How to Make Your Cereal Healthier

Posted on May 21, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved cereal. Growing up, I may have resorted to the classic Fruit Loops or Capin' Crunch every morning, but today, I try to be a bit more sensible when selecting my options. If I am going to choose to make a meal out of a bowl of cereal, I'm going to attempt to make it as filling and nutritionally balanced as possible. Often times people admit to me that they don't choose to have a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast because it leaves them feeling hungry an hour later. The problem isn't with the cereal alone, it's that there isn't enough volume, protein, or healthy fats in most to sustain a suitable meal.

Another deterrent is that a lot of people find most "healthy" cereal to be lackluster. Lets admit it, bowl of fiber sticks on it's own can be pretty boring.

So how do we solve this cereal predicament? You pump it up of course!

A few little additions and you have one hearty, filling, and incredible delicious morning bowl.

Enjoy!

Pumped Up Cereal Bowl

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Bran Flakes

1/4 cup Purely Simple granola

Assorted berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.)

2 tsp almond butter

1/2 – 3/4 cup milk or non-dairy milk choice

Cookie Dough Granola Cereal

Posted on May 12, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

Cookie dough for breakfast? Yes, you read that right!

I'm sure most of us would eat cookie dough every day if we could, but until the day when calories, sugar, and fats have zero effect on the human body, licking the spoon every now and then will have to suffice.

Or, you could run to your kitchen and make this recipe because honestly, it comes pretty close to the taste.

The texture resembles crumbled dough and with the right amount of nut butter, you'll achieve a creamy decadent taste in every bite while at the same time, keeping the health conscious in mind.

Enjoy!

Cookie Dough Granola Cereal

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw oats

1/4 cup Off Road Edition granola

2 TB nut butter of choice

1/2 cup milk or non-dairy milk

Optional toppings: Berries, banana, etc.

Directions:

In a bowl, combine raw oats and granola. Stir in nut butter with a fork until small clump form. Top with milk and desired fruit toppings.

A New Spin on PB&J

Posted on May 7, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

Who doesn't love the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Being that it is probably one of the most reminiscent foods of childhood, something about smooth peanut butter spread between two slices of chewy bread, accented with a sweet smear of jam, makes any child happy to open their lunchbox.

Fast forward a few years to adulthood. While the concept is still entirely enjoyed, I've decided to put a few touches on this simple meal to make it a bit more nutritious and even more tempting. Sub whole wheat bread for white, replace peanut butter with almond or any other fancy nut butter, and lastly, a delicate sprinkle of granola is what makes this a stellar sandwich.

Enjoy!

Almond Butter and Fig Jam Sandwich with Banana and Granola

Ingredients:

2 slices whole wheat bread

1 tbsp almond butter

1 tbsp fig jam

1/2 a banana

1 tbsp College Staple granola

Directions:

Spread almond butter on one slice of bread and jam on the other. Thinly slice the banana and place on the bread slice with the almond butter. Sprinkle granola on top and secure the sandwich with the jam slice on top of the banana slice. Cut in half and enjoy!

PB & J Granola Protein Bars

Posted on April 23, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

Today, we are spreading the love by sharing one of our favorite recipes from one of our favorite food bloggers, Janetha. She put together these delicious protein packed snack bars using two of the best ingredients as inspiration- peanut butter and jelly!

These on-the-go bars are a spin on a classic PB & J and have the additional bonus of containing over 5 grams of essential protein per serving.

Next time you need your peanut butter and jelly fix, try whipping up a batch of these and make sure you head over to Janetha's blog to thank her!

makes 18 cookies/bars

prep time: 5 minutes

bake time: 10-18 minutes

ingredients

4 oz nuts about granola PB&J granola
3 oz oat bran
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (i used MRM whey)
5 TB creamy peanut butter
5 TB jam or jelly
5 TB almond milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt

directions

preheat oven to 350 degrees.
combine granola, oat bran, protein powder, peanut butter, and jam in a bowl. mixture will be crumbly.
slowly add milk to the bowl, mixing while you pour. mixture will be wet.
stir in the egg, mixing well to combine.
finally, sprinkle in baking powder and salt and stir, making sure it is mixed in completely.
for cookies, drop 1 TB balls onto a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or sprayed with cooking spray. mixture will spread, don’t worry about it.
for bars, pour mixture into an 8” x 8” or 9” x 9” baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
cookies bake for 10 minutes, bars bake for 15-17 minutes (a toothpick should come out clean.)
let cool before eating. store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Fresh Blueberry Pecan Granola Trail Mix

Posted on April 16, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

One of my favorite spring and summertime outdoor activities is hiking. Nothing brings me more serenity than spending a leisurely afternoon, walking the trails embraced in the essence of nature's beauty.

