June 18, 2008

Quick & Healthy Recipes: Ultimate Yogurt Bowl

I came up with this concoction last year and it soon became one of my favorite breakfasts.

Depending on your caloric requirements, you may opt to have it as a weekend brunch item or have it as your weekday breakfast with a few modifications (detailed at the end of the post).

Either way, it's a delicious source of calcium, Omega-3 Alpha Linolenic Fatty Acids, heart-healthy fats, and fiber (including a spectacular 3 grams of the soluble, cholesterol-lowering variety).

6 oz. non-fat plain dairy or soy yogurt (I prefer Greek yogurt's taste and texture)
6 oz. low-fat plain dairy or soy yogurt (see parenthetical comment above)

1/2 cup strawberries, chopped
1 medium banana, sliced

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

1/4 cup oat bran
3 Tablespoons ground flaxseed


Get all the ingredients into a bowl and mix them together. Yum!

NUTRITION FACTS

646 calories
23 grams fat
3 grams saturated fat
16.6 grams fiber
40 grams protein
300 milligrams calcium (30% of the Daily Value)

Note: If you are preparing this with "regular" (non-Greek) yogurt, protein adds up to 29 grams and calcium totals 700 milligrams!

If you need to lower the calories, try one -- or more -- of the following options:

Omit the banana and save 105 calories (fiber total decreases to a still excellent 13.1 grams)
Omit the walnuts and save 131 calories (the ground flaxseeds still deliver Omega-3 fatty acids, and you only lose 1.3 grams of fiber)
Lower the ground flaxseed to 1.5 tablespoons and save 55 calories (the end result will contain 13 grams of fiber).

3 comments:

La Diva Laura said...

I love this brand of yogurt and use it instead of sour cream.

Mix with lim juice, salt and cumin to put on tacos and Mexican food, chili.

I use it in tuna and potato salad with mayo to cut the fat.

Make a dressing with tahini, lemon and olive oil.

BTW, Andy, 600+ calories is a bit too much for me for one meal but it sounds good. I don't think I'd eat so much yogurt...

Andy Bellatti said...

Laura, that's why I provided some calorie-lowering tips.

In your case, I would suggest having just 1 cup of yogurt (instead of 2) and omitting the banana and walnuts.

I would increase the strawberries to 1 whole cup, though. That leaves you within the 300 - 350 calorie range.

La Diva Laura said...

Yes, the strawberries would be good to fill up on while cutting back on the other items. Thanks, I'll try it I have all the ingredients!