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Eat your Gluten Free Wheaties!
Author : Cherilee Garofano, Envision Wellness Category : Nutrition
You can choose how you start everyday and set yourself up for healthy success for life. The New Year is a terrific tme to engage in healthier habits, but it is planning and consistency that derives the best, long lasting results.
Although you want to endeavour to plan all of your meals so you are in control of your health throughout the day, what you eat from the moment you wake is easiest because you are at home. That’s exciting news when you consider how many other dietary challenges potentially await you in your day: lunch meetings; boardroom food; office snacks; pizza delivery and other meals on the go.
We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but why? Your body has been recovering, cleansing and resting over night and literally fasting, which is what “break – fast” means. When you consider that blood sugar levels dip with absence of food, causing irritability, metabolic syndrome, oxidization, inflammation, slowed cognitive function etc., it is in your best interest to choose nutrient dense foods that keep blood sugar levels stable and keep you singing well until noon.
While the majority of folks grab a coffee and bagel and consider breakfast taken care of, the real pursuer of health and energy, needs to plan a little smarter. Once you are out in the big, scary world of processed, (= little nutrients) convenience foods, you have little options. Here are some better choices:
Food Better Choice
Bagel Whole Grain, 12 Grain, Pumpernickel (these will likely not be whole grain but whole wheat which have white flour too!)Muffin Source out low fat, whole grain versions and alternative grains such as Spelt and Kamut. They will have more nutrients and keep you fueled longer.
Coffee Organic, Free Trade and black - no sugar or creme. Try lemon water in the am or an energizing shake. Your body really needs food to wake up and get energy not a bolt of caffeine. Green tea is milder. 25 mg of caffeine to 250 mg on average for coffee and beneficial anti-oxidants too!Cereal Most packaged cereals are processed and have added oils and sugars. Oatmeal or quinoa porridge is great or make your own muesli (*see recipe below) Rotate grains and watch over consumption of wheat.
Yogurt Plain is best. No sugar or artificial sugars. Liberte makes a great plain yogurt or try kefir for natural probiotics and better digestive heath.
Eggs Choose cage free, organic only. The animals otherwise are treated so horribly! Flax fed eggs are great, having up to 10 times more omega-3 fatty acids than regular grain-fed chickens. Soft boiled is best to preserve proteins.
Juice Most juice is sugar water and is high in calories, and spikes blood sugar. If using in a shake, use unsweetened organic apple juice, grape or pear (look for these in baby food section). Orange juice can be acidic so try to avoid.
Grain-Free Granola
Great version of granola for those concerned about wheat gluten and also for variety. Rotation is key in avoiding allergies and inflammation in the body. This recipe is easy on digestion, but be sure to chew very well so you can derive all the nutrition from the seeds.
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup walnut or pecan pieces
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds (white or black)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup honey/agave
pinch pink rock salt/ or grey sea salt
1 cup dried apricots or cranberries
1. Combine all ingredients except for dried fruit and place onto baking sheet. You can use some coconut oil to “wax” the sheet but it shouldn’t stick.
2. Bake at 225 F (110 C) for 1 hour, then let it rest for 30 minutes on top of stove
3. Add apricots/cranberries and serve immediately, or store in Mason jar.
Makes 8 servings.
- You may add a grain if you wish, such as rolled oats, quinoa or millet puffs for
extra complex carbohydrates. Add yogurt or some milk and enjoy!
