There's nothing quite like entering your kitchen and being engulfed in the delicious, warm aroma of gingerbread. To me, that feels like Christmas. What's even better, is knowing that the source of that aroma is a nutritious and wholesome muffin — the kind that you can eat as part of a balanced meal, or on its own as a snack. The kind that you feel really great about sending in your kid's lunch, or serving to your family for breakfast. These gingerbread muffins are to die for, and will put you in the holiday spirit!
We have oatmeal almost every morning for breakfast. I either make from scratch, reheat leftovers, or eat it chilled with some Greek yogurt (I usually make a big batch at the beginning of the week). To avoid boredom, I add lots of variety: apple cinnamon oatmeal, baked oatmeal with berries, these delicious oatmeal muffins, or peanut butter and banana oatmeal (a kids favourite).
When my Dietitian friend Tiffany told me about these two-ingredient, amazing-tasting pancakes (I call them crepes because they are thinner than most pancakes) that she's been making for breakfast, I was a bit skeptical. But whenever I hear of nutritious, easy, kid-friendly breakfast options, I'm all ears and I'm willing to try them out. So I did. And they are even more amazing that my friend let on. The kids thought they were the best pancakes they had ever had and this recipe has now become a staple in our house.
Cereal is often the number one go-to breakfast choice for parents, considering it takes a mere 30 seconds to throw together and serve, and it is widely accepted by kids. After all, it's crunchy, fun to eat, and often sweet. In fact, cereal is a lot sweeter than most people realize, especially those cereals that are marketed to kids. What may seem like a healthy "whole grain" choice, may actually be the equivalent to serving your kids dessert for breakfast.
As Moms, we all know how important breakfast is, both for ourselves and our kids. Having breakfast within an hour of waking up gives us the energy we need to start the day, kick-starts our metabolisms, helps us focus and concentrate all morning, and can even control our appetites and cravings all day, preventing unhealthy snacking later (especially when breakfast includes enough protein). This, in turn, helps us to reach a healthier weight.
According to an article in Psychology Today, research shows that fewer than half of the people who set New Year's resolutions actually stick to their goals after 6 months. And after a year, the number declines to about 10%.
