My father, an immigrant from Russia, spent his first summer in the
New World threshing wheat from dawn to near midnight on the flat Canada
prairie. Long before the advent of two-story combines, threshing was a
backbreaking job, high-energy work demanding high-energy input—beginning
with a breakfast of four eggs, slabs of farm-cured pork, lard-fried
potatoes, home- baked bread with butter and jam, and glasses of full-fat
milk.
My arteries cringe.But if you ignore the actual ingredients of my
father’s morning meal, he did have the right idea: A good breakfast is
the best way to kick-start your day. What’s considered “good?” Most
nutritionists agree that whole foods—whole grains, whole fruits (as
opposed to juice) and nuts—provide the soundest breakfast. They leave
you feeling full, yet not stuffed, and release energy gradually instead
of producing a carbo high that crashes into a sugar low two hours later,
leaving you defenseless against sugar- and fat-loaded midmorning donuts
and lattes. Whole foods also add fiber and trace nutrients, perhaps the
most important being the many antioxidant phytochemicals found in
fruits.
These recipes favor a nutrient-rich approach to fuel long summer
days. None are high in fat or overloaded with protein, and each sparkles
with flavor-packed, antioxidant-rich fruits, nuts or seeds. All are
simple to make. Several of the recipes freeze well and thaw rapidly,
ready for breakfast when you’re too sleepy or rushed to spend much time
cooking.
You can also use these recipes as a template to create your own
favorite, similarly healthy breakfast dishes. Ultimately you’ll find a
wholesome breakfast becoming a habit of mind—a way of life. Good morning
and bon appetit
My father, an immigrant from Russia, spent his first summer in the
New World threshing wheat from dawn to near midnight on the flat Canada
prairie. Long before the advent of two-story combines, threshing was a
backbreaking job, high-energy work demanding high-energy input—beginning
with a breakfast of four eggs, slabs of farm-cured pork, lard-fried
potatoes, home- baked bread with butter and jam, and glasses of full-fat
milk.
My arteries cringe.But if you ignore the actual ingredients of my
father’s morning meal, he did have the right idea: A good breakfast is
the best way to kick-start your day. What’s considered “good?” Most
nutritionists agree that whole foods—whole grains, whole fruits (as
opposed to juice) and nuts—provide the soundest breakfast. They leave
you feeling full, yet not stuffed, and release energy gradually instead
of producing a carbo high that crashes into a sugar low two hours later,
leaving you defenseless against sugar- and fat-loaded midmorning donuts
and lattes. Whole foods also add fiber and trace nutrients, perhaps the
most important being the many antioxidant phytochemicals found in
fruits.
These recipes favor a nutrient-rich approach to fuel long summer
days. None are high in fat or overloaded with protein, and each sparkles
with flavor-packed, antioxidant-rich fruits, nuts or seeds. All are
simple to make. Several of the recipes freeze well and thaw rapidly,
ready for breakfast when you’re too sleepy or rushed to spend much time
cooking.
You can also use these recipes as a template to create your own
favorite, similarly healthy breakfast dishes. Ultimately you’ll find a
wholesome breakfast becoming a habit of mind—a way of life. Good morning
and bon appetit