I love pancakes and it is not infrequent in our house that pancakes are part of the dinner meal as well as the breakfast meal. And since my three-year-old loves pancakes as much as I do, I can even sneak some healthy ingredients in the batter and she doesnt even know it. Good tip for all you parents out there who want your kids to eat healthier: if it is in a pancake, your kids just might try it. While I havent tried this with vegetables (I think even my three-year-old would get wise to peas poking out of her pancake), fruits, oats, and potatoes have all found their way into our pancakes. It is also a quick and easy dinner idea for those nights when you dont feel like taking a lot of time to cook.

Apple Pancakes
1 small apple
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Core and slice the apple into pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, egg, and oil. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Add in the apple pieces. Pour the batter onto a heated griddle, flipping it to brown the pancake on both sides. Serves 4.

Oat Pancakes
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Put a well in the center of the mixture. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, oil, and lemon juice. Pour this mixture into the well. Mix it just until moistened. Pour the batter onto a hot griddle and turn when bubbles form on top of the pancake. Cook until both sides are golden brown. Serves 6.

Baked Peach Pancake
2 cups fresh or frozen sliced peaches
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
ground nutmeg
sour cream, optional

In a small bowl, add the peaches, sugar and lemon juice. Mix well and set to the side for now. In a large bowl, add the eggs and beat until they are fluffy. Then mix in the flour, milk and salt. Mix well. Put the butter into an oven-proof 10-inch skillet. Put it in a 400 degree oven to melt (3 to 5 minutes). Pour the batter into the hot skillet right away. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pancake has risen and is puffed up. Take it out of the oven and add the peach slices mixture. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg and serve with sour cream.

Jill Seader loves baking and telling stories. Come find a tasty baking recipe and story at her website, YourBakingStory.com or share one of your own. Happy Baking!

Image by ninahale via Flickr

Ever find yourself skipping breakfast? Whether it's due to lack of time, attempts at weight loss, or because you just don't have an appetite in the morning, you'll want to read this article before you skip another breakfast!

I'm sure we've all heard it before: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But is it really? Does skipping breakfast really make that much of a difference?

In short, yes, it does! Breakfast is so important, not only because it breaks the fast from between the time you eat dinner and when you get up (hence break-fast), working to jump start your metabolism, but because it also sets the tone for the day.

When you're creating the time and energy for breakfast, you're simultaneously honoring your body in that moment, sending yourself the message that it's important to you that you prioritize eating and being healthy - and this will carry through the rest of the day. Try it and let me know how it works for you!

Consider these other reasons for taking the time to honor your body with a healthy breakfast:

What you choose or choose not to eat for breakfast can really impact your moods, your energy, your thinking, and your concentration for the day. Food is more than just nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It is also energy. Feel scatterbrained some days and completely grounded on others? Hint: what you eat may have more to do with it than you think.

Eating breakfast stimulates our metabolism by breaking the overnight fasting period and replenishing our body's source of fuel. People who skip breakfast tend to snack and binge on less healthier items throughout the morning/early afternoon with whatever they can grab - be it a sugar-laden muffin at work, candy, or even soda. These foods are not only nutritionally deficient, they are often loaded with chemicals, empty calories, and wreak havoc on our thinking and performance throughout the day. It's not unusual for the bingeing to carry through to lunch or dinner, as your body continues to compensate for the skipped breakfast meal. Ultimately, skipping breakfast hampers weight loss efforts in the long run.

What do you do if you just don't feel hungry in the morning? Try having dinner earlier in the evening, and have a lighter meal. By morning, you should have an appetite. It may also take your body some getting used to at first. If you don't have an appetite in the morning immediately, there's no need to force yourself to have a big breakfast. Eating a combination of complex carbohydrates with a little protein, i.e. sprouted, whole grain toast with some almond butter, is perfectly fine.

Breakfast doesn't necessarily require much time - it just requires preparation in advance, and waking up 15 minutes or so earlier in the morning to make. Take a half hour during the weekend, and stock up on a few different options for breakfast. How about some walnuts and bananas for your oatmeal, frozen berries for smoothies, or sweet potatoes for nice variation in your breakfast routine?

Keeping all the above points in mind before you go to bed tonight - what will you eat for breakfast tomorrow morning?

And be sure to note the difference in your energy, mood, focus and concentration!


Frances Cheung is a board certified Holistic Health Counselor. Her mission is to inspire, motivate and empower busy professionals in taking really good care of themselves through step-by-step nutrition and lifestyle guidance, so they can enjoy vibrant health and live the life they desire. To learn more about Frances' customized approach to health and wellness, visit http://www.francescheung.com .

The i want breakfast scene in the movie falling down ... outstanding!

