Easy Gourmet Healer Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and while something is better than nothing, why not make that something really count??
As a single mom, I know that mornings can be hectic. That's why I'm always thinking up ways to keep breakfast QUICK and EASY, but also creative and healthy.

Fancy Yogurt Parfait
Forget those sugary yogurts that have little benefit. Use plain yogurt and jazz it up on your own. We use Organic full-fat plain Greek yogurt, but I've also used organic regular plain yogurt that can be bought in large tubs and is cheaper per unit. Dish it up into a pretty champagne flute or just a regular bowl and add a dash of cinnamon, vanilla extract and 1 tsp local organic, preferably raw (for the most benefits) honey. For added color and nutrients, top with diced kiwi and pomegranate seeds. Serve it up with a whole grain English muffin such as Ezekiel brand Cinnamon Raisin or Regular (shown). Toast and spread on 1/2 tsp of ghee, such as from Pure Indian Foods and 1/2 tsp Virgin Unrefined Coconut Oil from Spectrum.

Breakfast in a Crunch
Don't have time to do any mixing? Grab some banana chips, washed blueberries already waiting in the fridge and your favorite unsalted, unroasted nut from the freezer and throw 'em on the plate! Pair it with an English muffin from above. This one can even be bagged up and taken onto the bus! This is a complete breakfast--whole grains, healthy fats from the nuts, ghee and coconut oil, and fruit that's loaded with antioxidants! Enjoy!

Spiced Asparagus Fries

Spiced Asparagus Fries

Say good-bye to grandma's mushy, canned asparagus. This Gourmet Healer Original version of asparagus is sure to please your senses, soul AND cells! Here, you'll reap the heart and emotional health benefits of asparagus combined with the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory powers of Coriander, Cumin and Turmeric and Garlic. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 bunch of thin, washed asparagus, 2 TBSP Avocado Oil, 1-2 tsp Cumin, 1 tsp Coriander, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ tsp chile powder, ½ to 1 tsp Turmeric, Sea Salt to taste.

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a glass baking dish or gallon freezer bag, place washed asparagus, woody ends snapped off. Evenly distribute Avocado oil. Add spices, garlic and salt and toss. . For freezer bag, seal and rub spices and oil into asparagus. Place asparagus onto a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until it starts to crisp.

Everyone will love it AND benefit from this spicy spin on fries! We can ALL be Gourmet Healers with this one!

Benefitting From Basil

BASIL is a highly anti-inflammatory herb which is used in a wide varitety of cuisines including Italian, Thai and Vietnamese. It has cooling properties for those with excess heat, and gram for gram, its anti-inflammatory properties surpass even those of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). Think Ibuprofen. Regular enjoyment of basil can be helpful in decreasing systemic inflammation (prevention/slowing of heart disease and almost all other diseases) as well as fighting minor aches and pains and even major arthritis. Have basil regularly in the form of pesto, which can be added to soups, sauces, pasta/rice salads, sandwhiches, pizza and even toast. Also enjoy it's whole leaves in green and caprese salads or as a topping for spicy soups!

Basil Pesto

1-2 cups fresh basil (2 good handfuls)

¼ c fresh sage (optional)

¼ c pine nuts or walnuts (cheaper)

1/4 c finely grated parmesan cheese

1/8 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil OR Avocado Oil OR Grapeseed Oil, or more for desired consistency

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor and process while slowly drizzling oil into the top. Use extra or less oil depending on the desired consistency. If you will be cooking the pesto in with another dish, use Avocado Oil or Grapeseed Oil instead, since they have a higher smoke point and will not oxidize during cooking.

Spread onto pizzas, thinly spread onto a few crackers as a snack, spread onto a slice of toast or English muffin for breakfast, or use in pasta salad. Also good –put a spoonful into a bowl of soup to add flavor and antioxidants!

Coconut Oil: Framed!

Warning: This is somewhat of rant...

I was infuriated yesterday when I heard and then saw for myself on-line, that a rep, likely a Registered Dietitian, from the Center for Science in the Public Interest was bashing coconut oil on the Today Show. She said that it was the worst oil to use because it's 90% saturated fat, and that movie-goers should choose theaters that use popcorn popped in canola oil, since it's low in saturated fat.

First of all, she's right. Coconut oil is 90% saturated fat. But if we just close the case there, we'll be missing out on a whole other wealth of, well, health. Coconut oil's saturated fatty acids such as caprylic and capric acids and the amazing lauric acid, are teeming with health benefits. Numerous studies have shown the anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties these fatty acids, especially lauric acid, possess.

Want to prevent getting colds? How about Seasonal and Swine Flu? You won't head these bad boys off with Canola oil.

Instead:

• try some yummy, Raw Coconut Butter spread onto your morning toast


• Or put a teaspoon into your oatmeal, oat bran or other hot cereal.


