Clean eating: Make a whole foods breakfast

wellness

Posted: March 20, 2017

Editor's note: This post is one in a series with information to help you get on the road to clean eating with a whole foods diet. Here we feature two breakfast recipes. Marshfield Clinic Health System registered dietitian Shelly Wildenberg recommends noting your daily habits to determine what is realistic before choosing a whole foods breakfast option. What's a likely problem? Time constraints. "You may have good intentions to get up early and make yourself a healthy breakfast," Wildenberg said. "Maybe snooze happens or your morning routine becomes chaotic. Whatever it may be, if breakfast doesn't fit into your usual routine, prep ahead of time or make changes to your routine so you actually follow through with a healthy breakfast." "We are an on-the-go society, so I like to share satisfying breakfast ideas that fit into hectic lifestyles. You won't be hungry five minutes after eating this," she said. [caption id="attachment_10703" align="alignright" width="450"]Overnight Oats Inside Overnight Oats are a satisfying, whole foods breakfast option and fit into busy lifestyles.[/caption]

Overnight Oats

Option 1: Raspberry-Peanut Butter

Prep time: 5 minutes Chill time: 6 hours

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats*
  • 1 tablespoon whole chia seeds
  • Cinnamon or vanilla extract– approximately 6 drops (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
  • 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
  • 1/2 banana
*Use steel cut oats for a chewier texture.

Instructions

Add water, oats, chia and stevia to a pint jar or other 2-cup container. Swirl to mix. In this order, top with peanut butter, raspberries and banana. Do not mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir and enjoy.

Nutrition information

Each serving contains approximately 418 calories; 23 g fat; 15 g protein; 47 g carbohydrates (31 g net carbs); 11 g sugar; 153 mg sodium; and 16 g fiber. Source: Recipe adapted from minimalistbaker.com. Note: While these recipes are called "overnight oats," they can be made in the morning. The oats and chia seeds soak up water rather quickly. 

Option 2: Blueberry-Raspberry

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or plain regular yogurt
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats*
  • 1 tablespoon whole chia seeds
  • Cinnamon or vanilla extract– approximately 6 drops (optional)
  • 1/8 cup walnuts, almonds or sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
*Use steel cut oats for a chewier texture.

Instructions

Add water, yogurt, oats, chia and stevia to a pint jar or other 2-cup container. Swirl to mix. In this order, top with raspberries, blueberries and walnuts, or nut or seed of choice. Do not mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir and enjoy.

Nutrition information

Calculated using plain non-fat Greek yogurt and sunflower seeds. Nutrition content varies based on yogurt type and seed or nut. Each serving contains approximately 365 calories; 17 g fat; 19 g protein; 43 g carbohydrates (28 g net carbs); 13 g sugar; 62 mg sodium; and 15 g fiber. Source: Recipe adapted from homemadenutrition.com. "Overnight oats are delicious cold," Wildenberg said. "But you certainly can heat them if that's your preference. They keep in the refrigerator for about two days." Make these recipes gluten free by substituting rolled or steel cut oats with gluten-free oats. [su_button url="/-/media/marshfieldclinic/images/shine365/2023/04/32419-OvernightOatsRecipes.pdf" target="blank" background="#a50050" color="#ffffff" size="5" radius="5"]Print overnight oats recipe[/su_button]  

Alternative breakfast ideas

On weekends or days with more time, egg bakes are great whole food breakfast options. Veggie-filled egg bakes are filling and nutritious. Sites like Pinterest offer a variety of egg bake recipes. Or visit American Heart Association to browse their breakfast options.

Mid-day snacks

"Between breakfast and lunch, enjoy a whole foods snack," she said. "Chopped up veggies and hummus, a handful of nuts, or string cheese and a piece of fruit are a few tasty options."

More clean eating tips and recipes

How to begin a whole foods diet Turn whole foods into fast meals Whole foods dinner and eating out tips