There are days when I terrify my roommates in my search for something to eat. When I am hungry, I have no patience and I must eat at that very moment. I like this recipe because it’s incredibly easy and it’s ready in minutes. When I am really in a hurry I use brown rice I have frozen or quinoa because it cooks quickly.

It’s “the most important meal of the day,” and also the one many college students (and Americans) skip. When you are running late or rushing off to the next thing, it’s easy to cut out breakfast.

Because I value sleep just as much as starting out with a good meal, I like to eat things I can bring with me to work or my first class. I bring this protein-packed oatmeal in a commuter mug and eat it with a spoon when I’m on the go (the commuter mug keeps it steaming hot, even when I can’t dig in right away. It also contains the mess – just close the spill proof lid and toss it in your bag for the rest of the day.)

Protein-Packed Oatmeal

1/3 cup thick cut rolled oats
2/3 cup soy milk or water (I use soy for flavor and protein)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
Dried or fresh fruit
Cinnamon to taste (I just shake it in until I like the flavor)
Nutmeg to taste (same as above)
Sugar, agave, honey, jam, or another sweetener to taste (or no sugar)

Follow directions from oat packaging for cooking.

Total protein: 15 grams

With the recent hype in the media about probiotics, companies are scrambling over one another to tell consumers about how great their product is and how powerful their probiotics are. By now most people know that probiotics support digestive health, the immune system, reduce inflammation, and support overall good health. What most people don’t know is how to find the best sources or product.

Fermented foods like yogurt and kombucha are a good source of probiotics. However, your stomach begins to break down the good bacteria before it reaches your intestine, so it is not the heaviest dose of probiotics. With that said fermented foods are still a great way to increase the amount of good bacteria in your digestive system.

How to pick the best probiotic

If you choose to use a supplement, there are a few things to keep in mind according to Dr. Shekhar Challa, author of “Probiotics for Dummies.” Be certain that the supplement:

1. Has at least five strains of bacteria.

2. Has at least 3-5 billion microbes. If you are currently experiencing digestive system problems or illness than you want to look for 5-10 billion.

3. Is encapsulated to protect it from your stomach and ensure that the microbes make it to your intestines.

I like my smoothies to be thick and cold, but when I use fresh fruit I have a really hard time getting the right temperature and consistency. As a way to add some chill and thicken my smoothies I have been adding in frozen bananas. I strongly believe these are the key to a perfect smoothie. They are also super easy to do.

1. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

2. Slice your bananas and arrange to make sure none of them are touching.

3. Freeze for an hour or until your bananas are frozen all the way through.

4. Use a spatula to get them off the sheet and into a freezer safe container of your choice.

The coconut oil also needs some coercing to go from a solid to a liquid.

4. Mix all of your wet ingredients together until well combined.

5. Add your dry ingredients and beat until just combined. The less you stir, the more tender your muffins will be.
6. Gently fold your blueberries into the batter.

Recipe adapted from PaleOMG.

Two years ago I realized I had a peanut allergy, one that progressed quickly and morphed into a cross allergy for all tree nuts. Since then I have mourned the loss of peanut butter sandwiches and every dessert that has nuts in it.

Other than not being able to eat every dessert and having to interrogate every waitress/waiter about what is in my dish and how they cooked it, it’s been difficult to not have the quick burst of protein from a nut butter.

Image courtesy of Om Sweet Om

Sunflower seed butter was a good option, and so far I’ve been pretty happy with it. It does have a bit of a strong sunflower seed taste, but it also has the same saltiness of most peanut butters and the same texture as all other nut butters. It tastes great on crackers or bread, but it also bakes really well.

With seven grams (some brands have even more) of protein and good omegas, I would even recommend it for people who can eat the alternatives, especially vegans and vegetarians looking to add a little protein to a snack or meal.

I get home from CrossFit workouts completely starving. It’s like I’ve been stranded on an island for weeks without food. In my haste to stuff my face I tend to overfill on things that are satisfying, like chips, but not healthy. This smoothie is a great way for me to get the protein I need along with all of the fruits (and maybe veggies) I should be eating instead of the junk.

I believe in free-form smoothie making where no two are ever quite the same and there isn’t really a recipe. Here’s what I did today:

a little less than 1 cup yogurt (unsweetened is best)
1 three ounce serving of silken tofu
5 blackberries (all I had left)
a handful of blueberries
a handful of raspberries
3 sliced strawberries
(total fruit, about 1.5-2 cups)
5 ice cubes (to thicken it up because I used fresh fruit)

Total yield: about 16-20 ounces (a full cup and a half full of the cup you see in the pictures)

Protein: 12 grams (you can add protein powder for an extra boost if you want)

The yogurt is key to a sweet (but not overly so) and flavorful smoothie. It helps balance the tartness of the fresh berries as well as really help to bring out the berry flavor. Normally I use a banana or frozen fruit to thicken my smoothies, but the bananas were more the color of kale than the desired yellow and I had a lot of fruit that needed to be eaten within the next few days before it went bad. I tend to like thicker smoothies, but with a few ice cubes this really isn’t bad.

Although I may have still had some chips while I was making the smoothie, I’m not sure anything tastes better than a cold, flavorful smoothie after a tough workout.

Last night I fell in love with the cookbook/ inspiring how to guide “The Homemade Pantry” by Alana Cherlina. I came home from the most grueling 30 mile bike ride I had ever done, ate everything I could find in the kitchen, and settled down on the couch with this book. Even though part of my new obsession with it is that I was still slightly hungry and all of the pictures feature delicious foods, the pure practicality and usefulness of the cookbook is what really stole my heart.

“The Homemade Pantry” includes 101 foods that most people eat regularly that you can easily make instead of buy. Cherlina’s entire philosophy is to make everything you can because it tastes better, is better for you, cheaper, and decreases the chemicals you ingest and the amount of packaging you consume. But at the same time she insists that you have to be realistic and just do what you can.

I can’t wait to make the delicious pastries on the front of the book, the snacks I can pack in my lunch like homemade granola bars, and replace some of my own staples like instant oatmeal and granola with these tasty recipes.