Happy Breakfasts!

Last week I joined Marcela and Claire Stone on their 'Happy Detox Breakfast Challenge'. The truth is that as much as we (try to) eat mostly healthy food, breakfast is always, well, a challenge, because:

a). We adore sweet stuff: 1. Toast with butter, jam and a cup of tea, or 2. sugar-loaded box muesli with yoghurt are both fast, easy, convenient and delicious alternatives.

b). We tend to always go with options 1 or 2 above. Maybe pancakes, omelettes or sunny-side ups when we are feeling fancy on the weekends.

When I read about the challenge, consisting of a "change of usual breakfasts for the ones suggested, as a fun way to get thinking about breakfast differently, swapping sugary cereal for something seasonal" I was all in.  I mean, last summer I already hosted a bunch of you for 'The Breakfast Club' guest post series, in order to get inspired by your breakfasts, so I thought this might be just what we needed.

I have to say that I loved it and that I was surprised. The smoothies (all fruit, cereal, vegetable milks) were really life-changing. There was one that tasted like ice-cream and did not have any dairy in it. I already loved avocados, and I had once a million years ago during a beach vacation tried a coconut milk + banana + avocado milkshake, but I had forgotten how good this stuff is. To be repeated. I don't even know why I did not do this before, since avocado is probably my favorite  fruit (yup, it's a fruit).

Then, yesterday I made granola from scratch at home for the first time and it was so satisfying! I might never get it out of a box anymore!

The only thing that made me sad is the realization, once again, that "healthy eating" has to be so pricey, because the system is pretty much messed up. I mean, eating everything local, organic and non processed is crazy expensive (at least here), so much, that it is kind of a luxury. For example, 400gr. of quinoa (good for maybe 2 meals) is EUR 5. If you compare to 1 EUR for 1 kg of rice (which lasts at least 4 meals, maybe more) it is just not possible to substitute one for the other unless you really are not on a budget at all. Or if you want to replace milk with almond milk, it’s just really hard. We pay 0.6 EUR for 1L of milk, however you pay around 2 EUR for vegetable milks or around 3-4 EUR for a bag of almonds with which you can make the milk yourself. (Of course I could just stop drinking all milk and dairy products, but cheese!) Rice and Oat milks are an option, but their nutritional value is not comparable (they are both kind of low in protein).There were a couple of ingredients that I just omitted from the detox (millet flakes and raw cacao nibs) because they were 4 EUR and 6 EUR for 250 gr respectively.

I do realize this is all because after the "progress" in the food industry that happened after World War II we have gotten used to cheap food, but this is at the expense of our farmers, the environment, animal welfare… In countries like France or Switzerland.some farms only continue to exist because of government subsidies, otherwise they would be forced to close down. It seems that we are just not willing to pay for the real price of our food. At the same time I strongly believe that access to healthy food should not be a luxury. It blows my mind that highly processed food is actually way cheaper than simple vegetables and fruits, because these industrial processes are not even cheap. I guess we have to go back to the start: bartering, urban farming, following nature’s rythms. (There is a very interesting discussion on all of these issues on the 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' review for the #betterinrealifereadinglist).

What do you usually have for breakfast?

The breakfast club: Olive Dragonfly

As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. (My usual breakfast is  almost always the same, bread, butter, tea and some sort of jam). Today I am excited to bring you  the cheerful Bex from The Olive Dragonfly. You will be drooling by the end of the post, such good ideas and such pretty photos. By the way, I would be thrilled if you would like to participate in this weekly series, in which case, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

I eat weird things for breakfast.  I never fancy anything sweet so cereal is out. I'll occasionally have pancakes as a treat but need to have a little something savoury first, maybe a small slice of toast with Bovril.  Yes, Bovril on toast, or in a pinch, Marmite.  What I most like for breakfast is leftovers.  I'll eat any leftovers for breakfast - curry, spag bol, noodles, anything that can be reheated.  I've even been known to make a tuna sandwich if there's no other choice but cereal.  I even prefer croissants to be savoury with ham and cheese or marmite and cheese!  (I basically love anything with cheese!)

We do have cereal in the house but I prefer it in the evenings or as a snack.  If I'm really hungry, I'll have porridge after something savoury as a sort of breakfast pudding!  You can't beat a two course breakfast!  I really love my fig recipe served with pancakes for a sweet breakfast course, they were perfect after smoked salmon bagels on New Year's Day.

Smoked salmon with garlic & chive Philadelphia on a sesame seed bagel

Figs in spiced sauce with mascarpone

Perfect with Scotch pancakes!

