Healthy Breakfast Bowl - Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo

Last week The Captain and I spent several days with his sister and her husband in North Vancouver... they have a lovely home on Grouse Mountain and we love to visit there.  They are wonderful hosts and make us feel completely welcome and at home.

My sister-in-law has been living gluten-free for several years now and seems to have it all under control in the food department.  Since I am new to this lifestyle, I was eager to pick her brain, and experience some of the foods she has been enjoying all this time.

I was really intrigued by her breakfast choices.  Normally we eat eggs, or some kind of pancakes, or even hot oatmeal... and more lately, hot ground flax cereal.  Since I am moving away from eating grains of any kind for the most part, I was pleased to learn about a new breakfast treat, and I have been building these Breakfast Bowls for myself ever since.

Because I am still a Weight Watchers member, I don't throw caution to the wind, and I am keenly aware of the Points Plus Values of these ingredients rapidly adding up... but the beauty is that they are very nutritious, very filling, high in fibre and they keep me satisfied for hours!  A bowl that adds up to 6P+ or even 8P+ takes some time to eat, a long while to digest, and therefore keeps me full till lunch time.  They taste like dessert and that makes me very happy!

Here is an example of the first one I made last week while still in North Vancouver....

Fresh apricot, sprouted chia seeds, raisins, pecans, slivered almonds... before I added a bit of orginal unsweetened Almond Breeze.  This was 7P+ in total.

Today I made this one...

Half banana, half nectarine,  1 Tbs raisins, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 Tbs ground flax seeds, 15g almonds...

Then 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze, for a total of 6 P+

I should note that my sister in law doesn't add 'milk' to her bowls... but I think that the liquid makes the ground flax and chia seeds more palatable.  Yogurt works well, too.

The ingredient list is limited only by your imagination.

Here are some of the things I know that my sister-in-law selects, and also some things I have tried, or intend to try soon.

Nuts

• almonds
• walnuts
• pecans
• cashews
• hazelnuts
• coconut

Seeds

• pumpkin
• sunflower
• chia
• ground flax
• hemp

Dried Fruit

• raisins
• cranberries
• cherries
• blueberries
• goji berries
• goldenberries
• pineapple
• apple
• mango
• papaya
• strawberry

Fresh Fruit

• banana
• apricot
• nectarine
• mango
• berries of all kinds
• pear
• papaya
• grapes
• fig

Miscellaneous

• unsweetened cocao nibs
• agave nectar
• honey
• nut butters
• cinnamon and other spices

And another great thing about this Breakfast Bowl style of eating, is that it can be different every day, just by varying an ingredient or two.

What do you think?  Is this something that you might try for yourself?

I would love to hear about any different or particularly tasty add-ins that you come up with!

#loveCDNbeef What is YOUR Burger Personality?

The Captain and I both grew up in Southern Alberta... that is cattle country, my friends. 

We ate Canadian Beef in my house 2 or 3 times a week.  My Mother was a pretty adventurous cook and she would make Swiss Steak, or Salisbury Steak, or meatloaf... we had lots of beef roasts at our Sunday dinner tables too, as well as the occasional steak.

But our favorite way to have Canadian Beef, was to turn dinner over to my Father, and have him light the barbecue!  We would mix some ground beef with chopped onions and salt and pepper, a bit of egg and perhaps some bread crumbs... and make patties that my Dad slapped on the grill and cooked till they were well done.... you could smell the aroma for blocks around and the neighbors always wished they had been invited to dinner.

Everyone had their own favorite ways to dress them up... but not me.  I am a NATURALIST when it comes to my burgers... I just want the beef!  No bun for me.... and perhaps only a bit of salt and pepper sprinkled on the top.

This past week,  The Captain and I were guests at the home of his sister and her husband, and much to our delight, Sunday dinner was burgers on the BBQ. 

Our brother-in-law cooked the Canadian Beef burgers on the barbecue and then kept them hot in the oven while we assembled a few toppings and sliced some buns.

Can you tell which one is going to be mine?

Yes, there were lots of salads

 and condiments

to go alongside... but for me, that is the point - alongside,  not on top!  I just love the flavor of good ole Canadian Beef.

What's your Canadian Beef Burger personality?

Check out the Facebook Page and get in on the Twitter Chat on

Tuesday, August 7th at 7 pm Eastern. 

You could win a $500 burger prize pack.

RSVP here and then follow the hashtag #loveCDNbeef

Hot Ground Flax 'Cereal' Bowl

I am not sure what to call this... Hot Ground Flax 'Cereal'....or Paleo 'Cereal' Bowl  ... but I do know that it is really good, very high in protein, filling and quite delightful! I recently made it for our breakfast and we both liked it a lot... I will be making it often and tweaking the ingredients, no doubt.

It is also gluten and grain free.

If you are following the Paleo Diet, where you eat no grains and no dairy, this would work very well for you.... just leave out the yogurt topping and add only fruit as a topping or fruit and some nuts. 

Delicious!

Grain-Free Hot Flax 'Cereal'
Makes 2 hearty servings.

• 1 banana, peeled and mashed
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 2 Tbs ground flax seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze

1. Mash banana in a large bowl and then add the rest of the ingredients and stir till combined.
2. Pour mixture into a small saucepan.
3. Set over MEDIUM heat and stir until the mixture thickens and doubles in volume - about 7 or 8 minutes.
4. Divide between 2 bowls and top with your favorites to serve... yogurt, berries or other fruit.

Per serving not including toppings
Weight Watchers P+ = 3.
Calories 126; Protein 20g; Carbohydrate 4g; Fat 4g; Fibre 2g.

Mash the banana but don't liquify it!

Pour mixture into saucepan and set over MEDIUM heat and stir constantly so it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan.

It will thicken and plump considerably as the egg whites cook.

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Place in serving bowl and top with fruit and/or yogurt.  Lovely!

Printable Recipe