Quick and Easy Breakfast

Hello Clean Eaters! I hope that these first couple of weeks have started out great for everyone. Now, we've heard it 1000x times, "BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY" yet most of us are still not eating in the mornings! No matter what your excuse is, you need to make sure that you are eating breakfast. Some of the perks of eating breakfast includes:
-Better performance and concentration throughout the day
-Better weight management
-Lowered cholesterol
-Curbed hunger throughout the day

For those of you who don't have time to prepare a smorgasbord every morning, then the quick combinations I have listed below are sure to get you going:

• Berries and nuts: no matter what the combination is, berries and nuts provide a sweet kick and an ample amount of protein to keep you full. My favorite is blueberries and almonds but since blueberries tend to be more expensive, then strawberries also work. 
• Almonds - $2.50
• Peanut Butter $3-$5
• Blueberries - $2.98
• Strawberries - $2.64
• Bananas and almost anything: Seriously! Not only are bananas cheap but they contain potassium, fiber, and Vitamin b-6. Plus, like many other fruit, bananas are known to help lower cholesterol and ward off high blood pressure. My favorite pairing is bananas and nuts, bananas and yogurt, or bananas and quick oatmeal.
• Bananas - .48c a lb
• Oatmeal - old fashioned oats can be cooked in the microwave for 1-3 minutes (depending on the brand). You can put your oats in the microwave while you brush your teeth and they'll be ready when you are. My favorite toppings are dried fruit, honey, raw sugar, and peanut butter...but not all at once
• Oatmeal - $2-3 (nonflavored, old fashioned or steel cut)
• Honey - $3
• Cinnamon - $3
• Dried fruit - $2-4
• Cereal - a breakfast classic

The prices listed above may seem steep but most of them last a while in your pantry. Feel free to try out any of these combinations for yourself in the morning because now, you have no excuse to not eat breakfast!

-Eating Clean in College

Building Your Best Breakfast

Hi readers! We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but are you eating it? Sure, we all live busy college lives but there is no excuse for missing out on this golden meal. Eating breakfast revs up your metabolism and keeps you from binging later in the day so start your day off right!
GOOD
- Oatmeal

- Whole wheat pancakes
- Whole fruits instead of fruit juice
- Scrambled Eggs
- Whole wheat bread with peanut butter
- Omelletes, just make sure they are veggie loaded instead of being full of cheeses and meats
- Cereals: the cereals listed below are made with 100% whole grain and contain at least 3 grams of fiber for every 100 calories

• Kelloggs All-Bran Original
• Kashi Good Friends, Original 
• Kashi Honey Sunshine
• Nature's Path Organic Flax Plus- Pumpkin Raisin or Raisin Bran
• Post Bran Flakes
• Original Shredded Wheat
• Arrowhead Mills Organic Oat Bran Flakes
• Kashi Organic Autumn Wheat or Cinnamon Harvest
• Kashi GoLean Crunch!
• Cheerios



The ultimate example of what NOT to eat

• Wheaties

BAD:
- Belgian waffles
- Anything with sausages or bacon
- Ham and cheese omelette
- Hash browns
- Sugary cereals
- French Toast
- Donuts
- Poptarts, Toaster Strudels

Examples of healthy breakfasts:
1. Scrambled eggs with oatmeal- eggs cost less than $2 a carton and plain, old fashioned oatmeal costs around $1.75 a canister so for less than $4, you have a weeks worth of breakfast that is full of lean protein, fiber, and is gluten free- if you get a pure kind that hasn't been cross contaminated with wheat, rye, or barley
2. Classic cereal and milk! Many conventional cereal brands on the market are laced with white flours, teaspoons of sugar, and preservatives so try alternative brands that are made of flax, actual whole grains, or granola.
3. If you HAVE to have meat at breakfast, then try real meat instead of their sodium filled counterparts. Try a breakfast burrito with real grilled chicken or steak instead of sausage.
4. If you are eating breakfast on campus, make sure the food you are buying is what it says it is. Often times, yogurts may contain high fructose corn syrups or for white flour products.

-Eating Clean in College

A Cheap AND Healthy Breakfast!

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but some of us are not getting a healthy breakfast. Don't let time or lack of funds be an excuse to NOT eat a good breakfast. Below, I share some tips and common fridge and pantry items that will help you a have a delicious and cheap breakfast.

• Eggs- where I am from, you can buy eggs for less than $2 for a dozen carton. Usually I can buy them for $1.49. (my personal favorite)

Scrambled eggs w/ sprinkled cheese, avocado,
fresh strawberries, & sauteed mushroom
and bell peppers

Scrambled eggs with avocados, pomegranates, grapes
& tangerines

• Old fashioned oats- whether they are Quaker or your favorite store brand, you can purchase 18 oz, or 1 pound and 2 oz for $1.65.
• Milk- $2 for almond and soy milk varieties and ~$4 for traditional cows milk. Not to mention, all the benefits that milk yields
• Muscles- Muscle tends to break down after exercise which is why workout machines such as yourself need to supply your body with the right kind of protein to help it recover. Milk contains proteins such as casein and whey plus contains minerals to help prevent muscle cramping. Drinking cows milk reduces your risk of bone disease and fractures and helps maintain bone density. 
• Beauty in a Bottle- Milk contains proteins, lipids, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, biotin, and potassium. These all work together to help keep hair soft and shiny
• Avocado- $0.50~$0.75 each. These green power fruit contain ample amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats. You can easily replace a traditional spread such as a mayo, ranch, butter, or cream cheese with avocado to help reduce your blood cholesterol levels. Try it with a dash of salt or a sprinkle of honey...maybe both!

Scrambled eggs with sliced apples, toast, and avocado slices

• Apples- Year round, apples are known to be the cheapest fruits you can buy on the produce stand. On average you can buy about 5 apples for $2.50.
• Bananas- These potassium filled wonder fruit are priced at about $0.47 a pound. 
• Whole wheat bread- $1.50 a loaf

• Honey- $4. Although this is a pricey buy, natures nectar possess friendly bacteria such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. However, make sure that you buy local honey because other varieties tend to be mixed with exogenous syrups. 
• EXTRAS! Berries, pomegranate, whole wheat bagels, cheese

Quick Fixes-

Toast, bananas, and milk

Oatmeal with cinnamon, milk

Scrambled eggs with avocado and fruit

Fruit salad and toast

-Eating Clean in College

Day 31

Breakfast: Yay! I am finally home again so this time, I will have no excuses to cheat or stray away from my clean eating plan. I made scrambled eggs with avocado topped with natural cheese and salsa. On the side, I made a berry and cottage cheese medley. Lastly, I finished off the meal with the remaining blackberries int the basket.

Lunch: A personal chicken and artichoke pizza; a fiber bar

Dinner: After my workout, I decided to eat a hearty vegetarian meal. I made brown rice with dark red beans and a side Greek salad. The rice and beans were simply boiled until they were done. Below is the recipe for my Greek salad 

Greek Salad

• 3/4 coarsely diced cucumbers
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup coarsely  diced Red Delicious appple
• 1 chopped jalapeno
• chopped walnuts, adjust amount to taste
• 1/2 a lemon

 Preparation:

• Cut all the ingredients up and lightly toss in bowl  
• Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice

Giveaway Information: Today, I went shopping and was able to pick up some things for my giveaway. As of now, there are no participants so literally ANY comment at this point in time will be the winner. If there are still not any participants, then I will simply return all the items and go about my day :)


-Eating Clean in College