Personalize Your Breakfast

Breakfast is a time for building up muscles, stamina and frame of mind. Winter breakfasts might include a hot cereal, toasted bagel or even a skillet meal with an omelet and potatoes. Sometimes it's a time to enjoy yesterday's leftovers, microwave pizza or sandwich. Each of us personalizes the choices.  Like other meals-include a fruit or vegetable, a whole grain and lean protein foods. 

My breakfast parfait above is made with layers of whole grain fruit and nut bread, nonfat plain yogurt and a carrot marmalade. I drink a glass of skim milk with each meal providing high quality protein and hydration to my nutrition profile.

Breakfast is especially important for seniors and those recuperating from illness or injury.   While most Americans eat the bulk of the daily protein later in the day, it's best to to space the intake throughout the day. 

I aim for 20-24 grams of protein at breakfast.  That's more than a cup of milk or a container of yogurt-though that's a place to start. Soy and pea milk each have equivalent amounts of protein per cup (8 grams) as cows' milk.  Almond, rice and coconut milk do not.  Greek yogurt has twice the protein as regular milk.

 

I like to plan my seasonal meals with ideas from magazines. The "Carrot Cake Marmalade" recipe is from Food and Wine Magazine. It is delicious! Because my plans included eating with a bread made with almond paste (also sweetened), I decreased the granulated sugar in the original recipe to 5 tablespoons. 

Eating the same foods over and over can get old-and may not be the healthiest choice. Including different foods can increase nutrient variety and decrease food insensitivity. Here are some out-of-my-normal breakfasts I've enjoyed with ideas from cookbooks and magazines.

Buckwheat Waffles

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl with Fermented Cabbage

Grits and Fruit Bowl

 

Pot Sticker Huevos Ranchero

Green Smoothie

Sourdough Pancakes with Peanut Butter and Banana

Overnight Fruit Cobbler

Teff Porridge

National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.

This year's theme is "Personalize Your Plate." There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health. We are all unique with different bodies, goals, backgrounds and tastes! And a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can tailor a healthful eating plan that is as special as you are.

 

 

Personalize the Recipe Your Way

You do it all the time-change a recipe to fit you. You adjust the seasonings to fit your palate, perhaps changing hot peppers to sweet peppers, adding more or less of a given spice to suit you. Some use less sugar to meet dietary guidelines. Others use one half whole grain flour for the total flour.

In this recipe, I'll suggest swaps for protein ingredients and techniques for fitting the casserole in your favorite size baking dish.

Tortilla Casserole

I've made this casserole with cooked chicken or pork. First I bake the chicken (to an internal temperature of 165F) or cook the pork tenderloin (in the slow cooker to an internal temperature of 145F). Then I shred the cooked meat in the kitchen aide mixing bowl using the paddle blade. One chicken breast is enough for a 3 person casserole. One pork tenderloin will feed 6. Shred in quantity and freeze some for an easy barbecue or casserole at a later date.

For a meatless version, substitute cooked dried beans.

For a 9 X 13 inch pan (6 servings), double the amount of ingredients. When we prepared this in the cafeteria I managed, we arranged 12 servings in a half size steam table pan and cut 3 X 4 to serve.

(3 servings)

Cook meat or beans. Shred meat. 

9 ounce chicken breast, boneless, skinless or pork tenderloin or 1 1/4 cups cooked dried beans.

On stove-top, heat tomatoes, spices, peppers and onion.
2/3 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
2/3 teaspoon chili powder
Dash oregano
1/3 cup sweet peppers, diced
2 tablespoon onion, diced

Add corn and cooked protein (chicken, pork or beans) to pot.
1/2 cup corn
Cooked protein

Mix cornstarch into milk. Add milk to pot.  Heat over medium low heat until mixture begins to thicken, about 15 minutes.
2/3 teaspoon cornstarch, non GMO
1/2 cup skim milk

Cut each tortilla into quarters.  Arrange 1/2 of tortillas in bottom of small baking dish (this one is 5 X 9), greased with olive oil spray
3 corn tortillas

Add 1/2 of vegetable-protein mix.

