Back to School Breakfast Bowls
I am a busy mom. I know busy. I am beginning this blog post as my children and the neighbor children tear my house up. And I am finishing it at my daughter's karate class tonight (hoping and praying kid #2 cooperates since my husband won't be off of work in time to tap me out with at least one of the kids. AND, since he is a 4 year old boy, any aspirations I had of him sitting quietly for an hour are really probably not that founded in the truth.) They're cute, but they are stinkers.
If you're anything like me, you reaaaallllly love your kids, but you are also really ready for the school year to start. Like now. And as wonderful as having their busy little minds growing outside of the home is, it is just as hectic getting everyone back on the early train. Getting them ready for the day and everything that comes with back-to-school is almost just as stressful.
What if there was a healthy and quick way to have breakfast ready for your mini me-s? Oh there is. And you're in the right spot. I promise. If the word breakfast bowls doesn't ring a bell, allow me to introduce you. Real food that isn't paked with processed sugar. And the good news is it is incredibly versatile and simple. A ready to go in the morning breakfast that involves minimal prep the night before and customization for each and every one of your picky children. (Trust me, this is coming from a mom who has two wildly picky children. Why couldn't they inherit their mother's sense of culinary wanderlust? Sigh.)
You can do smoothie bowls, chia pudding bowls, quinoa porridge bowls, overnight oat bowls, or even papaya bowls! And each one can be loaded with fruit, yogurt, nuts, seeds, granola, honey, coconut chips and more. And when your kiddos are getting in on the food making fun, not only are they likely to feel proud and have a sense of ownership, they are more likely to eat it as well! So feel good about what you are putting in your kids tummies as they head back to school.
We are going to go through the basics of the bases (oats, chia, papaya) and then I will make suggestions for "toppings" but it really is up to you. :) If you make them the night before, they sit in your fridge and are ready for toppings the next morning. No muss, no fuss. And there isn't anything to hate about that. Because we all know that "its time to go", this is what actually happens...
... So lets make breakfast simple, ya?
Chia Pudding
6 tbsp chia seeds
2 cups "milk" (regular milk, almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, etc... sweetened or unsweetened, chocolate or regular)
IF you use an unsweetened milk, then consider adding a sweetener. I like to use coconut sugar because it is "healthy". You can use whatever you want, but don't go over board. Were are talking like a packet of splenda, stevia or a tsp or so of the sweeter of your choice. You can of course use sweetened milk, to include a chocolate coconut milk or plain, sweetened almond milk.
1. Stir the chia seeds well, they will swell quite a bit. Cover and place in the refrigerator. In the morning the consistency will be similar to a rice pudding.
2. Add your toppings as desired. (We will discuss that below.)
Overnight Oats
1/3 to 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cups "milk" (regular milk, almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, etc... sweetened or unsweetened, chocolate or regular)
1/4- 1/3 cups yogurt of choice
IF you use an unsweetened milk, then consider using a sweetener. I like to use coconut sugar because it is "healthy". You can use whatever you want, but don't go over board. Were are talking like a packet of splenda, stevia or a tsp or so of the sweeter of your choice. You can of course use sweetened milk, to include a chocolate coconut milk or something.
1. Combine ingredients in a lidded container (such as a mason jar) and shake well. Refrigerate over night.
2. Add your toppings as desired. (We will discuss that below.)
Papaya Bowl
1 papaya, halved (seeds removed)
toppings (we will discuss below)
1. Okay guys, the instructions are super difficult on this one. Find a ripe yellow papaya, halve it and gently scoop the seeds out.
Okay friends... now were going to put it all together. I did a post exclusively with papayas, so that will be out visual. But the same concepts apply to all three "bases"
Yogurt (a good call)
Fruit and Granola
More fuit
Nuts and Seeds
Coconut Chips (by Dang Brand... my favorite)
Mo Toppings, Mo Better
Cats and Dogs (okay, maybe not)
Pour some honey on me
Put em all together and what do you get?!?!
Some really delicious breakfast that looks like you put a whole lot more time into it than you did. I mean, I put time into this. I had to stage it and make it pretty so you would want to make it. You don't need to worry about all that non sense... you just fed your kids a quick, easy and nutritionally dense breakfast Pat yourself on the back. Okay!
So lets recap all in one place so you can construct your grocery list.
"Base"
Papaya
Chia pudding (chia seeds and milk of choice)
Overnight Oats (rolled oats, milk of choice, yogurt of choice)
Toppings
Yogurt
Granola
Fruit (blueberries, banans, strawberries, kiwi, blackberries, mango, pineapple, etc...)
Nuts (almonds, pistachio, macadamia, walnuts, pecans)
Seeds (chia, pepitas, flax)
Honey
Fresh Mint