Anyway, I do eat more normal things as well and when I'm trying to be healthy or am generally just organised, I love to have a proper cooked breakfast.  I say healthy since my preferred choice of breakfast consists of some kind of combination of grilled veggie sausages (ideally Quorn "chef's selection" or Cauldron), grilled bacon medallions (I love Morrison's NuMe bacon - see also below), scrambled eggs, grilled mushrooms and sometimes baked beans.  I'll sometimes have a slice of wholemeal toast or bread as well.

You can tell hubby was there that morning, he always makes me shapes on my latte :)

I particularly love eggs in the morning as even when I'm not organised, I can stick some eggs on to boil and squish them up on a slice of bread for a breakfast on the run or even make a super quick omelette.  (Although my favourite omelettes are the ones my husband sometimes makes on the weekend, occasionally with smoked salmon.  They're always better when he makes them!)

Omelette with light babybel & tomato with mushrooms

Lately I've been loving smoothies as well, I love making different concoctions of fruit to enjoy on the side of whatever it is I'm eating that morning and it helps fill me up more so I'm less likely to snack at 11am.  I rarely eat fruit as a snack as again, I tend to prefer savoury options so a smoothie is the perfect way for me to get my vitamins and fibre!

I think you can tell I quite like breakfast.  I can never skip it as even though I can't usually face eating when I first get up, I can't get past 9am without eating something or I get very grumpy!  On weekends, I love to plan nice breakfasts or brunches with my husband when he isn't working.  

A particular favourite was Huevos Rancheros which I'd found online somewhere.  

My savoury muffins also make a very nice breakfast combined with boiled eggs and a cuppa.

I also LOVE a BLT for breakfast.  I make mine with NuMe bacon and plenty of lettuce.

Sorry this post has turned out to be pretty epic!  When Amanda asked me to write about breakfast I knew I'd be able to deliver ;)   I'd love to hear of any more savoury breakfast ideas you have?

The Breakfast Club: MY creative

 As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. (My usual breakfast is  almost always the same, bread, butter, tea and some sort of jam). Today I am excited to bring you the super talented photographer and all around creative Michelle from MY Creative Photography. By the way, I would be thrilled if you would like to participate in this weekly series, in which case, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

I was excited when Amanda asked if I wanted to contribute to this new series as I often try to eat healthy but often fail.  The recipes I share on my own blog generally lean towards the healthy end but temptation and the lack of planning often makes it hard to stick to a good eating regime.

One of the hardest things I find in eating healthy is my inevitable rush in the morning to get into work which leads to me buying some awfully monstrous breakfast on the go.  One of my solutions for this dilemma is breakfast in a jar!

This one is super simple but that is the point right.  You will need one grated pear, 1/3 cup of oats (I like the jumbo variety) and around 250-300 ml oatmilk, or whatever brand of milk you prefer.  I find oatmilk has a creamy luxury-ness to it that makes it feel 'naughty' although it is pretty low calories.  Then put the grated pear in the jar, cover with oats and then milk. You could also layer it alternatively if you are going to eat it straight out the jar.  By the time I have got to work the oats have softened with the milk and I feel I have had a much more nutritious start to the day.

This is also great with apple and though I haven't tried would be pretty good with mashed/chopped berries or even nectarine/peach type fruits.

The jar concept is also perfect for smoothies on the go.  What would you put in a jar?

The Breakfast Club: Liquorice and Pumps

 As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. (My usual breakfast is  almost always the same, bread, butter, tea and some sort of jam). Today I am delighted to bring you fun-loving Louise Elisabeth from Liquorice and Pumps. By the way, I would be thrilled if you would like to participate in this weekly series, in which case, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

  When Amanda asked me to write about my breakfast habits I was totally honored. Me, writing about healthy delicious food, who would have thought? OK, so this asks for some background information: I used to be overweight, I still am a bit but I've lost around 33 lbs (15 kg) this year by changing my life. I think about what I eat, about healthy choices, but also about exercise. The devil is in the details, like taking the stairs in stead of the elevator.

