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My Favorite Breakfast Dish

9/27/2018

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This post is for you if an hour or two after eating breakfast, you feel hungry or sluggish or both.  For most of us, breakfast is really the most important meal of the day because it helps shape the entire rest of the day.  If we eat something nourishing that makes us feel satiated and full of energy, then we can go light the world on fire.  If we eat something that leaves us feeling hungry or tired an hour later, then we can't be alert or productive or engaged in our lives.  I lead a self-care seminar for women.  One of the ideas we visit over and over again is the idea that how you begin your day, what you eat, and whether you do things daily that bring you joy, can positively impact not only the rest of your day, but your life in general.

I love breakfast.  It is easily my favorite meal of the day.  My favorite date is to go out to breakfast.  I am very aware that what I eat for breakfast has a profound effect on how I feel the rest of the day.  Oatmeal and I had to break up because an hour after eating it, I am starving again.  After a lot of experimentation, as well as listening to my body, I know I need a good combination of protein, carbohydrates, fat, plus green veggies.  That combination gives me steady energy all the way until lunch.  There's no crash, which is what happens when I have toast with Nutella or jam.  For me, breakfast is a huge part of having a good day.  And spinach breakfast hash is one of the reasons I have consistent energy throughout the morning.  

I have had health coaching clients who have resisted spending time on breakfast.  Here's how I look at the time I invest in breakfast.  I spend about 15-20 minutes cooking breakfast.  I sit down to eat so there's another 20 minutes.  Breakfast is easily a 40-minute commitment.  What do I receive from that commitment?  Well, I am not searching for food at 10:00 a.m. because I ate a breakfast that gives me good energy until lunch.  So there is time saved.  And because my energy levels are good and not dropping or on a rollercoaster, I can focus more easily for longer periods of time on what I need to get done.   Those rewards are worth the time.  I am worth making breakfast for.  In fact, we all are!  So if grabbing a granola bar in the morning is leaving you unsatisfied, it's time to reconsider breakfast.  

I am sharing this breakfast hash recipe because it works for me, and because friends and family who have eaten it really enjoy it.   I also recognize that a big breakfast is not for everyone.  If you are ready to reconsider breakfast, my invitation to you is to look at what you traditionally eat in the morning.  Do you eat what your parents fed you as kid?  Do you eat out of convenience?  Do you eat something because food marketing has done a good job convincing you this is what you should have for breakfast?  Once you answer the question of why you eat what you eat for breakfast, then look at your energy levels after breakfast.  Do you have sustained energy all morning long?  Are you famished an hour after eating?  From determining how your current breakfast makes you feel, you can either keep doing what you're doing or you can start to experiment with foods that give you your desired levels of energy and focus for the morning.  And you can be really open-minded to the point where you reconsider what is a breakfast food.  I know someone who enjoys sautéed chicken cutlets at breakfast.  There's no right answer except for which food is right for you at breakfast.

Spinach Breakfast Hash 
serves 1

3/4 - 1 cup shredded potatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
2 handfuls of baby spinach, washed and dried
1 egg, beaten with a splash of water
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Swirl olive oil one time around the pan, and then lift the pan to coat it with the oil.  Add the shredded potatoes and stir to coat them with the oil.  Sauté for three to four minutes, just until the underside is light brown.  Flip and stir the potatoes so that the uncooked sides are exposed to the heat.  Cook for another three to four minutes until most of the potatoes have a nice golden brown color on them.  Flip and stir them again.  Cook for another few minutes and then add the spinach.  Stir a bit so that the spinach is evenly covering the pan.  Turn the heat down to medium low and let the spinach cook down.  This will take approximately two to three minutes.   

Add the beaten egg and stir it around so it coats the spinach and potatoes.  Cook until the egg is no longer liquid and the whites are solid.  Transfer the hash from the pan to a plate, season with freshly ground salt and pepper, and enjoy.

One way I make this more flavorful is I mash one-fourth of an avocado with a couple of tablespoons of my favorite salsa and serve that with this delicious hash!

Nutritional awesomeness:  Eggs are a very good source of protein, some B vitamins, and vitamin D.  Spinach is an excellent source of iron and vitamin K.  Vitamin K is essential for good bone health.  

I'd love to hear from you.  What do you eat for breakfast that makes you feel great all morning long?

