By Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE, Author of The Diabetes Comfort Food Diet Book
I’m excited to be sharing another recipe from my book, The Diabetes Comfort Food Diet Book! This is an easy, and tasty granola recipe that you can make ahead for the week, for breakfast, snacks and on-the-go!
1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, millet, cranberries, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, maple syrup, cinnamon, and cardamom. Stir well to combine.
3. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown, stirring carefully once or twice. Remove from the oven and break up any large pieces of granola while it’s still warm.
4. Cool completely before sorting into airtight containers. You can store at room temperature for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
Sipping a cup of coffee on the way out the door while making sure everyone’s shoes are on the right feet is how many busy moms may be starting their morning. Or maybe you grab a cup on your way to work, or even prefer to meet up with a friend for coffee and catching up! Regardless of how you take your coffee, you’re not alone in getting your caffeine fix—nearly 90% of the adult US population consumes caffeine, and 98% of that caffeine comes from coffee![1] While we may (almost) all be drinking coffee daily, there are still a few controversies even the most devoted coffee drinkers might not have the answers to, including a list of some of the best coffee shops to try in NYC!
Does the Brew Method Affect Caffeine Content?
Yes and no. An 8oz cup of drip coffee will have marginally more caffeine than instant coffee and about 2-3 times as much caffeine as a 1oz shot of espresso.[2] But your barista has the final say in deciding how much caffeine you’ll have in your order. While the variation from day-to-day likely depends on the training regimen and reputation and goals of the coffee shop, it can be significant. A study in Maryland followed coffee shops over a six-day period to find they served up the same drink order but it was measured to have a wide range of caffeine presence, from 58-259mg. (For reference, moderate intake of caffeine is considered three cups a day and averaged to be 300mg.[2])
Might Coffee Irritate Me If I’m Gluten Intolerant/Have Celiac Disease?
It could! Instant coffee is often contaminated with traces of gluten that could irritate someone with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.[4]However, drinking pure coffee should not cause problems for someone with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.[4]
My child wants to try coffee…
Children are grouped into a sensitive subpopulation, along with pregnant women in terms of a having a cap on caffeine consumption, under 300mg/day to reduce risk of adverse affects.[2] More specific recommendations for children, based on age and weight, suggest that no more than 45mg/day for a 1-5year old and no more than 125mg/day for a 10-14 year old.[2] Considering other sources of caffeine that may be in your child’s diet (chocolate, teas, soft drinks) just a half cup to a cup of coffee could exceed the child’s daily recommendation.
Where to get the best cup?
Here are our favorites coffee shops around Manhattan and some we’re excited to try!
Serving specialty coffee and their signature cold brew for the summer months, Stumptown offers a laidback and inviting environment to enjoy any weekend morning. Optional (but limited) outdoor seating and prime West Village location makes it easy to bring along the stroller or kids on your way to Washington Square Park!
Location:
30 W 8th Street, New York, NY 10011
Ace Hotel, 18 W 29th Street, New York, NY 10001
Breakfast at Bluestone Lane Collective Cafe by Brenna O’Malley
With locations across Manhattan, it’s hard to find an excuse to not pop into this charming coffee shop for a drink or their West Village location for some “brekkie”. They are known for their avocado toasts and uniquely named coffees, like the “magic”. Also offers indoor and outdoor seating and is a popular weekend brunch spot!
Location: 55 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014 (Collective Café)
The perfect spot after Soul Cycle in Noho, or a break from shopping in Soho. These airy cafés are welcoming and filled with light, if you don’t get a seat, we promise, their iced coffee is just as good, to-go.
With one Midtown location, this is a great spot to grab a quality coffee between meetings or on your way to the office. With very similar vibes to Bluestone Lane’s Collective Café in West Village, Little Collins slows down the busy pace of a midtown weekday with their own Australian brews.
Location:
667 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022
Happy coffee-shopping!
[1]Fulgoni, V., Keast, D., & Lieberman, H. (2015). Trends in intake and sources of caffeine in the diets of US adults: 2001-2010. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1091-1087.
