"b" is for breakfast, berries, beans

Breakfast

Yes, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Literally "breaking the fast," this is how we tell our bodies that we are awake and need to use fuel to function. So, I eat breakfast every day - even if it's just apple slices in the car on the way somewhere. Normally, I incorporate protein to breakfast - my favorite these days is greek yogurt (plain) with defrosted frozen peaches and sweet cherries along with 2 tbsp. of nuts (pecans this week). This provides me with protein, fat, carbs to start my day and it keeps me going until lunch. Yay!

Another favorite breakfast, as you read yesterday, is apples and peanut butter. These days I'm buying organic apples (I like Gala) and either almond or peanut butter that only has 1 or 2 ingredients (the nuts and maybe salt).

Also, I like oatmeal with raisins and nuts. You can see that each time I try to get protein and fat along with carbs for each breakfast.

Sometimes, if I have a lazy day in front of me, I'll make an omelet. My favorite is asparagus, mushroom, cheese omelet with a sliced tomato. However, I'm usually too sleepy to go to this trouble in the mornings - instead, I'll have this meal for dinner. Yummmmm!

Berries

I love berries, and whenever I can get them fresh (and now organic), I just eat and eat and eat. When I first tried frozen berries with yogurt for breakfast, I really didn't like them. However, when winter came around again, and I hadn't had enough blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries that summer, I decided to try again. This time, I liked them better. I'm not sure if it's because my taste buds have changed (they have), or if it's desperation born from enjoying the fresh in the summer and not having access to them in winter... but whatever the reason, I'm loving berries all year round now!

Beans

Beans, like artichokes, make me laugh. They have such a reputation for producing gas that it's hard to take them seriously. However, my wonderful Naturopath (Jill Clarey) recently challenged me to get more plant protein into my diet. Her recommendation was to have some beans already prepared and ready to put into whatever I'm cooking at the moment. My favorite is to add them to my salads; now lunch is much more satisfying and lasts longer! Beans have also ended up in soups (mashed up beans make a great thickener), eggs, casseroles, and other meals. I'm working on making beans regular entries into my eating habits.

Laugh with me and sing this ditty:

Beans, beans, the musical fruit

The more you eat, the more you toot

The more you toot, the better you feel

So we have beans at every meal! 

Beans, beans, they're good for your heart
the more you eat the more you fart
the more you fart the better you feel
So eat your beans with every meal!