Healthy Habits: The Perfect Parfait

Let me tell you a story. About 7 years ago, while on vacation in the fabulous town of Las Vegas, I ordered something called a "Breakfast Parfait" for breakfast one morning. Being the then-unadventurous eater that I was, my breakfast options had previously been limited to Honey Nut Cheerios and Eggo Waffles. Thus, this "breakfast parfait" was a major departure from my habitual morning meal. When it arrived, I was delighted by the eye-catching layers of yogurt, granola, and fruit. I liked it so much, I ordered it again the next morning. I completely forgot about that divine breakfast treat until many years later, when I had been bitten by the cooking bug. Inspired to assemble something more elaborate than toast or cereal, I determined to re-create that breakfast treat. Little did I know that I would soon develop a new culinary obsession.

Breakfast parfaits have it all: they're versatile, nutritious, and beautiful:
-You can adapt any parfait to suit your taste preferences; there are no real rules about what must go into a breakfast parfait.
-If you choose relatively healthful components (i.e., low-fat or non-fat yogurt, plenty of fruit, and whole grains), then a breakfast parfait is a healthy addition to any diet.
-Be sure to choose a pretty glass in which to place your ingredients. Half the fun of eating a parfait is the presentation!

I've had much practice in making parfaits over the years (almost as much expertise as I have in smoothie making), so here are a few guidelines I've created to ensure a maximally enjoyable parfait experience:
*Choose a grain component. I like whole grain cereals such as Fiber One, raisin bran, and Kashi GoLean. Other grain options include VitaTops, homemade whole grain muffins (crumbled), or other baked goods.
*Choose a fruit. There are no real limits here. Go with your favorite...or even a combination of several.
*Choose a wet ingredient. Mine is almost always yogurt, but I have been known to include applesauce or pumpkin as well. Most often I use plain yogurt, but feel free to include flavored yogurts as well--just keep an eye on that sugar count.
*You may like to sprinkle an optional topping as a final flourish. I typically place a dollop of nut butter, a few chopped nuts, wheat germ, or granola for texture and taste.
*Pay attention to the order in which you layer your ingredients. I happen to enjoy soggy textures, so I like to layer in the following order: grain, yogurt, fruit--repeat! That way the muffins or cereal soak up the flavor of the yogurt, creating a texture not unlike a trifle. Feel free to change up the sequence as you please.

I have made MANY breakfast parfaits on this blog, but here is a mere sampling:

For a complete list of all my parfait posts, click here. If you have any questions about any of the ingredients in any of my creations, just shoot me an email!

Happy parfait-making!

Healthy Habits: The Wonders of Wheat Germ

I know, I know. I realize that I seem like the quintessential health nut, extolling the virtues of wheat germ. However, that is not going to stop me from devoting a feature post to one of my most favorite ingredients. Read on to find out its myriad benefits.

A two tablespoon serving of wheat germ provides 50 kcalories, 1 gram of fat, and 4 grams of protein. In addition, you'll get hefty doses of vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant), folic acid (necessary for preventing birth defects), zinc (crucial to a healthy immune system), plus magnesium, thiamin, and phosphorous. Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

Kretschmer is my brand of choice, the one that comes in a glass jar with a red label. The company also produces a honey-toasted variety, which is equally delectable, although not as versatile in recipes. The nutritional stats are very similar. Something to note if/when you buy this miracle food: store it in the refrigerator. The germ of the wheat plant contains essential oils that may go rancid if kept at room temperature for too long. Play it safe and stash it in the fridge.

