Culinary Chronicles: Beating the Breakfast Blues

As midterms have come and gone, I have reached a breakfast rut. After waking up at the last possible moment to make myself somewhat presentable, I grab a granola bar, and then hit up Middle Ground before class. Now, even if I hadn’t completely depleted my Lynx Bucks, this is still not the ideal way to consume my most important meal of the day. The granola bar does not provide nearly enough nutrients to get me through the morning (by my 11:00 class I’m normally bombarded with annoyingly obvious stomach grumbles) and the calorie-laden Starbucks has been doing nothing for my waistline.

So in a moment of inspiration (spurred by the desperation after looking at my Lynx Bucks balance), I vowed to create an easy, delicious and healthy dorm breakfast, accompanied with a low-calorie drink. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I looked to embody a certain holiday vibe.

On a Tuesday morning, with the wonderful opportunity of a canceled morning class, I created something absolutely life changing. Grab-n-Go Bars and Starbucks no more, I’m going to be eating banana granola parfaits with pumpkin spice soy lattes.

The recipes that follow are easy, and take less than 10 minutes to complete, a fraction of your morning routine. More importantly, they are healthy and delicious. The parfait is made with Chobani and Bare Naket granola. If you haven’t jumped on the Greek yogurt bandwagon, you should. Greek yogurt is low fat and full of protein. And with brands like Chobani, it’s creamy and delicious rather than bitter and tasteless. Bare Naked Fit Granola manages to keep all the good stuff about granola without all the extra sugar. It’s earthy-enough to be free of preservatives, but not so outdoorsy that you can’t pick it up at your local Kroger.

The latte just requires soy, Sweet and Low, and Sugar Free Coffe Mate. You keep the taste without all the unnecessary junk. It’s sweet, but not the kind that gives you cavities. 

I probably will still have those days where I wake up at the last possible moment, incorporating a granola bar and the Middle Ground into my sprint to class. But with such tasty, cheaper option just minutes away in my dorm room, I may be tempted to set that alarm just a little earlier.
           

Banana/Granola Parfait

 
-1 container of Chobani Low-Fat Greek Yogurt (any flavor should work!)
-1 cup of Bear Naked Fit granola (I used the Vanilla Almond Crunch variety)
-1 banana
 
Slice banana and combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix, or leave layed for a parfait effect.
 

Pumpkin Spice Soy Latte

 
-Coffee, or Instant Coffee (I used Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Instant Coffee)
-1 cup soymilk
-4 spoonfuls of pumpkin puree
-Coffee Mate Sugar Free French Vanilla coffee creamer
-1 packets of Sweet and Low
-1 pinch of Pumpkin Pie Spice
 
Make coffee. Combine all remaining ingredients, mix, and microwave for 2 minutes. Mix coffee and latte mix in a 1:1 ratio (this recipe will make about 2 lattes). Sprinkle top with Pumpkin Pie Spice for a garnish, and enjoy!
 
Recipe for latte adapted from FitStyle09.blogspot.com