Nutri-News

Eating a high fibre, high protein breakfast helps to set your blood sugar for the day. Surprisingly, doing so will help you avoid the 3 pm slump that sends you running for too much coffee and carbs. You want 10 grams of protein and 10 grams of fibre first thing in the AM. Try this muesli or think egg on whole grain toast or ½ c plain low fat yogurt with almond butter and frozen blueberries.

Key Ingredient

Nut butters are a cheap and tasty way to bump up your protein. Each type of nut adds different flavour and nutrients so you want to embrace variety. Sunflower or hemp seed butter are not nuts and often school approved! Of course, smear it on toast but think about adding a scoop to a stir fry, to top strawberries, or swirl into smoothies. Mixed with oats and nuts, they can be pressed into ice cube trays with a Popsicle stick for simple summer snacks. Or try these squares for a special, healthy snack.

Useful Tool

Ice cube trays aren't just for water, silly! Buy your herbs now when they are cheap and chop extras into a bowl with garlic and extra virgin olive oil and freeze. Pop a few cubes into your next weeknight pasta for insta-supper. Or, slice those almost-toast grapes into iced tea http://www.myfriendinfood.com/2011/05/02/juice-substitute/ cubes to fancy up your iced tea (ahem, martini). Don't throw out cracked trays...they make great organizers for earrings, paperclips, thumbtacks, hairclips, binder clips, fake nails, cufflinks...