Apple Almond Oatmeal

Growing up, I rarely ate breakfast. When I did, it was usually just some cereal and I was out the door. Well, once I was old enough that I made my own decision about breakfast. Now I can't function without eating something in the morning! Boy, how times have changed.

One of my go-to breakfasts is this simple apple almond oatmeal. It comes together quick and is super easy- you probably have all of these ingredients in your pantry right now!

It's super easy to make this your own- not a fan of almonds? Swap it out for another nut like walnuts. Add more apple. Omit the cinnamon. Add nutmeg. Switch it up each time until you find that perfect combination.

Two things about this recipe: First, it's important to have a good tasting apple. Super sweet and juicy apples can be tough to find this time of year, so just be sure the one you're using tastes good. It can really make or break this recipe. Second, the amount of water called for in this recipe will produce a thicker oatmeal. Just add 1 cup of water instead of 3/4 if you like your oats a thinner.

Apple Almond Oatmeal
serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 C. old-fashioned oats (not quick oats. you can also use gluten-free oats)
1/2 of a small apple, cut into chunks
1 tbsp. sliced almonds
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
3/4 C. water

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a 2 cup microwave safe bowl or mug.
Microwave for 2 minutes, or until oatmeal is the right consistency for your taste.

Sprinkle with a little brown sugar, if you're feeling sweet! Enjoy!

Healthy Spinach Egg White Omelette

I've been in a breakfast rut. I think for the past month I've switched between apple almond oatmeal (I'll post my recipe soon- it's yummy!) and eggs over-easy w/ whole wheat toast and an orange. Both delicious, but after eating these things so often in the last month I'm pretty much over it. Kind of like I'm over the ridiculous cold weather we're having this winter.

Saturday morning I woke up motivated to try something new for breakfast. After all, I had the time- no kids to rush out the door and get to school, no errands to run, and nowhere to be until the later in the  afternoon. For a minute there I thought I was dreaming- it's not like mornings are carefree like this every day!

Ok, back to breakfast.

Basically, what I came up with was an egg white spinach omelette and it was super yummy. It was also packed full of nutrition- which is pretty important for your first meal of the day.

The egg whites are packed with protein, are low calorie (48 calories for 3 whites), and have no cholesterol or fat. Egg whites are missing nutrients like b12, vitamin D, and iron- so go ahead and mix this up once in a while by adding 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites. Still much lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol than using 3 whole eggs!

Spinach is nutrient dense and loaded with nutrients like:

Vitamin A: promotes healthy vision,  boosts the immune system, and promotes healthy cell growth  (i.e. inhibits cancerous cell growth).

Magnesium: helps with body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and transmission of nerve impulses- among many other things!

Spinach is also packed with vitamin K, folate, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2 & B6, and potassium. It's a great source of protein, fiber, and zinc, too!

Seriously, if you don't eat this leafy green, start! If you're not a fan of veggies, whip up a green smoothie with extra fruit and you won't even know the spinach is in there. Pinky promise.

Spinach Egg White Omelette 

Ingredients
3 egg whites, slightly beaten
1 handful of fresh spinach
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. parmesan cheese (mozzarella or monterey jack work here, too)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat skillet on medium-low and spritz with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Lightly beat egg whites in a small bowl, just until foamy. Add onion powder and spinach to egg whites, mix until combined.

3. Pour into skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, or just until it's set. Flip over and cook another 1-2 minutes.

4. Fold omelette in half and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add some fresh fruit and whole grain toast and you've got one heck of a breafkast! Enjoy!


Linking up with Kelly the Kitchen Kop at Real Food Wednesday! Go check out all the other yummy real food recipes over there!

My Favorite Granola Recipe

Granola is one of those things that is so easy to make, but I didn't realize how easy it was for a long time. I spent so much money on store bough granola. *Sigh*

One day I was flipping through my favorite magazine- Real Simple- and I spotted a recipe for Easy Granola. I ripped the page out and tried it myself. They don't lie. It is E. A. S. Y. The only thing you've got to watch out for is not over browning. I might have burned half of the first batch I ever made... but never again!