Aside from this pastime being therapeutic for my mind, the exercise of trudging upward for hours on end can also be extremely vigorous, thus making it an excellent outdoor workout. If I know I'm planning on working up a sweat on a long hike, I also make sure to prepare with proper fuel.

Trail Mix is the perfect snack for a hike. It's portable, clean, and provides sufficient nutrients to keep your energy going throughout the day. While there are multiple packaged mixes on the shelves, I think it's much more cost efficient and often tastier to make your own. Plus, it's so simple, it's almost too easy!

Fresh Blueberry Pecan Granola Trail Mix

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients:

1 package Off Road Edition Nuts About Granola

1/2 cup chopped raw pecans

1 cup fresh blueberries (can use dried blueberries as well)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Portion into small reusable bags and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

I love the addition of fresh berries in my trail mix, but feel free to add in dried fruit as well. The blueberries will stay fresh at room temperate for about 24 hours.

Get ready to hit the trails with this tasty trail mix in your pocket!

Enjoy!

OIAJ {Oats in a Jar}

Posted on April 2, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

The thought of an empty jar of peanut butter may not excite you. Until now, it may have simply meant another pantry item to add to the grocery list before you toss the bare container in the garbage. It's almost impossible to scrape off the last remaining bits of gooey goodness from the sides of the jar, so you unknowingly throw the whole thing in the can and call it a day.

Before your next empty jar arises, this is a recipe you need to see!

The concept of adding nut butter to your oats may not be a new one, but the idea of filling a near empty jar of nut butter with hot oats is becoming a trendy way to take your oatmeal to the next level.

Here is how it works.

Prepare your oatmeal per usual. Take your (almost) empty jar of nut butter – any variety will do, and place the hot oatmeal directly into the jar. Top with granola, berries, and/or dried fruit. Screw on the top for travel or grab a spoon and get to work. You will not only experience a delicious hearty breakfast, but you'll also ensure a spotless jar once finished.

Enjoy!

Oats In A Jar

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 (almost) empty jar of nut butter – any variety

1/2 – 3/4 cup of prepared oatmeal

2 tbsp Nuts About Granola – any flavor

Optional berries, banana, dried fruit of choice

Directions:

Prepare oatmeal as directed. Fill nut butter jar with hot oats, top with granola and fruit of choice.

Berry-Liscious Granola Waffles

Posted on March 26, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

Spring is here! For most of you -particularly those living in South central Pennsylvania-, you may not believe it by looking out your window, but according to the groundhog, we are supposedly full swing into the season.

Even though the weather outside may still be a bit frightful, that doesn't mean thoughts of warm sunshine and heated temps can't be forced with the help of a little breakfast incentives.

Turn up the heat and welcome Spring with these berry-liscious waffles that are sure to keep your eyes focused on thawing out. Simple whole wheat frozen waffles can be transformed with the help of a little Greek yogurt, fresh berries, and granola to make your morning meal stand out!

Spring is here and warm weather is on the way but until then, warm your stomach with good eats!

Berry-Liscious Granola Waffles

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 Whole Wheat frozen waffles – any brand

2 heaping tbsp vanilla Greek yogurt – any brand

assorted berries – blackberries, raspberries, blueberries

2 tbsp Purely Simple granola

Directions:

Lightly toast waffles. Top with yogurt, berries and granola.

Enjoy!

Simple Blueberry Banana Yogurt Parfait

Posted on March 19, 2013 by LaurenPodolsky

I admit, I'm usually finding reasons to make elaborate breakfasts. This meal is hands down, my favorite part to any day, so spending a little extra time and effort in the kitchen first thing never seemed to bother me; that is, until recently. You see, like most, I find my time is becoming increasingly more valuable and the days when I had added seconds to devote to things like meal prepping are going to the wayside. Never will there be a day that I skip breakfast willingly, so in order to make sure I am still satisfying my hunger and well being, I ensure that I have 3 staple ingredients on hand always.

Greek Yogurt
Fruit
Granola

With these three things, I am always able to make something delicious and healthy. The time it takes to combine the above mentioned is less time than it takes for me to brush my teeth, so really, there is no excuse. Sure, I would love to devote every morning to making a big pile of Whole Wheat Granola Carrot Cake Pancakes, but lets face it, those occasions are few and far between. At least with the reliable three, simple and incredibly tasty is always an option, and one that I'm okay with.

Enjoy!

Simple Blueberry Banana Yogurt Parfait

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 a banana, sliced
1/4 cup Plain Jane Granola

Directions:

Layers all ingredients in a glass or bowl.

Pumped Up Cereal Bowl

Cookie Dough Granola Cereal

Almond Butter and Fig Jam Sandwich with Banana and Granola

Ingredients:

Fresh Blueberry Pecan Granola Trail Mix

Easy Mint Chocolate Brownies

Oats In A Jar

Berry-Liscious Granola Waffles

Simple Blueberry Banana Yogurt Parfait

Chocolate Mint Cookie Shake