Tuesday, April 8, 2008

My favorite breakfasts

Two of my favorite easy breakfasts are smoothies and yogurt with fruit, granola and honey. I usually look for a granola that is really low in sugar. I like bear naked which has only 3g per 1/4 of a cup (please note serving size). I'll go up to 6g of sugar per 1/4 cup - but I think this is too much any more than this and you might as well just pour sugar on from the container. 4g is 1 teaspoon that is all any one person needs at any one time. I would say that I usually don't have these together unless I am running 10 miles and then I might have the yogurt first and the smoothie after - otherwise I have one or the other for breakfast on a normal day.

Recipes:
yogurt granola parfait:
1 cup of good quality whole milk (yes whole milk!) yogurt with active probiotics - brands I like: Fage (you can use their 2% or 5% b/c their whole has 20g of fat because it is strained, but a little goes a long way with their whole because you will be full), la yogurt, danon -this is PLAIN UNSWEETENED, no FRUIT!
3 strawberries - top cut off and sliced in half
1 handful of blueberries
1/4 cup of granola
if you need extra sweetness 2 tsp of good quality honey - local if possible from a beekeeper or farmers market

directions:
In a bowl place 1 tsp of honey - add half of the yogurt. On top add half the granola, half the fruit, and top with remaining yogurt, fruit and granola. Add remaining honey to the top. Eat with spoon, enjoy!

Smoothie:
1 handful each - raspberries, strawberries (tops removed, cut in half) and blueberries - fresh if possible frozen ok
6-8 ounces of almond milk (40 calories a serving, unsweetened - I prefer this to soy milk - I like blue diamond brand).
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds or chia seeds (these add protein and flavor as well as essential fatty acids - those omega 3s everyone is talking about and are more pure than protein powders - please stay away from those!)
if you can find it 1/2 pack of raw acai (sold in the freezer section at whole foods or your local health food stores - a superfruit/superfood from brazil - has natural energy qualities and EFAs as well as other great vitamins and electrolytes - perfect for after workout recovery!)
if you need 1 tsp of raw honey
for extra fullness 1 tsp natural peanut butter
Directions: blend all together at smoothie or blend/highest setting. If using frozen fruit - might want to add a bit more almond milk. I also sometimes use 1/4 cup pomegranate or cranberry juice (without added sugar or high fructose corn syrup, read labels!) for some extra sweetness, in this case, I would just use less almond milk.
I've also made this with goat milk. I personally avoid cows milk due to lactose intolerance, hormones and the fact that once pasteurized all the good things in cows milk are virtually gone anyway leaving behind sugar and protein (casein) that is virtually indigestible to humans. Many people grow casein and lactose intolerant as they pass into adulthood and don't even realize it. So I do not recommend skim or low fat milk (please this is not a whole food and it is the major cause of high cholesterol in this country!) in my practice.

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