Breakfast

Many people ask me what we eat for breakfast. Perhaps this is because most breakfast foods are laden with sugar and white flour-not a healthy way to break a fast! Most of the time, I tend to need a very high protein breakfast, especially when I am pregnant. Organic Grass-Fed T-Bone anyone?? Ok, so if steak does not appeal to you when the sun is rising, maybe you might like one of our other staples. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Pinto Bean Burritos

I have found that it saves time to make 4-5 lbs. of beans at a time. Just be sure that you have a large enough stockpot. First, soak the beans overnight. Then in the morning, put them in a large stockpot with 1 or 2 whole onions and fresh water to cook for about an hour, or until they are soft. You can either put them into the Vita-Mix to blend now or later. Freeze them in 32 oz. portions sizes (yogurt containers work well). The night before you are going to eat the beans, take them out to thaw, then reheat and serve with cheese and a sourdough tortilla.

Sourdough Tortillas

The night before, grind 4-5 cups of whole wheat in your WonderMill grain mill. Add about 1 cup of sourdough starter and enough water the make a dough similar in texture as if you were making bread. Knead in mixer enough to begin to stretch the gluten. Cover with a damp towel and a plastic bag (to prevent moisture loss) and leave overnight. In the morning, on a liberally oiled surface, cut the dough into portion sizes (about the size of a golf ball). Heat your cast iron griddle on high (medium high once it is hot). Begin rolling out portions, adding more oil as needed. Cook immediately on hot griddle. These will keep for about a week. They also freeze well.

Polenta

About a year ago, I bought, on a whim, a bulk 50 lb. bag of organic blue corn. Hmm, what do do with 50 lbs of corn???? Here’s one idea…Polenta!

2 cups corn, ground in The WonderMill
2 cups real chicken stock (not the canned stuff)
unrefined sea salt/pepper to taste
1/4 tsp. sage
1 tsp. Tomato Powder
1/4 cup Bariani olive oil
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese cubes

Grind the corn in the evening and then soak it overnight. In the morning, cook it in a saucepan with chicken stock, unrefined sea salt, pepper, sage, a small amount of tomato powder, and butter or cold-pressed olive oil. Stir constantly until all of the water is absorbed and their are no lumps. Turn off heat and add cheese to melt.

Oatmeal; rolled or steel cut

Cover with water and about 2-3 tbsp. of kefir or plain yogurt. Cover and leave overnight at room temperature. In the morning, add more water if needed (and any other ingredients such as sea salt, cinnamon, apples, fruit, maple syrup, lots of butter, etc.) and cook over a low flame stirring constantly until grain is tender.

Buckwheat or Millet (both are gluten-free)

You can make this the same way as oatmeal, but it is not necessary to soak overnight.

Pancakes

I refer to Sally Fallon’s pancake recipe found in her book Nourishing Traditions

Yogurt

We like to mix it with homemade granola….The healthiest recipe for granola I’ve found was from the “Above Rubies” website for Sprouted Buckwheat Granola. Although, I have to admit that I only made it once. And, I think I made it too crunchy. At any rate, we do eat “unsoaked” oats occasionally. To make granola:

Basic Granola

8 Cups non-instant rolled oats
1 cup Honey
3/4 Cups Safflower Oil (or any other cold-pressed, unrefined oil that doesn’t have an overbearing flavor)
2 cups Nuts, such as pecans and almonds
2 cups Dried fruit (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine everything except the dried fruit in a large mixing bowl. Spread evenly in a shallow pan, (non-aluminum or covered with parchment paper if aluminum) Bake for 25 minutes, stir and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool. Add fruit if desired. Store in an airtight container. Lasts about 3 months at room temperature.

Cinnamon Apples

Peel, core and slice 6 apples. Add 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon (1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 cloves optional.) Simmer with 1/2 cup water. Stir occasionally. Cook until the apples are soft and not watery.

Arrowroot Jam

You can cook and thicken any berries (such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and more…peaches also work well). Arrowroot cooks much like cornstarch. This jam is especially good served warm on freshly made Sourdough Bread. Put 2 cups of fruit (frozen is fine) in a saucepan, adding water if needed. 1/2 to 3/4 cup red wine makes an excellent base for strawberries instead of water. After it has reduced to the desired consistency, reduce the heat. Dissolve 1/8 cup of arrowroot in water or juice. Add to saucepan, stirring briskly to avoid lumps. If you’d like it thicker, add more arrowroot, using the same method.

Smoothies

Our favorite is: kefir, orange juice, frozen strawberries, frozen bananas, and spirulina and/or flax seeds (optional). Blend in the Vita-Mix until smooth and thick.

Eggs and Sourdough Toast

Organic, free-range eggs cooked in butter with homemade sourdough bread and arrowroot jam.