Have you ever thought about starting your mornings with more than just a granola bar and a cup of coffee? President of the Student Nutrition Awareness Club (SNAC), Alia Burlew, has you covered. Here, she gives two recipes for quick and nutritious breakfasts you can make right in your apartment or dorm room. Try them out for a complete breakfast that’s much better than a plain pack of oatmeal.
Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Servings: Makes 12 bites
Price: $3 for a batch of 12 bites
Calories: 182.5
- 1 cup dry old-fashioned oatmeal
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup wheat germ
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Steps:
- Combine 1 cup of dry oatmeal, ½ cup of peanut butter, and ½ cup of wheat germ. Mix together.
- Add in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips and 1/3 cup of honey. Mix together.
- Add in 1 tsp. of vanilla and 1 tbsp. of chia seeds. Mix together.
- Take a chunk of the mixture that’s about an 1/8th of a cup or smaller. Roll it up into a small ball. Continue until the rest of the mixture is gone.
Notes: Honey is the most expensive ingredient on this list. It can be substituted for maple syrup. The wheat germ can be found in the organic aisle and is priced around $3. You can also add coconut shreds or sliced almonds per taste preferences. The energy bites can go into the refrigerator, stay out on a covered plate, or be eaten immediately.
Ultimate Banana Split
Servings: Makes 1 banana split
Price: Approximately $1.50 per serving
Calories: 316
- 1/3 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
- 2 tsps. chocolate syrup
- 1 small banana
- 1 tbsp. natural peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. granola
Steps:
- Combine 1/3 cup of fat-free vanilla yogurt, 2 tsps. of chocolate syrup, 1 small banana peeled and cut in half, 1 tbsp. of peanut butter, and 2 tbsp. of granola.
Notes: This is a twist on a banana split for breakfast. The fat-free vanilla yogurt is the substitute for ice cream, and the granola and peanut butter add healthy fats to start your morning. If you want to make it more like a traditional banana split, add various fruits such as pineapple or strawberries. You can also add peanuts and other nuts such as walnuts.
Burlew advises that calories aren’t always the best way to judge the merit of a recipe. “Sometimes higher calorie food has a lot of important nutrients in it; but in other cases, higher calorie food like McDonalds or processed/packaged food does not have any nutrients at all,” she says.
To get involved with the SNAC club, contact Burlew at ab1497@messiah.edu.