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Brussels Sprouts For Breakfast

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I’m in bodybuilder mode. By that I mean I’m trying to put on some healthy weight and hopefully regain some muscle that somehow disappeared somewhere. Such a project requires meal planning.

I consciously have to eat more nutrients and the only way to do that is to know what I’m having before I even get hungry. I plan ahead and do some batch cooking on Sunday to have multiple meals ready to go and make sure my pantry, fridge, and freezer are stocked for the spontaneously cooked meals that I put together later in the week. My meals plans usually work out about 90% of the time. 

I find that this type of planning virtually eliminates food waste at my house and leaves me physically running better because I have no reasons to skip meals or eat poorly due to not knowing what to have or being too busy to cook. This method also saves me a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on meals out or the purchase of unmade food that goes bad in the fridge.

This week the chosen main vegetable has been brussels sprouts and the first way that I used them was for making a breakfast bake with sweet potatoes, spinach, and eggs. I made enough for two portions and I now I also have another meal already to go for tomorrow morning or whenever.

Brussels Sprouts For Breakfast

Brussels Sprouts For Breakfast (2 servings)

1 small sweet potato, sliced into 1/4″ thick pieces

6-8 brussel sprouts, quartered

4 eggs

2 mushrooms, finely chopped

2C spinach, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Put the sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts in an 8″ pan and lightly drizzle avocado oil (or oil of your choice) over the veggies and give them a stir. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  3. Mix together eggs, mushrooms, spinach, and spices and pour evenly over the partially baked sweet potato and brussels sprouts mix. Bake for about 15 more minutes or until the eggs are fully cooked and firm.
  4. Eat half and store the other half in a covered container in the fridge for up to three days.

I love a solid savory meal for breakfast. This one wins in every way. Easy, filling, nutritious, and delicious.

Here is to healthy muscles!

 

Sweet Potato And Leek Ginger Soup

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With a shift in the seasons from winter to spring brings an attention to a new menu of local fresh foods. In the Pacific Northwest leeks, garlic, baby greens, peas, radishes, and rhubarb are just a few of the exciting seasonal ingredients worth adding to your menu. With that in mind I bring you my latest soup recipe that is very easy to make, delicious, versatile, and really good for you.

I recently discovered a simple way to use fresh ginger to create a broth and have since been creating different versions of this soup loaded with beautiful colors and packed with nutrients. The ginger and garlic add a nice spice and serious immunity boosting qualities. The abundance of vegetables provides your digestive system with a healthy serving of fiber.

Leeksoup2

Sweet Potato and Leek  Ginger Soup

4 inch piece of ginger, scrubbed and thickly sliced

2 leeks, chopped

1 lg sweet purple potato, cubed

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

salt and pepper

  1. Put the ginger in a large pot of hot water and and simmer for about 20 minutes while prepping the other veggies. Your option here is to remove the ginger before adding the rest of the ingredients, be hardcore and eat the ginger in the soup, or pick it out as you eat.
  2. Add all other ingredients to the ginger broth and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  3. Serve immediately and store leftovers in the fridge for about 3 days or freeze for future quick meals.
Leeksoupjar
This batch of soup was made with white sweet potatoes.

Cheers to a happy and healthy spring season!

Pam Dyer is a Holistic Health Coach who trains people with scoliosis and chronic illness how they can improve sleep, gut health, immunity, and brain function to live full and hurt less.  To book a consult with Pam please email:  butterflysessions@gmail.com  

 

Blueberry Hemp Cake

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I’m in a minor cake mode. I’ve made a new cake every week for the past few weeks and this last one came out with a muffin feeling but since it was made in a cake pan, I’m calling it cake. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, and in the freezer for later.

Recipe positives:

-gluten free, dairy free, paleo friendly, no processed sugar, full of nutrients, easy to make, takes delicious.

Blueberry Hemp Muffin Cake

1/3C coconut oil

1/4C maple syrup

1t vanilla

4 eggs

1/t baking soda

1/2t salt

1/3C hemp seeds

1.5C almond flour

1C fresh or frozen blueberries

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8 inch pan or line with parchment paper. Cream together coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix eggs into mixture.
  2. Add all dry ingredients mix until combined.
  3. Stir in blueberries.
  4. Spread evenly into the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick stuck into middle comes out clean.

It has been in my thoughts that this recipe would work great in a loaf pan or as actual muffins although I have yet to try.

As you may know, I like to use hemp in my diet. I first discovered it when trying to find healthy sources of plant based protein and it has turned out to be a great one for my sensitive digestive system. Hemp comes with other bonuses like omega-3 fatty acids and B-Vitamins which rounds out the beneficial nutrient profile needed for a healthy brain and nervous system. I highly recommend it.

Happy Health to You.