Delicious Oatmeal: Take II

Oatmeal

Brown Sugar

Milk

Cinnamon

Frozen Blueberries

(Stirred into the hot oatmeal to soften)

Walnuts

Delicious Oatmeal: Take I

Oatmeal

Brown Sugar

Milk

Poppyseeds

Crasins

Banana Slices

Shredded Cocoanut

Slivered Almonds

Purple Smoothie

She is a beauty, i'd say! Speckaly (no, it's not a word) and yummy. Nom nom nom. And of course I had to take a picture because we had these beautiful flowers which my dad gave to my mum for their anniversary conveniently placed behind my shot.

And because I really like purple! My room is purple, don't cha know.

What's in it you ask? Well...a little bit of this and a little bit of that!

More precisely? Blueberries, blackberries, milk, acai/pomegranate V8 juice, a banana, oat bran, and flax seed.

Yay purple!

Cantaloupe Melon Milk

This might be one of the prettiest drinks I've made. I love the soft orange colour of the cantaloupe melon, and during the summer they are at their peak--great taste and not too expensive. This morning I purchased a baby cantaloupe from an organic farmers market, for $1!

The sweet cantalope melon is surprisingly healthy and so refreshing it makes for a great beverage addition to shake up your normal drink routines.

My family gave it rave reviews, but for my sisters taste, she preferred the drink strained of any melon pulp. Its great either way in my opinion.

Ingredients:

1/2 cantaloupe melon*

1 1/2 c milk

1 Tbsp honey

*Note that the size of the melon will dictate the size of the drink.

Directions:

1. Remove seeds of the melon with a spoon. Scoop the melon out of the skin into a bowl and freeze for 1 hour until solid. Cover with plastic wrap if freezing longer.

2. Put the milk and honey into the blender and add the frozen melon. Process until smooth.

Makes approx. 1L

Breakfast Blintz

There is a part of my childhood which I remember quite fondly. It would not surprise many to hear that it had to do with food. Food that I ate and thoroughly enjoyed as a kid still sticks with me, and to this day I can recall their textures and tastes. This can sometimes be unfortunate, as some of the restaurants which I really enjoyed are now closed or under different ownership, and no longer making the same food.

Alas, now I find myself trying to re-create many of my favourite dishes from my past. Like this breakfast blintz for example.

The year was 1998 and my family and I dined at a local jewish diner called Katzan-jammers. My mom loved the raspberry blintzes, but I thought they seemed too strange to eat. Eventually however I got a taste in (while making my parents and sister close their eyes), and exclaimed, "Mmmmmm!!! Soo goooood." I ordered the blintz every time we visited after that point. My only lament was that there were only 3 on my plate.

This morning I had a hankering for the soft, and delicious crepes filled with sweet cheese which are topped with fruit and icing sugar. Yes, my hankerings are that specific. So, the BF and I ventured into blintz territory, only to discover that they are quite simple to make!

They make a beautiful breakfast/brunch dish, or evening treat.

And before the formal instructions, here are some photo guidelines:

Ingredients:

Crepes:

1 c flour

2 Tbsp + 1tsp white sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

butter for the pan

Sweet cheese filling:
4 oz cream cheese

1 1/2 c ricotta cheese

1 egg

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 Tbsp orange zest (you can also use lemon if you prefer)

Fruit sauce:

1/4 c strawberry jam (I used strawberry but you can use whichever flavor you prefer)

1 Tbsp water

parchment paper

some extra powdered sugar

fresh fruit

Directions:

1. Mix crepe ingredients together. FYI the batter will be quite liquidy, so don't worry that you messed anything up. Allow to sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile mix together the sweet cheese filling!

2. For each crepe I used about 1/4 cup of the batter on a buttered crepe pan (or frying pan). Allow the crepes to cook for about a minute on one side, or until they seem "done," and flip for a few moments longer. Your will get better at this as you go!

2. When you have a whole stack of crepes you can begin to fill them. See photos above OR for an easy to follow video on how to fold your crepes, click here.

3. Place into a baking dish over parchment paper and cook @ 400 for approx 10 minutes.

4. While baking, mix the jam with a little bit of water in a sauce pan or in the microwave for approx. 25 seconds, or until soft and warm.