• Saute veggies at medium heat with a bit of Virgin, Unrefined Coconut Oil (VU
  CO)
  


• Add a teaspoon of VUCO to your rice.


• Add coconut oil to roasted veggies, such as sweet potatoes, onions, carrots and celery.

Here's something about Canola oil that bugs me. It's genetically modified and it undergoes heavy processing, including high pressure/heat and hexane washing, as do most vegetable oils and vegetable oil spreads (think margarine, even the so called "healthy" kinds).

CSPI, you need to look a little deeper before you go giving out information that will steer so many already confused and less healthy people away from something that could benefit them. It was a great idea to highlight theater chains that serve healthier popcorn, but you missed the mark completely.

Readers: Please forward this post on so we can undo the misinformation that was given out yesterday on Today.

Movie Time Tips:

• Pop your own popcorn and use Virgin, Unrefined Coconut Oil or drizzle some EVOO or melted ghee on when you're finished.


• Eat before going to the movies, so you're not tempted to get movie popcorn.


• Take your own snacks in if you'll want to munch during the movie.

Kid-Friendly, Adult-Adored Brussels Sprouts

Have trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies? Have trouble getting yourself to eat veggies? No need to do anything too fancy with these Brussels Sprouts. Your kids--and YOU-- will like them regardless. My daughter took to them right away, and they always please my grown-up friends! However, it may take a few times for the kids to warm up to them, so serve them regularly. Good role modeling and repeated introduction go a long way! The key is really to never give up, which many parents do. To jazz things up, serve them on skewers or toothpicks, either alone with other veggies and even meats! Or use them as eyes in a smiley face made with some other favorite foods. Putting a different spin on the presentation is always better with kids!

Not Your Mama's Brussels Sprouts

1 pound fresh, thoroughly washed Brussels Sprouts*, halved

1 TBSP ghee or butter, preferely Organic!

1-2 minced garlic cloves, Optional. Alternative: 1 minced scallion or green, green onion or shallot

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary* (optional, but highly recommended)

4 oz crumbled feta or goat cheese (or parmesan)

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) per serving

Bring a large steamer pot of water to a boil. Place sprouts into steamer and cover. Steam 20 minutes, or until sprouts can be easily poked with a fork (don’t let them get mushy). Just before the sprouts are done, begin to melt the butter or ghee in a medium to large, preferably cast-iron skillet. Meanwhile, place clean sprig(s) of rosemary on a cutting board. With the side of a large chef’s knife, press the leaves, moving up and down the length of the sprig (this helps to release the beneficial oils—you will notice an increased aroma—take a moment to enjoy it!). Place the rosemary into the pan of melted butter. Adjust the heat so that the rosemary does not burn. Stir the sprig(s) around the pan for 1-2 minutes and remove/discard. Add fresh garlic into the butter/ghee. Add sprouts and sauté for several minutes until the outer leaves begin to brown and become slightly crisp. Add in desired amount of sea salt and pepper. Cover and turn off heat until ready to serve. This will give them some time to soften up a bit more if needed, too. Transfer to serving bowl and add crumbled cheese if desired. Drizzle on 1 tsp EVOO per serving for heart health benefits like lower blood pressure and reduced risk of stroke. A teaspoon of prevention is worth a gallon of cure!

Credit for this recipe goes to Leah Vincent, chef extraordinaire, who taught me some great tricks in the kitchen. Thanks, Leah!

Blessings,

The Gourmet Healer

Full-Fat Dairy: Does A Body Good?

This is interesting to me, because I have, for months now, been using full fat dairy. My weight remains unchanged, which is good. My goal at this point is to maintain. I think that the results of the study could have to do with the fact that fat increases satiety, so perhaps these kids are not overeating. Also a possibility, is that they have higher muscle mass. Milk/butter fat is made up of short chain fatty acids, which are actually absorbed directly into the blood stream and can be used right away for energy. This is unlike longer chain fats, such as those from plant oils, which are processed in the liver and stored as triglycerides in fat tissue. Short chain fats are also said to promote the building of lean body mass (muscle). So, kids who drink full-fat milk could have more muscle mass, which means that they burn calories more efficiently. There are likely other factors at play, but I wish the researchers would have and hope they will look into this further.

Read on,
The Gourmet Healer

Children Who Often Drink Full-fat Milk Weigh Less, Swedish Research Finds

ScienceDaily (Nov. 4, 2009) — Eight-year-old children who drink full-fat milk every day have a lower BMI than those who seldom drink milk. This is not the case for children who often drink medium-fat or low-fat milk. This is one conclusion of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

The study showed that children who drink full-fat milk every day weigh on average just over 4 kg (8 pounds) less.

