Chef Wendell: Breakfast salad

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Creatures of habit, it’s not easy changing deep-rooted eating traditions. Many hesitate because they’ve grown accustomed to a lifetime of eating the same foods. The first meal of the day fuels us with energy and vitamins needed to be our very best all day. Eating healthier may be intimidating at first. I guarantee it’s not going to be easy. But I can also guarantee you’ll feel so much better.

1st segment: Our American breakfast traditions are lacking vitamin nutrition needed to function. Full of carbs, fat, salt and sugar. Prep tempeh bacon, blanch and shock green beans.

2nd segment: Prep egg, make salad dressing, assemble salad. Ingredients vitamin content. Lack of vitamin nutrition=genesis of disease.

Anxiety and fear and of the unknown are the only roadblocks to your path to health and well-being.

· The American breakfast diet lacks vitamin nutrition

· Lack of vitamin nutrition=genesis of disease.

· The traditional American breakfast is heavy refined carbohydrates such as cereals, pancakes, bagels, and pastries.

· Eating a breakfast high in sugar raises in blood sugar eventually leading to obesity and diabetes

· There’s no law declaring bacon and eggs, fried potatoes, cold pizza, biscuits and gravy and cold cereal are the only breakfast foods

· Take one step at a time to gradually incorporate new habits over time.

· Soon, you will be eating more healthfully.Hearty Breakfast Salad

• Watercress, romaine red cabbage (Or your favorite variety of dark leafy greens.)
• Boiled baby potatoes-cut into bite size pieces
• Blanched green beans
• Halved cherry tomatoes-Lycopene
• Sliced avocado-healthies on earth
• Poached or fried egg-protein
• Tempeh ‘bacon’-protein
• Ground flax or chia seed-omega 3 EFA’s

Basic Vinaigrette

• 1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. chopped shallots or sweet red onion
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. Dijon
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil

· Place all ingredients into a jar; shake to mix thoroughly. Refrigerate.

· Triple the recipe and you’ll always have it ready in a jiffyTempeh ‘Bacon’

• Slice or cube ½ block of tempeh marinated it in tamari with several drops of liquid smoke added. After 15 minutes, brown in a lightly oiled sauté pan; reserve.

Salad ingredients prep:

• Wash and boil potatoes that have been pre-cut into bite size pieces. (Skin on)
• Blanch green beans al dente’ and plunge into an ice bath.
• Slice avocado and halve the cherry tomatoes.
• Poach or fry one egg for each person
• Prep ‘bacon’

Assembly:

• Place a bed of greens onto a dinner-size plate and artfully arrange beans, potato, tomatoes, avocado, ‘bacon’ and blanched green beans.
• Top with egg, chia / flax
• Drizzle dressing onto salad. (Less is more.)