5. For your final presentation, spoon a dollop of fruit sauce onto a plate, followed by 3 baked crepes, a sprinkling of icing sugar, and some fresh fruit.

Wholesome Honey-Baked Granola

This recipe comes from a deeeelectable cookbook which my mom and I have been enjoying lately. It's called Bite Me, by Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat.

Every single recipe we pull from it has been easy to prepare and very tasty, not to mention that the recipes are comprised of lots of awesome (sometimes quirky!) ingredients. Sometimes I find recipes that only have simple items can be missing a certain je ne sais quoi, but these recipes make up for it! (Coco powder in chili!? Awesome.)

The book's brunch chapter features this delicious homemade granola, which is not only good on your digestive tract, but also good on your pocket book. Prepared granola in the grocery stores can run for $10 or more, depending on the brand. And for HALF of the portion you get here.

That's a no brainer if you ask me.

Granola is such a light yet hearty, crunchy yet soft, food. Yummy served over yogurt, ice cream, with milk and bananas (as seen above), as a muffin/crisp topping, or just on it's own. It's a huge money saver for lunches: Pack 1/2 cup in a re-sealable dish and pour it over fruit and yogurt when you are ready to eat.

Fun to prepare, and oh-so satisfying, I know you will love it.

Ingredients:

4 c old-fashioned large flake oats (not quick cooking)

1 c slivered almonds

small handful of ground flax seed (this was my addition--just because I try to add flax seed to everything possible)

1 tsp kosher salt (I found this to be slightly salty for my taste)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 c melted butter (I used canola oil instead)

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c dried cranberries

1/2 c raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 F--Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, flaxseed, salt, and cinnamon.

3. In a small bowl, combine melted butter (or oil), brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Whisk well and pour over oat mixture. Toss to combine and spread granola over prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake 20 minutes, stir carefully and then continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to large bowl. Add dried cranberries and raisins, mixing to combine. Cool completely and store at room temp. in an air tight container for up to 1 week.

Yield: 7 cups

Cookbook photo courtesy of http://www.torontolife.com/daily/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/BiteMeCookbook.jpg

Boyfriend Banana Bread

This is my boy:

And this, is his banana bread:

My boyfriend likes banana bread.

No, I don't think you understand. I mean he really, really likes banana bread. To the point that he would probably eat an entire loaf if left unattended. Which is why absolutely must join him in eating it:)

Where oh where my dear did you learn of your love of banana bread? You may not even recall. I however most certainly recall when I learned of your love for banana bread. It was approximately 3 months ago, when we spotted some spotty bananas on a counter top. I was, naturally, outraged at their state. Ew. (I do not like brown bananas). You however were swooning. So I did what any normal brown banana hating person would do...I made bread with it.

And I believe the rest is history. Along with that loaf and many others after it.

The secret to this recipe is one very strange ingredient: Miracle Whip. You can ditch the shortening and replace it with miracle whip ladies and gentlemen, because it makes this bread moist and yummy!

I was iffy before we tried it but I will now endorse it, for what it's worth. And my BF? I'd say he would endorse it too. (If eating it really quickly is a sign of approval anyway).

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 1/3 c mashed fully ripe bananas (about 3)

1/2 c Miracle Whip dressing

1 1/2 c flour

1 c sugar

1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional) and/or chocolate chips

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 F

2. Beak egg, bananas and dressing in a large bowl with whisk until well blended. Mix remaining ingredients in separate bowl. Add to banana mixture; stir just until moistened.

3. Pour into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.

4. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes.; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Or you know, eat it warm:)

Simple Cinnamon Hazelnut Latte

Now, I don't know how all of my Starbucks friends will feel about this one. I imagine this latte is not as authentic and amazing as their barista styled concoctions, however Leah (a barista herself) taught me how to make it so it must be legit, and this one has it's advantages! It's delicious and easy and cheap, plus like the Starbucks version, it is caffeinated.

When I am in a coffee phase (which actually isn't often... sometimes coffee hurts my belly), this latte makes a satisfying morning treat.

I just love waking up to the smell of coffee, don't you? Relaxing before work with a newspaper and coffee? Delightful.

