Breakfast?

I've fallen in love with Rip's Big Bowl. It's a mix of cereals and fruit. I like blueberries and banana on mine. I mix up a big bowl of the cereals then I eat it a half cup at a time as the Rip's Big Bowl is too big for me to eat all at once.

I vary my breakfast everyday as a trainer told me to make sure to mix up what you are eating daily, because if you eat the same thing every single day then your body knows what to expect and learns to store up for that food. It's just like exercise, you need to always be shocking your body with food too.

A few things that I eat

- Oatmeal w/banana
- Rice Chex w/banana
- Toast (Dave's Killer lite bread), egg and fruit
- Bagel thin, egg, cheese and bacon
- Bacon, egg and fruit
- Toast and yogurt
- Yogurt and fruit
- French toast w/Dave's Killer lite bread and sugar free syrup

Fage plain Greek Yogurt with Cinnamon and one cup of frozen Blueberries (or any other berries) - it makes it into the consistency of frozen yogurt or ice cream.... Sometimes I sprinkle some Kashi Go Lean cereal on top.

I'm a breakfast on the go kind of girl. I usually force some Dr. required yogurt down the hatch, a piece of fruit, and something else that I typically make on the weekend and have easily available for the rest of the week, like these...

Breakfast cookies! Yes, I said cookies.

Breakfast cookies - 3 mashed bananas (ripe), 1/3 cup apple sauce, 2 cups uncooked rolled oats, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup walnuts (optional but adds protein), 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp sweetener.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl really well. Let this mixture stand for at least 5 minutes to let the oats become good and hydrated. Heap the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. (3 cookies=242 calories)

Don't want to eat the whole batch? Freeze 'em!

Next week, I think I'll try this:

Egg Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

15 eggs (for silicone muffin pans, use 12 eggs for metal muffin tins. You can use less egg yolks and more egg white if you prefer.)
1-2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional, if you have food allergies or don't have Spike, use any type of seasoning blend that's good with eggs.)
1-2 cups grated low fat cheese (I like sharp cheddar or a blend of cheddar/Jack cheese, use less cheese if using meat)
Optional, but highly recommended, 3 green onions diced small.
Optional: chopped veggies such as blanched broccoli, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc. (Using veggies will reduce the fat content)
Optional: diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, if using, vegetables, if using, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl with pour spout, add Spike, and beat well. (I used to add a bit of half and half or milk, but lately I like the way they turn out without it.) Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep more than a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated, but I like them best when they're just refrigerated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.

smoothie - almond milk, berries (I mix it up) & protein powder

vanilla protein shake with fat free milk, banana and pumpkin pie spice in it - delish!

Most days i'll have oatmeal, whole wheat toast, & orange juice.

This varies so much... Scramble Eggs, Yogurt and fruit.... oatmeal... Honey Bunches of Oats..... *shrugs*

either like a light cereal, or granola in yogurt. Colder months I want hot oatmeal or grits. Green tea or water, depending if I need the pep from tea. And like one kind of fruit. I try to keep breakfast under 300 calories.

Steel cut oats, greek yogurt and coffee