Recipe Tuesday: Goodbye Midday Slump, Hello Gluten-Free Breakfast

by Kayla Grossmann

Many people have heard that they are supposed to have a a “hearty breakfast”- after all, it’s a message that has been reinforced by friendly cartoon tigers and jolly leprechauns in attempts to promote colorful refined cereals to the masses. On a rushed morning, (which for a lot of us, are most mornings) we grab a handful of whatever is lying around on the counter or skip breakfast completely. The truth is, in a calorie-cutting obsessed, sugar-centric world, we simply have breakfast all wrong. Even the most dedicated breakfast gobblers are crunching away on starchy, sugary granolas and whole-wheat toasts that leave them dipped into hypoglycemic stupors by 10 a.m. Whether your current choices at breakfast are big or small, organic or not, it is so important to take the time to incorporate real foods and proteins to set the tone of your day.

nutrient dense foods Mixed-up, Backwards Breakfast

Repeated studies indicate that breakfast is a truly crucial meal. At a charged time of the day, the first meal is important in priming the body and setting the tone for body chemistry and hormonal balance throughout the day. By forgetting refined carbohydrates and sugars and consuming a healthy protein and fat containing breakfast in the morning, people provide their bodies with the appetite and energy regulation properties that will allow the body-mind to function optimally. As Alan L. Watson describes in his book Cereal Killer, animal products like eggs, butter, cream, lard and red meat from pastured animals were all thought to be of top-rated importance in the diet through the 1950s. As of 2005, however the federal nutrition guidelines don't say one word about "complete protein" or fat soluble vitamins A and D. Due largely to this false information, a 2009 poll found the most popular breakfast food to be cold cereals with low fat milk. A whopping 83% of morning eaters selecting this option daily. This is a harmful tragedy, as during the extrusion process of refined grains, the fatty acids are destroyed and many of the amino acids are rendered to toxic form. Those fat-stripped dairy products are also a shame. In the process of fat extrication, we are left with a watery, sugary, deficient protein liquid. These items are not going to get you through the day! It's time to turn around our perspective and look back at our full protein, gluten-free traditionals.

Check back this Thursday for 5 Keys to Breakfast Balancing!

Radiant Life’s Kick Starter 1-2-3 Breakfast

Vegetables for breakfast? It might seem like an interesting thought, but you will always find team members gobbling down this delicious meal before one of our busy days. With a diverse group, it is always important to offer a smorgasbord of options for those with different bodies and breakfast needs. We love this buffet style treat however because it is gluten-free, offers fantastic "localvore" season-based variety, complex tastes, nutrient density, and in all truth doesn’t take that long to make if you use that handy-dandy food processor. Pick and choose what will work for you, wash it down with some herbal tea and try a Fermented Cod Liver Oil supplement in the mix!

gluten-free recipes

1. Veggie Saute

1 or 2 cloves of garlic

1 medium onion (or chopped leeks for a more mild taste)

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup each of 1-2 green vegetables depending on what’s in season (kale, snap peas, bok choy, chard etc)

1/2 cup chopped root vegetables (depending on the season)

Starting with the densest vegetables, and adding the most delicate last, add all ingredients to a food processor until chopped finely. Lightly saute vegetable blend using coconut oil or ghee, just slightly so that they remain crunchy in texture. Serve in bowls.

2. Fried Eggs

If you like eggs, you likely have your own favorite ways to eat eggs (scrambled, poached etc) and most people know how to fry an egg. But this method, with tips by Sally Fallon, preserves the integrity of the food and tends to be palatable to many.

1 egg

1 tsp butter

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium flame and crack the egg into the pan. Cover with a lid and cook gently for several minutes until the white becomes firm and the yolk somewhat thickened.

high protein smoothie recipe

3. Radiant Life Superfood Smoothie

Remember this recipe from the other week? It's a delicious, nutrient dense treat any time of day. Revisit our 10 Everyday Superfoods blog post as a reminder on how to make it. It is a great way to add the sweet to breakfast without added sugar.