Ingredients:

(per 1 latte)

1/2 c skim milk (adjust to your coffee preferences--less if you need more coffee flavor, and more if you only want a hint of coffee)

1 tsp sugar--can also use flavored syrup (if desired)

hazelnut coffee, brewed

cinnamon and sugar, mixed

a handheld milk frother (available for around $10 at your local supermarket)

Directions:

1. Pour the skim milk and sugar/syrup into your favourite mug and microwave until very warm.

2. Using the handheld milk frother, froth the milk until there is a light and airy consistency at the top of your drink. (At least 10 sec) TIP: Don't touch the milk frother to the bottom of the mug, as for some reason this prevents proper frothing.

3. Pour brewed coffee (very gently) down the side of the mug, as to not ruin the foam, and fill mug.

4. Top with cinnamon and sugar and voila!

MAKE YOUR OWN YOGURT!

What is the most satisfying thing you can do with a liter of milk?

CULTIVATE YOUR OWN BACTERIA CULTURES!

As a girl living on her own, trying to eat healthy can be an expensive task! Especially since it seems like produce, milk and cheese always seem to be on sale, RIGHT after I buy them! Now, I'm lactose sensitive, so I don't drink regular milk, but for some reason yogurts and cheeses doesn't bother me. Needless to say, yogurt is one of my staple foods and I go through one to two containers a week. It can get pricey at $4 per 500ml container!

So my wonderful, beautiful, thrifty mother told me to make my own! Its SUPER easy and although I was terrified I was going to give myself food poisoning, the yogurt turned out better than a lot of grocery store brands I have tried and it only cost me $1 to make a liter of it! And the possibilities are endless! Yogurt can be a great breakfast, with sliced strawberries and Gluten Free Granola, or afternoon pick me up in a Seasonal Fruit Smoothie, or dinner in a tasty Greek Tzatziki on a Falafel, or in desert in a delicious Blueberry Flan!

So, if you think you've got it in you, lets make some yogurt!

What You Will Need:

3 tablespoons of Natural Unflavoured Yogurt (ie. No gelatin or corn starch or thickening agents basically, you want the ingredients to be milk and bacteria cultures)

1 liter of 1% or 2% milk (I used 2% for a creamier yogurt)

Thermometer

1. Using a double broiler (or a medium sized pot and a heat resistant glass bowl) heat your milk to 180 degrees. 180 degrees is the temperature that milk begins to froth on its own.

2. Take your yogurt out of the fridge, and let warm to room temperature. While you are heating your milk, pour boiling water into the containers you are planning on using to sterilize them. I used several small containers that I could easily grab on my way out the door.

3. Once the milk has reached 180 degrees, remove it from the heat and cool to 110 degrees.You can either do this by putting it in an ice bath, or being patient. (I used an ice bath).

4. Once it has reached 110 degrees, add the three tablespoons of yogurt and mix well. Pour into containers and seal with either lids or plastic wrap.

5. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place for 8 hours (overnight). I used my radiator, but you can use an stove with a pilot light or put in a heating blanket.

6. Chill for a few hours and enjoy!

7. Add any sweeteners or flavors you want! But make sure you leave at least 3 tablespoons for your next batch!

Makes 1 liter of yogurt, and lasts for 1-2 weeks!

Image from http://manolobig.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/yogurt-gallery-x.jpg

Fruit Cereal and Yogurt

Good morning all! Time for some breakfast.

I don't know about you, but sometimes all I can stomach for breakfast is fruit. Not all days of course, there is the occasional day which I can eat an entire buffet. (hehe rhyme). But today I am in the mood for fruit.

Seasonal is a good way to eat your fruits and veggies because you know that it will taste great and that it was probably a bit cheaper than those oranges that were shipped across the continent. And pomegranates are in season, so that fruit's in. Apples were season about a month ago, so their in too!

I love fruit and yogurt, so I mixed some delicious vanilla yogurt with the chopped up apples, and then combined it with a vanilla almond cereal. Then I sprinkled the yummy fruit cereal mix with some gorgeous pomegranate seeds.

Mmhm. It was perfect for breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 gala apple, chopped into bite size pieces

1/4 c vanilla almond cereal (or which ever variety you prefer)

1 c vanilla yogurt

1/2 pomegranate, seeded

Sauteed Potato Hash-Browns

Hash-Browns

I luuuv hash-browns.

