The Wellness Whisk
  • HOME
  • Contact
  • HOME
  • Contact

Sunday Breakfast Prep for the Week

10/13/2014

2 Comments

 

with Hearty Apple Almond Crisp

Picture
You will quickly learn that I care a tremendous amount about breakfast, am a self-proclaimed breakfast-pusher and still believe it IS the most important meal of the day despite arguments and studies against the age-old saying. 

This is why: breakfast jumpstarts my day and ultimately motivates me to end the day as well as it starts.  

Eating breakfast is a daily reminder that I begin the day on the right foot, nourishing not just my body but also my mind. 

The positive start to the day gives me more energy physically and mentally, allowing me to concentrate better knowing that I am prepared to work or study without dealing with mood swings or cravings from lightheadedness due to low blood sugar levels. Choosing to have a healthful breakfast not only gets your engine going, but also prompts good decision making from the moment you get up. You are more likely to avoid the worse for you foods and prevent overeating at lunch or dinner. 

Even if there are clashing studies on breakfast's physiological benefits, there are plenty of studies showing that skipping breakfast is associated with eating more throughout the day, greater BMI (body mass index), weight gain and metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease and diabetes (1,2,3,4). Those risk factors include a large waist circumference, low HDL cholesterol levels (high-density lipoproteins aka ‘good cholesterol’), high triglyceride levels, high fasting blood sugar and high blood pressure (5). Earlier this year a prospective study from Sweden also reported that adolescents who skip breakfast or have "poor breakfast habits" are at increased risk for metabolic syndrome later in life. Eek! Too young!!
Picture
If your main excuse to skip breakfast is that you don’t have enough time in the morning to prepare, then try making it the night before (ex. overnight oats or yogurt parfait) or making something that is easy to eat during your commute (ex. veggie omelet wrap, homemade smoothie or nut butter on toast). Remember, breakfast doesn’t have to be huge or even comprised of traditional breakfast foods, but it does need to be a nutritious combination of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats, and limited in sugar and saturated fats. 
Picture
Check out one of my favorite balanced breakfasts that you only need to make once but can eat for a week (i.e. meal prep) when you know your schedule is going to be extra busy. My Hearty Apple Almond Crisp is loaded with fiber (whole grains, fruit), protein and omega-3 fatty acids, all necessary nutrients to keep my brain focused, my hunger managed, my mood stabilized, my digestive system running and my heart healthy. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
And the recipe is easy peasy: place the fruit mixture in the pan, top with the oats mixture and bake in the oven until the crisp turns golden brown and the fruit liquids start to boil through the top. This recipe includes apples (yes, I am still using my Annual Farm Crawl apples - 13 pounds is a lot!), plums and blueberries, but feel free to get creative and switch up the combinations to your fruit preferences. 

Picture
Hearty Apple Almond Crisp
Yields: 8 servings (7" x 11" glass baking pan)
  • 3 medium apples
  • 2 chopped plums
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 2 Tbsp orange juice (or lemon juice)
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup 
Topping
  • 1 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup flaxseeds, whole 
  • 3/4 cup walnuts (chopped)
  • 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375*F. 

Combine the topping dry ingredients in a bowl.  FYI - the flaxseeds have a strong nutty flavor to them so if you don't want that to stand out, cut the amount in half.  

In a separate bowl, chop up the apples and plums into 1"-2" pieces and combine with the blueberries. Add all of the spices, orange juice and maple syrup from the first list of ingredients and stir until all of the fruit is coated. Spread the mixture into the bottom of a baking pan (make sure to grease it - I misted it with olive oil). 

Add the almond milk, maple syrup and olive oil to the dry mix. Spread the oats mixture evenly on top of the fruit base.

Bake the crisp for ~45 minutes until the topping turns golden brown and the liquid starts to bubble through. 

Eat alone or top with some nonfat plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!! :D

Picture
2 Comments
wuxiaworld link
4/17/2017 07:22:51 am

you have share the amazing Sunday Breakfast Prep for the Week i would love your recipe when i will use it <a href="https://wuxiadream.com/"> wuxiaworld </a>

Reply
Dean link
12/16/2020 10:00:51 pm

Grateful for shariing this

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Maxine Yeung
    MS, RD, CPT,
    ​NBC-HWC

    Pastry Cook turned Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Certified Health & Wellness Coach.  

    Archives

    May 2021
    September 2020
    July 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    March 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Antioxidants
    Apples
    Balanced Bite
    Bees
    Breakfast
    California
    Chocolate
    Complex Carbs
    Cookies
    Dessert
    Fall
    Family
    Farm Fresh
    Fiber
    Fitness
    Fruit
    Fruit Based
    Garnish
    Good Cause
    Grief
    Healthy Fats
    Healthy Tips
    Heart Healthy
    Lifestyle
    Local
    Mothers
    Nuts
    Oats
    Outdoors
    Parenting
    Pears
    Personal
    Porridge
    Protein
    Pumpkin
    Quinoa
    Sauce
    Sides
    Slow Cooker
    Smoothie
    Snack
    Spices
    Sweet Potato
    Vegan
    Whole Grains
    Whole Wheat

©2013-2022 The Wellness Whisk, LLC. Information provided here is not meant to diagnose or treat any health condition or override any information presented by your individual medical providers. Please use your judgement and take a personalized and sensible approach to your health. All rights reserved. 
thewellnesswhisk@gmail.com