Breakfast of Walking Champions

3 Ingredient Chia Bowl (see below for ingredients) is the Breakfast of Champions!

I just got back from visiting my family in a tropical paradise called Hawaii. Each morning my sister walked outside to pick some tropical fruit and prepped her breakfast in anticipation for the adventurous day ahead. Bananas, Liliquoi, starfruit, mangos, papaya and the list goes on. This simple meal provided energy, fiber, protein and a freshness about it that powered my day.

We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but do we really treat it that way?

Since my return, I have continued the chia bowl trend. In my last post, I talked about SMART goals instead of "dieting". Adding in a simple balanced breakfast is a perfect example of setting an intentional lifestyle goal even if I can't go pick my tropical fruit each morning.

Here is a super simple recipe that will fuel you throughout your day. The first few days I carried a snack with me because I thought I would get hungry a few hours later. I didn't need it.

Chia Bowl

Ingredients:

1 cup of milk (I prefer unsweetened coconut milk for this recipe)

1-2 tbsp Chia Seeds

& Fruit - Apples, pears, raspberries, blueberries, papaya, pomegranate seeds, bananas (fresh, frozen or dried fruit, you get the idea).

This is the very basic plain bowl but it is in the extra ingredients that makes it tasty and fun. Get creative by mixing different flavors.

EXTRAS

- Sweeteners/Flavors: honey, maple syrup, agave, cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, matcha

- Protein: clean protein powder, hemp hearts, almond or peanut powder (watch the added sweeteners).

- Crunch: cocoa nibs, granola, walnuts, sunflower seeds

Process:

I like to soak my chia seeds the night before in the milk. The seeds will actually soak up the milk turning it into a pudding texture (weird at first but you get used to it). Play around with the consistency you like, I like it more milky than a think pudding so I stick to 1 tbsp. Stir this really well before leaving it in the refrigerator. The next day, add in your sweetener, fruit, extras and enjoy the energy you feel from a simple healthy breakfast (or snack).

Benefits:

- High in Fiber - this helps control blood sugar, digestion and gut health

- High in Protein - this helps you feel full, builds strong lean muscles & helps repair tissues

- High in Omega-3 - this helps raise the HDL "good" cholesterol.

- Aides in proper digestion and absorption of nutrients - we all need more of this!

- Prolongs hydration & retains electrolytes - especially helpful during those long hikes or workouts

- Dental hygiene - it is wise to keep dental floss handy after your meal. You will be proud to say you floss daily at your next dental visit.

I know there are tons of fads out there telling you what to eat and what not to eat. My hope is that you continue to try new things that raise your baseline of health up a notch. Personally, I would love to hear from you. Have you tried these before? What extras do you use that make your bowl the best ever?