A HEALTHY PINK SATURDAY BREAKFAST

So, you're familiar with the saying, "You can't teach an old dog a new trick". . .well, THE STONE RABBIT  and I aren't youngins, but I have to say, the Grand Girl and her mom taught us a new and healthy trick!  In fact, we're so crazy about it, we're gonna share it on Pink Saturday today! 

Our post  is a way to get lots of terrific nourishment packed into a simple breakfast. . . or snack!

THE STONE RABBIT is posing by what we are going to share, but first, we have to show you the process it took to end up this way!

We assembled our ingredients and headed out to the patio.  Sadly, it was dark and misting this morning, so the pictures don't meet my usual impressive standards of photography skills!  (OK, you know I'm kidding!) 

 

I've always liked yogurt and I knew it was good for me.  The problem is, my idea of a "good for me" yogurt was one that contained an artificial sweetener. . . typically Aspartame. . . because that meant less sugar (I thought).   I was so hung up on the Fat Free part of the yogurt, (also good for me) I overlooked the artificial sweetener aspect.  Then, my DIL entered my life.  Since I've known her, she has been an "anti-artificial sweetener" advocate for herself.   I  started paying attention to items that contained that dreaded ingredient and I tried to avoid serving them when she was at our home.

When my DIL was telling me how much our Grand Girl loved yogurt. . . but not the "kind" that we ate at our house, I couldn't figure out "WHY"!!   She loves the kind I show in the photo below. . . plain, non-fat, no sugar added!

EEEEEEWWWW, I thought.  I'd tasted that before and it caused my tongue to curl up.  I wondered how she got her girl to eat it that way.

Well, here's how. . .the power is in this little honey bottle!!

Yep,  a little drizzle of honey over that plain yogurt is what gives it just enough "sweet" to make it taste great!  I'm sure you've all read about the amazing health benefits of honey- - - so that ingredient seemed to be an  additional health bonus to the already healthy yogurt.

 

I like to add fresh fruit to my yogurt concoction at this point. . . blue berries or peaches or strawberries!!  All of those are in abundance right now.

  Now, the second secret my DIL and Grand Girl taught me was about the most powerful ingredient of this treat- - -  ground flaxseed!!!

Look at that package!!!!  Flaxseed is rich in FIBER, OMEGA-3 FATS and LIGNANS!  Well, I know about the importance of fiber and Omega3 fats, but I'd never heard of "LIGNANS" so I did what any of us would do. . . I Googled!  WOW!  LIGNANS are amazing!!!!  Along with other health benefits, they can act as antioxidants and  are phytoestrogens, as well. . . they can help balance our hormones!  Now that's an AMAZING plus in my book!

SO, bring on the ground flaxseed, please!

I keep our ground flaxseed in a quart canning jar.  For a bowl of yogurt (about one cup), I use two tablespoons of that yummy and healthy ingredient!

So, by now, many of you may be thinking YUCKY!!! 

But don't!!!
 

That bowl of goodness contains: 

one cup of yogurt, (locally made)

1 t honey (locally produced!)

2 T ground flaxseed (produced in USA!!)

strawberries  (not local, but from USA)

The approximate nutritional value of this powerful meal:

2400 mg of Omega-3  !!!!   HUGE!!

  15 g of protein

  18 g sugar

  40% of your daily Calcium needs!

I'm not a dietitian , but I realize that 18 g of sugar isn't wonderful (based on a 2000 cal. a day diet, we shouldn't take in more that 50 g sugar).  SO 18 g is quite a chunk, however, as with any other aspect of nutrition. . .I live by the motto:  it's all about moderation.  Also, the amount of sugar in a 6 oz. container of Yoplait, Light, Fat Free yogurt. . .14 g!!!   And on top of that, there's Aspartame in it!!  

As long as I watch the rest of my daily sugar intake,  and I exercise, I feel the other benefits of this healthy dish out weigh the sugar issue. . . at this time at least!

 

So, there you have the Healthy Pink Saturday Breakfast. . . thanks to my DIL and Grand Girl! 

I didn't forget about the PINK. . . it was the gorgeous PINK oil cloth I used for the table covering.   My friend Bonnie and I picked this up while on our Canton, Texas, trip.  We still haven't made totes out of it, but I enjoy using it on my patio table!!

THE STONE RABBIT enjoys it, too!  He thinks it puts a little color in his cheeks!!

I hope you have a wonderful and healthy PINK SATURDAY!! 