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Overnight Oats

4/29/2015

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Brian and I are in the process of moving, a chaotic event which we are managing by largely knowing where our next meal is coming from.  When it came to breakfast, though, Brian had a quandary.  He wasn't going to have time to make his usual weekly stash of granola, let alone likely be able to find the pans and ingredients he would need in our many boxes (over 75!).  So I forwarded him a recipe for Overnight Oats from my peer coach Jennifer, a recipe she herself had found on Pinterest.

Separately from this, though also during the move, I taught a course on Meal Planning last weekend at a local community center.  By far, the most requested recipe of the workshop was for Overnight Oats.  Everyone it seems is looking for a quick, easy to assemble breakfast that is low in sugar, high in protein, and will keep you satisfied until lunchtime.   Oh, and it must taste good, too.

The recipe I present here is an adaptation of Jennifer's version based on what Brian created using her recipe as a template.  And what I am really telling you is that this recipe is truly a guideline that is so easy to manipulate into your own culinary creation.   For example, Brian prefers to add the fruit and seeds in the morning so they are still a bit crunchy and add a nice textural contrast, but the fruit can be added the night before if you prefer.  The amount of liquid can be adjusted to your desired thick- or thinness.


Overnight Oats

Serves 1

For the night before:
1/2 cup old-fashioned, rolled oats  (not instant)
1/4 cup yogurt (plain, unflavored, unsweetened)
1/4 cup milk of your preference (dairy, almond, coconut, etc.)
1/2 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon chia seeds or flax meal, optional
Cinnamon, to taste, optional

Stir together and store covered in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, add:

1/2 cup fresh berries, washed and rinsed or 1/4 cup dried fruit
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

Stir to combine and enjoy!

Nutritional awesomeness: Oats have a lot of protein and fiber.  They are excellent sources of a number of vitamins and minerals including iron, thiamin, folate and magnesium.   Studies have shown honey has anti-viral properties.  Both chia seeds and flax meal are good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.  Blueberries are high in anti-oxidants, and strawberries are a good source of Vitamin C.  Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein and an excellent source of iron.  Their high "good" fat content means a little goes a long way and will contribute to satiety.  Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of Vitamin E, copper and selenium.
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That Time I Drank 5 Gallons of Green Smoothie

2/6/2015

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Originally Posted on September 5, 2014

You might as well know up front that I am not a big believer in detoxes or cleanses.  I will certainly get into the why of it in another post.  I do believe in eating a clean, whole foods based diet that does not require you to cleanse or to detox.  The body naturally detoxes if you leave 12 hours between dinner and breakfast and get 7-8 hours of sleep. 

You can imagine then that upon having my annual bloodwork done I was rather surprised to learn that my LDL was a tad on the high side (happily my HDL was on the way high side – winning!).  This is another good moment to tell you that having dabbled with vegetarianism, I am an omnivore through and through.  I do buy sustainable, hormone-free,
pasture-raised, belly-rubbed animal protein. 


Yes, I am getting to the point.  So my MD who is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (which is why I go to her) said we can fix my high cholesterol with some dietary changes.  And I thought yes! Then she recommended a green smoothie breakfast and I thought NO.  I love warm foods in the morning.  Eggs and I are morning best friends, but, of course, they are likely the culprit in this LDL issue.  Consuming lots of fruits of vegetables without anything else tends to leave me untethered and increase my anxiety levels, which I keep in check with diet.   And it felt like a cleanse.  I was skeptical.



I tried it anyway because I wanted to know how my body would respond, and I gave myself an out.  If my anxiety levels rose, if I had fatigue, if I dreamed about eating a bucket of fried chicken by 10:00 a.m., then I would revisit this delightful experiment, create something better, and move on. 

Here’s what happened:  I had more energy, my skin looked the best it had in over 30 years (see: before adolescence), and I slept through the night.  After being prescribed to do this for 10 days, I’ve decided I will continue doing it until my body tells me something else would be optimal in the morning. 

Here is the recipe that worked for me.  I have a Vitamix blender, which to be honest helps, as I am sure this would have burned out the motor on my old blender. 

Molly's Green Breakfast Smoothie

Makes 40+ ounces, serves 1

This breakfast smoothie is meant to keep you satiated for hours and give you lots of energy.  Don't let the amount of smoothie scare you; rather, consider it likely has the same amount of calories normally consumed at breakfast in a much more nutritious form.  If possible, use local/organic vegetables.

Wash all fruits and veggies.  Load the blender with the following ingredients in the order that they appear.

