Warm Mornings --
The WEBB Cooks by Robyn Webb, MS, LN
The chill of a cold December morning can make you just want to roll over and wait for spring. Instead, start a below freezing morning with a nutritious, healthy breakfast that will not take much more time to prepare than a bowl of boring cold cereal.
As a person with diabetes, you know it is critical to start your morning with a breakfast you can really enjoy. Break out of your rut and set yourself up for the busy day ahead with a fortifying meal.
Ideas to try
- Bake a batch of muffins. To any standard muffin recipe, you have endless possibilities for variations. Add fruit, nuts, seeds, extracts, and spices. Decrease the fat by substituting yogurt or applesauce for any or all of the oils or butters. Use whole wheat pastry flour or combinations of whole wheat and all purpose flours for more fiber. And for those really rushed mornings, "breakfast in hand" is certainly convenient.
- Like pancakes and waffles? Try them once in a while to stave off the boredom of sliced toast. Prepare waffle or pancake batter the night before and then freshly cook them in the morning. A few flips of the old spatula and you will have a hearty breakfast.
- Try eggs in a whole new way. Make a puffy omelet. Separate your eggs and whip the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the yolks and make an omelet that is filled with fiber rich vegetables. You'll be really satisfied because the whipping of the egg whites will produce a larger omelet, but not with any more fat or calories that a standard omelet.
- Instead of a cold piece of fruit, bake an apple or pear and serve warm with your breakfast. Better still, slice the warm cooked fruit and sandwich it between layers of plain non fat yogurt that is spiked with cinnamon. The cold yogurt will take on a little heat and will taste richer.
- Go unconventional. Like soup? Nothing wrong with indulging in a vegetable and bean soup in the morning. In many Asian cultures, soup is always on the breakfast menu. Besides, a good fiber rich soup will keep your full and your insides warm.
- Make a mini pizza. Take a half of a whole grain English muffin or a small corn tortilla. Spread it with marinara sauce, top with low fat cheese and sliced mushrooms or diced zucchini. Broil in a toaster oven for a quick and zesty breakfast.
- Check with a dietitian in regards to your allowances for fat, but a nut butter is "stick to your ribs" kind of food. Smear on other nut butters (besides peanut butter) on a warm slice of whole grain toast. Try soy, almond and cashew butter for a nice change. Heat it all up in a microwave for 20-30 seconds for a real treat.
- Wondering what you'll do with last night's dinner leftovers? Turn it into breakfast! Reheat slices of chicken or lean pork roast and roll in a whole wheat tortilla, top with a little low fat cheese and heat quickly in the microwave just to warm the tortilla.
While the weather outside may indeed seem like too much to bear, you'll be bolstered with a full breakfast ready to tackle any climate Mother Nature may throw your way.
FRIED APPLES
Serve a little dish of these warm apples with any breakfast
preparation time: 15 minutes
cook time: about 10 minutes
exchanges: 1 fruit, 1/2 monounsaturated fat
calories: 83
calories from fat: 23
total fat: 3 g
saturated fat: 0 g
cholesterol: 0 mg
sodium: 2 mg
carbohydrate: 16 g
dietary fiber: 1 g
sugars: 14 g
protein: 0 g
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. canola oil
3 cups peeled, diced baking apples
1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and lemon juice and sauté for 10 minutes, watching carefully that the apples do not burn.
- Mix together the remaining ingredients, mixing well to dissolve the cornstarch. Add to the apples and cook until sauce is thickened. Serve warm.
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