Tag Archives: breakfast food

Tiny Tip Tuesday: Eat Eggs

August 19, 2014
Super yummy, beautiful eggs.

Super yummy, beautiful eggs.

Unfortunately, over the years, eggs have been a much maligned food.  Due to their yolk’s high cholesterol level, doctors and other health professionals have advocated limiting their consumption, particularly for people with high cholesterol.  These recommendations are unfortunate because eggs offer many health benefits and their impact on cholesterol is not clear cut.  Eggs are a significant source of Vitamin A, Selenium, Folate, B vitamins and phosphorous.  Even though  their yolks contain 212 mgs of the 300 daily recommended mgs of cholesterol, over 70% of people show no cholesterol response to egg consumption and the other 30% of people (called hyper responders) showed a minimal increase in LDL and total cholesterol.   These studies show, however, that eggs change the LDL particles from the small, dense particles associated with heart disease to large LDL molecules.  People with predominately large LDL particles have a lower risk of heart disease.  In fact, some studies have actually shown egg consumption can increase HDL (the “good” cholesterol) in some people.  Egg yolks are also an excellent source of complete protein (6 grams of protein per large egg and they contain all of the essential amino acids) and they contain 100 mgs of choline, an incredibly important nutrient used to build cell membranes and by the body to produce the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine.  Studies have also shown eating omega-3 enriched eggs can reduce triglycerides by 16-18%.  Even though it was hard for me to let go of all the “knowledge” I had about limiting eggs due to their cholesterol count, once I started really examining the studies,  eggs gained a regular place in my family’s breakfast rotation.  You can’t beat their nutrient density compared to their cost!!  If you are interested in adding eggs to your diet but have a history of high cholesterol, talk to your health care provider about a recommendation for a healthy number of eggs to include in your diet.

Photo found on flicker under Creative Commons license.  See more beautiful photos by Woodley Wonder Works here.

Post shared on Fat Tuesday.

Filed Under: Blog, Health Information

Chocolate Cherry Chia 24 Hour Oats

June 19, 2014
Cherries.

Cherries.

Healthy Chia Seeds.

Healthy Chia Seeds.

Every Friday morning, I sweat my way through  an amazing boot camp class at The Refinery here in Portland.  Each week features a different series of moves designed to torture us.  While I am usually exhausted by the end of it, I LOVE it!  It is fun, challenging and awesome to see what my body can and can’t do each week.  Before each class, I have to think carefully about how I am going to fuel my body to get through the workout.  I don’t want to be too weighed down but also want to be sure I have enough fuel to finish.  The last few weeks, I have been relying on versions of  24 hour oats.  With cherry season upon us, these Chocolate Cherry Chia Oats are my new favorite.

All the ingredients before adding the almond milk.

All the ingredients before adding the almond milk.

I added a scoop of vegan vanilla protein powder to my oats because I wanted the extra protein with such a hard workout but you can leave it out if you aren’t interested in extra protein.

We use this protein powder Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein, 622 Grams.

Shaken Oats Ready to Go In the Fridge.

Shaken Oats Ready to Go In the Fridge.

These oats are great because you prep them the night before and then just grab them and go in the morning.  They offer healthy omega-3 fats with the chia seeds, fiber filled oats and a dose of Vitamin C from the cherries.  As you can see from the picture below, it is not a pretty breakfast but it sure tastes good.

Oats ready to eat after 24 hours in the fridge.

Oats ready to eat after 24 hours in the fridge.

Print
Chocolate Cherry Chia 24 Hour Oats

Ingredients

  • 3 tbs of oats
  • 2 tbs of chia seeds
  • 1 tbs of cacao powder
  • 1 tbs of protein powder (optional)
  • shake or two of cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped cherries
  • 1 cup of vanilla almond milk or milk of your choice
  • Maple syrup or other sweetener to taste

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a mason jar.
  2. Cover.
  3. Shake until well combined.
  4. (You may have to open and stir with a spoon to be sure everything gets mixed together.)
  5. Place in the fridge overnight.
  6. In the morning, add sweetener of choice and enjoy.
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/chocolate-cherry-chia-24-hour-oats/

I usually add a couple of tablespoons of some sort of nut butter for even more flavor and protein.  You can omit it if you want or use whatever type of nut butter you have on hand.

This post shared with Live, Laugh, Rowe, The Nourishing Gourmet, A Glimpse Inside, Urban Naturale, Rock My Vegan Socks, Fat Tuesday, Mary’s Kitchen, Girl Meets Nourishement and Homespun Oasis.

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Filed Under: Blog, Breakfast Faire, Health Information

Tiny Tip Tuesday: Eat Breakfast Like a King

April 15, 2014
Photo by Ali Arsh.

Photo by Ali Arsh.

Recent research has offered support to the old adage “Eat breakfast like a king. Lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. ” A study published in  Obesity randomly divided 50 overweight and obese woman into two groups.  Each woman received a total of 1400 calories divided throughout the day.  The first group, the Breakfast group  received the majority of their calories in the morning (700 calories for breakfast, 500 for lunch and 200 for dinner).  The second group, the Dinner group, received the majority of their calories for dinner (200 calories at breakfast, 500 for lunch and 700 for dinner). The only difference between the two groups was the timing of the bulk of their calories.  The results were astounding.  While both groups lost a significant amount of weight, the Breakfast group lost twice as much weight and showed a significantly greater reduction in their insulin levels and fasting glucose levels.  The Breakfast group also had a 33.6% decrease in their  triglyceride levels while the Dinner group’s triglyceride levels increased by almost 15%.  The Breakfast group also reported feeling more satiated throughout the day than the Dinner group.

