Apple Pie For Breakfast

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With the cold weather officially here (meh), it’s also time for those meals that warm the body and feed the soul!

Like you, I follow a breakfast plan for every day of the week, and right on (weather changing) cue, my kids have been telling me that they’re bored with their current oatmeal. So last week, I switched it up and BAM, it.was.a.hit!

Incredibly easy and super delicious, let me introduce you to Breakfast Apple Pie Oatmeal!

Recipe: Breakfast Apple Pie Oatmeal

*I’m feeding 4 kids so you’ll need to adjust accordingly

Ingredients:
  • 1 medium to large size apple (we like honey crisp)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 cups dry oats
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 4 cups of water
  • **wee bit of maple syrup…WEE

 

Directions:

  1. Add water and egg to the pot and stir.
  2. Add cinnamon.
  3. Peel and grate the apple. Add to the pot.
  4. Add oats. Stir.
  5. Add butter.
  6. Cook on low-medium heat and stir regularly to avoid sticking to the sides (cause it’s got the egg).
  7. You’re welcome.

How Do I Keep My Blood Sugar Stable?

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Oh, the words “blood sugar.”

Does it conjure up visions of restrictive eating, diabetes medications, or insulin injections? Or, does it mean absolutely nothing to you?

Blood sugar is the measure of the amount of sugar in your blood. You need the right balance of sugar in your blood to fuel your brain and muscles….basically to function as a human!

The thing is, it can fluctuate. A LOT.

This fluctuation is the natural balance between things that increase it; and things that decrease it.  In the most simple of explanations, when carbs are ingested and broken down into simple sugars, your body keeps blood sugar levels stable by secreting insulin. Insulin allows excess sugar to get out of your bloodstream and into your muscle cells and other tissues for energy.

But why keep your blood sugar stable? Does it even matter?

Your body is always seeking homeostasis (back to high school science with that term, lol) and therefore wants your blood sugar to be at an optimal level. It should be high enough, so you’re not light-headed, fatigued (mid-afternoon slump), and irritable. And, it should be low enough that your body isn’t scrambling to remove excess from the blood. Homeostasis. That’s the goal.

Okay, we’re going to get slightly technical but I want you to stay with me because this information is important. Ready?

When blood sugar is too low, this is referred to as “hypoglycemia.” When blood sugar is too high, it is referred to as hyperglycemia.  Prolonged periods of elevated blood sugar levels (chronic hyperglycemia) can lead to “insulin resistance.”  This means your cells are just so bored of the excess insulin constantly floating around that they start ignoring (resisting) it, and that keeps your blood sugar levels too high. It’s like the boy who cried wolf. He set off so many false alarms about the wolf that when the wolf came, no body else did. With insulin resistance, your cells do the same thing!!!

Insulin resistance and chronic hyperglycemia can eventually lead to diabetes. And a whole host of other health related problems that are best avoided.

So let’s look at how you can optimize your food and lifestyle to keep your blood sugar stable. And keep you human.

4 simple steps you can take to help balance your blood sugar are:

  1. Reduce the number of refined sugars and starches you eat.  To do this, you can start by dumping sweet drinks, overabundance of starchy carbohydrates, candy and having smaller portions of dessert (or only having one set night during the week where you have dessert. In our house, Sunday is our dessert night. The kids put in their request and I do my best to honour it. Not only do they appreciate and savour the dessert, but they’ve come to understand that dessert isn’t something to eat on a daily basis.)
  2. Eat more fibre. Fibre helps to slow down the amount of sugar absorbed from your meal; it reduces the “spike” in your blood sugar level.  Fibre is found in plant-based foods (as long as they are eaten in their natural state, processing foods can reduce or remove fibre).  Eating nuts, seeds, and whole fruits and veggies (not juiced) is a great way to increase your fibre intake.
  3. Eat more protein. Like fibre, protein slows down the amount of sugar absorbed from your meal. It also helps keep you feeling full and satiated. Protein sources include beef, poultry, pork, fish and some legumes.
  4. Eat more fat (the good kind). Consuming foods like avocadoes, coconut oil, butter, olive oil, fish oil, flax seed oil, hemp oil are not only good for you, but will also help to keep your blood sugar stable.

FUN FACT: Cinnamon has been shown to help cells increase insulin sensitivity. Not to mention it’s a delicious spice that can be used in place of sugar. (HINT: It’s in the recipe below)

Besides making changes to your nutrition, there are also lifestyle changes you can implement to help balance blood sugar.

