By Emily Rinehart
Guest columnist
As class finals are approaching, many students do not have much time to think about what to eat, or even whether there is time to eat at all. Though breakfast may be the last choice during the busy school schedule, a research article done by the Harvard Medical School states students who ate breakfast were “...significantly more attentive in the classroom, earned higher grades in math, and had significantly fewer behavioral and emotional problems.” Eating breakfast jump-starts the metabolism, feeding the brain so you can think more clearly. Breakfast can actually benefit with weight loss when protein is consumed as it is one of the vital building blocks for the body to stay healthy and strong. Protein fills the stomach making the body feel more full longer throughout the day so you do not eat as much food. As eating breakfast is very important for the brain to think and function clearly, I have put together a few easy recipes that can be enjoyed for breakfast to begin your day. If any of these recipes are not able to be eaten, make sure to get some kind of protein in your diet such as a glass of milk with oatmeal, a bowl of fruit, peanut butter on whole wheat toast, or even a banana with peanut butter spread on it. All of these recipes are great to make the night before class and enjoy for breakfast. Enjoy and good luck on finals.
Guest columnist
As class finals are approaching, many students do not have much time to think about what to eat, or even whether there is time to eat at all. Though breakfast may be the last choice during the busy school schedule, a research article done by the Harvard Medical School states students who ate breakfast were “...significantly more attentive in the classroom, earned higher grades in math, and had significantly fewer behavioral and emotional problems.” Eating breakfast jump-starts the metabolism, feeding the brain so you can think more clearly. Breakfast can actually benefit with weight loss when protein is consumed as it is one of the vital building blocks for the body to stay healthy and strong. Protein fills the stomach making the body feel more full longer throughout the day so you do not eat as much food. As eating breakfast is very important for the brain to think and function clearly, I have put together a few easy recipes that can be enjoyed for breakfast to begin your day. If any of these recipes are not able to be eaten, make sure to get some kind of protein in your diet such as a glass of milk with oatmeal, a bowl of fruit, peanut butter on whole wheat toast, or even a banana with peanut butter spread on it. All of these recipes are great to make the night before class and enjoy for breakfast. Enjoy and good luck on finals.
Granola
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
3 cups whole oats
1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
½ cup pecans (optional)
½ cup almonds (optional)
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup canola oil
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
1-2 cups dried fruit (cranberries and raisins are great)
Instructions: Preheat oven to 325˚F. Mix whole oats, cinnamon, salt, and nuts. Set aside the dry ingredients, and combine honey, canola oil, brown sugar, and vanilla . Mix the liquid with the dry until combined well. Spread a thin layer of the granola onto a covered parchment paper pan, and bake for 20 minutes, stirring at 10 minutes. Once golden, remove from oven and let cool. Break into pieces and mix in dried fruit. Best if stored in a ziplock bag at room temperature. Enjoy!
Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients: (serves 4
1 cup whole oats
2 large egg, beaten
⅛ cup canola oil
⅛ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions: Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a medium bowl mix together oil, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and baking powder. Once mixed well, pour in rolled oats. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour oat mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes. Let sit for about 3 minutes, cut and serve warm with honey, apple applesauce, or milk. Or, place in refrigerator overnight for breakfast. Enjoy!
Strawberry Creamy Smoothie
Ingredients: (1 smoothie)
1 cup strawberries
1/4 cup raw whole oats
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1 cup milk
1 Tbs. chia or flax seeds (optional)
Pinch of salt
Sprinkle cinnamon
3 Tbs. honey
Instructions: Mix all ingredients together in a blender. Do not blend. Put blender in the fridge overnight. In the morning, blend. Pour into bowl and top with berries and granola.
Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
Ingredients: (1 smoothie)
½ cup vanilla yogurt
¼ cup milk
2 Tbs. peanut butter
1 banana
1 cup ice (1/2 cup for more creamy)
1 Tbs. flax seed (optional)
Studies show that flaxseed may help fight against cancer, mostly breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. (WebMD, The Benefits of Flaxseed.)
Instructions: Mix all together in blender until creamy. Enjoy!
(Magee, Elaine. The Benefits of Flaxseed. (WebMD) N.p. N.d. Web. November 4, 2012.)
Yogurt Parfait
Ingredients: (serves 1)
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup granola (homemade if possible)
A few slices of apples, cut into squares
A drizzle of honey
5 strawberries, cleaned and cut
Instructions: In a small glass jar, pour in granola, strawberries, and yogurt. Place apples and honey on top. Place lid on glass jar. Don’t mix! Place in refrigerator. In the morning mix well and enjoy for breakfast.
Writer’s note: This article is part of an honors project for Composition II that involved learning more about making healthier food choices. My goal is to give students recipes that are healthy and affordable to make before class to enjoy. Also, these foods are recommended for one to be able to think and concentrate clearly during the class hour.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
3 cups whole oats
1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
½ cup pecans (optional)
½ cup almonds (optional)
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup canola oil
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
1-2 cups dried fruit (cranberries and raisins are great)
Instructions: Preheat oven to 325˚F. Mix whole oats, cinnamon, salt, and nuts. Set aside the dry ingredients, and combine honey, canola oil, brown sugar, and vanilla . Mix the liquid with the dry until combined well. Spread a thin layer of the granola onto a covered parchment paper pan, and bake for 20 minutes, stirring at 10 minutes. Once golden, remove from oven and let cool. Break into pieces and mix in dried fruit. Best if stored in a ziplock bag at room temperature. Enjoy!
Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients: (serves 4
1 cup whole oats
2 large egg, beaten
⅛ cup canola oil
⅛ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions: Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a medium bowl mix together oil, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, and baking powder. Once mixed well, pour in rolled oats. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour oat mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes. Let sit for about 3 minutes, cut and serve warm with honey, apple applesauce, or milk. Or, place in refrigerator overnight for breakfast. Enjoy!
Strawberry Creamy Smoothie
Ingredients: (1 smoothie)
1 cup strawberries
1/4 cup raw whole oats
1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1 cup milk
1 Tbs. chia or flax seeds (optional)
Pinch of salt
Sprinkle cinnamon
3 Tbs. honey
Instructions: Mix all ingredients together in a blender. Do not blend. Put blender in the fridge overnight. In the morning, blend. Pour into bowl and top with berries and granola.
Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie
Ingredients: (1 smoothie)
½ cup vanilla yogurt
¼ cup milk
2 Tbs. peanut butter
1 banana
1 cup ice (1/2 cup for more creamy)
1 Tbs. flax seed (optional)
Studies show that flaxseed may help fight against cancer, mostly breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. (WebMD, The Benefits of Flaxseed.)
Instructions: Mix all together in blender until creamy. Enjoy!
(Magee, Elaine. The Benefits of Flaxseed. (WebMD) N.p. N.d. Web. November 4, 2012.)
Yogurt Parfait
Ingredients: (serves 1)
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup granola (homemade if possible)
A few slices of apples, cut into squares
A drizzle of honey
5 strawberries, cleaned and cut
Instructions: In a small glass jar, pour in granola, strawberries, and yogurt. Place apples and honey on top. Place lid on glass jar. Don’t mix! Place in refrigerator. In the morning mix well and enjoy for breakfast.
Writer’s note: This article is part of an honors project for Composition II that involved learning more about making healthier food choices. My goal is to give students recipes that are healthy and affordable to make before class to enjoy. Also, these foods are recommended for one to be able to think and concentrate clearly during the class hour.