Carlene Helble-Elite Nutrition Intern

“Here’s your wake-up call: breakfast eaters tend to be leaner and more successful at maintaining a healthy weight than people who miss their morning mea.l” This quote from Ellie Krieger’s website really says it all! Breakfast is extremely important, and for those of us who are on track with breakfast, some times get stuck in a menu rut: cereal, perhaps a banana? How often do you throw some nutrient dense veggies into your morning meal?

National Public Radio recently published a fantastic article on the lack of American vegetable intake at breakfast, comparing it against some delicious options across the globe that did contain vegetables (http://n.pr/dvehBB). Here are some options with easy ways to make a change, and ‘go global’ in the morning:

Omelets can be good, but to have a more filling meal with less calories and get a serving or two of veggies in, try some scrambled eggs with chopped spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Think of the egg as a ‘topping’ and let the vegetables shine. The great thing about this idea is the vegetables are interchangeable. Feel like some asparagus? No problem! A vegetable scramble can be easily personalized.

Another great way to get more vegetable at breakfast is with smoothies; perfect for an on the go meal. One smoothie that seems to be a favorite is the ‘green monster’, which consists of kale or spinach, blended with fruit, milk, and sometimes chia seeds. (It even has a website dedicated to it! http://greenmonstermovement.com/).

One suggestion NPR gave that must not go unmentioned was for a traditional Argentine dish: a breakfast tart with summer squash, red peppers, and a basil crust. This is definitely on my ‘to make’ list, especially with summer produce on the way!

Ellie Krieger : http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating/the-best-start-to-your-day/index.html

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126911529

View Original Post at rebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com

• Filed Under:  
• SportsPLUS, Health & Fitness, Nutrition

• Tags:
• cooking
• food
• vegetables
• eating healthy
• NPR
• recipes
• smoothies
• breakfast
• Ellie Krieger