Breakfast ~ Corn Grits & Wheat Porridge

You've heard it many times before that breakfast is a crucial meal of the day. The name itself "break fast" is the first meal after an extended time without food. When my previous night's dinner is completed before 7 PM, you tend to wake up hungry. On those mornings, having a grain-based meal can be incredibly satisfying. There are many grains to choose from, but among them, corn grits and wheat grain are quick to prepare. Combine them with freshly prepared vegetables to round out the meal.

Reaching for a bowl of cereal or popping a bagel into the toaster may seem the quickest way to go when you have to rush out the door. However, this meal only takes 15 minutes to prepare and can be done as you're getting everything ready in the morning. Make this and you'll be less apt to stop for doughnuts and coffee on the way to the office!

Breakfast: Corn grits and wheat grain with whole kernal corn, celery, and grated carrots with black sesame seed seasoning.

Corn Grits & Wheat Porridge

2 cups water

1/2 c corn grits

1/2 c processed wheat grain

1/2 c corn

1/8 c diced celery

grated  carrots

black sesame gomashio

Boil water in heavy saucepan. Add grits and wheat grain. Lower flame to medium heat and cook until water absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add corn and celery. Gook additional 5 minutes. Serve with grated carrots and gomashio. Serves 2.

Breakfast ~ Barley Miso Soup with Apples & Turnip

This year our apple trees produced an abundance of fruit. We pressed quite a few, making naturally sweet apple cider. Several quarts were then frozen for enjoyment in the upcoming months.

During the autumn season, crisp diced apples add seasonal pleasure to just about any meal. On this particular cool morning, I combined apples, sweet corn and turnip in a warm barley miso broth. A wonderful way to start your day of walking in the woods or raking leaves!

Breakfast: Barley miso, corn, carrots, kale, turnip, and diced apples. 

Lunch ~ Marinated Tofu & Veggie Stir Fry

When you walk into my kitchen, one of the first things you may notice on my cook-top is the wok. For those of us that lead a busy life, food cooked with a high heat wok can facilitate a quick, healthy meal in minutes. Right up there on my go-to quick meals is a crisp vegetable stir fry with marinated tofu. Lots of color, taste, protein, and nutrition. Be sure to not over-marinate the tofu as it will be too salty or over-cook the vegetables as they will be too wilty. You want this meal to be fresh and delicious with lots of snap to the vegetables. Start to finish ~ 30 minutes and you're sitting down to a healthy meal.

Lunch: Shoyu-marinated tofu cubes, yellow onion, sliced button mushrooms, carrots, red peppers, green beans, celery, green onions, kale, and fresh dill.

Marinated Tofu & Veggie Stir Fry

1 tub extra-firm tofu

4 tbsp shoyu

1 large carrot

1 red pepper

1/2 c green beans

1/2 c celery

1/4 c green onion

1/2 c kale

 1/4 c fresh dill

Drain and press a tub of tofu. Pat dry then cut into cubes. Marinate in 4 tbsp of high quality, fermented shoyu for 20 minutes. Chop yellow onion, mushrooms, carrots, red peppers, green beans, celery, green onions, kale, and fresh dill. Heat sesame oil in wok. Lightly brown onions and mushrooms. Add diced carrots, peppers, green beans, and celery. Saute medium heat for 4 minutes. Add tofu and kale. Cover and heat 2 minutes longer. Add green onion and dill. Stir to combine. Serve.

Dinner ~ Steamed Mustard Greens & Tofu Salad

There are so many varieties of leafy greens to have with your meals. Mustard greens are often described as being "peppery". This most likely is due to their spicy, distinctive taste. I like to either lightly steam the greens or quick fry them in sesame oil in the wok to preserve their snappy taste. Either way, you can't go wrong. Mustard greens don't need any additional seasoning for enhancement as they are so flavorful all on their own. However, adding fresh fruit or vegetables nicely complements them.

I made a "mock chicken salad" with baked tofu. Add a some nuts and a bean salad for even more protein. I also added rosemary bread which is aromatically delicious to the senses. A few bright red strawberries to complete the meal. It is not unusual for me to follow a meal like this with a warm cup of soothing herbal tea. 

Dinner: Steamed mustard greens with corn, tofu salad, bean salad, raw cashews, rosemary bread with herb spread, and strawberries.