Getting your AM off to a not so healthy start...

[leigh.bess.toad]

Coop -- it is a rather health-oriented group here isn't it? I was struck by that as well. Before I lost all my weight, I never ate breakfast. My breakfast consisted of lunch. And that was normally something highly nutritious like a quarter pound hot dog at 7-11 or a single combo at Wendy's. . However, when I did eat breakfast, it usually consisted of a trip to someplace like Shoney's breakfast buffet and with a couple of trips to the buffet bar filled with scrambled eggs, bacon and home fries, and another trip with biscuits and sausage gravy. Very low calorie, good for you meals. Or the occasaional trip to the icon of Southern culture: Krispy Kreme doughnuts where a half dozen glazed donuts and a pint of whole milk was not uncommon. My weight loss plan was simple but incredibly, incredibly stupid: a ultra-low calorie diet -- so low even when my metabolism went into shut down mode (which it did) I still burned more calories than I took in. But man cannot live on 300-500 calories a day for his entire life -- but I can do it for 4 months. But eventually I knew what had to be done: eat a little bit, frequently, 5 or 6 meals a day, making sure the metabolism knows it will be constantly fed so it will no longer go into shut down mode. So now with intense strength and cardio training, I'm eating about as many calories 5 or 6 times a day as I did for an entire day this time last year, but now it's burning fat, adding muscle and still dropping a few pounds. But for me now, the scale isn't the judge: it's the caliper.

[RockCreekRunr]

Go Greek!

 

Great thread Coop.

Lately I have enjoyed two servings of Greek yogurt and a banana for breakfast, at least one hour before my long runs. As you probably know, Greek yogurt is non-fat, and has a much higher ratio of protein to carbohydrate than conventional yogurt.

[Cooper]

A Happy Meal with Coop

 

...Cooper, more to ya! Hope to meet you some day! Sincerely and with lots of love for all of you!

happyguy (who longs for being continually happy)

 

Thanks Happyguy... Well, when we do meet it will have to be for breakfast or brunch. Just coffee doesn't work for me. I'm more of a "happy meal" type of guy.

 

Be happy!

Coop

[BaronArtz]

Thank you for your kind words, Coop! Appreciate it. I am sure you WILL recognize me at Club 20. Having stopped drinking booze altogether for the last 9 months or so, I am a better person now. In addition to the health benefits of not drinking, I am certainly not missing the slurred speech nor the erratic behavior. I am glad I made that decision ...

 

What a healthy eating group of men we have here... BaronArtz, now that you've stopped drinking and lost all that weight, how am I supposed to recognize you at the 20Club?... Btw, those of you who lost 40+lbs in the past year, what did you eat for breakfast prior to that? Keep up those good eating and exercising habits, you are an inspiration to all of us.

 

Coop

[Cooper]

Thank you for your kind words, Coop! Appreciate it. I am sure you WILL recognize me at Club 20. Having stopped drinking booze altogether for the last 9 months or so, I am a better person now. In addition to the health benefits of not drinking, I am certainly not missing the slurred speech nor the erratic behavior. I am glad I made that decision ...

 

BaronArtz, I compliment you for your will power to give up drinking and take charge of your life. Not sure what your motivation was but it's paid off. Can't wait to see the new and improved BaronVonArtz! We'll toast with diet cokes... I'm very proud of you as I'm certain it wasn't an easy task. Keep up the good work!.. Coop

[raulgmanzo]

As you probably know, Greek yogurt is non-fat, and has a much higher ratio of protein to carbohydrate than conventional yogurt.

 

Hmm, I think Greek yogurt normally DOES have fat. Though REAL greek yogurt would be made with ewe milk which has less fat then cow's milk. But as far as I know most "greek" yogurt in the U.S. is made with cow's milk. In recent years it has become available as fat free and low fat and sadly it is now sometimes hard to find whole milk yogurt which is, IMHO, tastier AND healthier, and of course has a better texture.

[raulgmanzo]

Before I even get out of bed I've drunk a big glass of water and I almost never leave the house without breakfast. Even if going with friends to a restaurant for breakfast or brunch I will still eat before leaving the house. Hate to be waiting for a table or my order and have my stomach grumbling.

 

So my nomal breakfast routine is throwing some whole slow cooking oats or left over brown rice on the stove with unsweetened cranberries, raisins, and other fruit and various nuts or nut butters. I never add sugar or milk though occaisionally some yogurt (always FULL fat of course).

 

Meanwhile I grind my coffee in a hand cranked turkish coffee grinder in which I put beans roasted about 1/2 a mile from my house. Grinding takes 2 minutes and comes out better for espresso than an electric grinder, which I long ago relegated to grinding spices for cooking anyway.

 

Also typically eat some left over fish or meat from dinner. I don't bother with fruit juice (it's missing the fiber and some anti-oxidants) but eat lots and lots of various fruits at breakfast and throughout the day.

 

Since I stopped drinking milk years ago I found that I have way less sinus trouble than ever.

Though don't often get around to buying and cooking eggs, bacon or sausage I think they are wonderful things and do go through phases where I'll

make some pretty darn tasty omelettes with any number of wonderful vegetables and meats.

 

I avoid pancakes, toast, anything made with refined or processed grains and I think that is why these days I just hardly get ill.

But mmmmm today I did toast some lovely rye bread made by a friend.

