THREE TIPS TO SAVE TIME IN THE MORNINGS
By Mary Spiegelberg
When your world is constantly on the go it becomes easy to forget about the most important meal of the day: Breakfast. Between gym sessions, unbearable morning traffic, getting the kids to school or just needing those 15 minutes of sleep, breakfast always seems to be the first to fall in the priority list. We understand and we are here to help.
TIP ONE: Breakfast Baggies / Containers
Most people prefer their morning Greek yogurt jazzed up a bit, am I right? But the time it takes to cut and wash your strawberries, grab the crushed walnuts, spoon out chia and flax seed and drizzle your honey, 15 essential morning minutes slip through your fingertips. Luckily, there is an easy fix. The night before, wash, cut and bag up your fruit of choice and toss it in the fridge. Next, take out your items that do not need refrigeration (for example, walnuts, chia and flax seeds) and throw them together in the same bag. Lastly, take a tablespoon of honey and spoon it into the bottom corner of your last baggie, this way when the time is right you can rip off that corner and drizzle your honey. Whether you plan to take your breakfast on the go or enjoy at home, all your ingredients are ready and waiting for you!
TIP TWO: Overnight Oats
The trick to overnight oats is knowing which texture you prefer, quick oats lead to softer textures, steel cut oats lead to a crunchier/ chewier taste, and lastly, rolled oats appeal to those who like a chewier consistency. After choosing your oats, the question at hand is milk. Any milk works for overnight oats so it is up to your taste (almond, coconut, hemp, rice, 2%, the list goes on and on). Then the fun part: TOPPINGS! Some of my personal favorite toppings include coconut shreds, honey, banana and chia seeds. Any container with a lid works well for overnight oats. After all decisions are made, stick your overnight oats in the fridge and your breakfast will be ready as soon as you are in the morning!
~Quick Recipe~
1/2 cup oats of choice any
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ blueberries
½ almond slivers
1 tsp flax seed
Honey and cinnamon to taste
TIP THREE: Egg Muffins
On Sunday night, take a simple 25 minutes to make your breakfast for the ENTIRE week. Egg muffins are emerging on the health scene as an easy high protein, low carb, grab-and-go breakfast choice. Here’s how to jump on board: First grab a 6 slot nonstick muffin tray, any and all veggies of choice (popular choices are bell peppers, onions, spinach, tomatoes, etc.) six eggs, a pinch of salt, a bit of cheese if you prefer and muffin cups if your muffin tin is not nonstick.
~Quick Recipe~
• Preheat your oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cut, wash and place all of your veggies in a large mixing bowl. (Keep in mind you are making 6 muffins so try not to go too veggie crazy.)
• Add in your eggs and salt to taste to your bowl.
• Add seasonings of preference (curry, hot sauce, pepper, garlic salt etc.).
• Add preferred cheese to mixture or wait to add to the tops of your egg muffins.
• Grease your pan with avocado oil, unless utilizing muffin cups.
• Pour your mixture evenly into each of the six muffin containers.
• Let bake for 15-18 minutes.
After your breakfast muffins are done baking you can bag them up and put them in the fridge. In the morning, a minute in the toaster oven is enough to get your breakfast game strong and timely!
Mary Spiegelberg currently is pursuing a degree in Dietetics and Food Administration with a minor in Food Science at Cal State Long Beach. Her primary field of concentration is Sports Nutrition. She is a member of UCLA’s Performance Nutrition Team, who work to fuel, sustain and improve performance of collegiate athletes. She is a Newport Beach native and proud owner of Hooked Boxing, LLC.
