As part of my Move More, Eat Well commitment, my focus for January was to eat breakfast (and take my thyroid pill) every morning. All month I was right on track and (knock wood) have not missed a breakfast yet.
When I went to Canyon Ranch with my sister last April, I learned a lot. I've done my best to retain as much of that knowledge as possible, but I admit, I've slipped! Recently, especially through my exposure to the message board over at MMEW, I've been reminded of a few things. One of those things is the importance of protein at every meal in an effort to keep my blood sugar stable.
I've always had trouble eating breakfast. When I was single I was too busy rushing out the door to get to work; when I got married I was too busy rushing out the door to get to work; now that I have kids I continue to be busy ... making sure they eat breakfast as we're busy rushing out the door to get to school!
My solution?
BREAKFAST CHICKEN SAUSAGES
from the Canyon Ranch kitchens
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken breast
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon dry sage
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, combine ground chicken with all other ingredients and mix well.
2. Form into patties, using 1/4 cup mixture for each patty.
3. Place patties in a large sauté pan. Sauté over medium heat until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Serving Information
Makes 8 servings, each containing approximately:
110 calories
0 gm. carbohydrate
4 gm. fat
46 mg. cholesterol
14 gm. protein
202 mg. sodium
Trace fiber
On Sundays I triple the recipe (did I mention kids?):
All ingredients are collected and put on the counter. (I have changed the recipe from chicken to turkey as I find the turkey less "gummy" and easier to handle.)
Once all of the ingredients are combined, I roll the mixture into 1/4 cup balls on a sheet of wax paper.
I cook just about everything in my cast iron skillet and these are perfect. I put the balls into the pre-heated skillet and mash them down flat. I put the heat on medium for 4 to 5 minutes per side.
When I'm done I let the patties cool. There are usually about 22-24 of them when I'm finished. This will keep me and the kids and I going through the week. I put them in a container in the fridge and even though I am loathe to microwave, this is exactly how they get re-heated each morning for breakfast.
For me, one patty with:
Half a grapefruit OR
Bowl of oatmeal* OR
Slice of multigrain toast with peanut butter OR
Baked eggs
keeps me going in the morning. I can really feel a difference when I eat the protein with my breakfast and when I forget (or the kids have eaten all of the patties!). It really gets my matabolism going and I'm actually hungry well before lunch. I listen to my body and have a handful of nuts or an apple before I start preparing whatever is on hand for lunch.
The key? Keep it simple. Prepare*.
It's working!
*OATMEAL: In a 1.5 quart crock pot add in 1 cup of steel cut oats to 4 cups of water. Set on low for 8 hours. Voila. You wake to breakfast! Serve with any combination of dried fruit, fresh fruit, maple syrup, raw sugar, milk, anything that will entice you to enjoy your first meal of the day!
How do you start your day?