RS's Easy Granola is also very easy to customize. I'm not a fan of coconut, so I swap in walnuts. I like to add Craisins, but you could easily add any dried fruit you'd like. You gotta love variety and options right?

I like to eat my granola over yogurt, but it is also really good plain and dry. Throw some in a to-go container and you've got a healthy snack where ever you go.

I'm sharing my version of this recipe (this is what you see in the picture below) you can find RS's version here. (this is not a sponsored post)

Ingredients:

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup unsalted shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Toss the oats, almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl with the maple syrup and oil until everything is evenly coated.

Spread out on a jelly roll pan in an even layer and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Take the pan out of the oven, toss the granola around and then spread evenly. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Once out of the oven, toss again and leave on the pan to cool. Mix in the dried cranberries and store in an air tight container for up to 3 weeks.

What's your favorite thing about granola? Is it the crunchy? The dried fruit? Or do you just love it all? Feel free to share your favorite recipe with us too!

Homemade Vanilla Maple Cinnamon Coffee Creamer

By now you all know I'm a coffee lover, and these cool fall temperatures making me reach for the coffee pot every morning to warm up!

I've recently started experimenting with making my own coffee creamer at home. I just can't handle the fact that store-bought "creamers" contain pretty much anything but cream in them- just a bunch of chemicals and artificial flavors. If you've read my "Cut the Junk" series, you'll know that we've kicked artificial flavors and colors to the curb in our house and I have to admit, my store-bought coffee creamer was probably the hardest for me to give up.

Just to put it in perspective, here is the ingredient list for a popular brand of vanilla-caramel creamer:

INGREDIENTS: WATER, SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN AND/OR COTTONSEED OIL, AND LESS THAN 2% OF SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)**, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, CELLULOSE GEL, CELLULOSE GUM, COLOR ADDED, CARRAGEENAN.

Can you spot the cream? Milk? Vanilla? Caramel? Yeah... neither can I.

Since the fall season is upon us and I'm obsessed, I figured I'd share my favorite homemade seasonal flavor with you guys today- Vanilla Maple Cinnamon. It reminds me of the maple rolls my parents sell at their bakery. #ohmygoshyum! Yes, I just used a hashtag in my blog post. I also almost said 'LOL" out loud the other day when I read something funny. Woah- social media is getting the best of me, but that's a whole other blog post and I digress...

So back to the creamer- all it takes is a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of your time. I promise you'll never go back to the store-bought "creamer" ever again.

Vanilla Maple Cinnamon Coffee Creamer

Ingredients
1 c. organic 1/2 and 1/2
3-4 tbsp. pure maple syrup (you could use 2 tbsp. for less sweetness)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Dash of cinnamon (up 1/4 tsp.)

Warm 1/2 and 1/2 and maple syrup in saucepan. Once you see a little steam coming from the pan, whisk in your vanilla and cinnamon. Be mindful as you're adding the cinnamon- add a little at a time and taste as you go.

Remove from heat and pour into a glass container. Mason jars work awesome for this. Cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Creamer is good for 7-10 days in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

What's your favorite coffee creamer flavor? Let me know- I might try it out next and feature it on the blog! 

The Perfect Bran Muffins

Don't you just love fresh muffins? Nice and warm out of the oven- that's the best.

This recipe has been in my family for a while. It's my aunt's recipe and I'm so grateful she shared it. Bran muffins are so delicious, such a great flavor. These muffins are nice and moist and fluffy. You can mix them up many different ways and the best part is- the batter keeps in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. 6 WEEKS! That means you can wake up and just make a couple of muffins every morning.

You can always have warm, fresh muffins!

Aunt Trish's Bran Muffins

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

In a separate bowl, mix 3 cups All Bran cereal and 1/2 cup hot water. Let sit while you prep other ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, combine the following:

2 eggs

3/4 cup canola oil

2 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Once combined, add 2 cups buttermilk and bran mixture and mix well.

Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes. *Remember to add water to any muffin cups that aren't filled.

