You already know what a difference a bowl of healthy oatmeal makes: It warms you up, fills you up, and pumps you up like no other breakfast food.
Studies suggest that this overachiever can also help prevent obesity, diabetes, and heart attacks. And that’s just the plain stuff. What happens when you top your bowl with healthy ingredients that have their own superpowers? BOOM! Your first meal of the day turns into the nutritional equivalent of TNT.
Never Stop Sunflower-Cranberry
This no-cook recipe (you’ll love its flakier texture and nuttier flavour) combines metabolism-boosting sunflower seeds, oats, and milk.
Mix 1/2 cup of oats, a tablespoon of sunflower seeds, and a tablespoon of cranberries into 1 cup of milk. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Makes 1 serving.
Brainy Almond-Blueberry
This fruit and nut-spiked solution delivers the vitamins and omega-3s your body craves. Boil 1 cup of water over high heat. Add 1/4 cup of oats. Cook, stirring, for 25 minutes, until the oatmeal is soft.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1/4 cup of milk, a tablespoon of slivered almonds, 1/3 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, and a teaspoon of ground flaxseed. Mix and serve. Makes 1 serving.
Belly-Stuffing Peanut Butter
Oatmeal baked with eggs, peanut butter, and soy milk packs enough protein to keep you satisfied until long past your lunch hour.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat an baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of oats and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. In a medium bowl, beat 2 eggs and add 2 cups of soy milk, a cup of water, and 4 tablespoons of natural peanut butter. Add to the oats, pour mixture into dish, and bake for 20 minutes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons agave syrup. Makes 6 servings.
Pumped-Up Banana-Pecan
Potassium-rich bananas and muscle-building whey protein give you the oomph you need to grunt through that last set.
Mix 1/4 cup of quick-cooking oatmeal, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 scoop of vanilla whey powder, a teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
Microwave the mixture on high for 90 seconds and top with 1/4 cup of fat-free milk, a sliced banana, and a tablespoon of pecan pieces. Makes 1 serving.
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