Back to the beginning of all beginnings: breakfast. I can't start the day without a healthy breakfast. I have to work and study all day so I need a good base. My perfect breakfast contains: water, dairy produce (for my calcium levels), fibers, fruit, veggies and vegtable oil. Here is an example:

-Eggs scrambled with tomatoes, cooked in a teaspoon of arachide oil (I use a frying pan with non-stick coating)

-0% fat quark with a chopped peach (try some different brands of quark, some can be quiet sour but there are some really yummy options out there. The biological ones are usually very good)

-Whole-weat crackers (the extra fiber option)

-And my favorite tea, Moroccan herbs :D

Here are some tips:

1. Take your time! It is totally worth it. It stops your belly from growling for cookies at 11 o'clock ;-)
2. Try to minimize prefabricated stuff, they have so many weird additives. I have no idea what E numbers do or mean but cave men certainly didn't ingest them, so I guess I'm safe to avoid them ;-)
3. Vary. Keep it interesting for yourself (and your family). Try different brands, different veggies and fruits (just found out Chinese cabbage isn't that tasty with scrambled eggs :p)
4. Make it last: rye bread has loads of  fibers and is considered a healthy option. But if I had to eat it everyday I would go mental! So just find out what suits you and take in account tip 3 ;-)

I hope you enjoyed my fairly messy blog post and feel inspired to start your day healthy and happy!

The breakfast club: Bits and peaces

As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. (My usual breakfast is  almost always the same, though today, I had avocado pieces, a mandarin and some champignons and courgette, namely because we ran out of bread and cereal). Today I am delighted to bring you the thoughful Just Me, from Bits and Pieces. By the way, I would be thrilled if you would like to participate in this weekly series, in which case, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

Take a Moment 

So when Amanda asked me to write a post about Breakfast, she suggested recipes, pictures, or a story about breakfast. What is ironic is that while I was sitting here contemplating a post about breakfast, my husband has been making sausage, eggs, and English Muffins. Me? I had a bowl of leftover pasta and have opened up every door in the house and turned on all of the fans in hopes that I won’t have to smell his breakfast.

I’ve never been very good at breakfast. Growing up, I remember my mother chasing me around in the mornings, begging to me eat something…a piece of cheese, an apple, anything! I mean, I’m not saying I don’t appreciate a great restaurant breakfast on the weekends, but that’s usually more of a “brunch” and I prefer it to happen anytime after noon.

It wasn’t until I went on my very first diet (Weight Watchers) that I discovered the importance of breakfast. How ironic that I needed to limit what I ate in order to appreciate eating in the mornings. I began to realize how breakfast does actually play an important role for the body. It “does a body good” or whatever they say about breaking the fast and all of that. But even still, even after realizing the importance of eating before noon, my breakfast repertoire was pretty limited. I basically rotated between three things: English Muffins, cheddar cheese sticks or Greek Yogurts. A lot of Greek Yogurt.

And then I got pregnant. And breakfast took on an entirely new importance. I absolutely needed to eat right away. Not just for me, but for the baby. And any semblance of breakfast foods went out the window. I ate mostly carbs – pasta, rice, crackers and quesadillas with a lot of cheese. So….if I have to say something meaningful about breakfast based on my mixed relationship with the idea of bacon and eggs, what would it be? Well I think what I’ve realized is that breakfast is about taking care of yourself. It is about having a structure to your day and taking a moment for yourself to be healthy and to be kind to yourself. I remember my mother, sitting with her cup of coffee, a healthy breakfast, and a novel…and I think – that is taking care of yourself physically and spiritually. Can grabbing a yogurt that you will eat in front of your computer at work really compare?

So what do we do? Do we restructure our lives to incorporate breakfast? Most importantly, do I get up earlier in order to find time for myself in the morning? Maybe the answer is…I’m on a trajectory. I never took care of myself that way until my 30s. Now, I’m taking care of me and a growing baby. Next, I will be a mom. I would like to be one of those moms who has breakfast for the family. Where everyone sits down and has a moment before the day starts. But honestly? I don’t know. I don’t know if I’ll find that moment of peace in the mornings and create it for my family. More likely, my husband will take care of that. Because, really, I’m not a morning person.

But who knows? I’ve come a long way so far. From no breakfast at all to making sure I eat something every morning…that’s progress, right? So I will leave you with the hope that you do better than I do and you are able to find that moment each morning to take care of yourself. To be quiet and gentle with yourself and prepare for yourself for the day. Because damnit, life is hard. So pamper yourself with a blueberry scone or a delicate crepe.

This is a picture of what I ate for breakfast on my recent vacation. While there, breakfast was an hour-long experience. Words were not needed, just…enjoying the food and the view. I hope you (we) can find a bit of that in your day-to-day life.

This made me so hungry: Chilaquiles and huevos rancheros. Mmmmmmm.

