An Alternative To Oatmeal
I love oatmeal in winter but not in summer, and cold cereal leaves me hungry two hours later. What can I eat for breakfast?
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Q: I love oatmeal in winter but not in summer, and cold cereal leaves me hungry two hours later. What can I eat for breakfast?
A: If you are looking for a long-lasting, nutritious breakfast, I recommend cooking either barley or quinoa the day or night before and storing it in the fridge. At breakfast, scoop out ¾–1 cup of cold, cooked grain and mix in ½ cup of Greek yogurt, ½ cup of fresh fruit and 2 tablespoons of nuts/seeds or granola. The final product is similar to a mixed-in yogurt parfait, but with added “bite” and slow-digesting carbs sure to keep you full for hours. I also love to make a batch of whole-grain muffins (see recipe below) on Sunday that I can pair with low-fat cottage cheese or an egg and fruit for an easy, satisfying summer breakfast all week long.
Grab-and-Go Breakfast: Whole-grain Muffins
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 1 cup whole-wheat flour, ½ cup white flour, 1 cup old-fashioned oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and mix well. In a second bowl, combine 1½ cups puréed pumpkin or banana, ½ cup low-fat buttermilk (or low-fat milk), ¼–½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 egg, and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture, stirring until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips or nuts, to taste (optional). Divide batter into muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 8–10 minutes for mini muffins, or 18–20 minutes for regular-sized muffins.
Lauren Antonucci, R.D., is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, three-time Ironman finisher and the founding director of Nutrition Energy in New York City.