Hash-browns with eggs and ketchup.

Hash-browns at the diner with lunch and fresh fruit.

Hash-browns for dinner.

Hash-browns the morning after meat and potatoes.

Hash-browns with maple syrup. Seriously, but just a dab.

Ingredients:

chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, herbs de Provence, and any other savory seasoning you like, (No over kill, please.) butter, and olive oil.

Directions:

1. Cook potatoes until just underdone and let sit in the fridge to cool and firm up. This is what makes day old cooked potatoes the perfect leftover.

2. Melt a dab of butter and a Tbsp of oil in the frying pan, and then gently place potatoes into the pan. (Careful, don't splatter!)

3. Add seasonings and toss the potatoes in the pan until fully coated. Cook until brown, hot and there are some nice pan marks. (Grill marks, but from a pan.)

Bed & Breakfast: Orange French Toast

The Peach Grove Bed & Breakfast: one of the prettiest places I have ever stayed. Let me attempt to set the scene for you.

I was 12 years old, and my parents, sister, and my Uncle George all took a road trip to New York, tracking down the ol' family homestead. You see, my Uncle George loves himself some genealogy. And we, as a family, are indebted to him for much of the information we have in our noggins and published. Yes, that's right, we have a family book. I'm not in it because it was published before I was born, but anyways, almost the whole family is in it.

Our family lineage begins in the New York State area where we stayed for a few days before heading to the Big Apple!

I had never stayed in a B&B before so my parents thought it would be a nice addition to our trip. And let me tell you, it was stunning. An old Victorian home, black shutters, a large porch at the front of the house--very Notebook-esque.

Here is the photo I got off of their website:

See?

The home was full of old antiques, a baby grand piano, and had a lovely sun room off the back where we had our tea and breakfast.

Breakfast was an option of (I think) eggs or orange french toast. Orange french toast sounded interesting so we went for the second option. Today I present to you, my version of this breakfast from the B&B tucked away in Warwick, New York. If my taste bud recollection serves me correctly, this version is pretty darn close.

Ingredients:

(Makes 3 pieces of french toast)

3 pieces of 12 grain bread (or you can use texas toast if you wish)

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. real vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate

cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix eggs in a large bowl and combine vanilla and orange juice concentrate. Stir until the concentrate has melted.

2. Dip both sides of the bread into the egg mixture and place in a pan over medium heat. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon.

3. Cook both sides until the bread is slightly toasted and no longer soggy (about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 on the other.)

4. Serve with yogurt, fresh fruit, and maple syrup.

Meet Bob's Red Mill

Intro:

Bob, meet blog readers.
Blog readers, meet Bob.

Awkward Silence.

Okaaaay, so I'm going to do the talking here, if that's okay with you two chatter boxes.

There really is much to to talk about, so here I go!

Bob's Red Mill is a company specializing in getting the "healthy" into your food. (Yes Bob, you can quote me.) They carry an extensive line of whole grain products, beans and lentils, gluten free products (like pizza dough, and cookie or cake mix!), flours, baking aids, and more. All packaged in easy to identify bags, the products are labeled with what they are, and what goodness is hidden inside. Perhaps you have seen Bob at your supermarket?

In the attempt to really re-fuel my breakfast routine, I can't seem to get enough of Bob's Apple, Cinnamon & Grains Hot Cereal (pictured above.) Cooked pretty much the same way as oatmeal, this hearty breakfast cereal is really yummy topped with banana and brown sugar or honey. But besides being yummy, this hot cereal is made of a tasty blend of stone ground high protein hard red wheat, rye, triticale, oats, barley, brown rice, oat bran, flaxseed, natural dried apples and cinnamon.

I am really interested to try some of their mixes as well. The cornbread and buttermilk pancakes mixes caught my eye, but there are like 30 other options to choose from. The sky seems to be the limit with Bob. (What a guy!)

Can't eat Gluten? Bob has over 80 products that are gluten free.
If you can't make up your mind, you can buy a Gluten Free Starter Kit:

The tester kits also come in different varieties if you are interested in trying out the bread, or whole grain mixes.

So yeaahh, now that you know a little bit about Bob, maybe you guys can carry on your own conversation? Cause I gotta go have a life...n' stuff. Oh, and finish my breakfast- Thanks Bob.

