Working Mom’s Workbook: DIY Yogurt Desk Breakfast

I know, I know. BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY. But usually I don’t have time to eat until I get to work in the morning. When I do, I want it to be nourishing and healthy. And I want it to be portable and pretty.

Lately, I’ve inexplicably become super sensitive to the flavor of artificial sweeteners. For my morning desk breakfast, I had recently been buying Chobani Simply 100 Vanilla. I’d put one in my lunch box, get to work, open the container, and sprinkle it with a handful of Grape-Nuts or granola and enjoy it with my morning cup of green tea. Suddenly, the sweetener flavor became overpowering to me. It tasted like aspartame, even though that’s not on Chobani’s all natural ingredients list. So I had a thought. Why don’t I create healthy yogurts in wholesome flavors that I really like with my own personal desired amount of natural sweetness? With just a little effort, I’ve started doing just that. Here’s what I do:

Buy plain 0% milk fat Greek yogurt. I buy the big 32oz containers of the stuff, and I’ve tried a lot of different brands, but I have to say that my favorite is H-E-B Plain Greek Yogurt. It’s super rich and creamy, which is crazy considering it’s fat-free.

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Pick toppings you love and strive for a combination that includes: fruit + crunch + natural sweetener. I have a container in our pantry where I keep my yogurt ingredients, so in the mornings I just get out that bin and whip up whatever I might be in the mood for.

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For fruit, sometimes I use fresh berries from the fridge, sliced up and macerated in a little sugar. But most of the time, I head for my freezer, where I keep bags of organic frozen fruits. I chop them up a little smaller and put them bag in the bag, so when I’m ready to make my yogurt all I have to do is sprinkle some on top. I love frozen fruit because it does double duty by not only adding delicious, natural flavor but it also helps to keep the yogurt cold on my way in to work. Sometimes in lieu of fresh or frozen fruit I crave dried fruit, so I keep raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots and flaked coconut at the ready.

For crunch and texture, I usually add granola and ground flax-seed. Sometimes I sprinkle on steel-cut oats. If I want extra crunch I love a sprinkle of Grape-Nuts cereal. Real nuts like almonds, peanuts, cashews, and sunflower seeds are also great for added texture and protein power.

My natural sweetener go-tos are honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup. Different sweeteners seem to taste better with different fruit combos, so experiment. Sometimes I also add just a dash of vanilla and/or cinnamon.

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My favorite flavor combinations:

The Coco-Mango

Plain yogurt + frozen mango + shredded coconut + peanuts + drizzle of honey

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The Oatmeal Cookie

Plain yogurt + raisins + ground flax-seed + steel-cut oats + cinnamon + maple syrup

The Chocolate Covered Strawberry

Plain yogurt + sweetened strawberries + juice from strawberries + mini chocolate chips

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I like to prepare my yogurt in 14oz Luminarc Working Glasses. They come with lids, so they are perfect for packing. I know it seems ridiculous, but somehow it just seems more civilized to eat yogurt out of a glass with a real spoon when I’m sitting at my desk, about to start my work day.

I haven’t done the math, but I have to think that once I’ve made the initial ingredients investment, making my own perfect yogurt combinations just might prove to be less expensive than buying the single-serve cups.

So have fun with it! Customize your own desk breakfast yogurt combos. Let me know what taste sensations you come up with!

 

Kelly
Kelly lives in Terrell Hills and is a full-time working mom of 4 in a never-a-dull-moment blended family. Her twin stepsons, Eric & Grant, are high school juniors. Her daughters, Eleanor and Sadie, are in junior high and elementary school. She and her husband, Ryan, are both attorneys. When she is not working and "air-traffic controlling" her busy brood, she and her family enjoy exploring San Antonio and the surrounding area.

1 COMMENT

  1. Love these ideas Kelly! I do eat breakfast on my way to work….at 7:00…..so by 9:30 I’m always starving! So I’ve been looking for some good, healthy snack ideas. I may have to create my own yogurt bin in my pantry.

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