Batter can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Variations 

Separate a portion of the batter and mix your choice of the following:

Chocolate chips

Raisins (soak the raisins first)

Blueberries

Topping

Cut together 1 Tablespoon of cold butter, 2 Tablespoons of flour, and 2 Tablespoons brown sugar. Sprinkle on top of muffins.

Spreads

These muffins are great plain with a little butter but they are also great with jelly, peanut butter, nutella, or any other spread!

These muffins are a great, healthy option. Making a couple of muffins at a time lets you change up breakfast!

See more recipes to help you bake outside the box here.

August in Review

August has been a fun month! Lots of great tips and good recipes.


Here's a look at a few of our favorite posts from August:

A simple tip for perfect mashed potatoes. Creamy mp's are easier than you think!

When it comes to having mom friends, it can be hard to meet other moms when you move to a new place. Our mom friend, Lissette, introduced herself. Part 2 of this post is coming soon :)

Erin Condren Week was so colorful and organized! Jess and I love practical things that make our lives easier. Keeping up with life is fun and functional with the EC products we love: the Oh!What a Week and Life Planners.

Jess shared a few recipes that double as "life savers". Don't want to throw out bananas that are too ripe? Hate buying applesauce that has high fructose corn syrup, or the expensive stuff that is without HFC? Are you searching for great gluten free products and a recipe you can make at home? Check out these posts from this month:

One way to use over-ripe bananas is this yummy recipe!

Flavor applesauce the real food way {and save money while you're at it}.

Jess' favorite gluten free products and a yummy gluten free recipe to make snack time extra yummy.

10 Ways to use over-ripe bananas + A Yummy Muffin Recipe

We eat a lot of bananas in our house. All four of us love them, but most of the time we just don't eat them fast enough and I'm left with a bunch of over ripe bananas on the kitchen counter. I don't like to throw out food, and brown-spotted bananas are no exception!

Here are a few ways to use up those bananas when they've gotten past their prime:

1. Banana Bread
2. Chocolate covered bananas
3. Banana Sauce (super yummy over fresh fruit!)
4. Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
5. Banana Ice Cream (recipe)
6. Freeze to use in smoothies
7. Banana Oatmeal Muffins (my kids love this recipe!)
8. Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Sammies
9. Bake Chocolate Coconut Cookies (recipe)
10. Cinnamon Grilled Bananas (recipe)

One of my favorite recipes that includes bananas are my chocolate chip banana muffins.

They are perfect for breakfast, a snack on-the-go, or as a sweet treat in your kids lunch box.

These definitely fall in the "20%" category of our 80/20 real food rule, but like I've said in the past- it's ok to treat yourself sometimes! :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
adapted from original recipe by Baked Perfection

Ingredients
1 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 C. whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder (this is easy to find at your local grocer!)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 C. dark chocolate chips
1 tbsp. whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. turbinado sugar 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line muffin cups. 

In a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid), mix together all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour until well combined. Add in baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugars, vanilla, egg, and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until combined. Be careful not to over-mix. 

In a small bowl, mix together chocolate chips and 1 tbsp. flour- this keeps the chocolate chips well dispersed in your muffin. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter. 

Fill muffin cups evenly and sprinkle the tops of each muffin with turbinado sugar. If you don't have turbinado sugar (I rarely do), you can just use granulated sugar or no sugar at all. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For mini muffins (great for school lunch or a quick sweet treat), start checking at 8 minutes. 

12 Ways to Use Greek Yogurt

I have a slight obsession with teal, chevron, old navy flip flops, Pioneer Woman, and greek yogurt. I seriously try to use greek yogurt in anything and everything I can. My poor husband has to listen to my latest substitution on almost a daily basis... but you know, he knew he was marrying a Health Educator, so he shouldn't be surprised. ;)

There are so many ways to use greek yogurt besides the obvious sour cream swap. If you aren't a greek yogurt fan, you can still get the benefits by using some of the ideas I'm about to share because the taste isn't noticeable in many of them!

