Just look at all that yummy, healthy goodness!!! It's gluten-free, it's egg-free...and it's packed with so many benefits! THAT is just one version of an 11 minute breakfast, inspired by my friend Verna. It's like an omelette without eggs! Rookies, don't knock it 'til ya try it. And if you're new to eating veggies cover it up with a little cheese until your taste buds adapt. ;-)
When you're a gluten-free rookie, one of the first BIG challenges is figuring out what to eat for breakfast. For most of us, our whole breakfast existence revolved around nothing but gluten! French toast, pancakes, waffles, toast, English muffins, bagels, cereals..the list goes on and on.
I cried over the breakfast thing when I was a rookie. Cried. I felt the world had ended. And so far, except for Erik's Deli Cafe, I am NOT a gluten-free bread fan. Plus, I can't eat a whole bunch of egg so between the bread and the eggs, I was at a complete loss over what I could now eat for breakfast.
Before Verna's idea, I had found a temporary solution to my breakfast woes by making smoothies. I found some recipes on other great gluten-free blogs like With Style and Grace (she has a beautiful limeade smoothie recipe I've just GOT to try) and Sure Foods Living (moms, check out her post called Spinach Smoothies That You and Your Kids Will Love!).
Smoothies are still great but, after weeks of smoothies, I was smoothied out! I also worried about too much sugar, even though it was natural sugar. But as soon as I get the chance, I want to fill you in on the benefits of all the GOODNESS for YOUR BODY that fruits and veggies, especially spinach are loaded with!!!
After racking my brain, I remembered my friend Verna talking about a Paleo diet she was trying (which is a really smart way of eating, I think, but I'm not 100% there yet!), so I asked her what in the world did she eat for breakfast? I don't think dear Verna knew how she saved me!
She told me that she basically puts Canadian bacon, zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach in a skillet! She reminded me that breakfast doesn't have to be all those breakfasty things that society has taught us to be so. When I think on a traditional English breakfast that includes BEANS and MUSHROOMS, I can't argue with that!
Below is what Verna's original recipe looks like in my kitchen. (Well, almost original because I was out of Canadian bacon and the only thing I had to use for meat was prosciutto!!!! It was still tasty!)
So good for you!
I talked with Verna the other day, and she says she adds a little egg and tomato for her husband. She said it's really "whatever's in the fridge"! I love that!
Taking that to heart, I used whatever was in my fridge this morning to make today's 11-minute breakfast. And when I say 11 minutes, I mean from washing the produce to putting it on the plate!
I love using Al Fresco chicken sausage because I know what all the ingredients are. No MSG and gluten free! This one is the apple maple, which is sweeter than regular sausage, but since it's all natural it's not too sweet. I had some zucchini and a yellow bell pepper. And spinach is SO good for you. It's such a pick-me-up.
When the sausages and zucchini are browned I then add the spinach with a tad of ground pepper, and stir now and then.
When the spinach is just wilted it's ready to plate! I don't like my spinach cooked too much.
Voila! I read that it's good to pair Vitamin C with protein, so I cut up half an orange. Now if your kids just won't eat this...cook it for yourself while their gluten-free toaster waffles are toasting! And give them some of the sausage and oranges. :-) My favorite gluten-free toaster waffles are Trader Joe's brand. But at "regular" grocery stores, you can find good ones, too. If I can't get to TJ's, I get Vans. Vans has plain, blueberry, and apple cinnamon flavors.
For those of you who don't like the sweetness of chicken apple, Al Fresco also has "country style" which is more herb-alicious. :-) I'm thinking the kids won't like this flavor, but who knows!
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