Check out Bob's website @ http://www.bobsredmill.com/

A Breakfast Wrap

Do I like breakfast??

Ptcchyaaaa! (Translation: Yes, in fact I do!)

And I have discovered, (Well, Not Christopher Columbus or Alexander Fleming discovered, more like "woah, I just discovered that if I put the toaster on level 8, it burns the bread, kinda discovered.) the breakfast wrap.


And I'm kinda thrilled about it.

You can literally put anything into it, combined with eggs (or not!) and you have an instant, hold you till lunch, breakfast.

For my wrap, I like the combination of spicy jalapino peppers, two good quality free-range eggs, and parsley, all scrambled together, topped with cheese, and salsa, wrapped in a spinach tortilla. If I'm feeling quite hungry I would add some cooked sausage or perhaps a few strips of bacon or ham.

I'm thinking the next combination I try will have maple syrup in it somewhere. Perhaps I will fry some sausage in maple syrup and top the eggs with that, diced apples, and cheese. Yep. There's tomorrow's breakfast!

Place your desired toppings into the centre of the tortilla and then wrap it up*, enclosing the filling completely. When it is sealed I like to pop it onto the George Foreman Grill (or pannini press) for a few minutes. The grill takes even stale bread and gives it a really nice crunch and toasty-ness. Plus with the addition of heat, it combines the flavors inside the wrap nicely.

So give er a go, and see if you don't stay full for at least twice as long as usual. (Stay full longer by using a whole-grain tortilla, at least two eggs, and eating a piece of fruit on the side.)

*For proper wrapping techniques, you could check out this website, but I would recommend this one.

For a full rundown on the benefits of breakfast, you can check out this post.

Photo courtesy of http://www.portcityjava.com/images/secondaries/menu_graphics/b_wrap2.jpg

Enhancing Performance with Breakfast

I don't think many people can say that they haven't heard about the benefits of breakfast. Why? Because it is proven. And because teachers, scientists, doctors, and parents have seen the results and will attest to it's ability to strengthen a student's performance at school.

Sending yourself to work or your child to school without breakfast is like trying to use a cordless power tool without ever recharging the battery. If you don't refuel your child's body in the morning after an overnight fast, the child has to draw fuel from its own energy stores until lunchtime. The stress hormones necessary to mobilize these energy reserves may leave the child feeling irritable, tired, and unable to learn or behave well.

I can attest to this! In grade 9 I decided that I would rather add a few minutes of sleep to my morning and skip the breakfast routine. My stomach doesn't hurt that much, I would think. I found that around 10:30 I really started to feel the pain, but I tried to ignore it by encouraging myself that it was probably helping me to stay thin.

Boy was I wrong. I felt groggy so many days that the extra sleep wasn't ever worth it, and I actually gained weight! When you eat breakfast, you are ending the over night fast. This helps your metabolism to rise and stay up for the duration of the morning. If you don't have breakfast, it will not have the proper effectiveness throughout the rest of the day. My lunch would then spike the metabolism, but not keep it steady enough to burn calories and fat throughout my day.

A smart nutritious breakfast comes from a combination of the 4 food groups with an emphasis on complex carbohydrates and protein. Think grains, plus dairy, plus fruits. (Carb lover, you can enjoy more carbs at breakfast because you will be burning them off all day!)

Complex carbohydrates and proteins act like biochemical partners for enhancing learning and behavior. This biochemical principle is called "synergy," meaning that the combination of two nutrients works better than each one singly, sort of like 1 + 1 = 3.

Studies have shown...

