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For me, the early morning is a really important time, as it helps me set the tone for the day. I wake up before everyone else in the house, and I do this intentionally, so that I can have some iced coffee in peace and quiet, look over my tasks for the day and prioritize them, and give some thought to the meals we will be eating that day. If I wake up at least 30 minutes before anyone else, I can prepare breakfast from scratch (muffins, for example) or get the ingredients laid out for a green smoothie.
But some days getting extra sleep wins and I find myself “sleeping in” until 5:30 or 6:00 when one of my little early birds wakes me up. On those days, there’s not as much time to give to meal prep, so I need something fast. But my girls have a full day of growing their brains ahead of them at school, so I still want to make sure that I give them a nutritious breakfast, even if it needs to come together quickly.
Today I want to share with you a chocolate oatmeal that you can make in about 3 minutes and that is enjoyed by the girls so much that they lick their bowls once they’ve eaten everything. We call it “monkey business oatmeal.” I hope you enjoy it!
The secret ingredient that really brings some great chocolate flavors is Carnation Breakfast Essentials®. If you struggle with pulling together nutritious breakfast offerings due to time, this is SUCH a great strategy to try! You can find Carnation Breakfast Essentials® in the cereal aisle of your nearest Walmart. By adding a packet to a cup of milk, you can make a better breakfast for your crew without having to take up any more of your time. Love it!
So let’s make this monkey business oatmeal, shall we?
Monkey Business Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 1 Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Powder in chocolate
- 3/4 cup quick oats
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 banana
(yield: 1 serving. Very easy recipe to double or triple, though!)
After you have your ingredients together, first add your Carnation Breakfast Essentials® to the cup of milk and stir to combine.
Now it’s time to add your drink mix to your oats (make sure they are in a microwave-safe bowl).
Give it a good stir and then microwave according to the directions on the quick oats (mine said to microwave for 2 minutes).
Once your oatmeal is cooked and cooled off just a bit, slice 1/2 of a banana into small slices and arrange around the bowl. Now your final product tastes great AND looks great!
I want to encourage you to try eating healthier breakfasts for 7 days with your family. This chocolate oatmeal recipe is a great start! If you have folks in your crew who are used to skipping breakfast altogether, and who you don’t think will be ready to sit down to a bowl of oatmeal, try the Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Ready-to-Drink bottles. You can hand one off to that member of your family before s/he heads out the door (and they also make a super yum after school snack, too!).
Having a healthier breakfast will provide lots of great rewards to your family, but if you need some additional incentives, the Carnation Breakfast Challenge has daily missions, and entrants can complete them to win great prizes! My family is going to be taking the challenge, and I feel confident that we can participate because we have great options for busy mornings, as well as for the mornings when mom has a bit more time to plan.
Ready to get started? Follow these easy steps:
1. Sign up at CarnationBreakfastChallenge.com.
2. Complete a simple yet fun breakfast mission for a chance to win. New prizes will be revealed every day!
3. Come back any day in February to complete missions and see new prizes. The prizes range from a Fitbit to a GoPro and other awesome stuff!
4. Head to your favorite store to purchase a Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Nutritional Product and upload your receipt for five extra entries per day.
Want some more inspiration for a breakfast makeover? Head to the Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Facebook page to get some ideas, and then remember to enter the contest!