What can we learn from this study?  Researchers for years have pointed to the importance of eating breakfast.  It is well documented that people who eat breakfast have more energy throughout the day, are better able to stay focused and tend to eat less throughout the day.  Traditional Chinese Medicine believes the body is most focused on digestion during the morning hours so consuming the majority of your nutrients during this period means your body will receive optimal nutrition.  Of course, the quality of the breakfast is important.  Sugary cereals, white bagels with cream cheese or waffles loaded with syrup are going to spike your blood sugar and then lead to a energy crash.  Be sure to add some protein and maybe a healthy fat to the start of your day.  This fat or protein will help anchor your carbs, slowing digestion and keeping you feeling full longer.  Good choices for breakfast include:

  • A whole wheat bagel with nut butter and banana.
  • A bowl of oatmeal, quinoa and other grains with ground flax seeds and berries.
  • Eggs of any kind served with sprouted whole wheat toast and a fresh fruit.
  • Chia seeds combined with almond milk, chopped nuts and fruit.
  • If you are going to have a cereal, try to choose one with the fewest grams of sugar possible.  Mix it with a full fat organic Greek plain yogurt or whole organic milk, chopped nuts and some fresh berries.

All of these options offer a complex carb combined with a healthy fat and a significant source of protein.  These breakfasts will help you have a healthy start to your day and could be one of the first steps to helping you control your eating throughout the day.  Controlled, mindful eating can be an important component of weight control.

This post was shared with She eats and Richly Rooted.

Tell me about your favorite go to breakfast options.

 

Filed Under: Blog, Breakfast Faire, Health Information

Jane’s Chocolaty Gluten Free Granola

April 3, 2014

photo 3 (5) I have been in a bit of a breakfast slump lately.  My normal rotation of chia pudding, warming grain cereal with coconut yogurt and fried egg sandwiches with avocado and hot sauce on sprouted bread is getting a little repetitive.  As I was pondering what new addition I could make to my routine, I remembered an old recipe my friend, Jane, gave me for a super yummy, chocolaty gluten free granola. When I pulled the recipe out of my recipe box, it was covered in peanut butter smears and coconut oil stains- signs of a well used recipe.  I remembered this granola not hanging around long in my household which confirmed I should reintroduce it to my family.  I was excited to have this back as an option for my breakfast routine (or snack or dinner or any other time I had a hankering for chocolaty goodness!).  As I looked at the recipe, I realized there were a few items I wanted to tweak from the original recipe based on the family’s changing eating habits but for the most part I left it as is.  (I also changed a few ingredients based on the

types of dried fruit and nuts I had in my house.)

Dry ingredients all combined.

Dry ingredients all combined.

 

Nut butter, syrup, agave and coconut oil starting to melt.

Nut butter, syrup, agave and coconut oil starting to melt.

 

Melted wet ingredients.

Melted wet ingredients.

I used a combination of maple syrup and agave for my sweeteners but you could substitute honey or brown rice syrup if those are more to your liking.  When you mix in the warm, wet ingredients, your chocolate chips will melt, spreading chocolate throughout the whole mixture.  I like it this way because then I get a hint of chocolate in every bite.  However, if you like granola with solid chunks of chocolate, I would wait to add the chips after the wet and dry ingredients have cooled a little bit.

Wet and dry ingredients all combined.

Wet and dry ingredients all combined.

As you can see from the photo above, everything is lightly coated but not soaked.

Granola ready to go into the oven.

Granola ready to go into the oven.

The recipe calls for only 30 minutes in the oven but mine took much longer (almost 50 minutes).  (My oven runs a little cold so be sure to base your cook time on your own oven.)

Yum! A whole container of granola!

Yum! A whole container of granola!

Print
Chocolaty Gluten Free Granola

Ingredients

  • 3 cups gluten free oats
  • 1/3 cup of amaranth, soaked (This is optional. I had it so I added it for a protein boost.)
  • 1/4 cup flax seeds (1/2 of them ground, 1/2 of them whole)
  • 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup of coconut
  • 1/4 cup of dried blueberries
  • 1/4 cup of dried cherries
  • 1/4 cup of chocolate chips (vegan or regular)
  • 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (Any nuts will do. Go with what you have available or what you like.)
  • 1/4 cup of chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup of almond butter (Any nut butter will work in this recipe.)
  • 1/4 cup of agave
  • 1/4 cup of maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp of vanilla
  • 5 tbs of coconut oil

Instructions

  1. If using amaranth, soak for at least six hours and overnight if possible.
  2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  3. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  4. In a sauce pan, over low heat, combine almond butter, vanilla, agave, maple syrup and coconut oil.
  5. Stir until well combined.
  6. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
  7. Stir until all dry ingredients covered with almond butter mixture.
  8. Press into a pan.
  9. Place in oven for at least 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes. (Mine took over 50 minutes to be fully cooked but you will have to keep checking for when it looks done to you.)
http://www.nourishedrootspdx.com/blog/janes-chocolaty-gluten-free-granola/

Enjoy!

Enjoy!

This post is part of a Friday Link party of Nap time Creations,  Today’s Creative Blog, Live Laugh Rowe, Gluten Free Homemaker, The Nourishing Gourmet and The Shabby Nest.

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Filed Under: Blog, Breakfast Faire