Healthy Breakfast

I eat oatmeal and egg whites every morning and it has really helped me to keep the weight off that I lost last summer. I find the easiest way to eat the egg whites is to keep hard boiled eggs on hand if you like them. You can also add some blueberries or other fruit to the oatmeal or separately for some sweetness and variety.

I love to get the vanilla powdered slim fast mix and add fresh fruit to it. It tastes delicious and is healthy. They are actually pretty filling too. My favorite additions are banana, strawberry (frozen works very well), blueberry, rasberry, pineapple. You can also combine any of these.

Walmart sells good oatmeal made with splenda too. And the fiber one snack/ breakfast bars are delicious!

1/2 cup of oatmeal with egg whites. Make oatmeal and (2- 3)eggs whites seperately. Then, mix together. Add a little splenda to taste. I have this every morn with 1/2 of a banana and I love it!!. It keeps me full till my next meal.

I made these last night for dinner for the kids (husband was at the game) and they loved them- and I'll keep them on hand for myself....

I used ground turkey breast and cooked it with a little onion garlic, salt and papper just like you would brown ground beef.

I sprayed a muffin pan with non-stick spray then put the ground meat in the muffin cups.

I put a TINY bit of cheddar cheese on top of the meat and then poured egg whites (I used egg beaters to make it easy) into the muffin cups to fill them up.

Bake 350 for 20 minutes. You have mini crust-less quiches! Then I put them in a zip lock in the fridge. You can eat them cold, or warm them for a few seconds in the microwave.

VERY low fat. VERY high protein so you wont be hungry as fast. Perfect and easy way to kick-start your metabolism in the morning!

C.,
Smoothies are the way to go. Quick. Easy; as healthy as you want them to be. The fruits overpower the greens and other things you can throw in, making them tasty enough for a child to like.
First, go to Walmart, kitchen appliances section, and get a Hamilton Beach immersion blender, cost about $20.00. It is very sturdy, well-designed, easy to rinse to clean, was fabulously rated a year ago by the Star Telegram in a Consumer Reports-type test as to the best blender for the smallest amount of money. Then get a tall-ish narrow container to use it with, something about the size of those things you see when they put a container into the blender malt-shake machines at Braum's, etc. Holding about 3 cups to a quart.
Then, don't think of smoothies as needing specific recipes, but more as a type of food: use whatever you have on hand. I buy the Knudsen bottles of juices to keep in the fridge and add a splash (about 1/4 cup) of whatever I'm wanting. I add a milk-based thing if I want that, for probiotics, such as plain kefir, yogurt, or even milk; another 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Then I add various fruits, fresh or frozen. Keep bananas in a zip-type bag, peeled, halfed, frozen, using up the ones that are getting toward the edge by peeling and throwing them into the freezer, then grab a half to throw into your smoothie. It's the texture and taste of ice cream and gives smoothie a creamy texture. I keep a huge bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer, and thrown in a 1/4 to 1/2 cup each day...all those phytonutrients and antioxidants! Strawberries, raspberries, mangos, peaches, etc. I will also use fresh fruits, grapes (with skins), berries of any kind. Apples, even citrus. Whatever fruits you like or have, or need to get rid of. Everything goes into the container and gets blended.
You can buy a whey-type protein powder. Sam's has a 5 lb bag of EAS vanilla or neutral that will last forever, adding one scoop per smoothie, IF you want protein, and I'd recommend it...as it makes it more filling. Or you could add in a raw egg. I buy organic eggs, cage-free/free-range, and have NO fear of consuming a raw egg from chickens treated well.
Finally, a big surprise...you can also throw in fresh greens of all kinds, sprouts, spinach, lettuce, the salad combos that come in bags...the blender renders them all invisible, tasteless (masked by the fruit flavors). You can add a 1/4th of a ripened avocado, also for smooth creamy texture, taste disappears, but you are getting the raw nutrients and phytomolecules of all those vegetables right along with the fruits. Almost any combination works. I buy Oodwalla Superfood, the big bottle, and it lasts for weeks in the fridge (this is a delicious fruit-based greens drink that's wonderful by itself), and throw in a half-cup of that when I don't have greens on hand.) This combination will make from 2 cups to a quart, depending on how much you pour in of each thing.
Next, another neat surprise, if this is more than you want in a single breakfast, you can pour the extra into a popsicle maker and have them as pops for your boy, or yourself, as a healthy, refreshing snack later.
There's no magic, and no specific recipe, just a way to consume a lot of fresh/frozen fruits/vegetables and protein in one setting. Awesome tastes. You can begin to make specially-oriented ones, like pineapple, coconut, banana...to get a pina colada-tasting one. A citrus-based one using oranges, grapefruit, etc. A melon-based one, using cantaloup, mango, papaya, watermelon, honey-dew for that taste range. A banana-strawberry-blueberry one. The range of options makes it easy to vary and not get tired of any of them.
You get rather good at trying new combinations, gradually learning the combinations you like the best and want to remember.
It's a meal that is mainly raw, fresh, can be organic, VERY healthy, easily assimilated, and completely satisfying, especially with the protein powder for substance.
Once you get practiced at it, you can throw a great smoothie together in about 5 minutes, pour the leftovers into the popsicle-form, rinse off the blender blade thing, and you're done.
Enjoy!

