creative
cooking
Getting the right start to the day Power breakfasts
Bulgur Wheat with
Pineapple, Pecans
and Basil
2 cups water
1 cup bulgur
1 20-ounce can Dole Tropical Gold*
pineapple chunks or Dole* pineapple
chunks, drained
½ cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1½ teaspoons olive oil
Combine water and bulgur in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling, then reduce the heat,
cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or
until the bulgur is tender but not mushy.
Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl; let cool
to room temperature.
Stir pineapple chunks, pecans, basil, parsley and olive oil into the bulgur. Serve at
room temperature. Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional information: Each serving has
309 calories, 6 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates,
13 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol,
9 g fiber, 21 mg sodium, 16 g sugar.
* Brands may vary by region; substitute
a similar product.
Recipe from A Decade of Cooking The
Costco Way. Go to Costco.com and search
“cookbook.”
IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
By Cara Rosenbloom
WHETHER YOU PREFER cereal, scrambled
eggs or cheese on toast, it’s vital to start your
day with a healthy breakfast. Why? Because
breakfast boosts your energy level and helps
improve your concentration. It also gives you
a physical edge by providing strength and
endurance for your morning activities.
More important, it’s the first part of a
healthful daily eating plan. Experts say that
breakfast eaters are more likely to consume all
of the nutrients and food groups they need
each day. For example, people who eat breakfast get more calcium, which is important for
reducing the risk of osteoporosis, and fiber,
which can help lower cholesterol levels, than
those who skip breakfast, says Costco member Daniella Wolf, a Toronto-based dietitian.
If, like most North Americans, you have
a hard time getting enough dairy or fruit in
your diet, pack them in at breakfast. Taking
54 ;e Costco Connection JANUARY 2012
in a good amount of essential vitamins and
minerals first thing in the morning will help
you meet your nutritional goals for the rest
of the day. Try a yogurt parfait with bran
flakes and berries, or whole-grain cereal with
milk and a banana.
Breakfast combinations that include protein (milk, yogurt, eggs) and fiber (fruit,
whole grains) will keep you feeling full and
satisfied for a few hours, explains Florida-based dietitian Sarah Krieger. They provide
long-lasting energy so you won’t crave pas-tries at your 10 a.m. coffee break.
In addition to protein and fiber, add some
The Costco Connection
Costco features a wide variety of fresh fruit
and produce, eggs, cereals and more to
make the perfect breakfast.
healthy fat from nuts or avocado. This nutrient combination will help keep your blood
sugar levels stable. “Once blood sugar drops,
it makes us crave more sugar to get that
energy back,” says Krieger. So, doughnuts for
breakfast are a bad choice.
The ideal breakfast should have about a
quarter of your day’s calories—so for a
1,800-calorie diet, that’s 450 calories for the
morning meal. And forget about skipping
breakfast to cut calories and lose weight.
“People who eat breakfast are more likely to
maintain a healthy weight,” says Krieger. If
you skip it, you’ll just overeat at lunch, which
won’t help your weight-control efforts. C
Cara Rosenbloom is a Toronto-based registered
dietitian and president of Words to Eat By
(
www.wordstoeatby.ca). She starts each day
with whole-grain cereal, skim milk and fruit.