[+ deej]

I've never been a big breakfast person -- the appetite wakes up later than I do -- but I almost always have a (one) slice of buttered toast with my first cup of coffee. (I will NOT give up butter! You can pry it out of my cold dead hands.)

 

On the way out the door, I'll usually grab a banana or whatever in-season fruit is in the fruit bowl. That's a mid-morning snack.

 

On weekends, though, HEY NOW! Brunch rulez! Been making fritatas recently and, like omelettes, you can put pretty much anything in 'em. Asparagus with crumbled bacon is a current fave. Shaved brussels sprouts are interesting as well, as are garden-fresh tomatoes.

 

I just try to balance the meals. If I eat small early, I can have a big dinner. If I eat big early, I keep dinner smaller.

[Cooper]

Recipes for Stuffed French Toast...

 

Though don't often get around to buying and cooking eggs, bacon or sausage I think they are wonderful things and do go through phases where I'll make some pretty darn tasty omelettes with any number of wonderful vegetables and meats.

 

I avoid pancakes, toast, anything made with refined or processed grains and I think that is why these days I just hardly get ill. But mmmmm today I did toast some lovely rye bread made by a friend.

 

Raul and other healthy breakfast eaters... By any chance would any of you have an easy to make recipe for Stuffed French Toast? I'm having trouble finding the right one off the internet. Thanks, Coop

[Guest greatness]

Eat so healthy~~~ No wonder you are so hot Raul~~~ Hugs~~~

So my nomal breakfast routine is throwing some whole slow cooking oats or left over brown rice on the stove with unsweetened cranberries, raisins, and other fruit and various nuts or nut butters. I never add sugar or milk though occaisionally some yogurt (always FULL fat of course).

[doitb4ugo]

Raul and other healthy breakfast eaters... By any chance would any of you have an easy to make recipe for Stuffed French Toast? I'm having trouble finding the right one off the internet. Thanks, Coop

 

 

The easiest recipe I'm familiar with and swear by is:

 

1 piece whole wheat pita bread

3 almonds, toasted

1 egg white

1 tbl olive oil

 

slice a small incision in the pita bread

add the almonds to the inside of the bread

brush with egg white - generously

heat small pan with olive oil and when hot add egg coated bread

cook unitl hot and giving off a delicious aroma.

eat and enjoy.

[nate_sf]

I think there was an asian saying "Keep breakfast for yourself, share lunch with your friend and give dinner to your enemy". [/color]

 

I LOVE this quote! Although with my office day job, I'd have to flip the lunch with friends and dinner with enemies, since lunch with enemies (or at least less desired companions) seems to be part of work life. I like to go to the gym at lunch so I can avoid the whole office lunch scene.

[ChiTown]

I think there was an asian saying "Keep breakfast for yourself, share lunch with your friend and give dinner to your enemy". [/color]

 

Thanks SD - There's a similar saying: "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper"

[Cooper]

...and let us not forget this familiar saying: "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die!"

[Cooper]

A breakfast to die for....

 

The easiest recipe I'm familiar with and swear by is:

 

1 piece whole wheat pita bread

3 almonds, toasted

1 egg white

1 tbl olive oil

 

Thanks Rich, that sounds like a very healthy recipe for French Toast... However, I found this one for Stuffed French toast. Maybe you and others would like to try it.

 

Here's a list of everything you'll need:

 

a loaf of French or Italian bread

eggs

milk

butter

cream cheese

cinnamon

jam and fresh strawberries

powdered sugar

 

slice a piece of bread into 2" slices

cut a deep slit across the top in the middle of each slice, approximately 4" long

Wash the strawberries, remove the stems, and mix in a little sugar

add jam to the cream cheese and mix

take a slice of bread, add about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling into the pouch, and gently press the bread together...set aside

mix eggs, milk, and cinnamon together

turn stove top to medium-high to preheat the skillet

while preheating, dip sliced bread in the egg wash for about 20 seconds on both sides

add butter to the skillet's surface

Fry each slice for about 3 minutes per side

Remove, sprinkle powdered sugar and strawberries over the top.

Serve and enjoy!

 

You can find this recipe on the Tasty Kitchen Blog...

 

Bon Appetit!

 

Coop

[Guest Spanky]

Fauxgurt

 

So my nomal breakfast routine is throwing some whole slow cooking oats or left over brown rice on the stove with unsweetened cranberries, raisins, and other fruit and various nuts or nut butters. I never add sugar or milk though occaisionally some yogurt (always FULL fat of course).

 

Speaking of leftover rice and yogurt...I recently saw a little trick on a cooking show that I've used several times. Take some left over cooked rice, dry saute it for a couple of minutes with some spices like ginger, cardamon, cinnamon, then steep it in some combination of soy milk and/or coconut milk. I've found that you need about a 3:1 liquid:rice ratio and it needs to steep for at least 30 minutes. Puree that with some roasted bananas (high heat, in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, I leave the skins on) and then add in your nuts, fruits, whatever after it comes out of the food processor. You can run it through a chinois or the like before you add in the goodies but I don't bother with that. End result - fauxgurt that even Michael V could eat!

 

If I've used white rice, I add in fruits. For brown rice I add in nuts and sometimes some ground up almonds or extract if I don't have the almonds. The next time I do this I'm going full-on curry, because I think curried yogurt sounds excellent.