I think it was a rather shallow victory to be sick during my last week of class and having a Finals Week without the Finals. And without a winter graduation ceremony that includes wearing the cap and gown, I was a bit let down. I could do the cap and gown ceremony in the spring, but it doesn’t feel the same. It wouldn’t be a 2011 ceremony, and for some reason the graduation year means a lot to me.
So last week was “Morri is a Grumpy Gus” week, which has bled off into this week. I was sick, unable to do Week Two of my fitness plan, unable to go to work, saddened by my anticlimactic end of my last semester as an undergrad, and sleeping all the time. I was able to complete all my assignments on time (not to mention getting an A on my all-nighter poster presentation), I’m halfway done with one essay exam, a five hundred-word assignment, my conflict integration portfolio and a fifteen-page (at maximum) paper to go. Thursday is the day its all over, and I couldn’t be more relieved.
True, I didn’t blog while I was sick. Just thinking of blogging and taking photos made me feel exhausted. I was nauseous when I thought about certain foods, and I did what I could to keep my meals simple. There was a lot of egg, chicken, bean, and vegetable consumption last week. Looking back, I wish I had photographed what I made, because I don’t think people realize how easy grain-free and low-carb eating can be. The last week was rather tedious, me being sick and all, but after a month of this diet I’ve considered a few things.
Since I’ve been doing a specific fitness plan that focuses on running, I wonder how important carbohydrates are in the runner’s diet. I think having incorporated more protein and veggies (as well as having limited my fruit intake) in my daily regimen has helped out significantly, and I’m fuller longer. Will I have grains on other days besides Saturday, I don’t know. Will I eat them daily at every meal? Probably not. However, I don’t want to restrict my body from what it needs, so we shall see where that goes. Plus, why shouldn’t I enjoy the holidays by eating the treats I have in mind to make just because they weren’t made on a Saturday? True, stevia looks to be my sweetener of choice for the majority of my recipes in the near future. But even if honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar is used, I still want to enjoy it.
And believe me, I plan on it.
Breakfast bakes (this one inspired by this recipe) have taken center stage in the mornings, and garbanzo bean flour is officially my favorite flour. I used the socca ratio I’ve done in the past, only with an egg or two to make it different. Each one was cooked in the smallest iron skillet (well, the smallest one that could hold the batter without spilling over) on the stovetop, and then put under the broil to cook all the way through. Although garbanzo bean was used the majority of the time, I use buckwheat groats for a few, with additional flours such as coconut and almond meal. Until last week, all I did was play around with a few spices, but I started getting sick of the same old breakfast bake. After my success with frozen blueberries, I thought I’d experiment. And after my Nuts Online package arriving yesterday and the one from Bob’s Red Mill on the way, I just had to go where no Morri has gone before.
I have a feeling breakfast bakes are going to be posted on this blog more often. All in all, I liked today's turnout. It was nice to have some greenage in the morning, and it was filling without me feeling heavy afterward. Along with an apple and some almond butter, this lasted me until lunchtime. That, and it kept me motivated to working out before work.
Spiced Buckwheat Zucchini Breakfast Bake with Cocoa Nibs
1/4 c. (45 g) Raw buckwheat groats, soaked overnight in filtered water and 1 tsp. cider vinegar
4 oz. Filtered water
1 tsp. Coconut oil
1 Egg
1/4 tsp. Bourbon vanilla extract
1/2 c. (>49 g or 1.75 oz) Grated zucchini, slightly blotted or drained of moisture
2 tsp. Cocoa nibs
1 tsp. Almond meal
1 tsp. Mesquite powder
1/4 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon powder
1/8 tsp. Allspice powder
1/8 tsp. Ground nutmeg
Stevia (or your choice of sweetener), to taste
Coconut oil, for greasing
Put the buckwheat groats and water through a blender or food processor (in the smallest bowl) until a smooth, liquid batter forms.
Add the coconut oil, egg, and the bourbon vanilla into the batter and blend.
Pour into a medium-sized mixing bowl and fold in the remaining ingredients (i.e., the grated zucchini, cocoa nibs, almond meal, and spices).
Place the smallest black iron pan you have over medium heat, and after a minute add in the coconut oil.
Once the oil starts to smoke, pour in the batter.
As the sides begin to solidify and the bubbles in the center begin bursting, put the pan under the broiler (roughly at the center of the oven) and rotate every minute or so until done, about two to four minutes.
It should be able to slide out of the pan by flipping it over, but use a knife around the edges if it sticks slightly.
Garnish with additional cocoa nibs or a smear of nut butter.
Serves 1.
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