Get out of the Try Trap and enjoy some “Avocad-Oh Ya” Toast!

I have heard it many times before, from students, clients and friends… “I try to eat a good breakfast.” This article is the second in the series that I have named “The Try Trap,” and will provide some ideas for getting out of the trap and starting off the day with actions that align with your nutrition goals. However, before we get to the morning, I want to tell you about what happened last night…

As my 15 year old son and I drove home from his karate class last night, he told me that tomorrow was going to be a great day. I asked if something special was going on and he responded, “No, I just know what I am going to do.” “What do you mean?”, I asked. “I know what time I am going to get up. I know exactly what I am going to wear. I am going to have peanut butter toast for breakfast after ‘the drink’ (our green smoothie) and head to school. After school, I am going to have a quick snack and get my homework done right away, then go into to backyard to work. (He has a big clean up project for which he is earning money.) At night, I am going to have dinner and watch TV with Dad before I go to bed.” Wow, I was impressed, as he isn’t my “planner” kid. However, right before my eyes, he was putting into practice a very effective tool known as implementation intentions. He told me that it felt good to know what he was going to do. It is amazing how much pressure can be alleviated when we make some decisions ahead of time, instead of draining our willpower when we face temptation or get wooed by what appears to be confusion about the “best” option. Without a detailed plan, my son can easily spend 20 precious minutes in the morning trying to figure out what to wear, then miss an opportunity for breakfast and end up with a hunger-related headache in his second period class.  Additionally, by telling me about his intentions, and going through them out loud, they were further strengthened in his brain. Even better, would have been if he took a few minutes to write out a little schedule for the next day.

So, how can you use implementation intentions to avoid the “Try Trap” at breakfast and improve your quality of life?

The simplest step to take first is to decide what you will have for breakfast the night before (or even a few days before, if planning that way brings you even more peace), and then write it down (nice note page, dry erase board, inside panel of a kitchen cabinet door painted with chalkboard paint, or even as an appointment/reminder on your phone). Once you know what you will have, further support your planned actions by putting as much in place the night before as possible. Even something as simple as having the needed ingredients grouped on one shelf in the fridge or pantry will make a difference. If you have chosen to take a few minutes to enjoy your breakfast at home, (the best choice for optimizing digestion and your feelings of fullness), set an inviting breakfast spot at the table/raised bar before you go to bed. Think upscale restaurant, and place your bowl/plate, silverware, glass/mug, napkin, and some smile-provoking item (a flower in a vase, meaningful quote, picture of a loved one, etc.) to greet your arrival in the morning. If you don’t live alone, be sure not to get caught up in getting everyone in the family on board, perhaps just make this “your thing” for now.

If you plan to take your breakfast on the road, have any needed containers, silverware and napkin ready ahead of time. For me, time in the morning seems to just fly and with a commute to Sacramento, I like to give myself the gift of a self-contained breakfast waiting patiently for me to grab and go. Typically on Sunday, though I have done it on a weeknight if the weekend was particularly crazy, I make a very big batch of oatmeal with apples or pears and chia seeds. Then, I divide it up into several smaller containers, one for each morning, being sure to stir in my ground flax seeds, cinnamon or my Chai Spice Blend, and one or two different varieties of fruit (frozen blueberries, frozen cranberries, fresh kiwi and melon are some of my favorites). I also like to change it up with a savory breakfast, and will share the recipe for one below.

If you don’t like to be “committed” to a particular breakfast, and would thrive with a little more flexibility, then decide on 2 or 3 options from which you can choose.  Have fun experimenting to find the system that works best to reduce the resistance, making your mornings, and your life, easier. Just like with making a shopping list, while it may take a few extra minutes of planning, it is time well spent, especially compared to going back and forth to and from the grocery store every time you realize that you need an item. Even better, would be putting together a “master shopping list” that you refine over several weeks. That certainly makes good use of your time and your brain power! I have a whole set of master shopping lists that save me a huge amount of time and mental effort.

When it comes to our meals/recipes, most of us tend to get into ruts, while nearly forgetting about old favorites. Why not make a “master breakfast list” to keep track of breakfasts you especially enjoy, so that you can rotate them in and out from week to week? Throughout the years, I have published many great recipes well suited for breakfast, covering a wide range of taste preferences and preparation techniques, including, but not limited to: Pumpkin Oatmeal, Pistachio-Kissed Blackberry and Pear Oatmeal, Speedy Break-wiches, JnB’s Sweet Smoothie, Wildly Delicious Strawberry Smoothie, Mango Chia Pudding, Scrambled Tacos, Swiss Muesli, and of course, my famous Dessert Nachos for Breakfast.

While breakfast is one of those activities that may not seem very significant on any given day, there are immediate and long-term consequences of your action choices. Your body is never, “not looking”… So, when you don’t have your smart breakfast plan in place, and you pull into a drive thru, you spend your hard earned money and simultaneously reduce the rate of blood flow in your small vessels to a crawl while your liver struggles to pull the fat from the cheese, eggs, bacon/ham/sausage, cream or pastry out of your blood for the next 4-8 hours… Instead, why not block out an few minutes to assemble this satisfying, nutrient-rich meal that will reduce inflammation and support optimal health?! Not only are you acting with gratitude for the opportunity to live in your incredible human body, you are improving your current and future health status/quality of life, while also serving as an example for others. Remember, you can be the change you want to see, and enjoy every bite, because life is just better when you love the food that loves you back!

“Avocad – Oh Ya” Toast 

Ingredients

1 large ripe avocado, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed, if canned)
1/4 tsp turmeric*
1/4 tsp black pepper*
1/4 tsp garlic, powder (or 1 small clove of fresh garlic)
Hot sauce (optional)
~1-2 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice (optional)
Fresh greens*
Purple cabbage (Don’t SKIP this!)

Your favorite sprouted bread (or even a sheet of nori, for the daring!)

Procedure

Combine the avocado, garbanzo beans, turmeric, pepper, garlic, hot sauce and lemon/lime juice, if using in bowl or food processor and mix until well combined (no need to make it smooth). Spread a generous amount on a slice or two of your favorite sprouted bread (toasted, if you like), top with a handful of fresh green leafy veggies, and use a good-size piece of purple cabbage to hold down the greens. I know that you may be questioning the cabbage, but trust me and be sure to make it this way!

The Nutrition Professor’s Shop Smart, Prep Smart, Eat Smart Tips

*The health-promoting effect of turmeric skyrockets when you combine turmeric powder or fresh turmeric root (grate with microplane) with black pepper!

*Any fresh greens will work, but my favorite are arugula + cilantro + microgreens/broccoli sprouts!

*I like to shake on a little extra hot sauce before adding my greens, and recently made this on a sheet of nori, instead of a slice a bread. I just rolled it up… YUM!!!

BONUS: I made this recipe on a segment of California Bountiful TV, if you’d like to see me in action!

Timaree Hagenburger, a plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in public health, has over 20 years of experience as a nutrition professor. She is a sought after speaker, media personality and author, who works with private clients, and in corporate wellness, has contributed to several cookbooks and published her own cookbook, The Foodie Bar Way: One Meal, Lots of Options, Everyone’s Happy (www.foodiebars.com)! Timaree is also the founder of an incredible online membership community, The Foodie Bar Way of Life, that makes loving the food (and living a life) that loves us back… simple, satisfying, sustainable AND FUN! You can contact her about working with her through 1:1 dietitian nutrition coaching, for hands-on cooking instruction and to inquire about arranging a speaking engagement.