  1. Exercise. Get your body moving on a regular basis. It helps to improve your insulin sensitivity; so that your cells don’t ignore insulin’s call to get excess sugar out of the blood.  Not to mention, when you exercise, your muscles are using up that sugar they absorbed from your blood. That makes exercise a WIN-WIN!
  2. Reduce stress. Would you believe that stress affects your blood sugar levels? Yup! Stress hormones increase your blood sugar levels. If you think about the “fight or flight” stress response, what fuel do your brain and muscles need to “fight” or “flee”? Sugar  (glucose)! When you are stressed,  signals are sent to release stored forms of sugar back into the bloodstream, thereby increasing blood sugar levels.  So, try to reduce the stress you’re under or manage it more effectively.
  3. Sleep goes hand-in-hand with stress. When you don’t get enough quality sleep, you tend to release stress hormones, have a higher appetite, and even get sugar cravings (yes, yes and YES! I’ve personally not been getting alot of sleep lately and I WANT ALL THE BREAD and CHOCOLATE). Sleep is a crucial, often overlooked, factor when it comes to keeping your blood sugar stable. Making sleep more of a priority – will do your blood sugar (and mental health) good.

Your body is on a constant 24-hour quest to keep your blood sugar stable. Its always looking for homeostasis….it’s little piece of Zen. The body has mechanisms in place to do this, but those mechanisms can get tired and lazy if you constantly overload your system.  And those long-term blood sugar issues can spell trouble! Minimizing exposure to excessive starchy or refined carbs, and eating more fibre, protein, and fat, while also incorporating exercise, reducing stress, and improving sleep are all key to having stable blood sugar (and overall good health).

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Recipe: Cinnamon Apples

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Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 apples, chopped
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Slice apples
  2. Place them in a bag or bowl with lid
  3. Add cinnamon
  4. Shake to coat
  5. Take a bite and enjoy the deliciousness


 Tip: Keeping the peel on increases the fibre content, which is even better for stabilizing your blood sugar.

Eat Like A Cave(wo)man – Paleo Diet 101

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I’m guessing, at the very least,  you’ve heard of the “paleo” diet. It was the world’s most popular diet in 2013!

But, what is it? Is it a fad? Is it a lifestyle change? Is it right for you?

Scientist and self-described, “Paleo Mom”, Sarah Ballentyne, Ph.D. defines it as:

“…a nutrient-dense whole foods diet based on eating a variety of quality meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.  It improves health by providing balanced and complete nutrition while avoiding most processed and refined foods and empty calories.”

From the definition alone, it seems to hit all of the key health pillars.

The name “paleo” is from the “paleolithic” time when earlier humans (thousands of years ago) were hunters and gatherers. It is thought to represent the era of nutrition before the agricultural revolution.

Of course, being a “diet,” or a way of life, paleo has food guidelines. The paleo diet was created to increase the amount of whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods; while reducing the number of gut-disrupting, hormone-disrupting, and inflammatory foods. Check, check and CHECK!

But this doesn’t mean there are only a couple of foods to choose from! There is a pretty wide variety of food to choose from in the paleo diet, including fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat (including organ meats), seafood, healthy fats, fermented foods, herbs, and spices. With the exception of processed and refined foods (e.g. sugar, vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners, etc.), grains (e.g. wheat, oats, rice, etc.), dairy, and most legumes (e.g. beans, lentils, peanuts, etc.) – the paleo diet offers it’s users a wide variety of foods to choose from .

If you are interested in exploring paleo, you have the option of using the diet as more of a “template,” rather than a strict set of rules. It’s a diet that seems to be easy to maintain, and with little to no negative side effects. There is no measuring or counting of calories or carbs (bonus!). And there are plenty of delicious and nutritious foods to choose from (whoop, whoop)!

Many proponents of the paleo diet even encourage experimentation by adding in a few of the (healthy and whole) foods on their list of exclusions. High-quality dairy (think grass-fed, full fat, and possibly unpasturized) , white rice, or potatoes may be added to less restrictive forms of the paleo diet. Really, it’s up to you but you could consider this “Paleo light”.

Several clinical studies have been done to find out whether there are health benefits of eating this way. Some of the research has shown that the paleo diet can help with weight loss and belly fat. If that’s a problem area for you, that alone may be reason enough to give it a try!

Not to mention its effect on several modern-day chronic diseases.  For example, it can improve risk factors for heart disease, it has also been shown to reduce inflammation, improve glucose tolerance, and even reduce symptoms of some autoimmune diseases (many people who suffer from MS have found improvement of symptoms when following a paleo diet).

It’s also thought to be “gut-friendly” because it includes a lot of high-fiber foods (i.e. fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds), fermented foods (which contain gut-friendly probiotics), as well as being full of nutritious natural foods. And any form of eating that supports gut health is one that you should consider.

Some people recommend the paleo diet for those with food intolerances or autoimmune diseases. Those at high risk for heart disease or diabetes may also be good candidates to give the paleo diet a try. If you react to gluten or lactose, this diet removes them both by eliminating all grains and dairy. Even if you don’t have food intolerances, high risk of heart disease or diabetes, the simple elimination of added sugars, processed and refined foods can (should?) be a health goal to move towards.

