BREAKFAST Buddy A Protein-Packed Breakfast Guide for an Energized Day! Published by Body Ecology, Inc. www.bodyecology.com Food photography by Ideas in Food
Breakfast Guide What can I eat for breakfast? That s an excellent question! Although studies have repeatedly shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it is also the most neglected meal with the least healthy options: pastries, bagels, and other harmful, processed foods are often the only items readily available. Are you ready to get rid of breakfast foods that are acid-forming, full of sugar, and disruptive to a healthy gut? We thought so! Why not pack as much nutrition and high quality protein as possible into that very first meal of the day? With just a few changes in your habits and armed with healthy breakfast recipes, tips, and products from Body Ecology, you ll soon break free from processed foods to enjoy a highenergy day. Nothing tastes better than good health! Why Should You Care About Getting Quality Protein? You need protein for better sleep, and you need it to help achieve your weight loss, anti-aging, and fitness goals. But more than that, it s necessary to carry out everyday tasks like making enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters. Your body needs protein, and not just any protein will do. You must get high-quality protein that your body can digest! While it s true that you need a specific set of amino acids that is abundant in animal-based foods, you need proteins that come from both animal and plant sources, and you must be able to properly digest them to receive all of the benefits. If you ve purchased the Protein Power Bundle, you ll be getting a powerful protein boost of our delicious-tasting Fermented Protein Shake to help balance blood sugar, gut-healing Vitality Super- Green, and nutrient-rich superfood, Super Spirulina Plus. Understanding the 2 Phases of The Body Ecology Diet Phase 1: Transformation This is the time when you are getting all symptoms of candida overgrowth under control. Phase 1 usually lasts for three to six months, or until all symptoms of candida have disappeared. In this phase of The Body Ecology Diet, your goal is to restore your inner ecosystem, conquer your yeast infection, create more energy, and better support your body in the life-long process of cleansing. Food can become your most important ally or it can be your worst enemy. That s why, in this initial stage of healing or rejuvenation, certain foods (like sugars, casein, gluten, and bad fats) must be totally avoided because they sabotage your efforts. When any challenges you are facing have disappeared and when you ve established a hearty inner ecosystem in your intestines from eating fermented foods and drinking probiotic liquids, you may be ready to start slowly introducing other foods back into your diet (Phase 2), but it s vitally important to choose only the healthiest ones. Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy 3
On Phase 1 of The Body Ecology Diet, your meals will not include: Any fruit except lemons, limes, black currants, and cranberries. Casein, found in dairy foods, including dairy kefir. Gluten and all grains, except the four Body Ecology grain-like seeds: millet, amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat. Except for pumpkin seeds, all nuts and seeds should be eaten with caution because they are high in oxalates. They are also difficult to digest and should be soaked for 8 to 12 hours before eating to remove the phytic acid. They are also high in copper and will cause a zinc/copper imbalance if too many are eaten, creating extreme fatigue. Phase 2: Transition Phase 2 begins when all symptoms of candida overgrowth have disappeared, and a robust, diverse inner ecosystem has been established. Usually after three to six months of strictly following Phase 1 of The Diet, you are ready to move cautiously into Phase 2. By now your symptoms should be gone and your energy and your overall sense of wellbeing should be back. In Phase 2, you re still following the 7 Body Ecology Principles and enjoying fermented foods, the many vegetables, the healthy proteins, the grain-like seeds, and the unrefined fats and oils on Phase 1 of The Diet, but you re now ready to broaden your menu a bit. Consider slowly introducing gluten-free grains such as rice and whole oats, perhaps legumes, such as lentils, and also the sweeter vegetables you may have avoided, such as sweet potatoes and yams. Always eat sweeter vegetables with cultured vegetables and probiotic liquids so that the beneficial bacteria will consume the natural plant sugars. In Phase 2, some people can begin to introduce fermented dairy made with cow, goat, or sheep milk into their diets, but many people are better off avoiding dairy completely. Try a Body Ecology smoothie recipe to kickstart your day! We d like to make it very clear that Phase 2 does not mean going back to candy bars, pasta, bread, and foods made with sugar, gluten, and refined oils. Usually if you do go back to these foods after eating a very cleansing diet like The Body Ecology Diet, your body will send a loud, clear signal that it doesn t want them anymore. If you do fall off The Diet for a short time, especially during the holidays or times when you are traveling, it doesn t take long to feel the difference. 4 Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy
On Phase 2 of the diet, you can also reintroduce: Small amounts of low-sugar fruits, including berries and sour fruits like grapefruit and kiwi. Milk kefir, which has been cultured with beneficial bacteria and yeast that digest the lactose (milk sugar). These microbes help create a healthy inner ecosystem, however some people never do well on dairy and should avoid it. Almonds that have been properly soaked and sprouted. Beans and legumes that have been soaked overnight. Sweet, starchy vegetables like beets, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and yams. Remember to introduce one new food at a time, watching for signs of intolerance or reaction. As in Phase 1, nuts and seeds (except pumpkin seeds) are high in oxalates so should be reintroduced with caution and only small portions eaten, if at all. People with candidiasis react strongly to foods high in oxalates. Tips for a Healthy Breakfast Plan your menus in advance. The key to successfully creating any new habit is planning. We suggest that you create a weekly menu plan for all of your meals. A menu plan helps you shop for the foods that you need and to make use of leftovers. Remember, leftovers make a wonderful breakfast the next day. Have an all-alkaline breakfast. Begin your day with a gentle cleanse rather than harsh stimulants. To offset the impact of your acid-forming slumber, introduce only alkaline foods. Hydrate. When asleep your body naturally loses water. Instead of reaching for coffee, start your day by rehydrating with a glass of room-temperature water with a squeeze of alkalizing lemon. Have a balanced and slightly more expansive meal. During the night, your body becomes contracted (think stored energy that is closed and tight), so you need a meal that is expansive (open, active, yet relaxed energy). To learn more about the Body Ecology Principle of Balance, read A Review of the 7 Key Healthy Eating Principles. Eat your vegetables. Vegetables are alkalizing and hydrating. We recommend that 80% of each meal be made up of both land and ocean vegetables, including breakfast. This is why the Power Protein Bundle has been carefully designed to contain plenty of vegetables. These are good general guidelines to follow and can be adjusted to fit your needs based on where you are with your health today. Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy 5
Breakfast Recipes SMOOTHIES When you wake up each morning, your body is naturally dehydrated and acidic. You need to hydrate, alkalize, and feed your inner ecosystem with vibrant greens, fiber, and easy-to-digest protein. This is why we love green smoothies. A green smoothie can replenish your energy, balance your mood, and rehydrate your body. And because green smoothies are expansive, they allow you to relax into the morning and feel more joy. Special Note Of Caution Beware of green smoothie recipes that use vegetables from the cruciferous family, especially kale. Cruciferous vegetables need to be cooked until tender, or fermented, to make them more digestible and are not advised if you have a thyroid problem. What Goes Into a Smoothie? Provided you follow the Principle of 80/20 when selecting fruit and vegetables, your smoothie can be as varied and colorful as your kitchen. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Açaí Apples, green Arugula Avocado Berries Black currants, frozen Body Ecology probiotic liquids Butter lettuce Cayenne pepper Celery Cherries, frozen Cilantro Coconut milk, unsweetened CocoYo or homemade coconut kefir yogurt Cranberries, frozen Ginger Lemons Limes MCT oil Mixed greens Parsley Pomegranate, frozen Romaine lettuce Salt (Selina Naturally s Makai or Celtic Sea Salt) Vanilla extract Watercress Young Coconut Kefir Zucchini Basic Smoothie Prep We strongly suggest that you wash your fruits and vegetables before using them in your smoothies or any other raw recipes, including salads. You can find a commercial veggie wash online or in health food stores, or you can make your own. Simply add apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to water and store your homemade wash in a spray bottle. You can also soak fruit or vegetables 6 Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy
for two minutes in a wash before using. If your veggies and fruits are organic, take care to not over-wash them. If they are not organic, wash them well, since vegetables and fruit naturally carry eggs, larva, and parasites. Finally, invest in a powerful blender. VitaMix and BlendTec are well worth the money as they last for decades. SMOOTHIE AND HEALTHY DRINK RECIPES Just mix or blend ingredients and enjoy! Triple Protein Shake 2 scoops Vitality SuperGreen 1 scoop Body Ecology s Fermented Protein Shake (coconut or chocolate flavor) 1 scoop Super Spirulina Plus 1 cup filtered water You can also add your favorite probiotics and flavorings too, like bifidus, EcoBloom, Ancient Earth Minerals Liquid, vanilla flavoring, etc. Basic Protein Shake 1 scoop Fermented Protein Shake (coconut or chocolate flavor) 1 cup filtered water Chocolate Coconut Shake (Phase 2) 1 scoop of Fermented Protein Shake (chocolate flavor) 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk A couple of ice cubes Brainiac Smoothie (Phase 2) For people who thrive on dairy, this is an excellent choice! It s especially great for children; it s a quick, filling breakfast on the go! 1 cup goat milk kefir 1 teaspoon pumpkin seed oil 2 scoops Vitality SuperGreen Stevia Liquid Concentrate, to taste ¼ cup Innergy Biotic Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy 7
Muscle Builder Smoothie (Phase 2) 2 scoops Fermented Protein Shake (coconut flavor) 1 scoop Tera s Goat Whey (vanilla flavor) 1 cup filtered water Papaya Spirulina Anti-Aging Smoothie 1 cup coconut water kefir Stevia Liquid Concentrate, to taste 1 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon Super Spirulina Plus 1 cucumber, chopped A pinch of mineral-rich Celtic Sea Salt 1 papaya, chopped Sparkling Green Smoothie ½ cup filtered water ½ cup Innergy Biotic or Passion Fruit Biotic 1 teaspoon Super Spirulina Plus 2 scoops Vitality SuperGreen Cherry Cherry Smoothie 1 cucumber, chopped 1 cup Innergy Biotic 2 zucchinis, chopped ¼ cup mint leaves ½ cup coconut meat 6 ounces of frozen dark cherries 4 cups filtered water 3 large romaine lettuce leaves, torn into pieces Green Delight Smoothie 1 to 2 cups unfiltered water ½ large Haas avocado 2 scoops Vitality SuperGreen 1 lemon, juiced 1 teaspoon Super Spirulina Plus 1 lime, juiced 4 celery stalks, chopped 5 stalks fresh mint 12 drops Stevia Liquid Concentrate, or to taste 2 large romaine lettuce leaves, Stevia Liquid Concentrate, to taste torn into pieces 8 Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy
Fruity Probiotic Drink ½ cup unsweetened pomegranate, cranberry juice, or black currant juice ½ cup Young Coconut Kefir, Cocobiotic, Innergy Biotic, or Passion Fruit Biotic Stevia Liquid Concentrate, to taste Black Currant Kefir Shake ½ cup homemade raw milk kefir 1 to 2 ounces unsweetened black currant juice Stevia Liquid Concentrate, to taste 1 teaspoon unrefined flaxseed or pumpkinseed oil Milk or Goat Milk Kefir Kefir means feel good in Turkish and has been used for centuries to create energy and health. A wonderful alkalizing meal, goat milk kefir should be added only when your intestines lining is not inflamed so that the casein protein will not leak through the wounded gut lining. We have been told by many BEDROK (www.bedrokcommunity.org) parents that the calming nutrients in kefir have helped their children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Kefir can curb cravings for sugar and improve bowel function. We recommend drinking kefir on an empty stomach, making it an ideal breakfast meal. Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy 9
OTHER FUN BREAKFAST IDEAS AND RECIPES Leftovers For most of us, leftovers aren t an obvious breakfast choice. They lack caffeine and are missing the sugar we too often crave in the morning hours. But if you re tired of that mid-morning burnout and you re looking for sustained energy, leftovers and other savory foods fit the bill. The easiest way to make sure that your healthy breakfast meal includes 80% vegetables is to use leftovers from the night before. Cultured Vegetables Fermented foods are an excellent and necessary part of every meal (especially if you eat animal protein), so start your day right with ½ cup of them. Fish or Meat Many people eat fish or meat for breakfast, especially during the winter months. Make sure you choose healthy sources! Soup Soup isn t just a lunch or dinner meal! It is nourishing, warming and hydrating just what your body needs first thing in the morning, especially during winter months. Soup made into a creamy porridge using one or several of our grain-like seeds (quinoa, millet, amaranth, or buckwheat) may also be filling and feel very nourishing on those cold mornings. Here are some soups we think you may enjoy for breakfast: Raw Cucumber Watercress Soup 3½ cups cucumber juice, from 4 to 6 cucumbers 1 /3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ bunch fresh watercress 3 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons organic, unfiltered olive oil 2 teaspoons Celtic Sea Salt 1 teaspoon Super Spirulina Plus Using a juicer, juice the cucumbers. In a high-speed blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Add a scoop of Super Spirulina Plus. 10 Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy
Broccoli and Fresh Fennel Soup 1 large head broccoli, separating florets and stems Celtic Sea Salt or Herbamare to taste 1 large onion, chopped Scallions and parsley, finely chopped 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee Red bell pepper, thinly sliced Feathery tops from 1 bulb fresh fennel 2 scoops Vitality SuperGreen 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed, or more to taste 6 cups filtered water Directions: Peel broccoli stems and chop, discarding any woody pieces. Sauté onion, garlic, and ground fennel seed in coconut oil or ghee in a stockpot. When onions are translucent, add broccoli stems and most of the florets, reserving a handful of the smallest ones. Add fennel tops and water and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes Pureé mixture in a blender or food processor for several minutes. Return to stockpot and add sea salt or Herbamare to taste. Simmer 10 minutes and serve. Garnish with reserved broccoli florets, parsley, scallions, and sliced red pepper strips. Let cool completely. Then add 2 scoops of Vitality SuperGreen and serve. This recipe is very popular as a breakfast soup. Fennel is an excellent digestive aid. Be sure to buy a bulb of fennel that has a generous amount of feathery tops, which look like a lot of fresh dill. Use the tops in this soup and save the bulb for later in another vegetable soup or a fresh salad. EGGS AND CEREALS: THE BODY ECOLOGY WAY Eggs and cereal grains are traditional breakfast fare. Give these old favorites a healthier and tastier upgrade by preparing them the Body Ecology way. Eggs Eggs help strengthen your thyroid, which is often weak in many people today, even children and teens. One therapeutic way to prepare eggs is to sauté them over easy (a soft, runny yolk) in organic, unrefined coconut oil. Then, eat mostly just the yolks. The cooked egg white (protein) is more difficult to digest and is often not as well tolerated as the yolk. Contrary to popular belief, it is the egg yolk that is the healthiest, most nutritious part of the egg. 11
Softly Scrambled Eggs 1 tablespoon raw butter or ghee Herbamare or sea salt, to taste 2 whole eggs plus 4 egg yolks Splash of filtered water (to replace some of the missing whites) Directions: Combine eggs, water, sea salt, or Herbamare in a bowl. Beat with a whisk or fork until well blended. Melt butter or ghee in a nonstick frying pan over low to medium-low heat. Add eggs, and using a flexible spatula carefully scrape eggs away just as mixture begins setting on bottom and edges of the pan. When eggs are only two-thirds done, quickly remove the pan from the heat. The residual heat will continue to cook the eggs. After another minute of stirring, place eggs into the serving bowl and stir them around a few more times. These scrambled eggs can be garnished with dulse flakes and/or chopped green onions. Serve with cultured vegetables. Eggs, especially when prepared this way with the extra egg yolks, nourish your thyroid and are truly brain food. Cereals and Body Ecology Grain-like Seeds Since most of us are used to having grains for breakfast, these meals may be a good transition for your healthy Body Ecology breakfasts. Simply select one of our 4 gluten-free Body Ecology grain-like seeds (millet, quinoa, amaranth, or buckwheat) and cook them with either sweet or savory flavorings. Remember to balance your grains with vegetables, cultured vegetables, or ocean vegetables. If you ve had a green smoothie and Vitality SuperGreen before your grain dish, you won t need to have so many vegetables with your grain meal. Quinoa Flakes or Cream of Buckwheat Quinoa flakes Cream of buckwheat Organic grass-fed butter, ghee, or unrefined coconut oil Cinnamon Directions: Cook quinoa flakes or cream of buckwheat as directed. Stevia Liquid Concentrate Organic vanilla flavoring, alcohol-free Add 1 teaspoon of organic vanilla flavoring and a small amount of grass-fed butter, ghee, or organic unrefined coconut oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon and add a few drops of stevia to taste. This makes a delicious, gluten free replacement for oatmeal. 12 Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy
Savory Millet Breakfast Meal 1 cup pre-soaked millet Celtic Sea Salt 7 cups water Assorted veggies Strip of kombu Directions: In a pressure cooker, cook 1 cup pre-soaked millet and strip of kombu with 7 cups of water for about 30 minutes. Add Celtic Sea Salt. Add your favorite leftover vegetables or ocean veggies, such as carrots or onions. This porridge is excellent for correcting constipation. Crazy for CocoYo (Phase 2) 1 cup CocoYo or homemade coconut kefir yogurt 1 scoop Fermented Protein Shake (coconut flavor) Directions: Mix 1 scoop of Fermented Protein Shake into CocoYo or yogurt until blended. Guacamole And just for fun, try some guacamole for breakfast! 3 avocados, halved, seeded and peeled 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lemon ½ teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt ½ medium onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon Super Spirulina Plus Directions: Stir all ingredients in a bowl until they are the desired consistency. Body Ecology Breakfast Buddy 13