I know you will love to visit Beverly's blog,  HOW SWEET THE SOUND!! It will be filled with lots of great places to visit. . . all with  PINKS to share, too!!

DANA

PS  I have to confess, however, while I try my best to avoid artificial sweeteners  . . I still love my DIET PEPSI!  I know, I know. . . there are horror e-mails out there about that!  I only have one a day. . . and I've found, lately, there are many days that I don't even have ONE!   So, I'm working on that area, too! :)

Comments

[Nancy]

Where is Dana? What have you done with her?
Okay, okay - I do need a really healthy friend for a role model. I'll have to try this. Can we use Splenda? It's amazing the things our granddaughters can teach us. At CiCi's pizza today I was told how using all those plates was really bad for the environment. She's right!!!
Love the oilcloth on your table. It really brings out the "gray" in the Stone Rabbits eyes. Have a wonderful day. xoxo Nancy

[Jillian (Jill)]

Wow, Dana I'm impressed. And I might actually have to check out the flaxseed thang. But I have to say I never ever liked the artificial sweeteners either. Ewwwww! Plain yogurt is actually tasty. :0) (But maybe I've always had the sugared kind?)

Thanks for the tip! I'm feeling healthier already!

[Linda C]

I do see the pink in his cheeks (hmmm, don't rabbits usually have pink in their ears too? maybe after some more good yogurt!:)

I learn so much about nutrition from my dear DILs --and new healthy recipes that they make. What a joy to know that they are feeding our sons and the grands such healthy things!:) And when they bring those good foods over for meals- we get to taste them for ourselves-- win/win!!

Thanks for sharing your new healthy breakfast, Dana. Love the tablecloth, too!

Have a great weekend!
Linda

[Anne Fannie]

Your post was to healthy for me, I need to go find the donuts...and the diet coke!
Happy Pink Saturday!

Hugs, Ann

[Rosemary]

Lovely pink cloth and lovely information to share! I've never tried flaxseed.
Also love the Stone Rabbit. I had a stone rabbit that lived with me once, but I moved and she opted to move in with my mother to help take care of her instead of coming with me. :)

[lynne @lynnesgiftsfromtheheart]

Hi Dana, I am impressed. I've never tried flaxseed. Did you get by Nell Hill's last weekend? I was hoping to get a glimpse of anyone I knew, however there were far too many people for that. I hope you're having a super w/k. hugs ~lynne~

[naturegirl]

Your DIL is a very wise woman!
One really has to read labels today as the manufacturers don't pay our medical costs..the price we pay for poor health when we eat carsogenic ingredients like Aspartame!
Listen I have survived 2 cancers and I like your DIL paying attention to listed ingredients on packages!
Greek yogurt is a good chice too..with NO fat and NO sugar. Agave syrup another good sweetner choice.
A great healthy pink post!
P.S. I also add a bit of cinnamon to this mix as it helps stabolize blood sugar.

[Darlene]

I definitely need to try this and find some flaxseed, since it has all those GREAT benefits! Hope you have a great weekend.♥

[Rini Boer]

You have a great PINK SATURDAY post !
♥RINI♥

[CC]

I know I should be eating more healthy..but I can't abide yogurt. I'm not sure why...maybe I would like it this way. I certainly intend to try it. Thanks so much for passing this information along. Each week,I learn so many new and interesting things. Happy Pink Saturday..

[Pat H]

Dana, I will try this, I've been wanting to try flaxseed....thanks for sharing.....Pat h

[jeanne]

Hi Dana, I so love yogurt and this recipe sounds delicious. And healthy. The Stone Rabbit is looking very good. Of course being cement doesn't allow a single wrinkle. What a lucky rabbit!!! HA! I am all about healthy. It is sort of a given when you get to my age in a blink of an eye. HA!

I was over here (visiting your blog) this morning and my sister called and wanted to go yard sale searching. I was game and we had a blast. Then we came back to my house and we picked six cups of wild black raspberries for cobbler. They are growing like crazy down the side of my yard. This is the first time I have had this many. Lots of rain/snow this winter I guess. Lunch at my house for my great nephew and niece and my nephew. Then later over to my sister's house for grilled venison burgers and cobbler. Mmmm. So good. Bill was gone all day until just now with senior games stuff. I kinda like this day all on my own. Smile.

How is Sharleen's shop doing? I loved her shop but I know it is a lot of work. Tell her hello next time you see her.