[2]Hogan, E., Hornick, B., & Bouchoux, A (n.d.). Communicating the Message: Clarifying the Controversies About Caffeine. Nutrition Today, 28-35.
[3]Mccusker, R., Goldberger, B., & Cone, E. (n.d.). Caffeine Content of Specialty Coffees. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 520-522.
[4]Vojdani, A., & Tarash, I. (n.d.). Cross-Reaction between Gliadin and Different Food and Tissue Antigens. Food and Nutrition Sciences FNS, 20-32.
There’s nothing much better for breakfast than a hot fluffy muffin right out of the oven. The only thing that can make it better, is baking them with your children! With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, we wanted to help you get the day off to a fun start with family time in the kitchen. For a twist, top each muffin with a dried banana chip for that extra special touch. We’re sure that everyone will love these Whole Wheat Banana Muffins.
Preheat oven to 375°F; mist a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper or foil liners. In a large bowl, combine both types of flour with baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix bananas with eggs, sugar, milk, butter and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Fold banana mixture into flour mixture just until combined and batter forms; do not overmix.
Spoon batter into muffin cups; place a banana chip on top of each one, if desired. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely.
*The original post for this recipe can be found here.
*This recipe was originally published on the Big City Moms’ Blog. To see the original please click here.
Mom’s Pumpkin Pancakes with Dark Chocolate Chips
by Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE, CEDRD, CDN, and Mom
Every week I whip up a batch of “homemade pancakes” for myself and my oldest son. Everyone loves these pancakes— including my clients who eat many meals with me. Make them Sunday morning and serve hot. Freeze or store the remainder in a Pyrex dish to serve each weekday morning. These pancakes taste so yummy that I can almost promise your kids will go to school having eaten a balanced breakfast. And while most moms don’t have to time to make everything from scratch, these pancakes are what I call “value added” or “nutrition added.” For time’s sake, I start with a basic wholesome pancake mix and then add in the nutrition.
Who doesn’t like toast for breakfast? There’s toast with butter, toast with peanut butter but how about avocado toast? We found this delicious recipe from Siggi’s Dairy. Try this spin on toast – it’s a great way to start your day!
Fruity Baked Oatmeal: A breakfast my kids adore! By Adina Pearson, RDN
Breakfast has long been my kids’ best meal. And by best I mean they tend to have good appetites and rarely reject anything. It’s also the meal with the least variety, which my husband prefers and I do not. I had been wanting to try baked oatmeal for some time, but just never got around to it. Mostly because..let’s face it, baking always takes more time than a quick stove top boil and simmer. Plus at least half the time my husband takes care of our morning pot of porridge so why fix what isn’t broken, right?
But my desire for variety got the best of me one day and we found a breakfast dish that all four of us love.
The first time I made it, I decided to add fruit to the bottom of the pan.
It did not disappoint and turned out quite pretty if I do say so myself!
The fruit has varied based on what I had available. Usually blueberries and canned peaches. The first few times I made this our family of four ate through at least 3/4 of a 9×13 pan. It’s almost like a cobbler, but less rich and more breakfast-y.
With Halloween around the corner and the weather cooling down, there’s nothing better than mixing the wonderful flavors of fall into all your cooking! Chia pudding is a delicious and nutritious breakfast, but here I’ve switched it up and used Qi’a superfood blend, a combination of chia, buckwheat, and hemp seeds, to make a harvest breakfast pudding great for warming bellies on cold mornings!
Combine Qi’a, almond milk, and pumpkin puree; let stand for five-ten minutes. In blender, mix Qi’a mixture, spices, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!
We all know how hectic weekday mornings can be. You’re rushing to get everyone out of the house dressed and with their homework, that sometimes breakfast can feel like a difficult task. In hopes of finding an easy, yet delicious and nutritious breakfast recipe, we went to our friends at Cooking Light for some inspiration. And boy did we find some! Their Grab-and-Go Quick Breakfast Recipe page is a great resource when you’re stuck in a weekday morning breakfast rut. While this recipe contains pico de gallo, feel free to omit if your little ones don’t approve.
