150 milligrams sodium, 22 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar, 17 grams protein
APPLE QUINOA CRUNCH
Yield: 4 servings
While oatmeal is a great way to start the day, quinoa is a fabulous alternative to work into your breakfast lineup.
Before:
Many breakfast cereals have a lot of added sugar in the form of corn syrup or brown sugar.
Skinny-Size It:
This cereal features fresh fruit, diced apple, to sweeten your breakfast without adding sugar. In addition, the chopped almonds add crunch, healthy fat and flavor.
Skinny Shopping:
Quinoa is a seed that cooks up like a grain. It is a complete protein, because it has all the essential amino acids. Look for quinoa near the rice in your grocery store. It comes in red, white and purple/black varieties. Nutritionally, they are all the same, but the red variety tends to have a hint of sweetness.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa (1/3 cup dry)
2 medium McIntosh, Golden Delicious (or other varieties good for cooking) apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 ounce (about 22 nuts) unsalted almonds, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup low-fat milk or almond milk
Directions
1 Combine the quinoa, apples, almonds and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cereal is heated through.
2 Spoon the cereal into serving bowls, top with a tablespoon of milk, and serve at once.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
120 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium, 18 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 7 grams sugar, 4 grams protein
OATMEAL OMEGA PARFAIT
Yield: 1 serving
Before:
Granola parfaits are often loaded with calories from sugar and sugary sweet granola. While they may contain some whole grains, when you really look at the nutrition details, is this really the best choice? Furthermore, traditional granola parfaits tend to leave you with a quick energy crash after the sugar rush.
Skinny-Size It:
Make your own parfait by layering oatmeal, fresh fruit, yogurt and Barlean’s Strawberry Banana Omega Swirl Flax Oil. This is a winning combination that will fill you up without the sugar rush and energy crash. Oatmeal Omega Parfait contains only 9 grams of sugar per serving, and the fiber and protein will help to keep you full and will help balance blood sugar levels, too.
Skinny Tip:
What is the difference between steel-cut oats and rolled oats? Steel-cut oats are whole-grain groats (grains of oat missing only the hull) that are cut into little pieces and when cooked have a heartier texture. Rolled oats (aka old-fashioned oats) are oat groats that have been steamed and rolled to reduce the cooking time. Nutritionally both are a great option but switch it up from time to time for the texture variety!
Ingredients
1/2 cup cooked steel-cut or old-fashioned oats (1/4 cup dry oats)
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Barlean’s Strawberry Banana Omega Swirl Flax Oil
Directions
1 In a clear 12-ounce or larger drinking glass, layer the oatmeal, sliced strawberries, yogurt and flax oil, alternating, up to the top of the glass. Serve at once.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
230 calories, 7 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 55 milligrams sodium, 30 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar, 15 grams protein
TROPICAL MANGO OATMEAL
Yield: 2 servings
Before:
Many oatmeal recipes contain added sugar, which delivers sweetness but is not nutrient rich.
Skinny Shopping:
Coconut milk is typically found in the baking section and the ethnic food section of the grocery store. Regular coconut milk is high in calories and saturated fat, so the Skinny choice is light coconut milk. Not only does it have a lighter calorie price tag, but it is also full of flavor. In general, the goal is to limit the amount of saturated fat in your diet, though research is finding that not all saturated fats are created equal. For example, the saturated fat in coconut milk is lauric acid, which doesn’t seem to adversely impact heart health.
Skinny-Size It:
To add sweetness to dishes, turn to fresh fruit. For example, this recipe derives its sweet taste from mango (a personal favorite), shredded coconut and light coconut milk, resulting in a tropical way to start your day. While the overall sugar content (14 grams per serving) is similar to that of plain oatmeal with a tablespoon of brown sugar, this recipe boasts 4 grams of fiber per serving, which is double the amount in plain oatmeal sweetened with brown sugar thanks to the mango. Plus, the mango provides immune-boosting vitamin A and vitamin C!
Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup diced mango
1 tablespoon shredded coconut
1/2 cup light coconut milk
Directions
1 Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oats, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
2 Spoon the oatmeal into 2 serving bowls. Top each bowl with the diced mango, shredded coconut and coconut milk, and serve at once.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
160 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 15 milligrams sodium, 29 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 14 grams sugar, 3 grams protein
BRAN FLAX MUFFINS
Yield: 12 servings (1 muffin each)
Before:
Store-bought muffins tend to be gigantic in size, and one muffin can have as much fat as you need for a whole day. In addition to their large size and fat content, they tend to be made with all-purpose white flour, which lacks fiber and other key nutrients.
Skinny-Size It:
Whole-wheat flour, flaxseed meal and wheat bran not only make a wonderful base for a muffin, but they also deliver fiber to help balance blood sugar levels and keep you feeling full! This muffin gains additional fiber from shredded carrots and apples and uses the Skinny swap of 4 egg whites, instead of 2 whole eggs.
Skinny Tip:
Flaxseed meal is made from flaxseeds, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are high in fiber.
Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray or 12 paper cupcake liners, for greasing or lining the muffin tin
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cup wheat bran
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