Healthy Horse Show Living Resolutions: Breakfast Basics

(We’re bringing this popular Healthy Horse Show Living Series back to help you with your 2017 New Year’s Resolutions!)

By: Megan Arszman

Better health is always a topic of conversation from the newsroom to the boardroom and now the tack room. Equestrians are athletes too, and in order to be able to show your horse at its best, you have to be at your best. This online series will continue to help give you tips so you can start making healthier choices and perhaps live a healthier life at home and on the road.

Start Every Day with Breakfast

The old saying is “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” For some horsemen and women, it’s often the most forgotten part of the day. We’re more concerned with getting our own horses fed and chores done and maybe squeezing in a few rides before the heat of the day. Soon, it’s after noon and your stomach’s grumbling. You realized the last thing you ate was dinner the night before.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, in my opinion,” says Lindsay Livingston, a Registered Dietitian from Columbus, Ohio, and blogger at The Lean Green Bean. “It kick-starts your metabolism, improves your concentration, gives you energy, and sets the tone for the rest of the day. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but getting some nutritious foods into your body when you wake up is one of the best things you can do for your health.”

The best breakfast is one that has a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fats to jump-start your day with energy and keep you satisfied until lunch time. Livingston suggests some easy breakfasts that you can make ahead of time when you’re at home or to take on the road with you to horse shows:

• Multi-grain or whole wheat bread/toast with peanut butter (or any kind of nut butter) and hard boiled eggs on the side.

• Egg muffins—You can make these ahead of time with a scrambled egg mixture, chopped veggies, meat, and a little cheese and bake in a muffin tin. In the morning, just heat them up!

• Frittata—Make ahead of time with your favorite chopped veggies, meat, and low-fat cheese, then parcel out pieces in microwave-safe containers for easy reheating every morning.

• Pancakes—Make a big batch ahead of time. Then, in the morning you can top them with Greek yogurt and fruit or nut butter. Livingston recommends her Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes. (http://www.theleangreenbean.com/whole-wheat-oatmeal-pancakes-a-giveaway/)

• Not all muffins are created the same and are healthy. Any kind of muffin that’s whole grain or has some protein built in (made with Greek yogurt, for example) are best. Another Lean Green Bean recipe includes these Sweet Potato Cranberry Cottage Cheese Muffins. (http://www.theleangreenbean.com/cranberry-sweet-potato-cottage-cheese-muffins/)

• Like grab-and-go? Give these Quinoa Breakfast Bars a try. They combine protein from the quinoa, a slight sweetness from applesauce or mashed bananas, Craisins, and peanut butter. (http://www.theleangreenbean.com/quinoa-breakfast-bars/)

• Another easy quinoa recipe includes quinoa parfaits—Precook a batch of quinoa (which you can also use for the breakfast bars) and store in the refrigerator. In the morning, layer Greek yogurt (vanilla or plain), the quinoa, and fresh fruit, then dig in and enjoy!

• Craving an egg sandwich? If you keep a microwave in your trailer, you can make this easy 90 Second Breakfast Sandwich with whole wheat and whole grain bread. (http://www.theleangreenbean.com/90-second-breakfast-sandwich/) Make it your own with sliced deli meat and low-fat cheese.

Just a few minutes in the morning, or even the night before, can help you make sure you start off on the right foot for the rest of the day.

What are some of your favorite Healthy Horse Show Living recipes? Share them with us and you might see them featured on EquineChronicle.com.