In honor of my love of greek yogurt, I'm sharing my top 12 favorite ways to use it!

1. Add to smoothies 
2. Put on top of a baked potato, chili, or taco
3. Make these yummy key lime bars
4. Use on top of breakfast staples like pancakes or waffles
5. Combine with peanut butter for a sweet fruit dip
6. Make whipped greek yogurt cream
7. Use in banana sauce recipe (serve with fruit- yum!)
8. Make your kiddo this "No Junk Allowed" breakfast parfait
9. Mix with berry sauce and fresh fruit
10. Mix with lemon zest, pepper and salt for a pre-grill marinade on chicken.
11. Use in homemade ranch dressing
12. Sweeten and use on fruit pizza (ditch the cream cheese!).

Want to see even more ways to use greek yogurt? Check out our "Greek Yogurt Love" Pin Board!

Eating greek yogurt is so great for your health, but I know it can be hard to make the switch from regular yogurt. My Mommy Machine Secret is to mix half greek yogurt with half regular yogurt, and then cut back on the regular yogurt until you don't need it anymore. Baby steps! ;)

Healthilicious: Whipped Greek Yogurt Cream

It's safe to say that it's no secret that I have a sweet tooth. It's kind of ironic, really, considering I'm also kind of a health nerd. I'm also kind of obsessed with greek yogurt. So, sweet tooth + greek yogurt obsession= 0, right? Like, they cancel each other out. :)

The other day I was craving some berries & whipped cream, but was feeling guilty about the whipped cream part. I got the idea to create a whipped greek yogurt cream; I wasn't quite sure how it would work or if it would work at all, but I was going to give it a try.

My first try failed, but I gave it another go and whipped greek yogurt cream instantly became my new favorite way to use greek yogurt!

It's still light like whipped cream, but also a little creamy and tangy from the greek yogurt. It was the perfect thing to top my super sweet berries (and I bet it would be delish on top of homemade pancakes or waffles!) and I'm sure I'll be eating this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack for the next week.

The best thing about this recipe is that you can adjust the sweetness. I knew my berries were super sweet, so I didn't make my cream as sweet as I normally would. My recipe reflects this, so you may need to add more sweetener to yours. You can also control the type of sweetener you use- I used a combination of pure maple syrup and granulated sugar. Any sweetener would work well here.

I wouldn't call this recipe "healthy", but it's definitely "healthier" because I subbed half of my regular whipped cream recipe with the whipped greek yogurt. With added protein, as well as live and active cultures from the yogurt we've definitely boosted the nutritional value of regular ol' whipped cream!

My daughter even loved it, so it's kid-approved!

Whipped Greek Yogurt Cream

Ingredients

3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. plain non-fat greek yogurt (I'm partial to Chobani)
2-3 splashes pure maple syrup
2-3 tsp. pure granulated sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)

Directions

Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, whisk the heavy cream and maple syrup together until it forms soft peaks (or stiff peaks if you prefer that consistency). If you don't have a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer works great too! 

Transfer the whipped cream to a medium sized bowl and set aside. 

Rinse out the mixing bowl, then add greek yogurt and sugar. Add vanilla extract if you're feeling fancy. Whip for approximately 2 minutes. Taste and add another teaspoon of sugar if need be. 

Add yogurt to whipped cream and fold gently until combined. Check sweetness level and add another splash of sweetener if needed. 

Store in airtight container for up to one week and enjoy! 

Cut the Junk: 1 Week of Meals

Remember the time you read a really awesome "Cut the Junk" series, got inspired, and then didn't know where to start? Yes? Me too.

I know what it's like to be completely overwhelmed while trying to make a lifestyle change. The first time I walked into the natural foods section of our local grocery store to buy gluten-free food for Speedy, I was so overwhelmed I wanted to give up... and I had barely even started. Giving up wasn't an option, and 2 years later I can talk anyone's ear off about gluten-free foods. 