12 ounces coconut water

1 huge handful of spinach (about 2 cups)

1 inch piece of peeled ginger

1/2 apple, coarsely chopped (or low glycemic fruit like 1 cup of berries)

1/2 mango or 1 medium banana (or other high glycemic fruit)

2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped

1 medium cucumber, coarsely chopped

Blend until smooth.  May take a few minutes depending on the strength of your blender.  Drink and enjoy!

And yes, if you just looked at your blender and thought that’s a lot of smoothie, yes, yes it is.  Remember, you want something nutritionally awesome that is going to keep you satisfied for hours, fuel you through a workout, and not leaving you craving something you don’t even like in the first place.



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Travel Tips for Eating Gluten Free

1/30/2015

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PictureScallop with artichoke sauce at Kokken in Bilbao. They prepared a whole tasting menu gluten free for me.
Me overlooking the Plaza Mayor in charming Segovia, Spain.

Originally posted on October 27, 2014

“Soy alergica al gluten.”

This is a phrase I repeated over and over again during a recent trip to Spain.  It was my first trip to Europe since going gluten-free in April 2013.  I was worried about cross-contamination.  Even more so, I was worried about my lack of Spanish language skills and my inability to ask the necessary questions required to make me feel safe eating in any dining establishment.  A call to a friend in Barcelona for guidance was helpful.  Apparently gluten intolerance and celiac have been in the Spanish news because of the rising number of cases in children.  In the end, a couple of different strategies kept me safe and can help you, too!

When you have a food allergy or food intolerance, it is no time to be spontaneous.  Nothing ruins a trip faster than an allergic reaction.  Planning ahead is key.  Figure out where you are going.  Look up restaurant reviews on travel sites like TripAdvisor.  Read and ask questions on traveler forums like the ones found on Rick Steves’ Europe.  Someone else with your same challenge has already been to where you are about to go.  Learn from them.    

Once you have researched restaurants, you will probably have a good feel for the dominate local dishes.  Look up recipes online and in books.  Where is gluten present?  With what dishes will you have to be extra vigilant?  It turns out that much of Spanish cuisine does not use flour, not even as a thickener for sauces.  Also, when reading dishes, pay attention to preparation methods.  While flour is not used as a thickener, bread is in dishes like Romesco sauce and Gazpacho’s thicker Andalusian cousin, Salmorejo.

Travel with an idea of what restaurants you want to visit.  If your food challenges are severe, email the restaurant ahead of time to see if they can accommodate you.  No sense wasting your precious and limited vacation time going to restaurants where you cannot actually eat.  And at the restaurant, every table usually will receive a basket of bread.  So before the party gets started, ask where the bread is sliced.  Oftentimes in Spain this is done in the bar area rather than in the kitchen.


Then once you have done all this legwork, be open to synchronicity.  The traditional breakfast in Spain is a pastry or small sandwich with jamon and a café con leche.  I stuck with a Spanish tortilla which is often found at breakfast in cafes and bars.  Made of just four ingredients – eggs, potatoes, olive oil, and salt – I knew it was a safe way to start my day.  In San Sebastian, we used TripAdvisor reviews to find a bar that people raved about for breakfast, especially the many varieties of tortillas served.  Located in the basement of the city’s wonderful public market, La Bretxa, Bar Azkena it turns out has another claim to fame:  it specializes in gluten free pintxos.   Pintxos are small snacks and you can make a meal out of three or four of them.  So not only did we make Bar Azkena our breakfast place the three days we were in San Sebastian, we also dropped by for lunch.  In fact, the bar takes its gluten free pedigree so seriously it has gluten free bread available for patrons with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. 

To recap, to have a safe trip overseas, plan ahead:
  • Read restaurant reviews online.
  • Join travel forums and ask about how to eat safely at your destination(s).
  • Research local cuisines and traditional preparation methods.
  • Learn enough of the local language that you can clearly communicate your health concerns and understand responses.
  • Email restaurants beforehand and inquire about their ability to meet your needs.
Happy travels!







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    Author

    Hi friends!  I am Molly.  Welcome to my blog where I share my creations and adventures to help you create a life you love.  I am passionate about food, travel, and health! Thanks for stopping by and looking around.  All photos are taken by me unless otherwise attributed.  I develop and write all my recipes with attribution for inspiration and ideas where applicable.  All of my recipes are gluten free.  

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