Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Eating to Live: Investing in Breakfast

Who has time to even think about breakfast?

While traveling in Europe last year, I was reminded of the creamy, crunchy goodness of muesli. It is a Swiss/German creation containing a combination of uncooked rolled oatmeal, with various nuts, seeds, fruits (dried, fresh, or canned), and yogurt. In many European countries you can find a big bowl of it on breakfast tables, or you may find a selection of various ingredients in order for you to make your own concoction.

Once we were home from Europe, I changed my smoothie routine and started making muesli. It’s as simple as taking ready-made granola and dumping in a lot of *yogurt. Since the mixture is going to grab the moisture of the yogurt, I make sure it is somewhat creamy prior to refrigeration. I can also add 100% fruit juice, milk or other liquid to increase the creaminess. I am transported to Europe with each bite I take; and it seems to be just the right balance of protein, as I do not feel the need to eat anything else until lunch.

Eating muesli got me thinking about making my own granola, like I did back in the hippy-dippy days of the 1970’s. I am now hooked on creating various granola mixes. With the yummy goodness of my homemade granola, if I am not having a smoothie or muesli, some mornings I layer granola and fruit with the yogurt like a parfait.

Mom was right! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It recharges your brain and your body, so this is not a meal to be missed or taken lightly. Breakfast isn’t just about a bowl of cereal with milk splashed on it, or a quick stop at the drive-thru. There are many good reasons one should eat a balanced breakfast, but we’ve heard them all before. Let’s suffice it to say, most of us need to eat more protein in the morning. Eating a balanced breakfast is part of a healthy lifestyle. A home blended smoothie, muesli, or granola parfait is my way of investing in the day ahead by investing in breakfast first. All three of these ideas for a well-balanced breakfast are simple to make and take if I am plowing full steam ahead into the morning.

Who has time for breakfast? You do! You will find countless recipes for smoothies, muesli and granola on the Internet to help get you started. A change is in the air for your morning routine. Before you know it, you will be concocting your own breakfast goodness. WARNING: While eating muesli, don’t be surprised if you think you are sitting in a grassy meadow surrounded by huge snow topped mountains. You may even be able to hear cowbells in the distance.


*I prefer low or no fat Greek style yogurt as it contains less fat and more protein.
Swiss Miss photo courtesy of the Clark family album.