Health4Tips: breakfast

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Sunday, July 26, 2015

Warm winter quinoa porridge - my favourite morning recipes.

Quinoa porridge with currants, cinnamon, strawberries and maple syrup.

The winter has been cold and I've been cooking porridge for breakfast most mornings and thought I'd share with you some of my tips. Most of us know how to make porridge from oats, but I can't eat oats, so my experiment this winter has been with quinoa. And what a successful experiment it has been!

Are you a quinoa fan? Quinoa looks like a grain but its actually a seed and comes from a relative of the spinach plant, and what a tasty and versatile seed it can be. Cooked by itself it has a mild nutty flavour, but will rapidly absorb whatever flavours you cook it with. You can use it plain in place of rice or cous cous, or cook it flaked like oats. It's gluten free, low GI (it has a glycaemic index of 53) and is high in protein. What's not to love? (for more on quinoa click here --> Notes on quinoa

First decision you need to make is if you would like to make your porridge with whole grain quinoa or with quinoa flakes. Flakes will give you a creamy porridge very similar to oats, and are much quicker to prepare and cook. They are, however, a bit less versatile. Whole quinoa seeds take longer and give you a chewier nuttier texture, but the one bag of quinoa can be used for all manner of things, from salads to risottos. I tend to mix it up a bit from day to day, so I'll give you the instructions for both.

Clockwise from top: quinoa seeds, chia seeds, currants, quinoa flakes, pepitas
(shredded coconut in the middle and bananas and strawberries of course!)

Creamy porridge with quinoa flakes
This is my rapid everyday porridge and gives you a creamy finish.
Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup milk of your choice (I use dairy but rice, soy, almond milk would work fine too, you could also cook in water if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsps something to sweeten - I use honey or maple syrup, but you could use brown sugar, stevia or anything else
small handful of currants (optional)

Method:

Put 1 cup milk in a heavy based pot on low heat. Add vanilla essence. Bring to simmer.
As soon as it is simmering turn heat down and add quinoa flakes, cinnamon and currants. Stir on low heat for 2-5 minutes until milk is absorbed and creamy texture is achieved. This doesn't take long so don't walk away!
Serve with a drizzle of your favourite sweetener, fruit, nuts or whatever toppings.

Optional extras:

Peanut butter, banana and honey quinoa porridge. Heavenly!

I've already mentioned the currants - I love adding them in with the cooking porridge and they add a bit of caramel sweetness to the porridge, like a surprise!
I also enjoy chia seeds, which are packed with fibre and omega 3 fatty acids, I usually stir a tablespoon through at the end for crunch.
My standard go-to toppings are fresh strawberries or blueberries, a tiny sprinkle of shredded coconut, flaked almonds and pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Frozen berries would also work fine as would any poached fruit.
You can try grating apple into your porridge and adding a little more cinnamon, some maple syrup and crushed walnuts to taste like an apple strudel!
If you're feeling like a tasty comforting treat try adding a spoonful of peanut or almond butter at the end of cooking to melt into your porridge, and top with sliced banana and a drizzle of honey. Just amazing!

Chewy porridge with whole quinoa

If you have a little more time, only have some whole quinoa seeds handy or prefer your porridge more chewy and less creamy then here's an option for you. I like it both ways and tend to mix it up a bit - strictly speaking this is not really like oats porridge at all, but hey, it tastes good too! Whole quinoa takes around 20 minutes so if I'm making it this way I tend to get it cooking the night before while I'm cleaning the kitchen after dinner, then pop it in the fridge ready for the morning.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa (white quinoa is the quickest to cook and mildest in flavour, I tend to use a mixture of white red and black just for colour and a bit more taste!)
1 cup milk of your choice (I use dairy but rice, soy, almond milk would work fine too, you could also cook in water if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsps something to sweeten - I use honey or maple syrup, but you could use brown sugar, stevia or anything else to taste

Nutty chewy whole quinoa is another choice for breakfast

small handful of currants (optional)

Method:

Wash your quinoa seeds well in a fine sieve under running water (quinoa has a natural coating called saponins to protect it and this can taste bitter. Many commercial supplies have been pre-washed, but if you're not sure, spending 5 minutes to rinse it is well worth the time).
Put 1 cup milk in a heavy based pot on low heat. Add vanilla essence. Bring to simmer.
As soon as it is simmering turn heat down and add quinoa, cinnamon and currants.
Cook slowly in a covered pot on low heat for 15-20 minutes or so until milk is absorbed and quinoa is chewy but not hard. Check it regularly so it doesn't burn on the bottom
Once it's cooked I keep it in a container in the fridge, and when ready to serve in the morning add a splash of milk and give it 60 seconds on high in the microwave for steaming porridge!