I sat in my car at least 30 minutes yesterday waiting for the rain to slow down. I was in the parking lot at Good Will. I finally went in, umbrella in hand but didn't buy anything. This rain was hard but no lightening. I cleaned the glove compartment and the well so it was a good thing. I stuffed all the trash in my purse and it is still there. I will dump it out in the AM. At least I didn't get wet like you did. Can you catch a cold this way? I say no but many people believe you can. How do you feel? HA!

Have a great evening.
Love, Jeanne

[laura quaglia]

you are a good girl. Happy PS Laura Q

[Esther]

What a great post, thank you for sharing! Now I'm hungry ;-)Happy Pink Saturday!! Esther XX

[Dena]

I avoid any artificial sweetners as well and will have to try this! I don't know about the flaxseed, does it upset your tummy at all?

Hugs,
Dena

[Beverly]

Happy Pink Saturday - a day late, Dana. It has been a busy weekend. I had to bring work home, and I've been trying to be smart.

This looks delicious, and it is definitely something we would enjoy. There are smart girls in your family. ;-)

Tell TSR that he is smart, too.

[Pat]

Wonderful breakfast Dana! I love all the ingredients. We put ground flax seed in our pancakes and I sprinkle it over baked goods.

[Sandy B]

That's the kind of yogurt I usually eat (except for the occasional bowl of Liberte Mocha - Yum!). But I usually put Maple Syrup in mine - another healthy form of natural sweetener.

But I didn't know all that info about Flax seeds! I have a bag of these in my freezer (that was recommended to me); I'll get grinding and adding. Thanks Dana!

[Sally]

I have Diet Yogurt on my grocery list; yet, I always HATE the aftertaste. I'm going to try Plain with Honey, and maybe, I'll even try Flaxseed.

[Sheila]

I am so thankful, Dana, that you are not eating artificial sweetener! YEA!

Try pineapple with your yogurt at some point and see if you like that. Pineapple is supposed to be excellent for your digestion.

XO,

Sheila :-)

[Nola at the Alamo]

Well if flaxseed helps regulate hormones, I'm going to buy a 55 gallon drum FULL of it!
When I read your comment about us not getting to meet when you were at Canton, my mouth fell open! I did not realize you were there Easter weekend! We were there that weekend! Gosh, we may have passed one another and not even known it! We went this month, too, but won't go again until October or so, whenever it cools down! I just hate it that we came THAT CLOSE to meeting and missed the opportunity!

[Betty Jo]

Oh Yummy! This is such a treat. I don't do well with dairy, but do eat plain yogurt or kefir occasionally. I use Agave syrup rather than honey because it doesn't raise the blood sugar. Flax seeds are awesome too and sooo healthy for us. I buy bulk at the local healthfood store and grind a mixture of flax, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds in my coffee grinder and sprinkle that on yogurt, salads, whatever I happen to be eating. ♥

[Linda]

I am SO happy to hear of another "anti-aspertame" fan!! And we serve similar yogurt concoctions in our house. As time goes by you can decrease the honey amount very gradually, and pretty soon you will enjoy your yogurt with very little sugar! Good for you, your smart DIL and darling little one!!!! Linda

[jeanne]

Hello my dear far away friend, I have been bad about visiting lately. I miss my daily visits to you. Life just happens this way sometimes and I am dealing with less time on my computer. That doesn't mean I don't think about you lots and lots Dana. This morning I have tons of chores (a farmer's term) to do. We are still working in the yard and I am cleaning cupboards, closets, AND THE GARAGE!!! The house will be cleaned on Friday. On Saturday everyone will arrive before dinner. My plan is to rest until then. HA! Like that will happen. In all my projects I am a happy camper because I needed motivation to do all these chores. I haven't really been organized since I had my knees done. company does the trick! Do my grands care about any of this hard work I am doing? A BIG fat NO!!! But I feel accomplished and happy to get it all done. When my cousin Bob was here for almost a month in charge of my kitchen, nothing was where it belonged. He was the best cook and care giver though and Bill could NEVER have filled that position no matter how hard he tried. I hope he goes first because He will live in chaos and dirt. I mean it. He does have lots of good qualities though, like always up for some fun and never questions what I spend. That alone is worth keeping him. HA!

Gotta get busy cleaning the guest room walk in closet as it is a horror. The place where I put everything I don't know what to do with. That sentence is not grammaticlly correct but it will have to do. Did I just end a sentence with a preposition? HA! I am getting silly so I will move on to getting my chores done.

I hope all is well with you and yours.

Love you, Jeanne