What's for Breakfast?

My intense fibromyalgia pain and other multitude of symptoms from this awful disease completely disappeared when I implemented my fibro recovery plan. I made three primary adjustments in my lifestyle:

• I got as many chemicals as possible out of my home environment.
• I stopped eating most processed food. 
• I started eating real food full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. 

When I made the healthy change of eating real food instead of processed food full of toxic chemicals, I knew I needed to create a new breakfast routine. Dumping packaged cereal into a bowl and splashing milk on top was no longer a good choice for me. 

This is what breakfast looks like at my house now.

I drink a cup of ginger tea every morning. I eat one scrambled organic egg from free range chickens,a few nuts,one serving of homemade bread, and a few pieces of several different kinds of fruit. You can chose any combo of fruits that you like. Need ideas? Try a couple of slices of orange, banana, and apples, or a few berries, grapes, fresh pineapple, or dried cherries and dates. I have a few walnuts and whole raw almonds. I eat a muffin, bagel, or slice of bread that I make myself so that I know exactly what is in it. 

I start the day by loading my body with lots of real food that is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Getting processed food full of toxic chemicals out of my body was an important step for me in moving toward recovery from fibromyalgia. I have been symptom free for two years and eleven months.

If you don't always have enough time to go to the store or your local farmer's market to buy fresh fruit, when you do have time to buy fruit, try freezing part of it. I like to eat frozen grapes and pineapple straight from the freezer. No need to defrost first. 


Tips for Washing and Freezing Grapes

Grapes are on several dirty dozen lists because of their tendency to retain pesticides used by growers. Buy organic grapes that are pesticide free when possible. If this is not an option, some of the pesticides can be removed from the outer layer of the grapes by soaking them in a vinegar solution.

Pick the grapes off the stem. Put 1/3 cup of plain white vinegar in a large stainless steel or glass bowl. Do not use a plastic bowl since some plastics contain harmful chemicals that the acid in the vinegar may cause to leach into the food. Add the grapes to the bowl and then fill with enough cold water to completely cover the fruit. Leave the grapes in the vinegar water solution for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly and rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels. Put the grapes in a freezer safe container. Take the frozen grapes out a few at a time for breakfast or when you are in the mood for a cold, delicious treat.

Tips for Cutting and Freezing Pineapple

Figuring out how to cut a fresh pineapple may seem like a daunting task. I searched through Youtube videos looking for the easiest way to cut a pineapple. This was my favorite one: How to Cut a Pineapple  I cut them this way for ages.

And then I discovered the pineapple cutter and corer tool. You can buy one at your favorite kitchen or big box store or you can purchase one online. Pineapple Cutter and Corer
The tool I use cuts, cores, and slices the pineapple into bite size pieces. 

Pineapple is juicy so it has a tendency for the pieces to freeze together in clumps. To prevent this, after you have prepared the pineapple, place the bite size pieces in a single layer on a large pan. Cover the pan and keep it in the freezer overnight. The next day, remove the pan from the freezer and leave it on the counter for a couple of minutes only. This will make it easier to remove the pineapple pieces from the pan. Scoop the frozen pineapple pieces out of the pan with a spatula, place in a freezer safe container, and return to the freezer. Enjoy!


Want Some Recipes?

To get recipes for tropical banana muffins, apple oatmeal muffins, ginger tea, and more, check out my new Facebook page: Practical Healing in Toxic World. 

https://www.facebook.com/practicalhealinginatoxicworld 

Like the page to find lots of practical ways to move toward a healthy life - physically and spiritually.The page is going live for the first time today.It will contain recipes, tips on chemical free living, fibromyalgia facts, and spiritual encouragement. I will be featuring breakfast recipes on the page this week.