Tag Archives: breakfast

What is a serving size?

A Healthy Living Blog, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What exactly is a serving size?

How much is just right?  Everyone has heard by now that, whether dining out or eating at home, the average American’s plate is often filled with over-sized portions. But what exactly is a proper serving size? Here is a handy, quick guide comparing  single-sized  food portions to everyday items:

3 ounces of poultry, beef or fish ~ a deck of cards, or a checkbook

2 tablespoons peanut butter ~ a golf ball

an ounce of nuts ~ about a handful

1 cup cereal ~ a baseball

1 cup pasta ~ a tennis ball

1 dinner roll ~ a yo-yo

1 baked potato ~ a computer mouse

1 cup green salad ~ 1 baseball

1 serving of fruit (1/2 cup) ~1/2 a baseball, or a standard ice cream scoop

1 serving of vegetables (1/2 cup) ~ 1/2 a baseball, or a standard ice cream scoop

1 ounce cheese ~ a pair of dice

1 teaspoon butter ~ 1 “Scrabble” game tile

Another way to roughly estimate portion sizes is by using your hand (of course, make adjustments accordingly if you are way above or below average-sized!):

About one cup~ your fist

About 1 ounce meat or cheese~ your thumb

About 1 tablespoon ~ your thumb tip

About 1 teaspoon~ your fingertip

Make sure to take the “What to Eat: Personalized” quiz to learn exactly how many servings from each food group (Meats and Beans, Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Dairy) is right for you.  Knowledge is power.

Happy healthy eating!


Easy Blueberry Sauce

Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Dressing/Rub/Sauce, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Raw Food, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Easy Blueberry Sauce

A delicious sauce to top your pancakes, waffles and even ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups Blueberries, fresh (or frozen & thawed)

2 tb Maple syrup

1/2 tb Lemon juice

PREPARATION

Combine ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Serve with Fluffy Multi-Grain Pancakes. Great on ice cream too.

Makes 10 servings


Fluffy Multi-Grain Pancakes

Breakfast, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Grain/Whole Grains, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fluffy Multi-Grain Pancakes

These pancakes do not bubble up during cooking, but the mixture does hold together really nicely, making them much easier to flip than traditional pancake batters.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup Teff flour

1/3 cup Cornmeal

1/3 cup Rolled oats

1/4 cup Sorghum flour

1/3 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

3t tb Olive oil

1 1/2 tb Honey

1 cup Buttermilk

1 Egg

PREPARATION

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients.  Add oil, buttermilk, honey, and egg and stir until well combined.

Heat and oil a griddle/pan on medium-high heat. Pour about 1/3 cup of mixture onto heated griddle. When bottom half of pancake is cooked well, gently flip pancake over.

Serve with maple syrup or Easy Blueberry Sauce.

Serves 4


Hawaiian Apple Pie (no-bake)

Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Fruit, Raw Food, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hawaiian Apple Pie (no-bake)

So delicious, plus simple to make, you may never want to turn on the oven to bake another apple pie again. Make sure to wait the 24 hours after preparing the pie and before serving so that the cinnamon spice has time to mellow. Since it’s basically all fruit and nuts, a slice of this pie can even make a healthy addition to your breakfast lineup.

INGREDIENTS:
for the crust:

A Slice of No Bake Apple Pie = A Piece of Heaven!

3/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cup Macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon Coconut, dried + shredded
6 medium Dates, Medjool, pitted
1/16 teaspoon Sea salt

for the filling:
1/3 cup Orange juice, fresh squeezed
1/8 cup Pineapple juice
4 medium Dates, Medjool, pitted
1/3 cup Raisins
5 medium Apples, Granny Smith
1 tablespoon Cinnamon, ground

PREPARATION:
Soak all 10 dates in 1/4 cup water for 30 minutes. Soak raisins in 1/4 cup water for 15 minutes. Reserve both waters.

Chop almonds in food processor until smaller bits. Remove a tablespoon of the almond “flour” for later use. Add macadamia nuts to processor and chop until macadamia is coarse bits. Add 6 dates, 1 tablespoon of coconut and salt and process until crust is formed. If too dry and crumbly, add up to 1 tsp of date soak water to slightly moisten.