I use wheat germ in multiple ways (as evidenced by its large number of tags in the right-hand column of this page); some are sweet, while others are savory. Most often, I use wheat germ as a healthier and less sugared alternative to granola; it provides a similar crunch and texture element. Try it mixed into yogurt (especially with pumpkin!--see below), sprinkled atop an evening smoothie, or poured over fresh or frozen fruit. Also, wheat germ makes a lovely complement to chopped nuts in any of the aforementioned snacks, so get chompin'.
In addition to snacking, wheat germ can play a starring role in your breakfast routine. It makes the perfect addition to hot oats, cold cereal, or overnight oatmeal. Consider pairing it with ground flax for a nutritional superstar duo.
I've experimented with wheat germ in baked goods as well. (Yes, I realize that these bran muffin tops look like hamburger patties).
If you're looking for a more savory way to enjoy wheat germ, try using it as a breading. One of my favorite it methods is to dredge pieces of tofu in a wheat germ-spiced mixture. Make sure the tofu is wet when you do this, otherwise consider using dijon mustard as a "sticking" agent. Bake them in the oven until slightly browned, and you've got a toasty batch of "tofu sticks" or "tofu fingers." For mock-fish sticks, include some kelp granules in the spice mixture; for mock-chicken fingers, use the dijon mustard method mentioned above. These sticks/fingers clearly are meant to be dipped, so feel free to use your favorite sauce as an accompaniment. My personal favorite is the Peanut Passion Sauce from ED&BV.
A final random (although tasty!) way to incorporate wheat germ into your diet is to use it as a salad topper. As a lover of all things crunchy, I like to add a little texture to my salads with the addition of nuts, soynuts, ...or wheat germ! I recommend pairing it with a sweet dressing, such as a berry-based concoction.
The possibilities for wheat germ dishes are limitless. For more ideas, check out Kretschmer's website.

Ever-Changing Aromas

I was finally able to go on a run outside this morning (it was a "chilly" 82*). There is one house in particular that I notice every morning on my run, because it always emanates some funky odors. Most of the time it smells like rotting fruits and vegetables--sometimes it's cabbage, sometimes it's citrus-y. Regardless, I figured that they have a compost heap that they use in gardening. Lately, however, this house has been expelling more eccentric fragrances. Last week, I swear I smelled sausage hiding somewhere in the lawn, and this morning, the odor of the day seemed to be pizza crust. Either I am going crazy, or these people are feeding their plants their leftovers.

Anyway, I write to you earlier in the day today, not because I was so eager to rant about stinky landscaping, but because I have two tests tomorrow: a nutrition exam and my anatomy lab final. I'll likely be frantically studying this evening, so I figured I would post now. Plus, it gives me an excuse to procrastinate:)

Monday
After my last post, I got to work on preparing a recipe from my new Cafe Sunflower Cookbook, the Southern Black Bean Cakes. I served them along with salsa, a side salad, and some spinach. Honestly, the recipe instructions were less than stellar; yes, it was concise, but I had to do a lot of guess-work. They didn't even taste that good. Bummer.
For my shake, I (finally) used a different variety of hemp protein: the berry pomegranate flavor. I've decided that I will love anything with frozen cherries in it, so I fully enjoyed this concoction.
Tuesday
Another bran muffin breakfast! I had two of those with fresh strawberries and my beloved almond butter. I want to try hazelnut butter but don't know where to look. Whole Foods? Online? Veggie Girl probably has a few suggestions:)
After class, I wanted something quick so I could get started on studying. With no leftovers to speak of, I turned to the freezer and found a box of Amy's Bistro Burgers. I heated one up in the m-wave and put it on whole wheat with mashed avocado. A side salad with mushrooms and scallions and a bowl of grapes added some cancer-fighting produce to the meal.
Last night for dinner, I made another recipe from the Sunflower Cookbook, the Pacific Quinoa Salad. I didn't have all of the ingredients so I substituted here and there, and I added edamame for some protein. The dressing was great--think pineapple juice+ginger. I also had a salad with raw cashews. In the ancient Northwestern mug is some almond milk with dark cocoa powder and stevia (I know Jenn will appreciate the wildcat pride). Also note my new chopsticks. Ever since my friends taught me how to use them, I love eating with them! I bought them at Crate & Barrel last weekend in an effort to slow down my eating.
My shake/smoothie last night was the return of a favorite: vanilla hemp and mango! This is the combo that tasted like cake batter to me the last time I tried it, so I wanted to recreate it. Pumpkin flax granola makes it quite delectable.
Wednesday
Another breakfast parfait (or maybe more like a breakfast trifle...). This one had two crumbled bran muffins, plain organic yogurt, and fresh blueberries. Tasty, as always.
Well, I guess my procrastination session has reached a close. I will leave you with a picture of Fred chillin' in my mom's duffel bag.