This recipe is an experiement that turned out very well . I started out from the Barres ÉnerJo recipe from Ricardo. First, I switched some of the cereals and seeds for stuff I had lying around. I was also finishing up a soy milk recipe, so I removed some of the cereals and a bit of the liquid and used the okara instead. This recipe is easy to adapt to what you have on hand, but try to find the cardamon : it adds an heavenly smell to the bars.

 

Ingredients (Yield : about 20 bars)

40 oatmeal squares cereals
2 cups of quick-cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup of wheat germ
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon
1 teaspoon of cardamon pods, ground
4 teaspoons of flax seeds, ground
2 teaspoons of chia seeds, ground
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds, ground
A pinch of salt

1 egg
1 1/2 cup of soy milk or cow’s milk
1 cup of fresh okara
2 tablespoons of canola oil

1/2 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preparation

• Put the oatmeal squares in a large bowl and smash them a few times with a potato masher to break them in small pieces.
• Add the oatmeal, wheat germ, baking powder, spices, grounds seeds and salt in the bowl and mix well.
• In another bowl, mix together the egg, milk, okara and oil. Pour it in the big bowl with the dry ingredients and stir well.
• Add the chocolate and the raisins and mix again.
• Pour the batter in a pan, spreading it evenly. I used two pans, one 8″ X 8″ and one 8″ X 4″.
• Cook at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes. When the mix has cooled enough, cut in bars. This recipe freeze well if the bars don’t disappear within 3 days…

I found this recipe when I was looking to use some leftover ricotta. It tastes more like French toast, but I’ll call it a pancake for lack of a better word. The light, fluffy texture is closer to that of an omelet, but cranberry omelet sounds too weird …

I ate one of them as a late breakfast, but for a weekday morning half a pancake it with some fruits was more than enough. It does keep for about a week in the fridge though so you don’t need to eat everything right away.

 

Ingredients (Yield : 3 big pancakes)

1/3 cup of flour
1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1 cup of frozen cranberries, chopped

Preparation

• In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and baking powder. Stir in the eggs,ricotta and chopped cranberries.
• Pour 1/2 cup of batter in a hot pan and cook, turning the pancake when the top starts to bubble and the bottom is brown. It will brown pretty fast but don’t worry, it won’t taste burnt.

Creton, a pork spread, is a breakfast staple in the province of Quebec. There are many versions going around but this one has pretty simple ingredients and preparation and the taste is great with just the right amount of spices. It’s based on the creton recipe in L’Encyclopedie de la Cuisine by Jehane Benoit, a classic French Canadian cooking book.

Cretons are usually eaten on toasts (sometime with a dash of mustard) or on crackers. This makes a pretty big batch for one person but it can be frozen and it will be as good when thawed.

Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) of ground pork
2 slices of white bread
1 cup of milk
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

• Remove the crust from the bread and tear in small cubes. Put in a pan with the milk and stir together.
• Add the pork,the spices, the salt and the pepper to the pan and mix. Cook over low heat for about an hour, stiring from time to time.
• Once the cretons are well cooked, you can eat them as is or put them in the blender and chop a few seconds for a smoother texture. They can be stored in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for a long time.

For many years, I wouldn’t eat breakfast in the morning since I would get a bit sick in the car or on the bust. But then, when I started working, I would get hungry in the morning. Things got a bit better since I started eating muffins and dry cereals, giving me a bit of energy.

But the real shift back to a real breakfast came this summer. I was full time at the university, but only had one class in the morning so I stayed at home and had time for a good breakfast. What a change! Mornings are now enjoyable again and I have a lot more energy to work.

I now make sure to get a good, balanced breakfast. It can be broken down in three parts : a fruit, a cereal or grain and a source of protein. It doesn’t need to be big, but I combine those three to make sure I have enough energy to last until lunch without it being too heavy. Here are the main things I mix and match to get my breakfast, along with a good (decaffeinated) coffee :

Fruits
Any fruit is good for you, but I like to eat bananas in the morning. They’re easy to carry for the morning I don’t eat at home, cheap and tasty.

Cereals and Grains

• A slice of Essene bread
• Oatmeal, sometimes with dried fruits
• Breakfast polenta
• Buckwheat or integral wheat flour pancakes
• Steel-cut oats
• A slice of whole grain bread
• Whole grains like wheat, kamut and quinoa

Proteins

• A slice of cheese
• Budwig cream
• Various nuts like pistachio and almonds
• All kinds of yogurt

There are others good options that don’t fit in a simple category A smoothie make with fruits and soy milk or almond milk is good for both a protein and a fruits, and a bowl of natural yogurt with fruits and cereals or oatmeal flakes on top is a complete breakfast in itself. Also, when I was on vacation this summer, I ate a lot fresh tomatoes on toast with cheese when I wanted a lighter option.

The important thing is to build a routine with things you like to eat. I’m sure there are many more good options, please share your favorites in the comments. I like to try out new breakfast recipe during the weekend so I can add new things to my routine.