Just as some of us can barely function without a morning cup of coffee, others can’t imagine starting their day without a bowl of cereal. There is something so wonderfully soothing about hearing the crisp shapes of your favourite breakfast cereal tumble out of the box into your bowl. Splash on some cold milk and let the crunching begin! But now when you want to lose weight can you still enjoy cold cereals? To give them up completely feels painful right? Well, you can eat cereals even when you want to lose weight; that would in fact catalyse the weight loss process!
Here are some healthy cereal recipes for your morning breakfast and lose weight effectively:
HIGH FIBRE CEREAL
Things you need:
- You need 1 cup rolled oats,
- 1 cup puffed rice,
- ½ cup raisins/cranberries,
- ½ cup sunflower seeds,
- ¼ coconut flakes,
- ¼ cup of sliced almonds,
- ¼ cup hemp seeds and
- 1 tsp cinnamon.
Method: In a large ziploc bag, mix all the ingredients together. Add some extra love and voila! Serve with your favourite non-dairy milk (preferably) and in your favourite cereal bowl. You may also add husk powder for that extra fibre.
HIGH PROTEIN CEREAL
Things you need:
- You need a cereal of your choice (or just plain unsweetened corn flakes),
- 1 tsp chia seeds,
- 1 ½ cup non-dairy milk (soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk etc),
- ½ tablespoon protein powder (any flavour would do),
- honey as per taste (if using unsweetened cereal),
- ½ tablespoon raisins,
- chopped and roasted almonds,
- a pinch of sweetened coconut shreds and
- ½ cup chopped fruits (any fruit).
Method: Combine all the ingredients and give it a good mix. Add cold non-dairy milk and garnish with a pinch of sweetened coconut shreds and fruits. Enjoy!
NUTRITIOUS CEREAL
Things you need:
- You need ½ cup rolled wheat,
- ½ cup rolled barley ,
- 3 cups unsweetened grain puffs,
- ½ cup dried cranberries,
- ¼ cup chopped dates (mine came rolled in oat flour),
- ¼ cup almonds, chopped,
- ¼ cup hazelnuts, chopped,
- 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds and
- 2 Tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds.
Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant and just beginning to crisp, about 10 minutes. While the oats cool, combine the unsweetened grain puffs, cranberries, dates, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in a large storage container. Stir gently to avoid crushing the cereal. Incorporate toasted oats, sprinkle with cinnamon and stir again. Store in an airtight container. Mix it with cold non-dairy milk and enjoy! You may add honey to it if you desire.
SOME TIPS:
- For a fibre-rich, healthy breakfast cereal enjoy whole grain cereals like oatmeal, Cheerios, Wheaties, shredded wheat, raisin bran or Kashi.
- Add sweetness with fresh, frozen, or fruit canned in its own juice. Give sliced bananas, canned peaches, frozen blueberries, or fresh strawberries a try.
- Look for each serving to contain at least 3 grams of protein.
- Read the ingredients list. The top ingredients should be “whole wheat”, or “wheat bran”—not just “wheat”. These whole grains are naturally low in fat, and high in fibre.
- Avoid cereals that list hydrogenated oils, artificial dyes or colours, and chemical preservatives as ingredients- these have no place in a healthy diet!