Taking Care of Me: Recipe Blog is a collection of delicious, nutritious, easy to prepare recipes.
From our family to yours.
With love.
Eating well is the foundation for good health – and doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated!
- Start each day with a spectacular breakfast.
- Eat real food (mostly vegetables).
- Eat according to the season.
- Check out http://www.takingcareofme.ca for information and tips inspired by the beautiful healing art of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
- You can also visit http://takingcareofme.blog for uplifting, thought provoking articles on living life with greater health and vitality.
*(photo credit: Trish Wonders
At Taking Care of Me Recipes, we are big fans of Breakfast! It is definitely the most important meal of the day!
So here are some ideas and suggestions to make your morning meal amazing!
(photo credit: acouplecooks.com)
According to the TCM biological clock, your stomach does its best digesting between about 7 and 9 a.m. You haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, hence the term breakfast – “break the fast”. Your body is rested and ready to refuel for the day.
If you only make one change to improve your health and energy, let it be to eat a cooked, nourishing breakfast.
Why cooked?
In Chinese Medicine, the stomach is compared to a big cooking pot. It needs to heat up or “cook” the foods you consume, in order to extract their nutrients. Then these nutrients are sent to nourish every cell of your body.
Whole, natural cooked foods are easiest to digest, boost your metabolism, and provide lasting energy.
Breakfast suggestions include hearty soups and stews, omelets with lots of veggies, stir fries, or left-over dinner.
A warm mug of ginger tea is also an excellent way to kick start your digestive system.
Today is a great day to revamp your breakfast. You’ll be glad you did!
Quinoa Breakfast Cereal
Adapted From “Quinoa 365”
(photo credit: foodandspice.blogspot.com)
1 cup quinoa
2 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped dates
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Combine quinoa and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cranberries, dates, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes – until the quinoa is tender. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Serve with almond milk, berries, nuts or seeds if desired. Delicious!
Ginger Tea
(photo credit: tasteforlife.com)
A golf-ball sized chunk of fresh ginger root, cut into slices
1 or 2 sticks of cinnamon
3 white pepper corns, crushed (optional) for a little extra warmth
1 cup of water
Add ingredients to a small saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, and then pour into your favourite mug. Enjoy!
White Bean Pancakes
(photo credit: bbcgoodfood.com)
2 cups Light Spelt Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 cup “Holy Crap” cereal (optional)
1 cup, or half a 19 oz. can of white kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 1/2 cups milk (almond or other non dairy milk works)
2 large eggs
1 peeled, ripe banana
2 tbsp. olive oil
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cereal. In a blender or food processor place the beans with a little of the milk. Blend until smooth. Add the rest of the milk, the eggs, banana and oil, and blend well.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
Coat a skillet with a tsp. of oil. Ladle the batter into the hot skillet. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 2 – 4 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes. Flip them over and cook the other side until golden.
Makes about 12 pancakes.
Taking Care of Me: RECIPES 