*First image via here

The Breakfast Club: Pieces of Anna

As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast (my usual breakfast is  almost always the same: toast with butter, peanut butter, or jam and tea with milk), I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. Today I am delighted to bring you Anna, from Pieces of Anna By the way, it would be great if you would like to participate in this weekly series, in which case, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

 Scrambled Eggs with Bacon and Tomatoes

When Amanda asked me to contribute a post on my favorite breakfast, I was thrilled! Breakfast is one of those essential meals for me that I cannot function without. But then, I got a little stumped.

You see, Amanda was specifically looking for healthy alternatives to sugar-filled breakfast meals, and I realized that a lot of what I eat for breakfast has quite a bit of sugar: cereal, toast with jam, waffles, etc. So I had to dig a little bit to figure out a non-sugary alternative that I enjoy on a regular basis. One of my favorite healthy breakfasts is rolled oats with golden raisins. It's delicious and super easy and fast to make. Unfortunately, we were all out of golden raisins.

Luckily, I recalled that I love all kinds of egg-based dishes for breakfast. Whether scrambled, sunny-side-up, or soft-boiled, I will eat eggs in any shape or form. So I decided to contribute one of my scrambled egg recipes. For a healthy breakfast, I often make scrambled eggs with veggies, such as mushrooms, tomatoes, or chives. Sometimes, I even make eggs for dinner, and that is what happened with this recipe. Because it was a dinner meal, I decided to add more protein to it, so I made my eggs with bacon. Here is my recipe.

Ingredients (1 serving)
2 eggs
2 strips of bacon
1 medium sized tomato, cubed
Salt to taste

Scramble eggs in a small bowl and add salt. Preheat the frying pan on medium heat. Slice bacon into small rectangles (about 2 centimeters wide). Fry the bacon to desired crispiness (I like my bacon on the less crispy side). If you are using a nonstick frying pan, and the bacon has generated enough grease, then add the cubed tomato. Otherwise, add a bit of oil or butter first to avoid burning your eggs. Slightly fry up the tomato (about a minute) and then add the scrambled eggs. Fry everything until the eggs are as solid as you like (I prefer mine a tiny bit runny).

Serve with a side of buttered toast (a slice of french baguette works really well).

The breakfast club: Smitten Immigrant

As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast (my usual breakfast is  almost always the same: toast with butter, peanut butter, or jam and tea with milk), I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. Today I am honored to present you Pluis, from Smitten Immigrant. By the way, I would love it if you would like to participate in this weekly series, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

Breakfast of Grandmothers

I'm a breakfast friend, which is a somewhat lonely position. Apparently there are preciously few people who wake up and feel sorely tempted to scoot off to the kitchen to scarf down something edible before even contemplating a shower. So, when Amanda told me about her plans to write about breakfast, I thought I could contribute. Hence, my three routine breakfasts:

1) Weekend Breakfast
2) Breakfast with Puppies
3) Breakfast of Grandmothers

Weekend breakfast: (serves two)
- one leisurely morning
- one tin of pre-made croissant dough (makes 6 small croissants)
- half a banana (for stuffing two of the croissants)
- fifteen minutes of pre-heated oven time
- a little butter
- one spoonful of fig or blackberry jam (for my Beloved)
- two cups of 'espresso lungo' (which is fancy-speak for us making espresso, but letting the water run through the grounds for much longer than any coffee lover would dare confess)
- Beloved and I
- cat pictures and other internet diversions

Breakfast with Puppies (no puppies are harmed in the making of this breakfast)
- 6.30 mornings on which I volunteer at the local dog shelter
- hard work and no lunch until 2 PM
- five table spoons of rolled oats
- two table spoons of dried cranberries (mine come with dried pineapple juice on)
- a pinch of salt
- a good splash of boiling water
- five minutes on low heat
- a good stir
- a spoonful of honey
- cat pictures and other internet diversions
- coffee to go at the train station or instant coffee at the shelter

Breakfast of Grandmothers (crone-like levels of wisdom not guaranteed)
- one average 8.00 AM awakening
- expectation of a normal day with regular meal times
- two slices of ontbijtkoek
- one banana, halved widthwise and lengthwise
- the long perhaps-not-quite-treasured memory of my otherwise kick-ass grandmother lecturing me about the digestive benefits of combining the fibre-rich ontbijtkoek with banana at her breakfast table - cat pictures and other internet diversions
- coffee at home, at work or on the go, depending on the day.

As you can see, I'm not one for inherently healthy breakfasts. I've done a few stints of low-carb and / or dieting and have stared into the soulless depths of a tub of low-fat yoghurt more than once, but substantial breakfasts make me happier.