The day has not yet started, and you are already feeling tired and overwhelmed, how can you be productive? Did you know that what you have for breakfast will not only greatly impact how much energy you have throughout the day, but will also impact your mood?
Waking up, running out the door, and grabbing a coffee and a bagel or muffin at the drive-through will certainly not keep you sustained. Not to mention leading to a host of other problems over the longer term. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where breakfast is too hastily discarded as unimportant; or, when we do have breakfast, it is too often one that is tremendously sugar- and carbohydrate-heavy.
To properly support all bodily functions – including a healthy brain – and have sustained energy throughout the day, a macro-balanced breakfast, consisting of carbohydrates, protein AND healthy fats is key.
Free of time constraints, we could make a lovely vegetable omelette, with a side of leafy greens, topped with pumpkin seeds, some avocado, and olive oil – now that would be nutritious and delicious! But as time is most often so frightfully scarce before heading to the office, a little advanced preparation can be a great solution. Just 10 minutes of your evening will allow you to prepare three mornings of breakfasts. So how about giving it a try and putting together some overnight oats? Not only quick and easy to prepare, they are also delicious, healthy and last 3-4 days in the fridge. A great option to start off your day. Especially since you can simply ‘grab-and-go!’
How do we make these overnight oats, you say? The beauty about these is, with a little experience, you can start exploring and mixing in different ingredients, in order to come up with your own creations!
But to get you started, here is a banana bread overnight oat recipe. Combine all ingredients in a mason jar, refrigerate overnight, and top with your favs, such as banana, cocoa nibs, and nuts.
- ½ mashed banana
- ½ cup milk of choice (ex: hemp or almond)
- ½ cup mixed oats (steel cut or rolled oats)
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Enjoy!
Written by Catherine Binette, Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Catherine has a clinical focus in general wellness and women’s health including teens and moms. She currently lives and works in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Disclaimer – Everything shared is for informative purposes only. It is not intended for assessment, diagnosis or treatment purposes. If you feel there needs to be further investigation, please seek out a qualified health care professional for a proper assessment.