Maria's 7 Day Breakfast Challenge!

I know we have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but a large number of us seem to ignore that all together. Especially me! I have found it next to impossible to eat before leaving my place in the morning, but the other day at school, we were provided breakfast before a presentation and what a difference it made in my day!
Being a nurse I find myself reciting this to many people over and over again. So it is finally time to practice what I preach. It's on! I am challenging you to 7 days of breakfast with me. To help you succeed, I am sharing with you super easy recipes that are fool proof. Stay tunned to us on facebook, twitter and instagram for help along the way. Going Grocery shopping tonight and breakfast challenge starts tomorrow!

Bagel Gone Bananas

ACTIVE TIME: 5 Minutes

This bagel topped with peanut butter and banana slices is ready in just 5 minutes and is easy to eat on the run. 
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 teaspoon of honey
1 whole-wheat bagel split and toasted
1 small banana sliced

 Breakfast Taco

ACTIVE TIME : 10 MINUTES

2 corn tortillas

1 Tablespoon salsa

2 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

2 Eggs

Top tortillas with salsa and cheese. Heat in the microwave until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds. 2. Meanwhile coat a small non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, add eggs and cook, stirring, until the eggs are cooked through, about 90 seconds. 

Divide the scrambled egg between the tacos and enjoy

uumm cereal, still an all time fav, and it doesn't get any easier than this.

ACTIVE TIME: 1MINUTE

Nutritious pick: FiberOne

Milk

Appliances to invest in as a student living on campus

Do you find it hard to eat healthy on campus because there are more unhealthy food options to choose from? Why not make a healthy meal in your room? It’s easy; you will need to invest in a kitchen appliance. Did you just say that you don't have money as a student? This will depend on what you love making because there are many affordable appliances. If you have roommates, invest in kitchen appliances together as a house.  Some of these appliances and tools include a rice cooker, smoothie blender, electric kettle, fridge, paring knife and a can opener.

1. Smoothie Blender- If you love smoothies you might definitely want to consider getting a personal blender which makes it possible to make smoothies in little or no time. It is small, portable and can fit into your backpack. Smoothies are very filling and packed with nutrients. Taking a smoothie can carry you through your morning till you can finally make time to get lunch. Smoothie Blenders can cost $15 and up depending on its quality.

2. Rice Cooker- This appliance cooks rice, vegetables, oatmeal, sauces and stews. On average it takes 20-30 minutes but it doesn't require your attention so you can study while you cook. It has a thermostat that triggers when it’s done.Price for rice cookers range from $20 and up.

Get Motivated, Eat Healthy

Get Motivated: Eat Healthy

                      

Health Motivation Key 1: Set Realistic Goals to achieve success

The first step to any plan is the most crucial one. Planning the right, achievable goal as per your capacities would predict the long term success. The goal can be achieved by taking small steps time to time. stick to the goals and stay organized. If you set unattainable goals, you're setting yourself towards failure. Instead, you'll be more likely to stick with a diet if you focus on your health and create sensible eating strategies. Setting smaller, attainable benchmarks, like not skipping breakfast for one week, will give you the confidence to continue.

Health Motivation Key 2: Be a part of Buddy System

It's hard to make major behaviour changes when you are swimming upstream by yourself. Finding buddies and involving them in your plans by setting similar goals can greatly improve chances of success. When your spirit starts falling down, having people to call on can provide the support you need to continue. Having a support group to move ahead with, whether it's friends or people from classroom, can make all the difference for diet success.

Kale “The Queen of Greens”

Kale has many great benefits. It’s a high fiber vegetable that aids in the digestion and elimination of toxic waste from the body. With nutrients like vitamins, iron, calcium folate and magnesium¹; It’s no wonder why kale is considered a great detox and anti-inflammatory food filled with powerful antioxidants.²

How to Eat Kale

It can be difficult to eat green vegetables at times so it’s best to know different ways of preparing them. Here are some great ways to eat kale with a smile on your face.

Sauté it: Sprinkle some olive oil and a little bit of salt. Cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. The leaf is tougher so don’t worry about it getting soft and losing the nutrients.