  
Top with 1/2 of cheese.
3/4 cup shredded cheese

Repeat layers.

Bake at 325 F for 1/2 hour. 

National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.

This year's theme is "Personalize Your Plate." There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health. We are all unique with different bodies, goals, backgrounds and tastes! And a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can tailor a healthful eating plan that is as special as you are.

Sourdough Discard Blueberry Muffins

Today I converted an existing recipe into one where I'm using my sourdough discard. I typically have 1/2 cup discard after removing 2 tablespoons for the mother starter. I subtracted 3 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons liquid (milk) from those ingredients in the recipe. The end result was good. Since the baking powder and soda in the existing recipe compared  to amounts in other recipes utilizing sourdough discard, I did not change those.

Blueberry Spelt Muffins with Sourdough Discard

(8 Muffins)

Crumb Topping

Mix crumb topping, cutting in buttery spread until crumbly. Set aside.

2 tablespoon spelt flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Pinch cinnamon

2 tablespoon buttery spread, grated

Muffins

Beat egg into discard. Stir in sugar.

1/2 cup sourdough discard

6 tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg

Dry mix

Mix dry ingredients

1 cup 5 tablespoon spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

Zest of 1 lemon

Liquid Mix

Combine liquid ingredients.

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoon buttermilk

Alternately add dry ingredients then liquid ingredients to the discard. Stir only until combined. Fold in blueberries. 

2/3 cup fresh blueberries

Scoop 1/4 cup batter into muffin tins greased with olive oil spray. Top each with 1 1/2 tablespoon crumb topping. 

Bake at 335 F for 27 minutes, turning pan halfway.

Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and continue cooling on wire rack. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

King Tut's Bread

The history behind the ancient grain Kamut is as rich as the taste. Thousands of years old, Kamut was first introduced to the United States in the late 1940s when a United States airman by the name of Earl Dedman purchased 36 kernels of the grain from an Egyptian street vendor. Dedman mailed those to his father in Montana who grew over 1500 bushels of Kamut in just a few years. After being dubbed "King Tut's Grain" at the county fair, the novelty soon wore off. It was in the 1970s when the Quinn family reintroduced Kamut to the United States. The family of organic farmers trademarked Kamut which can never be altered by modern plant breeding programs.

Kamut flour is amber in color and has a smooth, buttery flavor. It is especially good in recipes such as biscuits, Challah and sugar cookies as it brings out the flavor of the flour.

This Challah bread is made with the sponge method of bread baking with two fermentation stages. This method fully hydrates grains with a weaker gluten structure-like Kamut-prior to adding the remaining ingredients. This gives a better rise and lighter texture to the bread.

This recipe is adapted from Kim Boyce's "Good to the Grain" cookbook. Kamut and millet are whole grains. I replaced some of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour to make the bread 50% whole grain.

King Tut's Challah

(1 loaf)

Sponge stage

Heat milk to 100 F. Pour over yeast in mixing bowl.

2/14 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 cup skim milk

Stir with a spoon until dissolved.

 

Add honey, Kamut and millet flours.

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup Kamut flour

1/4 cup millet flour

Stir to combine.

 

On top of sticky dough, add whole wheat and all purpose flour. Do not stir.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

Top with salt.

1/2 teaspoon salt.

Do not stir.

Allow sponge to rest 30 minutes.

 

Dough state

Warm eggs in a bowl of hot water.

3 eggs.

Crack into a cup and mix.

 

Add beaten eggs to the sponge. With dough hook in place, mix on low speed until flour is combined. If dough sticks to sides of bowl, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

Up to 1/2 cup all purpose flour

 

Turn the mixing bowl to medium and beat for 5 minutes.