Science has also shown that it can help some people to lose weight, reduce risks of heart disease, improve glucose tolerance, and reduce inflammation (all good things).

At the very least, eliminating added sugars, processed, and refined foods are a great goal, even if you decide not to “go paleo” or want to try “paleo light”.

Two great resource books for you to check out:

Paleo For Beginners: Essentials to get started

Weeknight Paleo: 100+ easy and delicious family friendly meals

Recipe (Paleo): Banana Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

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Ingredients:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 5 mashed bananas
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • pinch of sea salt

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin cups with liners. In a food processor or stand mixer, blend eggs, bananas, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla.
  2. In a large bowl mix coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Add blended wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.Spoon batter into muffin tins, ¾ full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden.
  4. Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can top muffins with walnuts before baking.

3 Must Eat Breakfast Foods

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I LOVE breakfast!

Do you love your breakfast?  Do you have a short list of “go-to” recipes or do you find yourself grabbing the same, carb-rich, energy dropping one on a daily basis? Who could use a bit of inspiration to start eating breakfast again?

I’m sure that you remember that getting some protein at each meal can help with blood sugar management, metabolism and weight loss.  This is because protein helps you feel fuller longer and uses up a bunch of calories to absorb and metabolize it.  I’m going to show you how to get the protein, as well as some veggies and healthy fats for your soon-to-be favourite new “go-to” breakfasts.

Breakfast Food #1: Eggs

Yes, eggs are the “quintessential” breakfast food.  And for good reason!

No, I’m not talking about processed egg whites in a carton.  I mean actual whole “eggs”.

Egg whites are mostly protein while the yolks are the real nutritional powerhouses.  Those yolks contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats. Together, an egg is the perfect “whole food”!

Eggs have been shown to help you feel full, keep you feeling fuller longer, and help to stabilize blood sugar and insulin.

Not to mention how easy it is to boil a bunch of eggs and keep them in the fridge for a “grab and go” breakfast when you’re running short on time.

And…nope, the cholesterol in eggs is not associated with an increased risk of arterial or heart diseases.

(One thing to consider is to try to prevent cooking the yolks at too high of a temperature because that can cause some of the cholesterol to become oxidized.  It’s the oxidized cholesterol that’s heart unhealthy.)

Breakfast Food #2: Nuts and/or Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fibre.  Nuts and/or seeds would make a great contribution to breakfast.

Don’t be fooled by “candied” nuts, sweetened nut/seed butters, or chia “cereals” with added sugars – you know I’m talking about the real, whole, unsweetened food here.

Nuts and seeds are also the ultimate fast food if you’re running late in the mornings.  Grab a small handful of almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds as you’re running out the door; you can nosh on them while you’re commuting. It’s also easy to add a spoonful of nut/seed butter into your morning breakfast smoothie.

Hint: If you like a creamy latte in the mornings try making one with nut or seed butter.  Just add your regular hot tea or coffee and a tablespoon or two of a creamy nut or seed butter into your blender & blend until frothy. Stay tuned for a post with my frothy cashew milk coffee….soooooo yummy!

Breakfast Food #3: Veggies

Yes, you should get protein at every meal including breakfast; but have you ever thought that this also applies to veggies? It does! 

Veggies are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fibre, and water.  You can’t go wrong adding them into every single meal of the day so if you don’t already, you should definitely try them for breakfast!

And no, you don’t need to have a salad or roasted veggies for breakfast if you don’t want to…but you totally can!  It’s time to ditch the old way of thinking – cereal, pancakes, bagels for breakfast and embrace all types of food for breakfast. In our house, we avoid the “breakfast food” trap. Nothing is off limits for the first meal of the day!

Adding some protein to leftover veggies is a great combination for any meal.  Including breakfast.

I’ve included a delicious recipe below for you to try (and customize) for your next breakfast.

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Recipe (Eggs & Veggies): Veggie Omelet

egg-veggie-omeletServes 1

Grab a handful of your favourite nuts and this meal is sure to keep you feeling satisfied and energetic all morning long!

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1 or 2 eggs (how hungry are you?)
  • ¼ cup veggies (grated zucchini and/or sliced mushrooms and/or diced peppers)
  • dash salt, pepper and/or turmeric

Directions:

  1. Add coconut oil to a frying pan and melt on low-medium heat (cast-iron pans are preferred).
  2. In the meantime grab a bowl and beat the egg(s) with your vegetables of choice and the spices.
  3. Tilt pan to ensure the bottom is covered with the melted oil.  Pour egg mixture into pan and lightly fry the eggs without stirring.
  4. When the bottom is lightly done flip over in one side and cook until white is no longer runny.
  5. Serve & Enjoy!

Tip:  Substitute grated, sliced, or diced portion of your favourite vegetable.  Try grated carrots, chopped broccoli or diced tomato.