It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy. Or is it? Seems like unless you are twelve years old, trying to get that easy summer feeling leads to additional stress and schedule clutter. You still have all your usual obligations; household, family, work, nutrition, etc. and now you are supposed to be having a bunch of active fun in the sun? Who has the time?

Meal preparation is one great place to shave time off your usual life maintenance regime. The following breakfast idea takes only a couple of minutes to prepare, capitalizes on the summer bounty of fresh anti-oxidizing fruit and is really, really delicious. To get that summer feeling I suggest putting it all together while wearing roller blades and a bikini. This is not a low calorie meal, but you have a long and active day ahead of you and you are going to need your energy.

What you need:

A freshly made apple pie (preferably with no sugar added). You can score one of these in the bakery department of any descent market for $12 to $15. For a lower-carb version you can use sugar-free chunky apple sauce.

A big carton of cancer fighting wonder balls (aka blueberries).

Non or low fat milk (dairy, soy or protein source of your choice)

(Makes 4-8 servings)

Cut a wedge of pie. Throw it in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 90 seconds. You can use the oven if you don’t like microwaves. Next dump a pile of blueberries on your pie. You are shooting for a two-blue berries to one bite ratio.  Boost your protein intake with a nice, cold glass of milk. Make your blue berry wrangling easier by eating with a spoon.

Enjoy your bountiful breakfast!

If Martha Stewart and Lance Armstrong had a love child her lunch box would be packed with organic fruit, nutritious homemade energy bars and little notes with sayings like “We love you best when you succeed.” For the rest of us there are “You Bars”; nutrition bars created just for you by super-fit parental types (who would definitely love you unconditionally if they met you). These healthy snacks are a great idea for anyone who is trying to eat right and get it all done.

Most people are looking for Strong man nutrition on a 98-pound weakling budget. I was pleased to discover that these custom nutrition bars are quite reasonable and cost only a little more than their disgusting mass produced counterparts; those sad excuses for food that we have all eaten in starved desperation, made and wrapped by automatons that don’t care if you ever have another bowel movement. 

To start your personal nutrition revolution log on to Youbar.com and select “Build-a-bar”. There you will find a virtual cornucopia of wholesome ingredients, from organic acai powder to Ghirardelli Semisweet Chocolate Chips, all vying to be part of your creation. If this seems overwhelming don’t fret, there are suggestions to guide you along the way. The good folks at “You Bar” are so confident that you will love your bars, they will send you a different box for free if you aren’t happy.

Don’t forget to give your bar a name. I suggest “Go to the gym slacker!”, “Muscle To Be” or “Kick Some Ass!”

To wrap it up, there is no good reason to ever gag down another gross, hyper- processed nutrition bar. Take control of your nutritional destiny! It’s all about You!

www.youbars.com/  

1. Exercise is almost always more fun then work, but often times less glamorous then the multitude of tempting after work activities. If you take care of your workout at lunch you won’t be tempted to skip it later.

2. Working out at lunch breaks your day into two manageable chunks.

3. A noon time workout will give you a blast of energy that will carry you through the mid-afternoon doldrums. Don’t listen to what your jealous, back-biting, self hating co-workers say about you actually taking a lunch. You will be more productive, and sexier, in the afternoon. Remember, you get paid for what you produce, not for holding down your chair.

4. If you don’t feel particularly competent or appreciated at your day job, a workout can be just the thing. The burst of endorphins will help prop up you flagging self-esteem and if you do something you enjoy eventually you will be good at it. I don’t care what your boss, girlfriend and mother say, you can do something right.

5. You only have about an hour so your workout will be intense and efficient. A great use of your valuable time.

6. Having a workout planned is a great excuse not to go to lunch with annoying co-workers.

7. You’ll be so hungry after you workout that even a healthy, fiber rich, tasteless lunch will taste great.

8. Working out in the early morning (especially if you are over 30) can be a creaky and uncomfortable experience. By midday the body is warm and ready for action.

9. Because you’ve got to get out of the office. Stretch your muscles, feel the sunlight on your pasty skin, get some perspective.

10. You will have your evenings free. Learn a language, go to the ballet, tame of herd of wild guinea pigs. The world is your oyster!

Have you ever noticed that eating healthfully can be down right onerous? Unhealthy food choices such as frozen pizza and beer are delicious, easily prepared and have nuclear winter shelf lives. On the other hand, more wholesome options, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains can go rotten, require chopping and seasoning to make them edible and often call for grueling amounts of mastication. In my option fiber is nothing but a slave driver!

Lately I have been getting around this problem with a delicious and nutritious breakfast smoothie. I simply toss a few ingredients into the blender, hit mix, then froth, then annihilate, then pulverize and wa-la…breakfast is served. Now I have no idea how I used to make time to actually gnaw on a muffin. I see my roommate eating cereal and I role my eyes. What a silly ludite! When will she learn to outsource her chewing like me?

Heather’s Yummy Breakfast Soup*Frozen Fruit (The more you throw in the less you have to chew later in the day. I get mine at Trader Joe’s)

*Protein Powder (amount depends on your needs, boys and muscle growers need more)

*Milk (I use low-fat cow, but non-fat, soy or almond work as well)

*Banana (an excellent thickening agent and will also keep you from cramping up if you have to chew later in the day)

*Dash of wheat germ (lazy person’s fiber)

*Peanut Butter (Extra protein and excellent flavor)

*Bacon (I haven’t tried this yet, but if you do please let me know how it turns out)

Add ingredients and whirl till desired consistency is achieved.**Don’t forget to at least rinse the blender and your glass right away or you will waste all the time you saved not chewing, scrubbing out the cement like smoothie residue.Happy gulping!