Check out the www.hungry-girl.com website. Lots of great tips and daily recipes (sign up for the daily email). This one came not too long ago for making scrambled eggs in a mug in the microwave! Super easy to make and clean up. http://hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=1784

P.S. I am not affiliated with the Hungry Girl website.

Good luck!
W. in Carrollton

Hi C.,
An easy smoothie I make for my kids is 1 sm. cup of any flavor yogurt you like, ice cubes, 1 banana (or 1/2 if you like), some frozen strawberries (or fresh if avail), a splash of skim milk. Put all in a blender and blend until smooth. It is not too sweet and really refreshing

As for smoothies ... you can start with 1/2 cup skim milk; a scoop of protein powder (or Slim fast vanilla powder); frozen fruit (strawberries or a smoothie frozen fruit mix - they have bags of frozen fruit specifically for smoothies - mangos; peaches) - having it frozen makes it even better/cooler for your smoothie. I add a half of banana or a full small banana and then some ice. Yum! Extremely low cal!

Also when I want more substance for breakfast like on the weekends: I make scrambled eggs with Egg Beaters - southwestern style (it has chopped bell peppers in it). Egg Beaters are extremely low cal and it has all the nutrition of eggs. I make 1/2 a cup of this per person; cook it in a skillet w/Pam spray (no oil!); and I microwave Oscar Meyer turkey bacon - this is good!
I add Weight Watchers shredded Mexican cheese (less than 1/3 cup to each egg serving)... warm up some Mission Carb Balance tortillas (very low cal compared to other tortillas) .... and we have breakfast burritos w/salsa (no calories in salsa).
Or if you don't like tortillas ... have egg sandwiches with Nature's Own LIGHT honeywheat bread (40 cal each slice!)
If you don't like bacon... although the Oscar Meyer turkey bacon is yummy .... there is vegetarian breakfast sausage in the frozen section - it's in a green box and that is yummy with eggs!

Also ... if you like waffles, the special K light frozen waffles are low cal... just be sure you only put the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray on it (not real butter) and you use light syrup. Look at each label to see what you like ... I like using this Light Maple syrup that's sugar-free (it's designed for diabetics) and it's super low cal!!

I've also MADE whole wheat pancakes... follow instructions on the back to keep it light (using light ingredients ... egg whites; applesauce; skim milk, etc). Yumm! I add mashed banana to my whole wheat pancake mix and boy, that really makes them moist and yummy!

Congrats on hitting your goal!!

Hi C. -

When I need to lose weight, I went the fiber route and not only does it help you lose weight, it has long term health benefits that help prevent those awful personal area cancers. My fav is Uncle Sam cereal with a few raisins added. If you're doing a smoothie, use a milk base rather than a juice base (because you get more nutrition for the calories) and use berries, again because you get more nutrition for the calories. Smoothies can get up there in calories so keep a mental count of the calories of the fruits you add. Good for you for focusing on eating breakfast - that will rev up your metabolism earlier in the day. Also, an easy way to add a bit of toning and calorie burning to your day is to keep some hand weights by your bath sink. Do some quick arm excersises while you wait for the water to warm or while you wait on your flat iron to heat. The best thing about this is that just doing a few, increases those endorphins and you'll find that you'll keep going and do more than you expected. It lifts your spirits for the day too! If you feel like getting rid of cravings would help you, send me a personal note because I can help with that, too.

