By Aimée Capellan
Breakfast:
It is very common for breakfast foods to be quite saccharine; the sweetness in them evokes that temporary sugar-rush that wakes us up in the morning. This is not always a bad thing: it all depends on the type of sugar we choose.
Yes, there is such thing as “good sugars.” Healthy sugars can be found in unrefined carbohydrates, plants, and our favorites, fruits. Starting your day with a proper combination of both can make a big difference in your morning routine. You might find yourself not taking a nap during your morning bus or train ride!
The following recipe will show you how to create a super simple breakfast that will boost your energy levels and also get you into the wintery spirit!
Cinnamon Apple Pie Toast
Ingredients:
2 slices of 100% whole wheat bread
1 apple
Cinnamon
Nutmeg (optional)
Natural honey of maple syrup
Granola or chopped nuts
Preparation:
Toast bread slices (toasting will make it sturdier to hold the other ingredients). While that’s being done, you can choose to slice up your apples and place them (along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey) into a closed container and shake it to mix it all together. It’s like seasoning your apples with sweet honey, nutmeg, and cinnamon. You can also choose to add everything to the toast individually but that will be slightly more time-consuming. Finally, place your seasoned apples on the toast, sprinkle the granola (or chopped nuts), and enjoy!
Health Benefits:
1) 100% whole wheat bread is a good source of carbohydrates. Meaning that, it will satisfy your hunger for longer and provide you with the fibers and overall energy that your body needs.
2) Fruits contain natural sugars (fructose), vitamins, and fibers.
Lunch:
Who doesn’t like cheese? Okay, not everyone does but many of us do. We love to add it to our sandwiches, drizzle it on our fries, or even have it alone in the form of cheese sticks! This food has a bad reputation amongst dieters because it is “high in fat”, but facts say that cheese is also high in protein. It is quite common for protein rich foods to contain fat. However, we must remember that good fats do not make us gain weight. Yes, there are such things as good fats, for instance, the ones in avocadoes can help lower bad cholesterol. Anyway, whether you consume good OR bad fats, everything in moderation is not harmful
The following recipe will combine our mooing friend’s produce with mother earth’s vegetables.
Cheese and Vegetable Wraps (vegetarian)
Ingredients:
100% whole wheat tortillas
1 to 1 ½ tbsp. of Spreadable natural cheese
Tomatoes
Spinach
Broccoli
1 tsp. Olive oil
1 tbsp Vinegar
Pepper
*Cream cheese and cottage cheese are good choices
Preparation:
Firstly, wash all of your veggies. Place the broccoli in a plastic container with a wet paper towel on top (yes, it works.) into the microwave to boil for about 1 minute. After the broccoli is ready, let it cool down for 1 or 2 minutes. Then place all of your vegetables, vinegar, olive oil, and pepper into a container and shake it all to mix. Afterwards, you can choose to warm up your tortilla for 10 seconds in the microwave. Finally, spread the cheese, add the seasoned veggies, and you’re done!
Health Benefits:
1) The wheat tortillas are a good source of carbohydrates. Meaning that, it will satisfy your hunger for longer and provide you with the fiber and overall energy that your body needs.
2) Cheese is a good source of protein (select cheeses are low in sodium have moderate amounts of fat, like the ones mentioned).
3) Veggies have an abundance of vitamins and some (such as spinach) contain hearty amounts of protein!
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well” -Virginia Woolf