• Breakfast eaters are likely to achieve higher grades, pay closer attention, participate more in class discussions, and manage more complex academic problems than breakfast skippers.
• Breakfast skippers are more likely to be inattentive, sluggish, and make lower grades.
• Breakfast skippers are more likely to show erratic eating patterns throughout the day, eat less nutritious foods, and give into junk-food cravings. They may crave a mid- morning sugar fix because they can't make it all the way to lunchtime on an empty fuel tank.
• Some children are more vulnerable to the effects of missing breakfast than others. The effects on behavior and learning as a result of missing breakfast or eating a breakfast that is not very nutritious vary from child to child.
• Whether or not children eat breakfast affects their learning, but so does what they eat. Children who eat a breakfast containing both complex carbohydrates and proteins in equivalent amounts of calories tend to show better learning and performance than children who eat primarily a high protein or a high carbohydrate breakfast. Breakfasts high in carbohydrates with little protein seem to sedate children rather than stimulate their brain to learn.
• Children eating high calcium foods for breakfast (e.g., dairy products) showed enhanced behavior and learning.
• Morning stress increases the levels of stress hormones in the bloodstream. This can affect behavior and learning in two ways. First, stress hormones themselves can bother the brain. Secondly, stress hormones such as cortisol increase carbohydrate craving throughout the day. The food choices that result may affect behavior and learning in children who are sensitive to the ups and downs of blood sugar levels. Try to send your child off to school with a calm attitude, as well as a good breakfast.
• Breakfast sets the pattern for nutritious eating throughout the rest of the day. When children miss breakfast to save time or to cut calories, they set themselves up for erratic binging and possibly overeating the rest of the day.

Foods that build and foods that drain the brain:

BRAIN BUILDERS	BRAIN DRAINERS
Avocados Bananas Beef, lean Brewer's yeast Broccoli Brown rice Brussel sprouts Cantaloupe Cheese Chicken Collard greens Eggs Flaxseed oil Legumes Milk Oatmeal Oranges Peanut butter Peas Potatoes Romaine lettuce Salmon Soybeans Spinach Tuna Turkey Wheat germ Yogurt	Alcohol Artificial food colorings Artificial sweeteners Colas Corn syrup Frostings High-sugar "drinks" Hydrogenated fats Junk sugars Nicotine Overeating White bread

Try out any of these nutritious breakfasts:

• granola cereal, yogurt, a sliced apple
• scrambled eggs, toast, orange juice
• veggie omelet, bran muffin, fruit with yogurt
• whole-grain pancakes or waffles topped with berries and/or yogurt, milk
• whole-wheat zucchini pancakes topped with fruit, milk
• french toast topped with fruit, orange juice or milk
• low-fat cheese melted on toast with a piece of fruit
• low-fat cream cheese on a whole-grain bagel, orange juice
• peanut butter and banana slices on an english muffin, milk
• smoothie

In a hurry? Try a breakfast on-the-run!

• Watermelon Blueberry Protein Smoothie (click here)
• Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie (click here)
• Power House Smoothie:

3 cups milk or soy beverage
11/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt
1-2 servings Juice Plus+® Complete or similar multinutrient supplement
one banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup each of your favorite fruit, frozen (e.g., organic strawberries, papaya, mango)
2 tbsp. flax oil or 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
4 ounces tofu
2 tbsp. peanut butter (optional)
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 avocado

This family-size recipe makes four 16-ounce servings (approximately 550 calories per serving). Adjust the recipe to the desired taste and volume. Besides being tasty, it's nutritionally balanced, with each serving containing approximately 25 to 30 grams of protein, 55 to 60 grams of carbohydrates, 8 to 16 grams of fat (mostly healthy omega 3's), and 5 to 10 grams of fiber.

• Fruity Smoothie:

2 cups of milk or soy or rice beverage, or 1 cup milk and 1 cup yogurt
1 serving Juice Plus+® Complete
2 tsp. flax oil
1 small frozen banana, cut up
1/2 cup each of your favorite fruit, frozen (e.g., blueberries strawberries, papaya)
2 ice cubes if fruit is not frozen or if you want a lighter taste

Makes one 20-ounce serving. (approximately 550 calories).

Photo is courtesty of http://www.healthline.com/blogs/diet_nutrition/uploaded_images/breakfast2-735821.jpg

Watermelon Blueberry Protein Smootie

When people feel like they are getting sick, some take Cold FX, some take echinacea, some sleep. I, on the other hand, eat. Feed a cold, my mother always told me. And so I do.

But you can't settle for unhealthy food; you have to indulge in nature's vitamins, like fruit for example. Today my remedy of choice: the blueberry. I can literally eat an entire pint of blueberries in like 5 minutes. (In case you were wondering). And I don't feel guilty at all because I know how good they are for me.

