ON BECOMING A BREAKFAST EATER

Today’s chronicle is about filling ourselves up and knowing that our needs change over time. All we can do is tune in, pay attention, and feed ourselves the best we can, literally and figuratively.

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It happened slowly without my noticing. It’s not even clear to me when the shift began. But I went from being a breakfast hater to a breakfast lover.

These days, I’m a diehard breakfast eater.

When I was young, breakfast was my least favorite meal. I never felt hungry after waking up. Getting dressed for school and making sure my book bag was ready were the parts of the morning routine I looked forward to. I was and still am an early riser. But during those school days it was like my stomach lived in a different time zone from the rest of my body and ran a solid hour behind.

WINTER SUNRISE, LONGMONT, CO

“How about a bowl of cereal or some oatmeal?” my mother would ask. I hated to drink milk, (still do) so crunching through a bowl of soon to be soggy cereal was not appealing. Oatmeal was no different.

Let’s be honest, can we? Oatmeal is just plain gross. I know it’s “good” for me, but yuck. By the time I’ve added enough butter, brown sugar, and raisins to make it palatable, I may as well eat a doughnut.

“Well, you can’t go to school on an empty stomach. At least drink a glass of milk”, my mother often said. I know this makes no sense since I just told you I hated drinking milk. My mother must have been frustrated with me for not eating but she underestimated how much I truly hated drinking milk, especially first thing in the morning. But let me tell you, the worst part of drinking those glasses of milk for breakfast was that because my mother was on Weight Watcher’s, we only had skim milk in the house. There is nothing worse in my book than watery, thin, cold skim milk.

I dutifully managed a few sips before disappearing into the bathroom where I dumped my mostly full glass of milk down the sink drain. I’d reappear with an emptyglass, say to my mother, “See? I drank it.” Then I’d sling my bookbag over my shoulder, give my mother a good-bye hug before making the three-minute walk to school.

But by about 10:00 every morning, I was famished. I was so hungry it was hard to concentrate on schoolwork. Lunchtime never came soon enough.

I don’t know when the shift began, but over time, I awaken ravenously hungry, jonesing for protein. I want, no, need, to eat a BIG breakfast. Grabbing a coffee and granola bar sounds like the ultimate punishment to me. Well, that and a glass of milk.  

My morning appetite demands a feast.

I am one of those people who drifts off to sleep thinking about the next morning’s breakfast. Family and friends know there is a great likelihood my breakfast often consists of dinner leftovers from the night before. My husband still struggles to understand how I can eat a bowl of leftover pasta carbonara or tear into a roasted chicken for breakfast. I’m trying to eat less red meat these days but if leftover steak is in the fridge, I’m likely to enjoy it with a couple of scrambled eggs on the side.

All of this, the morning hunger, the need for protein and a hatred of drinking milk for breakfast, brings me to Power Pumpkin Pancakes.

POWER PUMPKIN PANCAKES

At Thanksgiving this year, I overbought canned pumpkin. I adore pumpkin and thought I’d make pumpkin bread and pumpkin cookies, pumpkin scones, maybe pumpkin pasta sauce, or hand-held pumpkin pies. I made none of those things.

But, the other morning, I spied the small stash of stacked cans of organic pumpkin puree in the pantry. Hmmm, what to do? So, I made power pumpkin pancakes. These are a bit different from the fluffy, diner style buttermilk pancakes you might be picturing. These pancakes are un-fluffy step-sisters to those carb heavy diner pancakes. But in my mind, they’re just as delicious. All it takes is eight ingredients, a non-stick skillet to cook the pancakes in and a drizzle of maple syrup.

I can’t wait to make them again. They are that good; Here’s the recipe. Ready?

POWER PUMPKIN PANCAKES

Makes 15 Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1 16 oz container cottage cheese, lactose-free is OK

3 oz or 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

7 oz. or 1/3/4 cup flour, AP or Gluten-Free

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:

In a medium-sized bowl, break the egg and whisk to combine.

Add the entire can of pumpkin, the entire container of cottage cheese and the granulated sugar.

Mix well with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

Add the flour, cinnamon, allspice, and baking powder. Mix in flour with wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.

Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add a bit of butter and neutral oil like canola or avocado. When hot enough (a small splash of water will sizzle), start cooking the pancakes.

Drop about a ¼ cup dollop of the pancake batter into the skillet. You should be able to cook 3 pancakes at a time.

Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes. The pancakes should be browned on the underneath side and have just a few bubbles around the edges. Once you see those bubbles, it’s time to flip the pancakes. Let cook on this side for another 4-5 minutes, until browned.

Continue cooking until all the batter is used.

Enjoy right away or wrap pancakes in plastic wrap and freeze them for another morning’s breakfast. Re-heat in a 350 oven, a perfect job for a toaster oven if you have one. Remember to drizzle with maple syrup.