By Sharon Rus STAFF WRITER
Winter break has passed us by with nothing but the melting snow on campus to remember it by. As you trudge through the slush, you may realize that you’re hungry and, with only 10 minutes until class, be tempted to grab a pastry. There goes your New Year’s resolution to eat healthy! Don’t worry. Here are some helpful tips to not only keep you full and fit but also help maintain your energy during class and until lunch time. The main reason that many people get hungry between meals is that they don’t eat enough energy-dense food during breakfast. Or, maybe they just skipped breakfast altogether. In which case, the body will start to crave simple sugars to keep itself awake during those hour-long lectures. The perfect snacking tool for a busy student who wants to skip those extra calories is peanut butter. Here are some recipe ideas: - 1 toasted bagel - 2 tablespoons of peanut butter - 1 banana - 1 apple It’s simple; the first step is to toast your bagel and then spread each slice with one tablespoon of peanut butter. Next, thinly slice your apple and banana. Finally, top each peanut butter bagel with banana slices. Put the bagel halves together for a scrumptious sandwich and wrap it up to take it to go. Peanut butter will provide protein that will give your body energy and keep you full and satisfied. One serving of this delicious, high-fiber treat will last you for hours. The banana and apple are both energy dense, and the perfect companion to this super satisfactory snack. Another idea is to turn your leftover breakfast oatmeal – or the instant variety you just put into the microwave – into a snack. Whole grain oatmeal is fiber rich and is an important source of iron and magnesium. You will need for this recipe: - 1/2 cup of oats - 1 cup of water of preferred milk - 1/2 cup of berries - 1 tablespoon of peanut butter The healthier option is to put the cup of water or preferred milk on the stove along with your oats and bring it to a boil. Then, put it on low and stir for a couple minutes. Place the oatmeal on a plate or a in a plastic container (so you can take it to class) then simply stir the peanut butter in. Finally, put on your “berry” delicious toppings to complete this recipe. This treat will definitely have you ready to start the spring semester with a boost of energy and a smile.