Optional extras:

Blueberries, chia seeds, a sprinkle of coconut and walnuts!

Just like with the flakes, I often add currants - I love adding them in with the cooking porridge and they add a bit of caramel sweetness to the porridge, like a surprise!
My standard go-to toppings are fresh strawberries or blueberries, a tiny sprinkle of shredded coconut, and I often add crushed walnuts - another tasty source of omega 3 fatty acids and the flavour mixes well.
If you feel like something a tad more exotic, add cinnamon, star anise and some cardamon seeds as the quinoa is cooking and serve with yoghurt and a drizzle of honey. Tastes like a chai latte!

If you need any better reason to consider cooking breakfast, have a read of my blog post on the beauty of breakfast here, and for another tasty option you might like to try cooking up some of my mini-breakfast frittatas (great for lunchboxes too!) or mix your own muesli.

However you decide to make it, I hope you enjoy your lovely winter quinoa. Share with me here or on Facebook any other flavour ideas you may have!

Bon appetit!

Lyndal at Lean Green and Healthy

What does a balanced meal look like?

Privacy breakfast , dinner

I keep harping on about a balanced diet. Balanced this and balanced that. In my posts about breakfasts and even snacks, I keep referring to this. What do I mean?

I think its important to think about each meal as an opportunity to nourish yourself. To nourish your senses with wonderful colours and flavours, aromas and textures. And to nourish your body with an array of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients it needs. And finally you could also go as far as to say to nourish your soul with the pride of a home cooked meal, or the company of friends on a special occasion, or family around your regular dinner table or the quiet peace of contentedly eating by yourself.

Now not every single meal will do all of these things, but I believe its a great way to think about your food and how it nourishes you. But moving beyond these qualities of your meal, how much of everything do you include? Well this first post is about balance, then later we will talk about portion sizes.

Think about your plate like a clock face and divide it into quarters. Two of these quarters (half your plate) at every meal should be fruit or non starchy vegetables. One of the quarters should be lean protein, and one of your quarters should be starches - low GI carbohydrates. Add to this a small amount of healthy fats and oils and you have a balanced meal. This is how I try to plan every meal.

So what does this look like practically?

Well let's start with the easiest plate to imagine - dinner time. Here's a dinner photo I found off the internet:

This plate is about right with half the plate made up of salad, a quarter of lean protein (the lamb cutlets) and a quarter of low GI carbohydrates (the tasty looking wild rice mix). But most of us don't get this right at dinner - we tend to eat too much carbohydrates (how much pasta do you pile upon your plate? how many potatoes? what about bread?) and also too much meat - imagine how large a big steak would look on a plate like this. And rarely do we as a population eat HALF of our plate as fruit or vegetables. But these are the simple changes in proportions that will make all the difference when you're watching your weight or improving your health.

So that's some ideas for dinner, the easy one, but what about the other meals? You see EVERY meal should be in balance like this. Over 90% of Australians don't eat enough fruit and vegetables a day, and this is the case for most other Western countries. Do you eat fruit and vegetables with every meal?

Here's a breakfast plate to show you- its a photo I took when I was eating out for breakfast with my husband. Half the plate is vegetables (spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes) with lean protein (eggs), low GI carbohydrates (the beans) and some good fats (avocado). Granted it is quite a big breakfast, but it was also delicious!