Ingredients
Pico de Gallo:
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato (about 1 large)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of crushed red pepper (optional)
Burritos:
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 (6-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Preparation
To prepare pico de gallo, combine ingredients in a small bowl.
To prepare the burritos, combine chopped fresh oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add egg mixture and 1/4 cup onion to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until eggs are set, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat; stir egg mixture well.
Heat the tortillas according to package directions. Divide the egg mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese and about 1/3 cup pico de gallo (optional).
The recipe and photo featured in this post were provided by Cooking Light. To read the original recipe please click here.
I tell all my young clients (and my own kids!) that I think it’s crucial for everyone from the age of 12–20 to sit down and chat with a nutritionist at some point. Now I know I may be just a tad bit biased, but I truly believe that having a down-to-earth convo about what’s real and realistic when it comes to food, eating, and being healthful can really help sort through the daily confusion that we hear on this topic. Since this is also an age where even the most well-intended and brilliant parent is considered less than wise by their own children, having a neutral party discuss food can often save much frustration and reduce power struggles. Here are some suggestions written directly to your kids; this may open up some questions and conversations after they read it, but know that even if it doesn’t, you’ve helped create just a little more info for them to become their own responsible self and a more connected eater.
Next Stop: School! Nutrition Tips for Middle- and High-School Success By Christie Caggiani, RDN, LDN, CEDRD
Voluminous —your vocab word of the day! It also describes the amount of confusing and contradicting nutrition info that comes at you on a daily basis. There’s just so much, how do you know what to believe? Students are not only bombarded with social media messages about food and bodies, they are influenced by friends, parents, teachers, and coaches who each have their own individual belief and bias about nutrition and health.
As you head back into the fast-paced routine of school, studying, and extra-curricular activities, it’s important to remember a few simple things to keep you, your body, and your brain in top-notch shape:
Avoid “diets” at all costs—not only does restricting make it harder for us to access and use our intelligence, it also leads us think more about food, taking away brainpower from other important things.
Include complex carbs/grains at all meals—your body is using up food at rapid pace, and it needs to eat about every 3–4 hours most days. Grains give us immediate fuel and go straight to our brain to help us think. In fact, carbs are the only macronutrient that feeds our brain. Protein and fats help keep us satisfied and are also important at each meal, but they won’t give you the immediate mental or physical energy that carbs do.
Keep some food with you—pack some trail mix, fruit, and/or a whole grain granola bar for the times when your meal doesn’t come soon enough. Ask your teachers if they allow food in their class, something particularly important if you’re going longer than 4-ish hours without fuel.
Breakfast—yes, it really does set the pace for your day! Without it, you are more likely to feel and function unbalanced, and you may even eat more later in the day. A pbj sandwich, yogurt parfait, or leftovers from dinner can all work for a fast, little-effort meal. And yes, when you eat breakfast, you’ll feel a little more clearly hungry at lunch. That is a GREAT thing, because it signals that your body is functioning just as it’s supposed to!
Try a new food—your taste buds are becoming more diverse at this age, and things you didn’t like earlier (green beans maybe?!) may not be so bad now. Add your creativity to it—throw some salsa on veggies or melt a little cheese on a new-to-you protein. And try the new food at the beginning of your meal.
Don’t skip meals—if you can’t stand school lunch, pack your own. Make sure you take a few minutes to sit down for dinner. Skipping meals will confuse your body and make you over-hungry later. If you eat regularly, you can better know when you’re hungry, and stop when you’re just right.
Include some color—add some fruit and/or veggies at each meal. Not only do they help you feel satisfied, but they also give you nutrients you can’t get from other foods. Your whole body system is working at a crazy pace at this age and needs a greater mix of different energy, vitamins, and minerals just to keep up with you.
We love to make pancakes for breakfast on the weekends at our house. The kids each have their roles in the preparation and we all get to sit down and enjoy a leisurely breakfast together. One thing I love to do is make large batches at one time and save them for the week! All you need is a zip-top bag or a food container and you’ve got weekday breakfasts at the ready. Check out this video of my son and his friend helping me with a fun pancake recipe.