Check out this blub I found online:

The dye that is released from the blueberries' skin may well be the most valuable nutrient the fruit has to offer. The pigments in blueberries and also in red crops such as cherries, plums, and red cabbage are powerful antioxidants. They have been determined to be a much-heralded chemical warrior against heart disease and also cancer. Blueberries actually have the highest antioxidant capacity because of their large anthocyanin concentration.

Antioxidants in our food can save us from virtually everything. Most of our health misfortunes are due to the perversity of oxygen. Our cells are perpetually besieged by toxic forms of oxygen which have been proved to have fierce destructive powers. So far scientists have linked destructive oxygen reactions to at least sixty different chronic diseases, as well as to aging itself. Oxygen free radicals can attack DNA, the genetic material of cells, causing them to mutate, which is a step on the path to cancer.

One of the great revelations of the last few years, according to a massive and growing body of evidence, is that you may be able to eat your way out of this dilemma insofar as the boundaries of human life span and genetics allow. You can supply your cells with antioxidant food compounds that strike down, intercept and extinguish rampaging oxygen molecules and even repair some of their damage.

So, while enjoying the many health benefits of the blueberry, you can endulge in this refreshing power smoothie that is sure to boost your bodies immunity into high gear.

Ingredients:

3/4 c fresh blueberries
3/4 c watermelon
3/4 c milk
1 banana
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 c oat bran
1/2 c vanilla yogurt
3 ice cubes


Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a blender on high until smooth.

Blueberry Pancakes with Orange and Butter Infused Maple Syrup

I have no problem topping my cereal with blueberries and calling that a successful breakfast. But that's what I did yesterday...

So today, blueberry pancakes were in order!

Pancakes are one of my favourite breakfast comfort foods (along with eggs Benedict), and I like to do em' up right! These Fluffy and slightly sweet cakes are filled with juicy and tart berries, and then topped with maple syrup that has been simmered with orange and butter...does it get any better than that?!


Ingredients:

Pancakes:
1 egg
3/4 c milk
1 c flour (Note: Try using half whole wheat flour for a little extra fiber)
2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup blueberries (preferably fresh)

Orange and Butter Maple Syrup:
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
the juice from one orange
1/2 tsp. orange zest

Directions:

Pancakes:
1. Beat egg slightly and mix in milk, oil, sugar, salt.

2. Separately, combine sifted flour and baking soda. Gently fold liquid into the dry ingredients and then add the blueberries.

3. Heat pan to medium, and add some canola oil (just enough to coat pan). When the pan is hot, you can begin scooping the batter into round dollops. You can make them as big or small as you would like. When the edges begin to appear cooked or there are bubbles forming, flip the pancake and cook until done.

4. Top with extra fresh blueberries and syrup (directions below), and serve with an orange wedge.

Orange and Butter Maple Syrup:
1. Melt butter over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Add maple syrup, orange juice and zest. Stir, and serve.

Toast with Peanut Butter and Strawberry...Jam??

Okay, Okay so the jam part of this little breakfast/night-time snack isn't really jam at all.

I took the most important part of the jam and made that the focus. I do really like jam, don't get me wrong. But sometimes, if I have the option of eating something in its natural state, then I will.

I know! It's crazy that sometimes people like to eat things that haven't seen an oven/microwave/stove top or packaging factory.

So for instance, instead of apple martinis, try an apple. Or instead of corn flavored popcorn, try corn. The distance we are going from the food that we grow is amazing. (If your interested in learning more about eating things that are local and perhaps in their natural state, check out the 100 mile diet here).

I got some gorgeous local strawberries today, so before topping my typical bed-time snack of PB on toast with banana, I went for the strawberries instead! I then drizzled it with honey and MMMmmmm....It was so yummy. The fresh strawberries added such a light note to the snack. In fact I didn't even need a glass of milk to wash it down. That never happens with peanut butter!

Ingredients:

1 piece rye bread, toasted
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
4 local strawberries, sliced thinly
1 Tbsp. honey

Directions:

1. Toast rye bread, and spread with peanut butter. Layer the strawberry slices over the bread and drizzle with honey.

Enjoy!

Hippie Pancakes

If I were to dream of hippie food, this is what it would look like. In fact, if mother nature could cook, Leah and I believe she would cook something just like this: whole wheat Swedish pancakes, coloured with golden sauteed bananas, and textured with soft cream cheese contrasted with crunchy granola.