Any lifestyle change is going to be tough. There's a learning curve, and mistakes will be made whether they are intentional or not. You'll want to give up some days because, let's face it, it's easier not to worry about how your food is grown, where it comes from, and how it's produced. Food is just too complicated these days; it's not simple like when my great-grandparents grew most of their own food on their little farm property in Iowa. 

Since I know how overwhelming all of this can be (and I'm still overwhelmed every time I take another "baby step"), I want to help you get off on the right foot. I've put together a one week "real food" meal plan which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack prep list.

Clean Lean Mommy Machine: A Week of Real Food Meals

Clean Lean Mommy Machine: A Week of Real Food Snacks

Well, folks, this marks the end of the "Cut the Junk" series. I hope you were inspired and encouraged throughout the last couple of months, and will start to make some positive changes towards real food! I'll still be writing about my own real food journey, sharing tips, and answering questions I've received from our awesome readers in future posts. If you ever have questions, you can leave them here, shout them out on Twitter, or ask on Facebook. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and chances are someone else is wondering about it as well. ;)

Need to catch up on the series? I've got ya covered...

Week 5: Snack Swap

Week 4: Dinner Makeover

Week 3: Lunch Swap

Week 2: Breakfast Makeover 

Week 1: Food Makeover

Tip for Tuesday: Pancakes Anytime

We are big pancake eaters around here.

I don't know anyone who has time to make pancakes every morning. I sure don't. But I also hate to buy pancakes because they are so simple to make!

In order to have homemade pancakes every morning, without having to make pancakes every morning, I double the recipe and let the extra pancakes cool on a cooling rack.

Once they are completely cool, I put them in a gallon-sized zip-close bag and stick 'em in the freezer.

Whenever we want pancakes, I take a couple out of the freezer, microwave for 30 seconds or so and there they are!

This also works for waffles.

We would love you to share your favorite tip with us. We might just try it out and feature you and your idea on Tip for Tuesday! 

Healthilicious: Grandma's Banana Bread

My Grandma knows how to bake. That's for sure. She gets credit for the yummiest oatmeal cookies and, as you will soon see, her banana bread is the best. I love it. It never lasts long in our house.  Even my kids eat it up!

I love bananas. As a side note, I feel the need to point out, Jess and I don't deny our love obsession with the Pioneer Woman. This is one time I kind of disagree with her, though. She doesn't like bananas! I try to understand because I love PW, but I can't imagine not liking this super fruit ;) I usually buy some every week at the grocery store.  Sometimes I buy extra so I can make banana bread.  The best bananas to use for this recipe are the over-ripe ones.

Now, my disclaimer is that "over-ripe" to me means the bananas have lost the last hint of green color. Once there are brown spots on the banana, I'm out. Over it. Not gonna peel it anymore. Those bananas are destined for banana bread.  The riper they are the more banana flavor they will add to the banana bread and then I don't feel wasteful. *bonus*

Another bonus- and what makes this bread a healthilicious recipe- is that bananas are packed with good-for-you stuff. Bananas are a "super fruit" for many reasons, here are a few:

• Did you know that if you are prone to soreness after working out you should eat a banana? The potassium from the banana will help to take the lactic acid (stuff that makes you sore) around your muscles away.
• The bananas are a good source of fiber. Add in the whole wheat flour from this recipe and you're getting some great fiber. You know, so you can have a "regular" day **wink*wink**.
• Bananas are also really good at boosting your energy levels because they have B vitamins, another reason this bread recipe is a great choice for breakfast!

Let's bake!

Ingredients:

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. vegetable oil

2 eggs

3 bananas- smushed up {I peel them, put them on a plate, and then smash the bananas with a fork}

1 tsp. baking soda

2 c. flour {I use 3/4 c. whole wheat flour and 1-1/4 c. all purpose flour}

1/2 c. wheat germ {this is optional, if you use wheat germ, don't use whole wheat flour}

  

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.



Combine ingredients above in the order they are listed making sure to mix each ingredient until incorporated before adding the next. Add the flour 1/2 c. at a time to make sure it is well incorporated.


Pour batter into a well greased 10" loaf pan.

