BY SIERRA ROSALES
May is here and summer is right around the corner. Adding some after-dinner walks, hikes with friends, jump rope practice, bike rides or games in the park into your schedule are a fun way to increase physical activity.
These activities also might make you hungry, so while you’re starting to spend more time outside, you can start trying to save more time in the kitchen. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, people over the age of 18 on average spend 37 minutes each day preparing food and cleaning up afterwards.
If you’re like me and spend way more than 37 minutes on food prep and cleaning up, then you also might be looking for some shortcuts. The recipes this month are ones you can make the night or days before.
My mornings are usually hectic, regardless of whether or not I have a busy day. The overnight oats and the breakfast casserole are both easy breakfasts that I can grab on my way out and eat during my commute to work. I hate skipping the most important meal of the day. I always try to eat at least something little every morning.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, kids who eat breakfast in the morning pay attention more in school and do better academically. They also found that people who skipped breakfast four to five times a week have a 55% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Is breakfast actually the most important meal of the day? For me the answer is definitely yes. But if breakfast isn’t your most important meal of the day, you could always have your breakfast casserole for lunch or the overnight oats as a snack.
I hope these quick recipes can help save time throughout your weeks and free up some extra time for outdoor activities!
PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE CHIP OVERNIGHT OATS
About four servings
2 bananas*
1 cup of oats*
1/2 cup almond milk or regular milk*
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
1 tablespoon flax seeds or chia seeds
1 tablespoon peanut butter*
- Cut up the bananas into slices then add everything evenly into your cups or jars.
- Put them covered into the refrigerator overnight and enjoy it the next morning or any of the next five mornings.
BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
About six servings
1 package of Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits or premade dough
6 eggs*
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Breakfast meat(s) of your choice*
2 tablespoons of butter
Chives for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Tear each biscuit into about four slices/layers and place half of them on the bottom of the dish so they coat it with no breaks.
- Scramble the eggs in a bowl with garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange the breakfast meat on top of your dough, I do half bacon and half sausage normally. Pour the eggs into the casserole dish on top of the breakfast meat.
- Cover the casserole dish with the other half of the Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits or dough until everything is covered.
- Slice up the butter and put on the top dough. Then place it in the oven covered in tinfoil for 45 minutes. Enjoy it hot or save it for breakfast for the next few days. Microwave a slice and take it to go for about the next three days.
NOTE: * indicates an ingredient available through the WIC program. Contact 304-598-5181 for more informa
