Each winter, we try our best to eat healthfully and stay hydrated to help keep our immune system strong. Although there’s no known way to prevent the common cold or the flu (although frequent hand washing is a good place to start!), we load up on our vitamin C (we go for extra berries and citrus fruits!) and drink plenty of fluids.. But have you heard the news about the latest cold-fighting super food?

A recent German study found that the probiotics in yogurt can shorten a cold by almost two days! Probiotics are microorganisms that occur naturally in the human digestive tract. Yogurt and some other products contain these live microorganisms. Probiotics help strengthen the immune system by fighting off bad microorganisms that can cause illness.

As you know by now, we LOVE our yogurt. Some way or another Lyssie makes sure she has it daily. However, in the winter, we love eating warm, hearty breakfasts such as oatmeal, and we gravitate towards warm foods more than cold foods like yogurt. Here’s one breakfast we love that allows us to get the best of both worlds!

Yogurt Topped Baked Oatmeal:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of steel-cut oats
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• A handful of raisins
• ¼ apple, cubed
• 8 oz plain fat-free yogurt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
• Pour milk over oatmeal in a small, ovenproof pan. It should seem like there is way too much milk for the amount of oatmeal. That’s okay, though. The extra milk will bake off.
• Add cinnamon, cubed apples and raisins.
• Put in oven and cook for about an hour and a half, or until cooked but not dried out.
• Let cool. Top with yogurt and enjoy!

*We’ll often put this in the oven to bake before heading out for our workout (when someone else is home to make sure nothing burns, of course!). This way, by the time we’re back and showered, our breakfast is ready for us! For a delicious variation you can also add a packet of instant coffee or seeds and nuts before baking or top with fresh berries after baking to change up the flavors a bit! As a weekend treat for kids, you can even add a little dark chocolate after baking. The heat will melt the chocolate right away so you can mix it in – this way a little piece will go a long way!

How do you fight colds in the winter?