Hey there!
This is Elizabeth from Don’t (White) Sugar-Coat It and I’m here to represent Flax Seeds. So why should flax be a part of your Super Breakfast Bowl? Don’t underestimate these little seeds-they pack a nutritional punch! No doubt you’ve heard all the buzz about Omega 3 fatty acids. These good fats have been shown to lower heart disease risk. Flax seeds contain one of the greatest plant-sources of those omega-3 fatty acids. Flax is also very high in fiber, which helps to keep your cholesterol low, and intestines functioning. One tablespoon of ground flax has almost 4 g of fiber! It is loaded with phytochemicals, and lots of antioxidants. It is also high in lignans, a phytoestrogen, which may balance female hormones, and prevent cancer.

Even better is how easy it is to let a little flax into your life. Flax can be added to your cooking in its milled or whole seed form. The whole seeds will give a tasty crunch to baked goods, while milled flax greatly increases the nutritional value. You see, by grinding the seeds, you let your body easily absorb the nutrients, rather than letting them just pass through. You can put it on top of cereal or oatmeal, or toss it in your smoothies, muffins, scones, crepes, waffles and pancakes. Need an egg? Grind up 1 Tablespoon of whole flax seeds (2.5 T flaxmeal) to replace one egg. Transfer to a bowl and beat in 3 tablespoons of water using a whisk or fork. Not only can these “flax eggs” make a recipe vegan, but they add a little omega-3 boost to your baked goodies!

So what are you waiting for? Head over to your grocery store of choice and pick up some flax seeds! If you’re still a little afraid, you have some time to warm up to these little powerhouses. According to the Flax Council of Canada, whole flax seeds can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Ground flax seed should be refrigerated in an airtight, opaque container, eh? There’s also flax seed oil, but then you miss out on a great source of fiber-so I stick with the seeds!

I use flax on a daily basis, but here’s a recipe I’d love to share with you for breakfast scone! I like manipulating recipes, so significantly adapted one from Ricki Heller’s Sweet Freedom

Pear Ginger Scones

• 1tsp apple cider vinegar + almond milk to make 1/2 cup (rice or soy milk would work as well)
• 1/4 cup honey (or agave)
• 3 Tbsp Apple Sauce (or if you don’t want to make it lowfat, 3 Tbsp light tasting oil)
• 1Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1.75 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 Tbsp ground flax meal
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.75 tsp salt
• 1 pear, diced. or if you want to use dried pears, about 1/2 cup, diced
• 2 T almond milk to brush tops with

• Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
• Mix the wet ingredients together and set aside. Then, mix the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet to the dry. Once mixed, fold in the diced pear, and then scoop onto baking sheet in desired scone shape.
• Put in pre-heated over for 6-8 minutes. Remove, brush tops with almond milk and return to oven for another 6-8 minutes. Knowing thy oven is almost as important as knowing thy self, so your baking times may differ from mine.
• This recipe is so easy to play with–try Apricot Pear, Orange Anise, Plum Pecan, Lemon Blueberry, and any other combination!

What breakfast bowl would you put flax in? I’d love to know! And for a little extra incentive, there’re prizes!!! If you send in a picture of your breakfast item along with its recipe to thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com by next Monday, you will be entered, and I will randomly choose a winner of a SUPER Prize pack which includes: Fantastic Grab bag of Vega Products and Purely Elizabeth’s Perfect Pancake Mix and A wonderful Might Leaf Tea Top Brew Mug. Not only that but we’ll feature your winning recipe on all four blogs

Look at that- Cooking experience, health, creativity, great prizes, and free publicity all in one-what more could you ask for??

Don’t forget about Lindsey’s avocado richness, and stay tuned for Janel’s lentil bake-off tomorrow!!
Cheers!
Elizabeth
Don’t (White) Sugar Coat-It

So—what’s the dealio with this so called “challenge?”

Okay—here’s the 411.