 

Scrape dough from hook and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes more.

 

Add buttery spread 1 tablespoon at a time until each is fully incorporated.

4 ounces (1 stick) buttery spread.

 

First rise

Scrape dough into a bowl greased with olive oil spray. Turn to coat. Cover and allow to rest 1 1/2 hours.

 

Second rise

Scrape dough onto floured surface. Fold the dough into itself, forming a ball and place into a bowl greased with olive oil spray. Cover and allow to rest 1 hour.

 

Shaping and third rise

On a floured surface, divide dough into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a 14 inch rope. Braid, pinch ends together and place on a prepared pan sprinkled with seeds. I used a large Italian loaf pan, greased with olive oil spray.

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

 

Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

 

Egg wash

1 egg

Beat egg together until creamy yellow and combined thoroughly.

Brush dough with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seed.

1 tablespoon sesame seed.

Bake at 385F for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 310F and bake 10 minutes more.

 

Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

 

Kamut grain is a nutritious source of iron, fiber, zinc and magnesium. It has higher levels of protein than common wheat and more Vitamin E.

   

 

The Colors of Winter

 

It was the spice blend in this chicken curry that colored and flavored an otherwise ordinary dish of chicken, eggplant and green beans. I combined a dry spice blend of turmeric, cumin, coriander and mustard with a red curry paste and mixed into the fresh fennel, eggplant, peppers, ginger, onion and garlic base.

The vegetables provide vitamins and minerals. The chicken completes the protein. The "whole grain" corn grits add texture and fiber. Together the one plate meal fed the two of us each 1 dinner and 2 lunches. 

Curried Chicken

(Serves 6)

Dry Spice Blend

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon mustard

 

Saute vegetables in olive oil for 5-7 minutes.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup fresh fennel bulb, diced

1/3 cup sweet red peppers, seeded and diced

1/4 cup onion, diced

2/3 cup eggplant, peeled and diced

 

Stir in:

2 teaspoon garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon red curry paste

Dry spice blend

 

Add chicken and cook 3 minutes per side.

8 ounce chicken tenders

Remove chicken from pan and slice in smaller pieces.

 

To pan, add sauce ingredients.

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed into 1 tablespoon cold water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

 

Add green beans.

1 cup cooked green beans

 

Return chicken to pan.

 

Stir in Miso. Boiling water destroys the live probiotic bacteria. Stir only till mixed.

 

Turmeric, garlic and ginger are among those that reduce inflammation.

 

Serve over cooked and hot grain. I served our dinner over whole grain corn grits. Not all grits are whole grain-check label for those words. For the leftover lunches, we served over cooked brown rice (leftover from another meal).

Whole Grain Corn Grits

(Serves 2)

Combine grits and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover. Lower heat to simmer and continue to cook for about 20 minutes.

1/2 cup whole grain corn grits

1 1/2 cups water

 

  

 

 

 

 

   

A Warm and Frugal Wintery Menu

 

Fresh baked bread and a thick bean bowl built an enjoyable dinner from ingredients found in winters' kitchen. I started with dried beans and canned tomatoes from the cupboard and added seasonal greens and citrus fruit from the refrigerator. (Our local grocery store featured a "buy one get one free" on ruby red grapefruit this week).

Here are the recipes:

Pressure Cooked Bean Curry

(Serves 3-4)

Soak beans overnight in water.

1/2 cup dry white beans

1 cup water

Heat olive oil in pressure cooker.

Add and saute onion, garlic and sweet pepper for 1-2 minutes.  

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon onion, diced

2 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup sweet pepper, diced

Add curry paste and mix into softened vegetables for about 30 seconds.

1 tablespoon red curry paste (can substitute 1 teaspoon curry powder)

Turn off brown or saute function of cooker.

 

Add beans, tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt and pepper.

Tighten lid and pressure lock. Cook for 30 minutes. Allow cooker to set for 10 minutes before releasing pressure. 

