Banana Bread Smoothie Recipe

It's no secret I love to start my day with a healthy, decadent-flavored smoothie.

Photo credit: Morguefile

I often sip on a Chocolate-Covered Banana Smoothie or Raspberry-Banana Smoothie.

Hey, who says breakfast can't be good for me and delicious?

Today I came up with an oh so tasty treat! Fall is in the air and I've been wanting to make up a loaf of banana bread. Or, maybe pumpkin bread. Anyway, since I haven't had time yet, I adapted the flavor into a smoothie. Enjoy!

Banana Bread Smoothie 

1 serving (approx. 300 calories)

• 1 cup soy milk (I used 8th Continent Soy Milk, Original)
• 1 large banana, cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup dry quick oats

1. Place the milk, banana and honey in the blender.
2. Top with the oats and cinnamon.
3. Combine until creamy, pour and enjoy!

*Note: If you are using a small, single-serve blender, invert the layering of the ingredients, so the oats aren't the first ingredient to touch the blender blades.

Do you have a favorite morning go-to smoothie recipe? Tell me about it in the comments below!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

PS: You can find me on Facebook and Twitter for more delicious ideas!

Healthy Strawberry Shortcake Oatmeal

I eat oatmeal a lot. This morning when I realized I was out of fresh blueberries, raisins or dried fruit of any kind to "spice" up my breakfast, I got creative.
A few minutes later, my breakfast was ready, and it's so good I wanted to share!

A cellphone snapshot of breakfast! Yum!

Last week I made a batch of strawberry sauce (recipe here!) to use up a few pints of berries purchased for a birthday party I ended up not attending. Since it's fruit, I tried pouring it over oatmeal.

It's delicious!

This is so easy, I'm not even going to call it a recipe. While preparing one serving of plain oatmeal, toss in 2 tablespoons of milled flax seed. This adds 3 grams of protein to your breakfast and a healthy dose of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Those are the buggers responsible for reducing inflammation in the body and improving memory. You can get Omega 3's in higher doses from eating fatty fish such as salmon, tuna or trout, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. More importantly, flax seed gives the oatmeal a slightly nutty taste.

Finally, pour the oatmeal into a bowl and pour a generous amount of strawberry sauce on top. That's it! No butter or sugar needed. Serve with a tall glass of milk (soy, rice, cow or whatever you prefer!) to complete the strawberry shortcake experience.

Sure, this isn't like having dessert, but it's darn good for a healthy breakfast.

So, have you been munching on strawberries lately? They are plentiful and cheap in the midwest right now. Share your favorite strawberry related snack, recipe or creation in the comments below! I've been slicing berries and topping them with locally-raised creamed honey. Mmmmm....

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Want to browse some of my older posts? Check out:
Oatmeal Makeover! 5 Oatmeal Combinations
How to Eat Flax Seed
Is Cinnamon a Health Food?

###

Oatmeal Makeover! 5 Oatmeal Combinations

I really do enjoy oatmeal. If you're envisioning a bowl of mushy gray overcooked oats covered in sugary additives, you haven't ventured past the world of microwave quick oats packets. With whole grain steel cut oats and stove top cooked oatmeal readily available, give this heart-healthy whole food a second chance.

Enjoy oatmeal with fruits, nuts and seeds.

 

                      Photo courtesy Morguefile.com

 

 

 

 

Plain oatmeal is boring. I agree. That's why I treat this breakfast-regular like a blank slate each morning. I enjoy experimenting with various oatmeal toppings and mix-ins to create new flavors. From fruits and nuts, to seeds and sweeteners, here are five of my favorite oatmeal combinations.

1. Blueberry Pie Oatmeal
Mix fresh washed blueberries, milled flax seed and almond slivers into the oatmeal a minute before it's done. The blueberries will get warm, and the almonds will not get mushy.

2. Sweet and Salty Oatmeal
Sprinkle salted sunflower seed hearts and a drizzle of honey over a fresh hot bowl of oatmeal.

3. Apple Cobbler Oatmeal
Add a fresh apple cut into cubes to the oats while they cook. Then a minute before the oatmeal is done, stir in ground cinnamon, milled flax seed and chopped walnuts.

4. Mixed Berry Oatmeal 

Try folding raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and a sprinkle of powdered stevia into a hot bowl of oatmeal.

5. Strawberry Oatmeal
This simple oatmeal mix-in is 100 times better than the dried strawberries found oatmeal packets. Simply add sliced strawberries and a packet of stevia to the oatmeal while it bubbles and cooks.

So, what's your favorite way to eat oatmeal?
Please share in the comments below!

Until next time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela
Whole Foods Living

###