By Jasmin Schellenberg –
HEALTHY SNACKS
Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup almond flour (soaked, dehydrated nuts, ground to a flour)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup (organic, grade B)
1/8 cup filtered water *
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
2 1/4 cups any combination of pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds or walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seeds, soaked and dehydrated
Method
In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, and baking soda. Add coconut oil, maple syrup, water, and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients into wet. Mix in shredded coconut, seeds, and dried fruit. Grease an 8×8 baking dish with coconut oil. Press the dough into the baking dish, wetting your hands with water to help pat the dough down evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Cool before cutting and serving; these bars are crumbly. Very tasty topped with a dollop of yogurt or crème fraîche.
*For another variation of grain-free granola, leave out the water and prepare as usual. Once the bars have cooled, break into small pieces and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Also great for snacks.
NUTRIENT DENSE BREAKFAST
Muffins
Makes about 1 dozen
Ingredients
1 pound ground pastured pork or beef
12 pastured eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cheese, shredded or crumbled
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup chopped veggies of choice (onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, and green onions are all good) herbs and spices of choice (sage, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, or chili powder)
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups. Brown meat in skillet on medium heat and transfer to bowl. Use the leftover grease to sauté chopped veggies (adding extra fat if necessary; butter, ghee, coconut oil, lard, or tallow). In a large bowl, beat eggs then add meat, cottage cheese, sautéed veggies, onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and other herbs or spices of your choosing. Spoon approximately 1/4 cup of egg/meat/veggie mixture into each muffin cup, sprinkle with cheese, and cook between 15 to 20 minutes, until egg has set.
MYTHS UNVEILED
Making the most of breakfast
Our mood and performance for the entire day is dependent on a good nourishing breakfast, as it sets the stage for balanced body chemistry and hormones. Children and adults who adequately fuel up in the morning have more energy, better emotional stability, and are better thinkers resulting in better performance. Breakfast-eaters tend to make better food choices during the day. Breakfast-skippers tend to eat more calories throughout the day, possibly leading to unwanted weight gain.
A nourishing breakfast has nothing to do with colourful, sugary cereals which are highly processed (high temperature and pressure resulting in damaged proteins and nutrients) making them toxic and poor to digest.
The traditional practice of soaking and sprouting grains activates enzymes and makes minerals and vitamins absorbable.
Four breakfast rules that should be followed:
1. Fat and protein should be the featured nutrients. They include egg, meat, fish, full-fat dairy foods such as yogurt, kefir, quark, and cheese, and nuts, seeds, coconut oil, lard, tallow, butter, and avocados. Fruits, vegetables, tubers, and whole grains make a wonderful side note.
2. Make at least a portion of breakfast food easily digestible with soaked grains, sour leavened flours for breads, cultured dairy products, or fermented fruits and vegetables.
3. Don’t rush! Get yourself in the habit of going to sleep early enough to allow time in the morning to relax through your morning meal.
4. Plan ahead. Know what you will have tomorrow; a weekly plan is a great help.
One reason protein and fat are so essential for breakfast is that they are critical for overall brain chemistry and metabolism balance. One of the best sources of protein and fat is the incredible, edible egg!
Keeping to a basic, old-fashioned breakfast menu is fine and dandy—eggs (prepared any way: scrambled, poached, boiled, fried, omelet) with a side of sausage or bacon from pastured animals; soaked porridge with butter, coconut oil, nuts, seeds and berries; or French toast (made with properly prepared sour dough or sprouted bread) served with sausage, butter, and a maple syrup-sweetened fruit sauce with a side of berries and cream. However, there are days when it is fun to step outside the box, and when that day comes, consider these inspirational ideas:
• Breakfast soup: For many cultures, soup is a breakfast food. The Japanese begin their day with a bowl of fish broth and rice. French children traditionally consumed leftover soup before they started off to school
• Meat and egg muffins (Meffins!): The variations for scrumptious morning breakfast muffins are endless with different meats, sausages, vegetables, and cheese. Make a big batch and freeze your favourite.
• Scrapple or liverwurst (pâté-like foods made from organ meats): sliced and fried until the outside is crispy along with scrambled eggs or stuffed in a breakfast burrito.
• Fruit and cheese sundae: Cottage cheese or ricotta with berries, nuts, and seeds piled high in a fun fluted glass.
• Homemade cold cereal or granola: There are properly prepared cereal and granola recipes in Eat Fat Lose Fat by Mary Enig, PhD. Serve with cream or cultured dairy products.
• Dinner leftovers: Salmon patties, roast with gravy and fixings, shrimp stir-fry, egg or chicken salad, simple beef patties with fixings.
• Yogurt pops: A simple mix of yogurt, frozen berries, vanilla or almond extract, and egg yolks blended and frozen in paper cups with wooden popsicle sticks.
• Smoothies in a thermos: Pour your favorite smoothie into a thermos to take along on your way to school, work, or play-date.
• Cheese and crispy nuts: What could be simpler? You can include a few dates for some natural sweetness.
• Hard boiled eggs: Have them on hand for grab and go.
A WALK THROUGH YOUR PANTRY:
GET RID OF: Processed cereals, white sugar, artificial colours, and dyes.
REPLACE WITH: Whole grains, nuts, seeds, hard boiled eggs shelled and put in brine (2 parts bouillon, 1 part apple cider vinegar).
Brought to you by Jasmin Schellenberg
Inspired by and resourced from www.westonaprice.org Spring Journal 2011
For “Nourishing our Children” newsletters of the past visit: www.thegreengazette.ca