In an 8″ pie plate sprinkle the tablespoon of reserved almond powder to “flour” plate bottom. Put nut/date mixture on top of “flour” and push into bottom and sides of plate to form pie crust. Refrigerate.

In a blender put in orange and pineapple juices, reserved date and raisin soak waters and remaining 4 dates and blend until smooth. Pour syrup into a large mixing bowl.

Peel, core, and thinly slice apples. Place apple slices in mixing bowl with fruit syrup. Continually toss to make sure slices are covered in fruit syrup so that they won’t brown. Add raisins and cinnamon to bowl and toss everything to mix evenly.

Fill pie crust with apple filling. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 hours before serving.

Optional garnish: top each slice with a small dollop of whipped cream and a wedge of pineapple

Serves 8


Forbidden Pudding

Breakfast, Dessert, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Grain/Whole Grains, Vegan, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Forbidden Pudding

Black Rice is also known as Forbidden Rice. Black Rice Pudding is a common breakfast dish in many parts of Southeast Asia. Using coconut water instead of the traditional coconut milk greatly reduces the dessert’s fat and calorie content, while still adding big flavor. This dessert is a deliciously easy way to eat whole grains.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Black rice
3 1/4 cups Coconut water
1/8 tsp Sea salt

PREPARATION:
Place rice, coconut water and salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Cover pot with tight lid and reduce to simmer. Cook 40 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed. Uncover pot, and increase heat so that rice remains at a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until pudding is thick and rice is tender (but still al dente), about another 10-15 minutes. Take pudding off heat and cool to warm or to room temperature; stir before serving.

Serves: 6


Veggie Quiche with Potato Crust

Breakfast, Entree, Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free, Multi-Veggie, Vegetarian (lacto-ovo), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Veggie Quiche with Potato Crust

Veggie Quiche with Potato Crust

This dish is great for any brunch or lunch; serve it alongside a small salad of mixed greens. For a variation, substitute whatever veggies you enjoy in place of any or all of the ones suggested. It’s a great way to utilize any leftovers at the end of a week.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Sun-dried tomatoes

1/3 cup Water, warm

2 tsp Olive oil

1/2 medium Onion, peeled and chopped

1 clove Garlic, peeled and chopped

1 cup Asparagus, trimmed and chopped

1 cup Mushrooms, stems removed and sliced

1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper, seeded and minced

3/4 cup Artichoke hearts, sliced in eighths

1/8 cup Parsley, fresh, chopped

1 tb Basil, fresh, chopped

1/4 tsp Nutmeg, fresh grated

1/4 tsp Sea salt

1/8 tsp White pepper

1/8 tsp Chili flakes

2 medium Potatoes, red, washed and sliced very thin

1/3 cup Emmental Cheese, fresh grated

3 each Eggs, whole, large

5 each Eggs, large, whites only

1/2 cup Sour Cream, low-fat, organic

1 large Tomato, seeded and sliced thin

2 tb Asiago cheese, fresh grated

non-stick spray

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Pour water over the sun-dried tomatoes until fully covered, and allow to soak for about 30 minutes, or until they become soft and plump. Strain liquid off , reserving a 1/4 cup of the liquid and discard the rest. Coarsely chop the tomato.

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onions and garlic and saute on medium heat until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, mushrooms, red pepper, artichoke hearts, parsley, basil, nutmeg, salt, chili flakes and white pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Spray a 9-inch pie pan lightly with non-stick spray. Lay the potato slices on the bottom and sides of the pan, making sure to overlap them slightly and cover pan completely.

In a large bowl whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites  and water to combine.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes, Emmental cheese, sour cream, and whisk another 30 seconds.  Add the  sauteed vegetables and mix until everything is fully coated with the liquid egg mixture; pour into pie pan on top of arranged potato slices. Top quiche with the tomato slices; sprinkle tomato slices with the asiago cheese.

Bake quiche for one hour, or until very firm. Cover the top with aluminum foil after about 45 minutes, or once the top is browned. Rest quiche 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

YIELD: 8 SERVINGS