White beans, drained and rinsed

2 cup canned tomatoes, no added salt (I mixed crushed and diced)

1 cup low sodium vegetable broth (mine is made with a bouillon cube)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

 

Stir in fresh spinach and heat for 1-2 minutes to wilt leaves.

1 cup fresh spinach, stems removed

 

The bread recipe is from Pantry Mama. It combines sourdough discard with commercial yeast to leaven the bread.

 Sandwich Bread

(1 8-9 inch loaf)

Remove sourdough starter from refrigerator and allow to sit overnight.

Place the following discard in mixing bowl.

Feed the original starter and store. 

91 grams sourdough discard

 

Using standing mixer with paddle blade in place, add water and flours to sourdough discard. Mix for about 30 seconds to form a shaggy dough. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

275 grams water

225 grams whole wheat flour

225 grams all purpose flour

 

In mixing bowl with dough hook in place, add yeast, sugar, buttery spread and salt. Beat on low speed for about 6 minutes.

2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

22 grams sugar

66 grams buttery spread

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place dough in a bowl greased with olive oil spray. Cover and allow to rise until double. (My kitchen is not quite 70 F and this took about 1 1/2 hours)

 

Shape dough into 8-9 inch loaf pan. (Mine is baked in a Pullman pan) 

Cover and allow to rise until double. (This took 2 hours in my kitchen and the dough did not reach the top of the pan.)

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.

 

We grated some aged cheddar onto our soup to serve.

 

 

 

 

 

  

From Winter's Kitchen

 

Many of the ingredients in this dinner came from the cool basement where root vegetables and fall fruits are stored. There I've pumpkin, winter squash, potatoes, onions, garlic, apples and pears.

Other ingredients are in the kitchen cupboards including dried fruit, nuts and flours. I often use any I have on hand for specific listings in recipes.

I always have yogurt, milk and eggs in the refrigerator and fresh ginger in the freezer.

Topping it off is an assortment of fragrant spices- cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon. 

The Pumpkin Soup was inspired by a recipe in Bon Appetit.  The Sourdough Snacking Cake is from the November/December issue of Fine Cooking Magazine.

Pumpkin Soup

(Serves 6)

Half pumpkin. Remove seeds and pulp. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes. Cool, peel and cut pumpkin in chunks.

1 medium pumpkin

 

Mix seeds with syrup, oil and spice. Roast in 350 F oven for approximately 15 minutes. Check often to prevent burning.

Seeds from pumpkin

3 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon berbere spice

Cool and grind in spice mill.

 

Heat oil in saucepan. Saute garlic and peppers until soft.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic clove, minced

4 mini sweet peppers, seeded and diced

 

 Add curry paste and stir.

1 tablespoon red curry paste

 

Add stock, milk and pumpkin. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk

4 cups diced, cooked pumpkin

Carefully place 1/2 of soup in blender. Cover top with a towel and puree. Repeat with remaining 1/2. Reheat soup for a few minutes.

 

Serve with ground nuts. 

 

Sourdough Snacking Cake

(Serves 8)

Combine dry ingredients.

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ginger

 

 Add to dry ingredients.

1 cup assorted nuts and dried fruit (Mine has almonds, apricots and dates), ground in food processor

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

 

In a separate bowl, beat eggs into sourdough discard. Add oil, yogurt, vanilla and brown sugar, beating by hand until mixed.

1/2 cup sourdough discard (mine is a whole rye starter)

2 eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup nonfat yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

5 tablespoon brown sugar 

Mix dry ingredients into liquid in thirds, stirring only until mixed.

 

Pour batter into 7 inch springform pan, greased with olive oil spray (bottom lined with parchment). Bake at 350 F. for about 35 minutes, until pick inserted into center comes our clean.

 

Place on cooling rack. Run a spatula around cake to remove side of springform pan.

 

This meal has a nice assortment of protein, fruit, vegetables and grains.