Make it Simple and Satisfying From the Start

With summer in our rear view mirrors, and everyone back to school and work, we are all trying to find normal again. It can get a bit overwhelming at times, and some days just seem to be crazy from the get-go. However, when everyone starts the day with a satisfying breakfast, the whole family will be in a better mood, have more energy to learn, play and work, and even find it easier to make nutritious choices all day long. While the statistics regarding breakfast habits in the U.S. are sobering, you can make health a priority in your house each morning by enjoying a smart breakfast. It doesn’t have to be complicated, actually, I recommend the opposite. Make breakfast as simple as possible! Now, you are probably thinking that everyone has different food preferences and you struggle to make everyone happy. Don’t worry! Why not set up a breakfast bar with a whole grain hot cereal and different mix-ins, so that everyone can make the perfect bowl for themselves?

Shop Smart While oatmeal is a wonderful choice, don’t pay extra for the unnecessary processing and added sugar in instant packets. Save money and with the five minutes it takes to cook up some old-fashioned oats, you can cut up some fruit, pack your lunch or track down your keys. For some variety, stop by the bulk section of your favorite supermarket or health food store and buy a cup of a few different types of whole grains to experiment with. The options are nearly endless: steel-cut oats, multi-grain hot cereal, bulgur or cracked wheat, whole wheat couscous, quinoa, kamut, kasha, whole grain cornmeal/polenta, millet, spelt, brown rice, farro and barley. I am sure that you will find a few that hit the spot.

Cook Smart When it comes to most grains, the shorter the cooking time, the quicker you may find yourself hungry again. When you discover a longer cooking grain that you really enjoy, simply make a big pot over the weekend, during one evening while you are doing the dishes or in a slow cooker at night. Each morning, you can just warm up the portion you plan to eat and add your mix-ins. Extra cooked grains can also be frozen and then thawed in the fridge. If you have family to feed, delegate! Get everyone involved and let them experiment. While you cook/warm the whole grain, have the kids set the table and assemble the mix-ins.

Eat Smart Whole grains cooked in water are a wonderful source of needed starch (fuel for your body), fiber and fluid that will fill you up, keep you going for hours, and protect you from disease, while the mix-ins can keep it interesting and boost your nutrient intake even more. Some of us are perfectly happy eating the same combinations every morning (oatmeal, banana, cinnamon, pecans), while others like to keep changing it up. Make a list of mix-ins that sound appealing to you, and if you like variety, let your imagination run wild. Here are some mix-ins to consider having in small containers for your own Oatmeal Foodie Bar™: spices — cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger, cloves, allspice, apple pie spice, pumpkin pie spice; extracts — vanilla, butterscotch, coconut, chocolate; fruit — any fresh or frozen berries, apple, pear, melon, apricots, plums, cherries, pineapple, grapefruit, orange, kiwi, mango, papaya, cranberries, peaches, nectarines, banana; a small sprinkling of nuts or seeds — almonds, cashews, pistachios, macadamias, pecans, walnuts, flax, chia, sunflower or hemp seeds; a few other potential additions — cocoa powder and few fresh stevia leaves, minced dates or raisins for sweetness, pureed pumpkin, orange zest and cranberries with a touch of vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon, oh my!

You can make a big batch of this delicious Apple Blueberry Oatmeal on Sunday and enjoy it throughout the week – varying toppings daily!

Since Monday was a holiday, I made our week’s worth of oatmeal on Monday evening, while doing dishes from dinner. My basic recipe works well for making it ahead, as there is plenty of liquid for the oatmeal to absorb and it does not get too firm in the fridge during the week.

My Oatmeal for the Week (basic version*)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of water
3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 apple, pear, peach or banana (diced)
1/2 cup raspberries, blackberries or blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
Optional toppings to add before serving:
2 tsp ground flax seed (keep refrigerated) or a sprinkle of chopped walnuts

Procedure
Bring water to a boil, add oats and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, then cover and turn off the heat. The mixture will have quite a bit of extra liquid, but don’t worry, simply add the fruit, cinnamon and chia (if using). Let the oatmeal sit, with the lid on. Transfer to appropriate containers and you can sprinkle with some freshly ground flaxseed or walnuts, if desired.

The Nutrition Professor’s Prep Smart Tip:

*I quadrupled this recipe to make 12 cups, plenty for four breakfasts for me and five meals for my daughter, either breakfast or lunch, since she loves to bring this cooked oatmeal to school. For this quantity, I added three diced apples and one pear, along with two cups of blueberries. It is so nice to be able to just wash one pot and scraper and know that we are set for breakfast all week.

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.