Do you wake up too bleary eyed in the morning to think about breakfast? There’s an old saying, which says, “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper!”The truth is however that most people don’t eat a suitable breakfast, never mind eating “like a king!”
Breakfast has that particular name because it is "breaking" the "fasting" of the night. While you are asleep your body goes in to a calorie conservation period because you are not providing additional fuel to your body. This is done because you are in a period of fasting. When you eat a healthy breakfast, you end this conservation period and your metabolism returns to it normal levels. This increased metabolism rate accounts for an increased energy level.
Actually, if you are dieting and worrying about the calories, skipping breakfast actually has a negative effect. By not allowing your body to return to its normal metabolism rate, your body is not working efficiently and therefore is not losing weight. I never skip breakfast. I'm not necessarily hungry first thing in the morning, and I know I have plenty of fat cells to provide enough energy to my body....but my metabolism is slow enough as it is and skipping breakfast makes it slow down even more.
5 key reasons not to skip breakfast:
- It kick starts our metabolism - speeding it up, and therefore burning calories rather than storing them.
- It boosts our nutrient intake - breakfast eaters have a lower fat intake, a higher fiber intake, and significantly higher intakes of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, iron and magnesium.
- It helps prevent binge eating - hunger will be better regulated and therefore less calories are consumed from unhealthy foods.
- It improves our memory and concentration - people who eat a healthy breakfast concentrate better, are more efficient, and have improved mood, in comparison to those who skip breakfast.
- Weight maintenance - those who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
What should breakfast consist of?
- One serving of a whole grain carbohydrate.
- One serving of calcium containing food.
- One serving of fruit.
- It’s also fine to have a protein serving, for example meat, or an egg, but it’s not necessary for most people.
If you don’t eat breakfast every day, why not make it a new goal?
Breakfast doesn't mean a bowl of Rice Krispies....
with a glass of skim milk, this makes a great breakfast!
and at 182 calories, have 2 servings!
Today's recipe comes from Eating Well Magazine
Blueberry/peach Cobbler
I always like to use what is in season and blueberries and peaches are abundant now. This is a healthier version of a traditional cobbler, with canola oil in place of some of the butter and whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Unlike more classic biscuit-topped cobblers, the peaches and blueberries are nestled into a tender batter that swells around the fruit as it bakes. Other fruits may be substituted. It’s especially beautiful when baked in and served right from a cast-iron skillet.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe but firm peaches (about 1 pound), pitted and sliced into eighths, or 3 1/2 cups frozen
2 cups (1 pint) fresh or frozen blueberries
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place butter and oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Heat in the oven until melted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, sugar and vanilla; stir to combine.
4. Add the melted butter mixture to the batter and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Spoon peaches and blueberries evenly over the batter.
5. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the top of the cobbler is browned and the batter around the fruit is completely set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm. You can dust it with a little confectioner's sugar too.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 182 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 11 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 212 mg sodium; 140 mg potassium.
Tip of the Day
If you've been looking at my menus, you see I eat a lot of pineapple.....not the stuff in a can, but freshly cut....there is no comparison! I leave it in the fridge and it's always handy for a sweet and refreshing and healthy snack.You can find pineapples in the grocery store for 2 or 3 dollars now and when you cut it up, it makes about 4 cups of chunks. Don't be daunted by the the idea of cutting up a whole pineapple, it's easy and takes me less than 5 minutes. Just watch this video
Yesterday's Menu
Breakfast: bowl of in-season fruit, one piece toast with Smart balance-300 calories
Lunch- veggie egg omelet with one egg and one egg white, mushrooms,peppers, onions and 1 T cheese-350 calories
Dinner- I made the fried chicken recipe from Cooking light that I posted earlier this week. It was yummy! I had 3 pieces instead of 2! With beans from my garden and 1/2 a corn on cob, 2 tsp Smart balance, total cals was about 500
snacks-1/2 cup pineapple-30
2 itty bitty cookies-150
TOTAL-1330