Or if cooked breakfast isn't your thing, what about cereal? how much do you eat? Most processed cereals are very highly processed, high GI and loaded with sugar and fat and usually doesn't cover our other bases. Here's another balanced breakfast plate. Note that half the bowl is filled with fruit (in this case strawberries, blueberries and raspberries) and the other quarters (piled on top of each other) are the protein (Greek yoghurt) low GI carbs (muesli) and good fats (in the seeds and nuts). This is what I have for breakfast most days of the week.

Getting the picture?

Lets do one more. How about the lunch I had today. You should be getting good at this by now!! This is a bit trickier because its all piled in a heap, but can you pick out the different foods?

I started with the vegetables by piling the bowl full of spinach leaves and tomatoes. Then I added the low GI carbs (can you see the sneaky chick peas? there are about 3 tablespoons of chick peas in the salad). Next came the protein - a small can of tuna and some feta cheese. Finally I topped it with some good fats in the form of sunflower seeds, pepitas and avocado. Oh and the raisins on top are a little more fruit!

Now whether you are eating a salad bowl or breakfast like me, or a big grainy sandwich, or a baked dinner with all the trimmings, think about the balance on your plate. Half non-starchy veggies/fruits, quarter protein, quarter low GI carbs and some tasty healthy fats and you will be on the way to great balanced health. This is an easy change you can make right now :)

So, in summary!

1/2 Plate Vegetables
Fill up your plate with raw or cooked vegetables for nutrition, taste and healthy filling fibre. Remember to include many different colours and types for a full array of nutrients.

1/4 Plate Lean Protein
Lean protein will help you to stay satiated, sustain your energy throughout the day, and protect your heart and waistline. This can be lean meats, fish and also non meat sources of protein such as soy, nuts, tofu and others. Remember, twice as many vegetables as protein.

1/4 Plate Healthy low GI carbohydrates (or starches)
Whole grains, like brown rice, contain fibre to give you long-lasting energy, stabilise blood sugar and provide B-vitamins to protect your heart. Try quinoa, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and more! Legumes are excellent for this also. The more colourful your starch, the better!

We will talk soon about portion sizes. In the meantime if you want to know more about the foods we should be including daily, check out the Australian Healthy Eating Guide. And if you need more specific advice tailored to you, see a dietitian!

Bon appetit!

Related posts:
What to eat for a healthier you
To snack or not to snack, that is the question
The beauty of breakfast

Lyndal @ Lean Green and Healthy

Recipe - mini breakfast frittatas

Privacy breakfast , recipes

I saw a version of these on the internet with lots of high salt ingredients like sausage and feta, and lots of processed cheese - I thought I'd try a slightly toned down healthier version. I have used a little lean bacon for flavour but you could certainly omit that if you wish. You could also put all your vegetables in raw, I just know my son is not a fan of raw mushrooms and capsicum so cooking it with a small amount of bacon would make him more likely to eat them!

You will need:
(To make 12 frittatas - if you have a 6 muffin tray then halve the recipe or make two batches)
Fillings of your choice - I used cherry tomatoes, a handful of baby spinach, fresh mushrooms, two pieces of lean short cut bacon trimmed of extra fat, half a capsicum (bell pepper). You could use any vegetables you have in the fridge - onions, silverbeet, roasted diced sweet potato, carrots, grated zucchini, and even add leftover cooked chicken, tinned red salmon, tinned corn or asparagus - use your imagination!
12 eggs - basically one egg per muffin cup
Small amount of grated cheese
Mixed dry herbs
pepper for seasoning
a splash of milk
olive oil spray to grease your muffin tray (May not be needed if you have a silicone tray)

Grease your muffin tray with olive oil spray (or use muffin cases) and heat your oven to 200 degrees C
Dice your ingredients finely
Fry your bacon, mushrooms and capsicum in a hot pan with a little olive oil if needed and a sprinkle of mixed herbs until softened and golden. Take off the heat.

Starting with one egg per muffin cup, crack your eggs into a jug and whisk with a splash of milk. I did 6 at a time as it was easier to manage. Season your eggs with black pepper and perhaps some herbs if you wish.

In each cup of your muffin tray add some finely chopped spinach, diced tomato and the bacon/mushroom/capsicum mix until around half full.