Image via Wikipedia

Meal cult is an important part of country’s culture. Food and drink are the main necessities for sustaining life, and Taiwan cuisine takes a special place among the great cuisines of the world. Taiwan has a broad variety of dishes because of great ethnic diversity. The diversity of cuisines contains 8 principle types: Hoklo (or Taiwanese), Hakka, vegetarian cuisine, northern style cuisine, Hunan, Jiangzhe, Hong Kong, and Sichuan. Seafood is used in all these cuisines as a culinary culture of Taiwan that is simple and light.
In Taiwan people prefer to drink tea or coffee with some sandwiches for breakfast. They like fruits and sweets which are laid in a big plate on the table. For example, when the time for lunch comes, people eat salty dishes such as steamed and chopped chicken, steamed streaky pork with dry mustard cabbage, or dried mustard greens. Besides, they like rice with boiled eggs or fried potatoes with meat or fish. In Taiwan people have hundreds of receipts of dishes with rice and fish. Traditionally, Chinese dinner is laid at the round table in the center of which there is a flat circle on a revolving stand. It is necessary to point out that meals are served on big plates and are put in required amount on small plates by a person. At first cold snack is served, then time comes for hot dishes and only after these dishes the so called principle dishes are served. In Taiwan people like to eat dishes with rice, meat and fish. In the end of dinner a soup or a broth is served. There is no dessert – fruits and sweets are on the table during all the dinner and they are very often used in the principle dish (Bates 2005). Consequently, Taiwan cuisine represents one face by which a country is famous for. Traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Taiwan are similar to breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Europe; however, there are some details you should know about Taiwan cuisine.


The article was produced by the writer of Essay-Paper.net. Olivia Hunt is a 4-years experienced freelance writer of Term Papers Writing Service. Contact her to get information about term paper writing and research paper help at our website.

Healthy Breakfast Food Recipes - Nutrition by Natalie

Natalie tell you five different healthy breakfast items and how to cook or make them. A good breakfast is key to your health and wellness.

It is well-known that the egg contains protein, iron and zinc which are indispensable to us. Many people know that eating proper egg is good for their health and skin, but few of them know that having eggs for breakfast is helpful to weight loss.

People who eat eggs for breakfast could be giving themselves a greater chance of losing weight, according to a scientific study.

Research at Louisiana State University asked some overweight women who were already on a low-fat diet to eat two eggs for breakfast for eight weeks, while others ate a bagel1 in the morning.

Those who ate eggs lost 65 per cent more weight, had 83 per cent greater reductions in waste circumference2and reported greater improvements in energy levels than participants who ate bagels.

According to the scientists, these findings add to a body of research suggesting that egg consumption promotes weight loss but also provides choline, which is an essential nutrient that promotes brain and memory development.

A separate study carried out by scientific consulting firm Exponent in Washington DC has also concluded that the contribution of eggs to coronary 3heart disease risk is "insignificant".

It is thought that the findings of the research could be used to challenge recommendations that egg consumption should be restricted, particularly when it is considered that eggs contain protein, folate iron and zinc for only around 75 calories.

Keep in mind to keep a proper portion and do not over eat, and you will find it is much easier to loss some pounds you are intended to.

Image via Wikipedia

Here's one resolution you'll want to make: Eat breakfast every morning.

One of the biggest mistakes dieters make is not eating breakfast. It's a bad way to start the day. Dieters say they are in a hurry, but you can prepare a bowl of oatmeal in just a minute or two.

And what better food to consume than oatmeal. Simple to make, cheap to buy, and so nutritious. It even tastes good.

We've all heard about the health benefits of the fiber found in oatmeal. Oatmeal also contains: high levels of selenium reported to prevent cell damage and aid arthritis vitamins B, C, and E calcium and it's low in calories.

Mix in a 2 to 1 ratio of water to oats; for example, half a cup of water to one fourth cup of oats. Then microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't boil over the sides of your bowl.

That's it. It doesn't get much easier. Make sure you buy the quick cooking oats.

Want to get more creative with oatmeal? Check out the web site of one the largest packagers of oats, Pepsico subsidiary, Quaker Oats, at http://www.quakeroatmeal.com. Their site is loaded with health information and tons of recipes.

While Quaker has done plenty to promote the humble oat, your best bet price wise is the generic or store brand oats. It's the same thing.

Buying individually packaged oatmeal is like buying flavored bottled water
. Maybe you don't have the peaches or strawberries to flavor your oatmeal that day, but you'll be paying a hefty price for those tiny, dried bits of fruit. You certainly want to avoid artificial sweeteners and preservatives, too.

It's a simple matter to measure out the oatmeal from the container and stir in a little brown sugar to flavor the mix. It doesn't take much more effort to buy a piece of fruit at the grocery store and slice it into your bowl. Eat half of that peach or bunch of strawberries, and add the other half to your oatmeal.

Virtually any fruit makes a good accompaniment to oatmeal. Toss in a handful of your favorite nut, walnuts, pecans, almonds, or try raisins.

But why stop at breakfast? Oatmeal serves up a fast snack any time of the day.

Start the day with a healthy new habit. Eat breakfast every day, and make it oatmeal.


Kathy Ferneau has created an excellent resource for information on diets, healthy eating, and exercise. Get a free smoothie recipe e-book just for visiting! www.lose-weight-diets.com