E.
www.thegreatproduct.com/richerlife
www.theactiondrink.com/richerlife

You can make a great morning smoothie with 1 cup of any fruit (essentially one whole banana or a whole peach, etc), 1 cup of ice, a tablespoon or 2 of honey and 1/2 cup of either lowfat milk or vanilla yogurt (depending on how thick you like your smoothies). Also, to make extra healthy, can add a tablespoon of flax seeds or protein powder!

Other healthy breakfasts: egg white omelets w/onion, baby spinach leaves, bell pepper & lowfat ham or turkey; boiled eggs w/salsa; wholegrain bagel (1/2) w/ 2 teaspoons peanut butter; oatmeal w/ a little honey to sweeten.

One of my favorite smoothies is lowfat vanilla yogurt, little ice, splash of orange juice, raspberries bananas and blueberries (frozen tend to work well) and then a bit of dark honey (a good antioxidant). It is really healthy and tasty. You could put any fruit in it that you want and it is quite filling but not heavy!

I'm currently working with Dr. Oz's book called You on a Diet and he suggests some options for breakfast - cheerios with a fist full of fruit (I chop a banana in mine and that's what I have for breakfast). Oatmeal with fruit, or a breakfast smoothie. He gives 2-3 smoothie recipies in his book that are supposed to be the right mix of things you need for the morning(protein, etc.) So, you might want to check it out.

Congrats to you on loosing weight! That's never easy. I'm working toward my goal as well and hopefully between diet and exercise I'll be there soon.

C.,

Congrats on losing 10 pounds! You have to eat breakfast! People who eat a good, healthy breakfast lose more weight than people who don't. Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day (I'm sure you've heard that a million times). It jumpstarts and maintains your metabolism.

If you opt for a smoothie: take 3/4 Cup or one Cup of frozen blueberries (or frozen mixed berries - no sugar!), one cup of yogurt (preferably organic, so there will be no high fructose corn syrup), and some Agave Nectar ( do it to the eye/taste), and that's it. A very healthy smoothie.

Otherwise, eat oatmeal and berries, with some Agave Nectar drizzled on top. One egg would be good, too, for protein, and so you will be able to hold your hunger until lunch (or have a healthy, light snack before lunch). Good luck

HI C., congrats on your weight loss! Can you please share your calorie diet! I've tried tons of diets and am not having any lucky...any help would be much appreciated. Thanks! ____@____.com

Since I'm only 5'2'...I can't take in a lot of calories...like you coffee has been my only breakfast but now I'm trying to eat Greek Yogurt. Very healthy for you....lots of protein (10) grams and 0 fat......Congrats on the weight loss!

I have been making smoothies all summer. I started with lowfat cottage chz mango and banana. I liked it good protein, calcium and lowfat. But this mix was almost 2 cups. Way too much food and probably sugar for that matter. Then I found hemp shake. You can get it at sprouts, it is cheaper at Drug Emporium $12 or. You mix with fresh or frozen fruit, a little bit of almond or soy milk (unsweetened ofcourse) handful of nuts. It is really good. The Hemp pwder alone has 14 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein.

Also you can get the 'egg beaters' don't by from the grocery store- way too expensive. We get ours at Costco and they freeze well. This are quick and lowfat protein. When I have eggs I also have ezekiel cinnamon raisen bread with a little bit of apple butter. So Yummy! and low, almost nonfat brkfst.

Hope this helps

Smoothies are big at our house. Our favorite healthy options is yogurt (plain to cut down on sugar); plain keifer (really great probiotics) and frozen fruit. My kids love strawberries and bananas. My husband and I usually like to add in frozen blueberries. We've found Costco is a great resource for frozen fruit.

Smoothies.

