Even though our daughters are grown, it is not that hard for me to recall their school days, and the hectic morning rituals that accompanied those years.  Between alarm clocks, fashion dilemmas and last-minute studying, it was all I could do to convince them to make time for breakfast.

These days, the Internet abounds with ideas for easing the busy morning ritual.  Among the best suggestions I have come across are the overnight-breakfast recipes.  Ingredients can be assembled and combined before retiring for the night, and in the morning, voilà. A scoop and a good stir, and a healthy breakfast is ready and waiting to be enjoyed. 

I recently discovered recipes for overnight oats, a delicious and delightfully simple way to ensure a fiber-rich, nutrient-dense meal to start off the day.  While I personally enjoy having the same thing for breakfast day in and day out, I realize that most folks actually prefer some variety in their lives!  To that end, I have found a recipe that combines the best of all worlds: healthy oats, overnight ease, and power greens!  Imagine the energy rush with which you can jump-start your day with this as your first meal!

Here is the recipe for one substantial serving of GREEN POWER: 

1 large handful of fresh spinach

1 banana

1 ½ teaspoons chia seeds

1 cup almond milk

1/3 cup regular rolled oats

In a blender, combine the first 4 ingredients and blend until smooth.  In a cereal bowl, add the rolled oats and pour the green smoothie on top.  Stir well, and chill overnight.

In the morning, simply stir the contents of the cereal bowl and enjoy, either cold or warmed briefly in the microwave.  Top with granola, fresh fruit, nut butters, etc., as desired.

If the color of this breakfast seems a bit much to handle at 6 a.m., rest assured that the banana and almond milk temper the flavor of the spinach, so much that it is barely noticeable.  The addition of organic raw honey, blueberries, or 1-2 Tablespoons of canned pumpkin also serve well to mask the ‘green’ taste, as well as adding even more nutrients to your bowl.

Saving time in the morning while not compromising the body’s most important meal is certainly a winning way to get started.  Sleep tight, then rev up your engines, and get a powerful punch on your day!