"This is an interesting observation, but we don't know why it is so. It may be the case that children who drink full-fat milk tend also to eat other things that affect their weight. Another possible explanation is that children who do not drink full-fat milk drink more soft drinks instead," says dietician Susanne Eriksson, author of the thesis.

The scientists also discovered a difference between overweight children who drink full-fat milk every day and those who do not. Children who often drink milk with a fat content of 3% are less overweight. The thesis shows also that the children eat more saturated fat than recommended, but those children who have a high intake of fat have a lower BMI than the children with a lower intake of fat.

Susanne Eriksson has investigated the nutrition, body composition and bone mineralization of 120 healthy 8-year-olds. Much of the results can now be used as a standard to determine what is normal for healthy children at that age. The children recounted what they had eaten during the previous day, and answered questions concerning how often they ate certain foods. Various risk markers in the children's blood were also measured.

"Many of these children had been examined when they were four years old, and we discovered that their eating habits were pretty much unchanged four years later. It appears to be the case that eating habits are established early," says Susanne Eriksson.

The thesis found that 62% of the children had low levels of vitamin D in their blood. The general guideline value for all people for vitamin D is 75-100 nmol/l, but most children had less than this. High levels of vitamin D are found in oily fish, while certain dairy products have been fortified with vitamin D. It can be difficult to obtain sufficient levels of the vitamin through the diet.

"We could not determine whether the children's level of vitamin D is correlated with their consumption of fish, but we did see that those children who ate oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel, at least once a week have higher values of the long-chain fatty acids EPA and DHA in their blood. This shows how important it is to eat such fish, instead of processed fish such as fish fingers," says Susanne Eriksson.

Keeping Healthy OIls Healthy: Olive Oil

Many health conscious people are using olive oil these days, but they are unconsciously canceling out it's amazing health benefits by exposing it to heat.

The rules with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are these:

It is NOT a cooking oil.

It is to be added to cold dishes or after food is cooked.

Do not expose it to heat, light or air.

Store in a dark bottle and in a cool, dry place.

Here are some simple ways to use olive oil which minimize heat exposure as well as retain health benefits and flavor.

Salad

First of all, olive oil is a great salad dressing. Make your own vinaigrette or do what my fiancé taught me to do. Add sea salt and pepper to salad greens and toss. Then add olive oil and toss. Add your other salad items and toss again. Easy and Delish!

Dips/Spreads

Another use for olive oil is in spreads and dips, like hummus or other bean dips. Pesto is another spread that calls for olive oil and can be used as a coating for pasta salad, spread onto bread and sandwiches or added to finished soups and sauces (like marinara). It’s great in cold salads made with brown rice or whole grain pasta. Add it to freshly chopped vegetables such as broccoli and carrots, along with some salt and pepper. It's surprisingly good!

Simply dipping bread in olive oil instead of butter is a great way to use this wonderful oil. Add a little sea salt, black or even red pepper flakes and your favorite finely chopped herbs to the oil, and you’ve got a gourmet-seeming appetizer that will wow and nourish party guests and family alike.

Hot Dishes

For use in hot dishes, you can do a Healthy Sauté , like this method from The World’s Healthiest Foods, and then add your olive oil after.

Another way to sauté is to use a bit of ORGANIC butter or ghee (clarified butter). I use ghee because it has an even higher smoke point than butter, which means it is less likely to oxidize (unlike Olive Oil) at cooking temps. It also has a wonderful flavor and is said by the ancient science of Ayurveda to have a cooling effect on the body and bring out the health benefits of foods. I use just enough to make sure that my cast-iron skillet is coated well—I don’t use non-stick pans because I don’t want to chance contaminating my food (and my family) with harmful gases and chemicals. If, during the cooking process I need more moisture, I add water or broth. When the food is mostly cooked, I cover it and turn the heat to low or off. When the pan has had some time to cool, or when I plate the food, I add my olive oil.

Oven-Roasted Veggies

For roasting veggies-- for instance, any assortment of chopped sweet potatoes, red or white potatoes, carrots, celery, fennel and onions, first heat oven to 350 degrees. Add your seasoning (try cumin, cinnamon, fresh garlic, salt and pepper!), water/broth and cover them so that they soften and don’t dry out. I usually add some ghee or Avocado Oil throughout, but this is optional. When the veggies are soft enough to pierce easily with a fork, uncover and turn your oven temp to broil. Cook until crisp. Remove from the oven, add your olive oil (and freshly chopped herbs for more flavor) and toss.

For a one-dish meal, add some whole skin-on chicken legs seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon juice along with your veggies. Make sure you allow enough time for your chicken to cook through before uncovering and broiling. Adding skin-on chicken will give your veggies a wonderful flavor (no need for ghee if you do this) and save you time and energy in the kitchen. Which to me, makes mealtime more delicious and enjoyable!

Stay tuned for more recipes in the coming days.

Blessings and Good Health,

The Gourmet Healer