder – for vitality and mental clarity
Chia seeds – for the fiber that balances blood sugars, complete protein, and Omega 3 oil
Banana, cranberries, strawberries or other fruit – getting some of your fruit in early gives you a healthy energy boost and gives some nice flavor and texture to the oatmeal.
Enjoy! If you try it out, let me know what you think 🙂