Carefully pour your egg mixture on the top of the vegetables. Top with a small sprinkle of grated cheese (I had run out so used a little flaked parmesan instead). If you wish you can sprinkle with sweet paprika for some extra flavour and colour.

Cook for 15-20 minutes until golden and firm.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes in the tray to make them easer to remove.

These could be frozen in individual ziplock bags, or alternatively keep in a container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

For a quick balanced breakfast, zap one in the microwave for 30 seconds, and team with a piece of fruit or a slice of grainy toast for low GI carbohydrate energy. These would also be great cold in a lunchbox.

Bon appetit!

Lyndal @ Lean Green and Healthy

Making muesli

Privacy breakfast , healthy eating

In my previous post about the beauty of breakfast I talked about muesli, so of course I have been asked what I put in mine! Here's the run down.

Regular muesli for Phill

I need to eat gluten free but my husband doesn't need to avoid gluten so we make two separate batches. I start with two big containers - one for Phill's muesli and one for mine. I then get a base muesli - for Phill it's whatever brand of natural muesli with fruit looks nice and is a good price from the supermarket - usually Carman's, Mornng Sun or a generic from Woolworths, Coles or Aldi. We will be adding lots to it so if its mainly oats that's no problem, but some have dried fruit, almonds or coconut already in them. Alternatively you can just start with plain rolled oats or oats and barley (Superfoods make a barley/oats mix like this is which is great). For me I get whatever gluten free muesli looks the best (knowing that they are often sweetened and higher GI than Phill's oats so I will be bulking mine out more and eating smaller serves when its done). I tend to choose Carman's, Freedom foods or the generic GF muesli from Woolworths or Aldi.

Gluten free muesli for me

Now for the fun bit - time to start adding goodies to it!

Phill's has more grains and fruit than I do - rice bran, wheat germ, barley flakes, dried mango, pineapple, paw paw, apricots, cranberries and sultanas, LSA mix and anything else that jumps out at me in the supermarket.
Mine has more seeds and nuts and less grains and dried fruit (to keep the GI low) - I have dried apples, sultanas and diced prunes, and lots of sliced natural almonds. I then top up both boxes with psyllium husk, coconut and all the crunchy things I can find - pepitas, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, quinoa, rice bran, buckwheat etc. And finally a good slop of cinnamon in both for taste and blood sugar lowering effects (the evidence is pretty patchy on this so I don't know if it really does anything, but it tastes great so that's my excuse for adding it to everything!! )

While it costs a little more the first time you do it and need to buy all the bits, you will end up with a huge container, tailored to your tastes and needs and will be much nicer than any brand you get at the shops. I tend to use mine as a crunchy topping on my fruit and yoghurt, Phill eats his as a traditional cereal with milk, and it works fine for both options. Our big containers of muesli last weeks and weeks and taste great :)

YUM!

Lyndal @ Lean Green and Healthy

The beauty of breakfast

Privacy breakfast , diabetes

Many commercial cereals are high in sugar
but oatmeal or natural muesli with natural
yoghurt and fresh fruit is filling and healthy

Do you eat breakfast regularly? If you do, chances are you are already taking good steps towards improving your health. If not, maybe its time to start! I'll tell you why.

There is good evidence that people who don't eat breakfast regularly are more likely to be overweight or obese. In one study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, data was analysed regarding eating patterns from 500 patients. Skipping breakfast was associated with a significantly higher risk of obesity. People who skipped breakfast 75% percent of days were 4.5 times more likely to be obese than those who regularly consumed breakfast.

This is not an isolated finding, but why is it so? It is thought that people who skip breakfast tend to eat more food than usual at the next meal when their hunger kicks in or nibble on high calorie snacks to stave off hunger. In the study mentioned above it was found that people who skipped breakfast had an overall higher caloric intake for the rest of the day - they got hungry later, ate more to try and catch up and ended up gaining weight. I have been a patchy and reluctant breakfast eater most of my adult life and I'm sure this was one of the compounding factors in my obesity.