Also, I usually workout around 9am, so do an english muffin with reduced fat PB and 1/2 a cut up banana on top. Easy, and great before a workout. Give the other 1/2 to child/husband...too much sugar

Congrats on the progress!!! =)

I eat a breakfast burrito that I make myself. I eat a 1/2 cup of Southwestern Style egg beaters on a whole wheat carb balance tortilla with 2 tbsp of salsa with a sprinkle of low fat cheese with 1 glass (8 oz) of skim milk. It's yummy, low fat, low cal, and keeps me filled until lunch.

I've been eating either a nutrigrain bar with some fruit or my new favorite is half a cup of cottage cheese w/granola and blueberries..or if I'm in a hurry I drink a protein shake.

2 apples, 2 pears, 5 kale leaves, handful of spinach, 1 cup of cabbage, 1 inch of ginger, juice of 2 lemons, 2 cups of water. I mix in a vitamix. or check out Dr. Oz's green drink-very healthy

My favorite smoothie is a chocolate peanut butter one. It is low calorie, but really delicious. I started making it when I was on the South beach diet. I put in my blender 6 ice cubes, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (a great antioxidant), 2 tablespoons no sugar peanut butter, 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar (all natural low calorie sweetener), and then fill milk up to the top of the ice. Blend it and enjoy.

Congratulations on your weight loss! I'm trying to lose 20 pounds myself, and I'm slowly getting there. I'm losing about 2 pounds about every week and a half at the moment. I'm eating a partially raw vegan diet, meaning I have two raw vegan meals a day and then I eat a normal dinner with my husband and child in the evening. Anyway, I find that a bowl full of chopped fruit sprinkled with chopped nuts is really good in the morning. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of cinnamon. Or you can puree a cored, chopped apple (leave the peel on) with a few dried apricots that you've soaked in water overnight (and maybe a few almonds you've soaked overnight, too), and top that with a little cinnamon.

For smoothies, my favorite one isn't vegan, but it's good. Take one peeled kiwi, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 tablespoon flax seeds, 1 tablespoon raw oatmeal, 1/4 cup berries (fresh or frozen), 6 whole almonds, and 1/2 small container of yogurt and blend. It's healthy and good. I haven't tried it without the yogurt yet, but I imagine it would be pretty good with a little juice in place of the yogurt. You can make pretty much any smoothie with fruit, juice, ice (or frozen fruit), and if you add flax seeds and ground nuts, you get those fantastic omega-3 oils as well.

[Edited to add: I forgot to mention, you put a splash or two of rice milk or soy milk or almond milk in that smoothie!]

Good luck, and again, congratulations on your weight loss!

I just lost 35 lbs on Weight Watchers. I made up this recipe (a fattening version) for my family. I tweaked it for WW, and I've given to friends that are losing weight. They love it! I found at Walmart only - Western alternatie bagles or english muffin (fridge section) - lowcal/no sugar - taste like good bread. 1 - 2% cheese slice, and 2 egg whites, and 2 slices of lean deli ham. Toast your bread, in a small ramikan spray w/pam. Take egg whites and wisk in ramikan, season w/salt and pepper, add a couple drops of water. Cover with saran wrap and microwave for 1 minute. Put your sandwich together - fast, easy, wonderful! You can also use those wonderful new sandwich rounds by pepperidge farm. They toast well - only 100 calories.

Smoothie - take the bananas that are getting too ripe. Slice them up and put in a freezer bag. In your blender, take 1/2 of a frozen banana, fat free vanilla yogurt, a handfull of frozen strawberries, and 1/4 cup of water (or skim milk). Blend until thoroughly mixed. No need to add ice because the frozen fruit acts like it. I eat this more for an evening snack when I'm craving ice cream, but it would be a great breakfast.

Lots of great feedback. Just wanted to make sure you knew about Stevia. A few drops will sweeten your smoothies without causing an insulin surge. I only like it in cold stuff- yogurt, smoothies, ice tea. Didn't like it in coffee or baled goods.

1/2 cup light and fit plain vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup low fat plain granola
1 t. almond extract
2 T. slivered almonds

mix it all up, it's really good if you like almonds!

I am an independent distributor and Shaklee makes incredibly healthy and tasty protein shakes, and meal replacement shakes. You can add a banana or other fruit to give it a different flavor, but the powder comes in multiple flavors. In my family we rely on these and all have a different favorite. Let me know if I can get you more info.