How many breakfasts left in September?

September is both National Breakfast Month and Cholesterol Awareness Month. Here are a few ways to observe a commitment to fueling up for a great day:

Healthy Germ

The familiar Kretschmer Wheat Germ has filled many a pantry for decades. If you can’t think beyond sprinkling some into your cereal, head to http://www.mywheatgerm.com/ for ideas like Berry Delicious Wheat Germ Pancakes, Zucchini, Gruyere and Wheat Germ Quiche and Honey Crunch Energy Bars with Wheat Germ. They’ve created a week’s worth of breakfast recipes for parents and kids. Each of the A+ recipes caters to a specific nutritional need including fiber for focus, zinc for immunity and phosphorus for strong bones.  I’m skipping to Friday, because face it, adding wheat germ to smoothies is as easy as sprinkling it on cereal. Oh, and I also rolled a banana half into some Honey Crunch Wheat Germ for a satisfying dessert. I’m so glad my germ is back in my pantry.

Protein-Rich Smoothie with Wheat Germ and Chia Seeds

Protein-Rich Smoothie with Wheat Germ and Chia Seeds

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: About 1 cup each Servings Per Recipe: 2

Amount Per Serving:
Calories 250
Calories From Fat 90

This green goodness smoothie is packed with vitamins and minerals that can help jump-start your day or serve as a post-workout recovery snack. Make it the night before if you are pressed for time and give it a good shake before drinking.

Serves 2

One half cup fat-free milk
One half cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 frozen medium banana
2 tablespoons unsweetened smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon Kretschmer Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
4 large ice cubes
Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth and creamy. Serve cold.

Pancakes for Picky Eaters

You can have your pancakes and eat them too with  Krusteaz Heart Healthy Buttermilk Pancake Mix. Much better than the more healthy variations I have been “making up,” this Heart Healthy variety is a good source of fiber, low in saturated fat and cholesterol free. That’s why it’s just easier for me to keep this good base on hand and just add water. Then I can add cranberries, berries, cocoa powder, cinnamon and what have you. I know everyone has their own favorite texture, but I loved making tiny crispy pancakes with my batter. Fluffy folks, you can have it your way, too.

   Balance on the Go

While some of you may want to remember the numbers, others will just want to remember I’m telling you Balance Bars’ new “indulgent Dark Chocolate Line tastes really good (as in not like some health bars).  Makers call it balanced 40-30-30 nutrition, 40% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 30% from dietary fat. I enjoyed Dark Chocolate Crunch, Dark Chocolate Peanut and Dark Chocolate Coconut with equal  joy. Balance Bar says it gives you energy you need to outlast the day. The line is gluten free & features 13 grams of protein while Balance Bar mini’s can make a breakfast on the go for younger fans. If you try to give your family more healthy choices, but find they are skeptical, these bars, made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, are a delicious pick.

The Leafy Greens Cookbook

Assemble ingredients for your pina colada smoothie: pineapple, coconut milk and spinach. That’s right. Kathryn Anible’s “The Leafy Greens Cookbook” does thing with kale, chard and collards like you wouldn’t believe. Actually, I’d totally believe that bok choy and beef would be great.

But I would not have thought of kale in chicken enchiladas or Swiss chard in breakfast burritos.

Super foods are in now, so go ahead and make your Brussels sprouts with bacon and cherries, and spice up yoru dandelion greens with red pepper.

Want some classic collards? Serve them up with red beans and rice. It’s not difficult to eat better. In fact, most of these recipes are not much harder than this one:

Arugula Pesto for bruschetta, pasta or chicken

2 cups packed arugula

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 clove garlic

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well blended.

House Foods

Weight Watchers partnered with House Foods Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien to tell people about House Foods Traditional Shirataki Noodle Substitute. An Asian yam flour and tofu gets shaped into noodles that keep in your fridge just waiting for a low-cal meal. As much as my family loves Asian flavors, I could keep a wall of noodle packages ready for a quick meal.

I made Veggie So Low Mein with mushrooms, zucchini, bean sprouts, scallions and carrots. These noodles are a blank canvas. They soak up your sauce and you feel sooooo good about your meal choice.

ddoiron@panews.com