Tag Archives: Breakfast

My Favorite Paleo Recipes – Part 1: Breakfast

24 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by in Diet, Health and Wellness, Paleo, Recipes

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week105If you are a regular follower of my blog, you will know that me eating Paleo didn’t happen overnight; it took years of trial and error plus refinement to determine what works best for my body and myself. If you are also a fellow Paleo eater, or are curious as to what one eats when following the Caveman Diet, I am going to share with some of my favorite go-to foods for breakfasts, snacks, lunches, dinners and desserts in a five part series. First up, breakfast. These are all delish! Inbox me with your own favorite Paleo breakfasts!

Cinnamon Roll Smoothie
This is a super easy recipe and is like dessert for breakfast! In a mixture, add: 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup coconut water (or more almond milk), 1 frozen banana, 1 tablespoon hemp seeds (or nut of choice), 1/2 teaspoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon raisins, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or more to taste), 1 scoop vanilla Fat Flush Body Protein (or your favorite protein powder) and a handful or two ice. Blend all. Serve with more raisins and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Almond Zucchini Bread
Moist and delish! Preheat oven to 350° F and grease two mini bread loaf pans. Combine 1 1/2 cups almond flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Combine 3 omega-3 eggs, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 mashed banana and 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil in a stand mixer and beat on medium for about 2 minutes. Or combine in a large bowl and whisk together vigorously. Add 1 cup grated zucchini (water squeezed out) and mix until combined. Pour dry ingredients into wet and mix until incorporated. Pour batter into loaf pans. Bake for 32-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer bread out of loaf pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 2 mini loaves.

Scrambled Egg Whites with Spinach, Tomatoes and Turkey
One of my ultimate favorites! Brown 1 pound lean ground turkey in a medium skillet until cooked through and lightly browned. Drain excess juices from the pan. Place turkey in a bowl and set aside. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Scramble 8 egg whites until dry. Add scrambled eggs to cooked turkey. In a small skillet coated with cooking spray, lightly sauté 2 coarsely chopped tomatoes, 2 c. shredded spinach and 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press. In a large skillet combine all ingredients and mix until evenly distributed. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Bacon and Heirloom Tomato Frittata with Basil
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl whisk 12 large omega-3 eggs together and add 1 clove of the minced garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cut 1/2 pound turkey bacon (8 slices) into 1/4 inch strips and cook in a 10 inch, cast iron skillet until almost crispy and much of the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the bacon into a separate dish and reserve. Drain all but two tablespoons of the fat. Add 1 medium diced red onion diced and cook in the remaining bacon fat on medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add another 1 clove of the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the bacon back to the pan and spread out evenly. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the hot pan and allow to cook on medium until the edges begin to cook and the eggs have cooked about halfway. Gently place heirloom tomatoes (in different sizes and colors cut into thick 1/2 inch slices) and onion slices on top of the eggs. Top with a few of the fresh basil leaves. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for approximately 20 minutes until the middle of the frittata is cooked. Remove from the oven and let the frittata set up and cool off slightly for about 5 minutes. Top with more fresh basil leaves and serve warm. Serves 6-8.

Banana Pancakes
Sift together 1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup full fat coconut milk, 1 ripe mashed banana (about 1/2 cup), 3 large omega-3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon raw honey (optional). Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto a heated griddle greased with cooking spray. Cook the pancakes for 2-3 minutes per side until bubbling stops. Serve plain or top with honey, berries, walnuts, or almond butter. Serves 4-6.

Coconut Waffles
Mix together 1/2 cup coconut flour, 1/2 cup vanilla Fat Flush Body Protein (or your favorite protein powder), 1/4 cup fresh or canned pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup almond milk, 2 omega-3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and cinnamon to smell and taste. Pour about 1/3 cup batter into a heated waffle maker. Heat until no more steam rises from the waffle maker. Serve plain or top with honey, berries, walnuts or almond butter.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana

The Most Important Meal of Your Day – Breakfast

24 Monday Jan 2011

Posted by in Diet, Health and Wellness, Recipes

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In “Setting Your Fitness Goals,” I mention that what you eat is 80 percent of your success rate for achieving and maintaining your fitness goal. So let’s start with the first meal of the day; breakfast. Many of us were raised by our parents to make certain we ate our breakfasts before dashing off to school. Unfortunately, today many of us claim not to have time for the early meal and instead either drink a cup of coffee on the go, snack at our desk while working, or hold off the pangs until lunchtime. Some even do so in the hopes it will ward off weight gain as their true motivator.

Skipping breakfast is actually a more likely way to cause weight gain than weight loss. Studies have shown missing breakfast is strongly linked to the development of obesity as the morning meal skippers tend to eat more food than usual at the next meal or later in the day, and food that is less nutritional. Additionally, the daily prolonged fasting can increase your body’s insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage. So if you are a breakfast skipper, whether trying to save time or cut you calories, you may want to rethink your strategy.

Breakfast is the most important meal of your day. Like starting your car in the morning, a healthy breakfast kick-starts your energy level, refuels your body, and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply blood sugar (glucose). Eating this morning meal within an hour of rising reduces your hunger later in the day, making it easier to avoid overeating, and increases your metabolic burning rate.

What you choose to eat for breakfast also makes a big difference for your health. If you choose healthful, slow-burning foods, like whole grains and fruits, you should be able to control your appetite until midday and overeating is less likely. The more whole the grain is, the slower the digestion. This helps keep blood sugar levels stable, prevents energy crashes, and prevents from feeling hungry later in the morning or day.

Oatmeal is a great source of slow-digesting, complex carbohydrates. It is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, helping to reduce bad cholesterol by literally binding to them and sweeping them out of the body. Oatmeal also contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and is a good source of protein and iron. In essence, oatmeal is a superfood.

Oatmeal is also a powerhouse when it comes to helping prevent certain medical conditions. Numerous studies show that the fiber and other nutrients found in oatmeal may actually reduce the risk for certain cancers. Other studies have shown that eating oatmeal may help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, lessen the risk for type 2 diabetes, and may help lower high blood pressure.

So if you only have a short amount of time in the mornings, I recommend instant or quick-cooking oatmeal or whole grain cold cereal with raisins or fresh fruit and low-fat dairy or soy milk. It’s a great healthy way to start your day. If you have a little more time, below I have included a couple recipes I love that incorporate other superfoods such as yogurts and berries. (I’ll discuss superfoods in a future blog.)

Egg White Oatmeal Pancakes: Grind 1 cup steel-cut oats and 1/4 cup chopped nuts (almonds and walnuts) in a food processor. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Add scoop vanilla whey protein powder (optional). Stir in 1 cup egg whites and blend. Lightly grease griddle with Pam. Heat griddle to 375 degrees F and until drops of water dance and evaporate immediately. Pour 1/4 cup of the mixture onto hot griddle and let cook until the edges start to look dry and bubbles form on the uncooked surface. Flip over and let the pancakes cook for another minute or two until golden brown. Top with fresh berries. 2 Servings.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits: In a small bowl, combine 2 cups low fat vanilla yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Combine 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup raspberries in another bowl. In four clear, tall glasses, layer 1/4 cup fruit mixture, 2 tablespoons cooked oatmeal (or granola), and 1/4 cup yogurt mixture. Continue to build the parfaits, repeating the layers until all of the ingredients are used completely. Lightly sprinkle tops with wheat germ and top off with a few berries. 4 Servings.

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Well.
Adriana