Wednesday Weigh-In - Power Breakfast

I've found if I eat a hearty breakfast, I eat less at night.  Research supports this theory.  Breakfast eaters eat less throughout the day, and have better weight control.  A more immediate benefit is that a good breakfast can keep hunger at bay.

Case in point:  I ate Breakfast at 6:30 AM.  Went to a morning meeting that lasted until 1:00 PM.

I was hungry, but not overly.  I wasn't looking at the clock, thinking how long it would be until I could eat again.  This is quite a feat, since I work with food, and the meeting was all about food. 

What, you may ask, provided such sustenance?  Here's my recipe.

Chris' Power Breakfast

1 Banana 
1/2 cup Oatmeal 
1 cup Water or Skim Milk
2 TBSP Chopped Walnuts
1 TBSP Fat Free Margarine (I use I Can't Believe Its Not Butter)
Optional:  2 tsp. Brown Sugar or Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
Optional: Ground Flax Seed, Wheat Germ or Baker's Bran

Slice banana into large serving bowl.  Add oats, nuts and water.  Stir to moisten oats.
Microwave 1 minute.  Stir.  Microwave another minute.  Stir. 
Microwave one more minute, if needed. 
Top with Fat Free Margarine (if desired) and sprinkle with brown sugar or brown sugar blend (if desired).

The beauty of adding the banana is it sweetens the oatmeal naturally.  The beauty of using bulk oatmeal is  you get more oats (than in an instant oatmeal packet), with zero salt and sugar.   

Tomorrow I'm going to try it with a Granny Smith apple, almonds and a drizzle of honey on top.

When made with a banana, water, and brown sugar it comes out to 395 calories.  Add a half cup of OJ, and 1 cup skim milk, and you get a hearty, well-balanced 535 calorie breakfast - that will stay with you a goooood, looooong time! 

For additional breakfast tips, see:
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=3393&terms=breakfast and http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=4294967960&terms=breakfast  :)