Grainy toast with eggs and vegetables, peanut butter and
banana or ricotta and strawberries is a great balanced meal

So, you may be asking yourself: "if breakfast skippers eat more calories overall and I never have time for breakfast, can't I just keep on skipping breakfast and remember to eat less the rest of the day?" Well, it seems its not that simple either. It actually does seem to make a difference when you eat, not just how much. In a study at Tel Aviv University published in the journal Obesity, 93 obese women were put on a dietary program for 12 weeks all consuming 1,400 calories per day. However, one group of women consumed most of their calories in a big breakfast with light meals after that, and the other group had most of their calories at dinner.

Admittedly, the sample size is small, but the results are striking. By the end of the study, participants in the "big breakfast" group had lost an average of 17.8 pounds each and three inches off their waist line, compared to a 7.3 pound and 1.4 inch loss for participants in the "big dinner" group. According to Prof. Jakubowicz, those in the big breakfast group were found to have significantly lower levels of the hunger-regulating hormone ghrelin, an indication that they were more satiated and had less desire for snacking later in the day than their counterparts in the big dinner group.

And if you're diabetic or pre-diabetic, breakfast is even more important than just for your waistline. A study at the University of Colorado showed that women who skipped breakfast had an impaired metabolic response to their lunch - with a higher glucose level, insulin spike and higher levels of insulin resistance than those who ate breakfast. Over time, skipping breakfast can make you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, or worsen existing diabetic control.

My breakfast at a cafe this week - half the plate is vegetables
and fruit, with some low GI carbs (beans), protein (eggs) and
good fats (avocado). And it tasted great!

So, have I convinced you yet? It is certainly worth your time and effort to fit a nutritious breakfast into your day. But what to eat?

My breakfast in Malaysia - vegetables, fruit, curry, eggs & rice

The way I see it, breakfast is like any other meal and should be made up of a balance of lots of fruit and vegetables, some lean protein, some lowGI complex carbohydrates and some good fats. Most commercial breakfast cereals are laden with sugar (read more about that in this article) and heavily processed, so with the exception of natural muesli, oatmeal or rolled oats they are best avoided. Consider making your own muesli by adding fruits, nuts and seeds to a whole grain base (more information on how to do that here). Or topping grainy toast with fruits and vegetables. And eggs are a wonderful breakfast food to enjoy a few times a week.

Also remember that most of the rest of the world eats food for breakfast that we in the west would not normally consider "breakfast food" - I had amazing meals of curries, soups , fish and fruits in Malaysia and Singapore for breakfast - think outside the square!

In case you are wondering if I follow my own advice, you'll be pleased to know I have seen the folly of my ways and now eat breakfast every single day and I'm sure it is part of my successful weight loss. Most days I eat a bowl of berries (fruit) with Greek yoghurt (protein) and top it with a handful of muesli (low GI carbs) with nuts and seeds (good fats). Some days I eat eggs (protein) with vegetables (spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms) and fruit (low GI) and maybe some avocado (good fat). In hotels I tend to order an omelette with spinach, salad and salmon (see a pattern here?). But I always eat something. I may have to get up a few minutes earlier to make it happen, but its routine now and to be the honest, having to stop for 5 minutes to eat it mentally helps my day as well. I certainly can't do without it now!

Under the mixture of grains, fruits, nuts and
seeds is unsweetened yoghurt and a pile
of fresh berries. My usual start to the day!

I have heard people complain that they are just not hungry when they wake up. That certainly is the case for some people, and for most its just training yourself. This is a lifestyle change, remember? Get up, have a glass of water and start moving around to get your body awake and ready. It may be worth looking at how big your dinner is. Too big a dinner or eating too late the night before and you may wake up just not hungry. Make your dinner lighter, watch your alcohol intake and see if that helps. But you will be metabolically better off if you make that first meal of the day a proper nutritionally balanced one, whether you eat it at 6am or 11am.

No matter how busy you are, make the time for a nutritious breakfast. Your body will thank you for it.

Lyndal @ Lean Green and Healthy

Health4Tips

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Warm winter quinoa porridge - my favourite morning recipes.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

What does a balanced meal look like?

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Recipe - mini breakfast frittatas

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Making muesli

Saturday, May 17, 2014

The beauty of breakfast

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