Dani Spies

I wasn't planning on posting this recipe for Protein Pancakes this week, but after this conversation that I had with my Dad, I changed my mind!

It went something like this: 

What can I say, I've been making so many different types of Egg "Pizza's" lately, I just couldn't help but share another Egg "Pizza" flavor combination! 

Hey guys... I'M BACK!  Lot's of fun, long trip, happy to be home BUT most importantly... happy to be back in my kitchen with my knife and my cutting board!  Man oh man, did I miss cooking!

Never underestimate an egg.  Really.  They are so darn versatile!  I've become a big fan of eggs for dinner so when I was at my Yoga class last week and my favorite yoga teacher (Amy) in the whole world told me that she made my Leek and Potato Tortilla with the addition of smoked salmon I was not only flattered but I couldn't wait to get into the kitchen and give it a try!

Here's another great way to sneak some Quinoa into your diet... top it with some fruit and yogurt.

Once again guys, this is a meal you could make a million different ways!

Mmmmm, mmmm, mmmm am I loving Quinoa!! I made a big bucket of it over the weekend and have been throwing it in to just about everything all week long. 

When I saw this recipe over at Anticiplate,  I just knew I was gonna have to give it a go.   

New Quinoa recipe number two... Quinoa Porridge!

I've made this recipe a few times in the past but was recently reminded of it when I saw this post over at Closet Cooking (I love that site, Kevin is always trying something new).

So this one isn't so much a recipe as it is an idea. 

Really you can use any veggies or any cheese that you have hanging out in the fridge, it's is less about the details and more about the big picture.

*updated from the archives.

As you may know, I am a big fan of "whole foods" and I think that whole eggs are a perfectly delicious and nutritious food.  I love adding them to just about anything; breakfast, lunch, or dinner. But anytime I am trying to pull back on my calorie intake a bit without pulling back on flavor, I skip the yolks and stick to the whites. 

Here's another simple and d'lishes way to whip up some oatmeal for breakfast.  Remember, I almost always make my oatmeal ahead of time,  so all I  have to do is reheat it with some yummy "add-in's" come breakfast.

What's a Jersey girl to do on Christmas Eve Day when the temperature is about to reach 75 degrees here in Southern California?

Why, make a breakfast that would hit the spot in the middle of a snowstorm, of course!  I mean, c'mon... how else am I gonna make it feel like Christmas??

Okay, so this isn't exactly a recipe, it's more of a strategy that I use to be sure that I have time for a nutritious breakfast.

As you guys know, I am a big fan of taking some time on the weekend do a little pre-preppin'.  This way I have a jump-start on some healthy nutritious meals for the week when things start to get a little crazy...and at some point or other, things always start to get a little crazy!

And let me just say for the record, EVERYTIME I get a little lazy and skip my pre-preppin', it never fails that I tend to make poorer food choices that week.  For me, planning ahead is definitely half the battle!

Oatmeal is a breakfast staple in our house, especially this time of the year. I usually make four servings at a time and then put them into individual containers and pop them in the fridge.  Then during the week my husband and I simply add a little milk or water and heat it up (if you are using the microwave, be sure to pop the oatmeal in a microwave safe dish...NOT PLASTIC).

I buy Steel Cut Oats, usually from Trader Joe's.

Steel Cut Oats are whole grain groats (which is basically the whole oat kernel), cut into two or three smaller pieces.  They have a very hearty, chewy texture, which I have really grown to love!  The only catch is that they do take a little longer to cook, about 30 minutes or so and they don't do so well in the microwave (which is why they are on my "pre-prepping" list). 

The question most people want to know, is how are they different from rolled oats?  Rolled Oats are flake oats that have been steamed, rolled, re-steamed, and toasted. Basically, they have been through more processing so they tend to lose some of their nutritional value and some of the hearty, chewy texture.

Like I said, I prefer the taste and texture of the Steel Cut Oats, but some people prefer the smoother, creamier texture of rolled oats.  At the end of the day they are both super nutritious and either make a great choice for breakfast (as a matter of fact I am reading the labels of each right now and calorie for calorie, carb for carb, fiber for fiber, etc., they are nutritionally exactly the same.  So technically, the  macronutrients are not effected, it is the micronutrients that lose some value).

On the other hand, what you might want to beware of when it comes to oatmeal are the little pre-flavored, individually packed oatmeal’s.  These are the guys that can be dangerous because more often than not they are PACKED WITH SUGAR.

Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber, which is great because it literally lowers cholesterol.  Soluble fiber works like this; when it mixes with water it turns thick and gelatinous so as it works it’s way thru the body it pulls cholesterol out with it...then when we poop, it's bye-bye cholesterol, hello happy healthy arteries:).  

I promise to post some different recipe ideas for your oatmeal in the near future, they're really are a hundred and one different ways to make it super yummy!

In the meantime think fruit, nuts, and some type of sweetener (I like maple syrup) and you will be well on your way to a delicious oatmeal breakfast!

What are some of your favorite ways to make oatmeal?? 

I just had to show you another way I like to eat the Veggie Brown Rice. 

I'm telling you guys, ya throw an egg on top of just about anything and you've got yourself a meal.  I usually have this for breakfast but it would definetely work for lunch or even a light dinner. 

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"  How many times have we all heard this?  Maybe there’s something to it...