Five of us nutrition ladies—Jessica at A Fete For Food, Janel at Eat Well with Janel, Elizabeth at Don’t White Sugar Coat It, Lindsey at Healthy Blog Snack, and Corinne at Green Grapes Blog (yours truly), invite YOU to take the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge! If you accept, you’ll incorporate a food that typically doesn’t make it onto your breakfast plate or into your usual b-fast bowl—or hey, if you’re really in a jam … your hand or napkin. Simply put, as long as ya eat breakfast within an hour of your rise-n-shine time, incorporate the chosen breakfast item, and send us a pic of your b-fast duds along with its recipe within six days of the highlighted item’s post—you’re good to go and eligible for prizes!!!!!!!!!!

Woo-hoo! Yes, we said prizes.

The Deal

But, before we get on to prizes, let’s talk a lot more nitty-gritty, shall we??? I know—details, details, details…

Starting next week—on February 8^th—we’ll each have a day where we’ll post why our ingredient is AWESOME and invite you to use the ingredient in your breakfast within the upcoming week.

The Five Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge Ingredients, Revealed

1. Avocado – Monday, February 8^th

• Pics and recipes needed Sunday, February 14^th

2. Flax Seed – Tuesday, February 9^th

• Pics and recipes needed Monday, February 15^th

3. Lentils – Wednesday, February 10^th

• Pics and recipes needed Tuesday, February 16^th

4. Quinoa – Thursday, February 11^th

• Pics and recipes needed Wednesday, February 17^th

5. Walnuts – Friday, February 12^th

• Pics and recipes needed Thursday, February 18^th

Now, to get clout and be eligible to receive a FAB prize—you’ll need to send a pic of your breakfast item along with its recipe to thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com within six days of the ingredient’s post date (noted above).

For example, if Lindsey writes about avocado’s awesomeness next Monday, then you’ll have until Sunday to send in a pic of your avocado breakfast goodness! AND—if you win, on Monday, the picture of your breakfast along with its recipe will be posted on ALL of our blogs!

So … Basically …

Each “ingredient post” will appear on each of our 5 blogs and each person who sends in a breakfast pic with the chosen ingredient AND recipe will be eligible for a prize! But … wait, there’s more! The winner—chosen by a random number generator—will be featured on ALL of our blogs along with your name and blog/website name, if ya got one.

Don’t ya love it?!? Cooking experience, health, creativity, great prizes, and free publicity all in one!

So, if ya use all five ingredients and submit a pic each time, you’ll have FIVE opportunities to win some pretty fabulous items—if I don’t say so myself! Plus, get publicity across the blogosphere!

PRIZE TIME!

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for!

Below are the items you could nab if you enter each Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge!

1. Avocado: The Chef’n Vibe Avocado Slicer courtesy of Kitchen Stuff Plus, lots of Newman’s Own Organics fun, and an avocado gift pack courtesy of Avocados from Mexico!
2. Flax Seed: Fantastic Vega Products and Purely Elizabeth’s Perfect Pancake Mix and A wonderful Mighty Leaf Tea Top Brew Mug!
3. Lentils: A truly terrific text, Thrive—The Vegan Nutrition Guide. You can ALSO win the book 101 Optimal Life Foods by Registered Dietitian (aka Gu-a-titian) Dave Grotto.
4. Quinoa: Newman’s Own Organics loot—everything from delicious, decadent, dark chocolate to dried fruit!
5. Walnuts: Mollie Katzen’s get cooking. cookbook and a jar of walnut butter and a jar of chocolate walnut butter courtesy of Futters Nut Butters

GO ON—Challenge yourself to a Super Breakfast Bowl!

There’s never a time like the present! Send us your Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge pics with their recipe—come on now, you must share the health—and you could win some good loot in addition to some good ol’ blogger fun!

Looking forward to your breakfast creations!!!

Jessica at A Fete For Food

Janel at Eat Well with Janel

Elizabeth at Don’t White Sugar Coat It

Lindsey at Healthy Blog Snack

Corinne at Green Grapes Blog

PS there will be no GGB Challenge during February