Bake for an hour {check it after 50 minutes though}. The bread is done with it splits on the top and a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

I prefer mine to be served topped with butter, but it's good plain too!

Enjoy!

Friday Favorite: Iced Mocha

Have you tried this, it is amazing:

As soon as warm weather hits, I switch to iced "coffee" in the mornings. Via makes my life way easier. And, actually, I make mine a mocha.  I hate the bitterness of coffee. Even with a bit of cream and sugar, it still makes me cringe.  So, half n' half and chocolate syrup to the rescue!

There's no recipe to this- it's all about your taste in coffee. If I am feeling a little tired, I add a bit more coffee. If I'm feeling a little "blah", I add a little more chocolate... you get the idea.

See what I mean about adding half and half? I must have slept well this morning.

Here's what I use to make mine *ice isn't pictured, and make sure you add the ice to your cup last for better mixing*

{I do 2 via packets at a time in my Pampered Chef pitcher. 2 packets usually last me 3 mornings.}

I mix in the half & half and chocolate syrup to my cup every morning- the only thing that goes into the pitcher is water and via.

I can tell when I have added the right amount of half and half by the color, then I add about a teaspoon of chocolate syrup, mix well, add ice and enjoy.

I even dedicate a shelf on the fridge door to iced mocha-ness. The less I have to search for in the morning, the better.

I had just mixed a new pitcher (you can tell by the bubbles), this pitcher is amazing because it makes stirring unnecessary. One less thing to do pre-coffee every morning!

Regardless of what your proportion of coffee to cream is, this is a great way to start your day!  In my opinion :-) The only thing that makes it better is some whipped cream!


{Starbucks and Pampered Chef have nothing to do with this post, this post is not sponsored in any way. I'm just sharing because I want to tell you about how I like my iced mochas... that's all}

Cut the Junk: Breakfast Makeover

When I was younger, I was not a breakfast person. I literally couldn't stomach it. Then usually while I was sitting in 2nd hour (hello, 1997!) my stomach would start making all kinds of crazy noises. You know the ones I'm talking about.

{P.S. If you missed week one of this series, check it out here.}

As a parent, I make sure my kiddos eat breakfast and I notice a difference when they do. I'm also very conscious about what they eat because as you know, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!". Cliche, I  know, but it's true.

If you're like most parents, convenience is a big part of your breakfast routine. You need something quick and easy; I get it. Believe me, I don't slave away making homemade breakfasts every morning. But, I do offer healthier alternatives to my kids.

There are so many sugary breakfast cereals, bars and pastries available today, and while those are ok once in a while, they are not ideal for starting off the morning right. Not to mention, they are usually filled with artificial colors, sugars, fat, and sodium. And yes, cereals are processed. We go for organic cereals without artificial colors and flavors. It's part of our 20%, although we are very mindful of the ingredients- regardless.

Give your breakfast a makeover with these healthier alternatives!

1. Homemade granola with milk and fresh fruit

2. Plain greek yogurt- top with berries or stir in homemade berry sauce

3. Eggs with 100% whole wheat toast, fruit, and organic bacon

4. Smoothies. Add in some spinach. You won't taste it. Pinky promise.

5. Oatmeal. You can make "instant" oatmeal packets at home.

My daughter's favorite breakfast is a cereal breakfast parfait. It's super simple, quick to put together, and delicious! She loves to pick out the yogurt flavor and fruit topping; it's a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.

And yes, cereals are processed. We go for organic cereals with few ingredients and without artificial colors and flavors.

What you'll need:

Cereal (Envirokids Gorilla Munch, or any cereal without artificial flavor/color)

Chobani Champions Greek Yogurt

Fresh Fruit

Layer just a like a parfait: cereal, yogurt, and top with fruit. Enjoy! 

Try this recipe with your kids; I promise they will love it. Then give some of our other breakfast ideas a try. You'll feel good knowing you're giving your family a wholesome, nutritious breakfast!

Do you have a great breakfast makeover idea? We would love to hear about it, so leave your idea in the comment section- we might just feature it in a future post!