Oh hay! What a coincidence, that is exactly what we did!

After stumbling out of bed at 11am this morning, Leah and I (complete with bed head, pj's, bare feet, and no makeup...hippie style if you ask me!) were not content with making a simple breakfast of toast and jam. No sir. We were in a fancy-dancy breakfast mood this morning!

Our food smarts directed us to my brand new "Martha Stewart Cookbook!" (Purchased yesterday in fact, at the local library book store for only 8 dollars!) We found her recipe for Swedish pancakes and went from there. Cream cheese, honey, sauteed bananas, and granola play a starring role in this sensational breakfast.

Click on this picture ^
and get a really good look at the colours and textures.

If you sautee the bananas in butter and brown sugar they turn a really pretty gold colour. However I would recommend using firm, fresh bananas with no brown spots on them. This way the bananas will hold up in the sautee pan, and they won't become too sweet after being cooked.


I should note that I believe this recipe to be healthy. (It's got whole wheat, fruit, yogurt, non-fat cream cheese, and natural sweeteners! Come on now.) So eat up hungry wolverines!

Ingredients:

6 Swedish Pancakes:
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 c milk
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar

Sauteed Bananas:
2 bananas, sliced
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. brown sugar

Plain yogurt
Granola (I used a mango, cranberry variety)
Honey
Low fat cream cheese

Directions:

1. Prepare swedish pancakes by combining eggs, milk, flour, melted butter, and salt in a mixing bowl. Blend well. (Note: Don't over mix because you don't want bubbles in your batter. Aswell, melt your butter innitally in the frying pan so that it coats the surface, and then pour the melted butter into the batter. This way, you don't have to dirty another dish!)

2. Scoop batter onto your hot, greased frying pan. (Note: To ensure the pan is hot enough, sprinkle some water onto it, and if it sizzles, it's ready.)

3. Be patient as you cook your pancakes, and only flip when you see bubbles forming close to the centre. When you flip them, they only need about 30 sec. more.

4. For your sauteed bananas, melt butter in a small frying pan. Add sliced bananas brown sugar. Cook until the bananas are thoroughly covered in sugar, and you have a nice brown colour.

5. Assemble your hippie pancakes by spreading creamcheese on your pancake, bananas, a drizzle of honey, and some granola. We had to use a fork an knife to eat it, but if your brave you could use your hands.

6. Serve along side some plain yogurt to dip your pancakes in.

Leftovers for Breakfast

Following a successful dinner there is nothing better than a good nights sleep...and then a successful breakfast!

Last night we had company over and dined on beef tenderloin, parmesan asparagus, raspberry salad, potatoes, and bread. I wasn't willing to give up on the meal apparently because this morning I re-did it, breakfast style.

The plate, as you can see above, played host to: scrambled eggs, hash browns, sliced beef tenderloin, and toast.

Not bad for 10 am!

Ingredients:

For Scrambled Eggs:
2 Eggs per person
Assorted veggies, chopped (I used asparagus, red pepper, and leeks)
1/4 c cream per person
1/4 c shredded cheese per person
Salt
Pepper

For Hash Browns:
Left over potatoes
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Seasoning spice (I used Mrs. Dash - Extra Spicy and Club House Roasted Garlic and Peppers)
Butter and olive oil for the pan

Leftover meat, sliced (I used steak)

Directions:

Eggs:

1. Chop veggies and mix with your beaten egg mixture. Add cream, then salt and pepper.

2. Pour into a medium heat pan and allow the mixture to cook slightly. After a few moments, use a wooden or plastic spoon to begin scraping the egg from the bottom and sides of the pan. Every so often, repeat, until all of the egg mixture is scrambled.

3. Add cheese and fold in until melted. Set to the side.

Hash browns:

1. Chop up precooked potatoes into bit-size pieces.

2. Put a bit of olive oil and butter into the pan to prevent the potatoes from sticking, and throw the potatoes into the pan. Whilst the potatoes are frying, add seasonings and garlic powder (enough to coat the potatoes well) and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the potatoes are browning and hot.

Meat:

1. Slice whichever meat you are using, and place onto a hot pan just until it has heated through.

And Finally, assemble your eggs, hash browns, and meat onto a plate, and Voila! Leftovers for Breakfast!