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Monday, April 2, 2012

Two Healthy Dinners That Also Double As Breakfast

The number one question I hear in the gym every week is…what do I eat for breakfast?! With sugary cereals, yogurt and pastries as the most common breakfast foods out there, it can seem daunting to switch to proteins and vegetables for the first meal of the day. But the fact remains: if you want to be healthy, you have to make your breakfast look like dinner. If you read my previous blog you know that a breakfast full of sugar slows down your metabolism, reduces your energy and actually leads to over-eating at lunch and dinner! Conversely, if you eat a breakfast that is full of healthy proteins, fats and vegetables, you speed up your metabolism and actually eat less as the day progresses. So here you have it, two of my favorite gluten-free, dairy-free and vitamin-packed dinners that taste amazing for breakfast the next morning.

Healthy Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

Ingredients:

Butter Lettuce
2 Organic Chicken Breasts
3-4 Stalks of Celery, Chopped
3-4 Carrots, Chopped
3 Tablespoons of Dill
I Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Mustard
Champagne or Red Wine Vinegar to Taste
1 Organic Egg Yolk
Sea Salt and Pepper to Taste
Garlic (optional)

Fully cook and shred or dice the chicken breasts into bite size pieces. In a bowl, combine the chicken with all of the vegetables and dill and set aside. In another bowl, combine one egg yolk with the mustard, salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar. Slowly whisk in the cup of olive oil, making sure to add the oil in slowly. Adjust seasonings accordingly (adding garlic or vinegars to your taste). Once your healthy “mayo” is complete, pour it over the chicken and vegetables and toss gently. Simply scoop a cup of the chicken salad into your butter lettuce cups for a complete and healthy meal. For extra crunch, try adding chopped almonds on top of each lettuce cup.

Basque Style Baked Eggs

Ingredients:

2 White Onions
1 Red Pepper
1 Green Pepper
1 Yellow Pepper
4 Tomatoes
2 Garlic Cloves
4 Ounces of Organic Ham (Use more if you are a protein type)
Basil
8 Eggs
Sea Salt
Hot Paprika

Peel the onions and peppers (removing the seeds) and cut them into slivers. Then chop the tomatoes (also removing the seeds) and garlic cloves. Put the onions and peppers in a pot (with a little olive oil) on medium heat and let them sweat for about five minutes, keeping the lid on tight. Then add the garlic and tomatoes and cook the vegetables together gently until almost all of their liquid has evaporated. While they are cooking, cut the ham into small pieces and chop the leaves from a small bunch of basil. As soon as the vegetables are cooked (and the liquid has evaporated) add the ham and basil into the mixture and stir well. Spread the vegetables into a 1 ½ inch deep, oven-safe dish and make eight small holes in the mixture so that you can fill each one with an egg. Once the eggs are in place, bake at roughly 400 degrees. When the whites of the eggs are set, remove from the oven and let cool before serving.