Although the Holidays have come and went, eating healthy and staying in shape are now more prevalent than ever (can you say "New Year's Resolution?!). Although most people's resolutions have slowly taken the back burner along with their new "must-have" technology that they got over Christmas, there are those rare few who are working hard to make 2011 their healthiest year yet.
It's said that four out of five people who make New Year's resolutions will eventually break them, and that a third won't even make it to the end of January. So now that we are heading towards the end of February, what does that mean for you?
Whether or not you are sticking with those promises you made yourself at the New Year, we can all use some tips on how to make healthier choices. And what better way than to make substitutions for foods that would (should) otherwise be banned from our daily food choices?
Here is a list of simple breakfast substitutions that will help to make staying on the health bandwagon all the easier. My next two articles will contain more ideas for lunch, dinner, and dessert, so stay tuned:
For Breakfast:
Instead of butter on your toast, use an all-natural, unprocessed nut butter or fruit butter such as almond, peanut, or apple butter. No sugar added fruit spreads taste great too.
Try adding Vanilla Almond Milk or Soymilk to your morning coffee instead of creamer. This way, you won't have to add any extra sugar. While you're at it, use it on your cereal too.
Make your own Egg McMuffin with a whole wheat English Muffin and an egg. One egg a day really isn't going to do you any harm (cholesterol-wise), but if you are overly concerned about it, use an egg replacer.
Instead of loading your oatmeal with brown sugar, try adding blueberries and a tablespoon or so of Grade-B maple syrup. Grade-B is much less refined and therefore has a richer taste and more vitamins to boot.
If you love pancakes, use whole-wheat flour, an egg replacer, and Almond Milk. Add a little Stevia for some extra sweetness, and some cinnamon too. Top them with your favorite berries and bam, you have a well-rounded breakfast that has plenty of healthy carbs, fiber, and protein to get your morning off to the right start.
You can use the same recipe above for home-made waffles as well.
Tweak the pancake recipe just a bit by removing the flour and you have yourself a nice batter for French Toast. Use whole-wheat or whole-grain bread and you once again have a healthy, well-rounded breakfast.
Instead of buying a dozen pre-mixed yogurts that are full of added sugars, corn syrup, and artificial flavorings, buy a quart of Organic plain or vanilla yogurt and portion it off in your own little containers, adding whatever fruit you love most. Besides tasting great and being much better for you, this will also save you a couple extra bucks.
Store bought granola is often full of added sugars and fats (they use extra oils to help preserve it and keep it all sticking together), so try making your own instead. Use oats, whatever dried fruits and nuts you fancy most, spread them out on a cookie sheet and heat in the oven at 350 for 5 minutes. At this point, take out the cookie sheet, pour some honey or Grade-B maple syrup over the mixture (as the warmth of the mixture will help it to spread more evenly), and stick back in the oven until the mixture starts to brown. Your nose will give you the first clue, so check on it once you start getting that wonderful aroma. For easy clean-up, line the cookie sheet with parchment paper trust me, scraping dried honey off of a cookie sheet is no fun!
I could honestly go on-and-on about different ideas for breakfast (it's my favorite meal of the day), but these simple substitutions should get you started in the right direction. It's never too late to start becoming healthier, so why not start today!
Stay tuned for my next couple articles that will include lunch, dinner, and dessert substitutions to ensure that you will never miss your old unhealthier foods again!
