Hump Day! Luckily, the week has improved since Monday!
I went to weigh-in last night and I am the exact same weight as I was 2 weeks ago. I couldn’t weigh-in last week because we went to the Ohio State vs. Illinois basketball game, so I was anxious to see results, or lack thereof. No loss was just what I needed to get back in gear! I have not written in my food journal since February 10th, and I know that I was not making the best food choices while entertaining my parent’s last weekend, and all of those BLT’s (bites, licks, and tastes) have added up. Additionally, I know when I was sick for those 10 days or so, I was not necessarily eating a lot, at all, but it wasn’t the best of choices. Plus, I didn’t workout for 8 of those days, consecutively. Needless to say, I’m back on the wagon and still very pleased with being down 9.4 pounds since the start of 2011. 😀 Here’s to a better week!
Just as I taught my class this week, breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Nutrients lost from a poor or skipped breakfast can not be made up for throughout the day. Logistically, sure, but your body is breakfast-loving machine and a great breakfast is what revs the engine for the day ahead.
As someone who arises in the morning ready for breakfast, it’s hard for me to relate to those that either don’t get hungry or report nausea after eating too early in the morning (I hear this a lot). But I strongly urge you, non-breakfast eaters, to get in a great breakfast every morning, to include complex carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Maybe today’s recipe will inspire your breakfast, or give you an idea to spice up your morning grub. 🙂 At least for the sausage-lovers out there, like myself, this offers a great-tasting, heart-healthy, lower-calorie option for breakfast protein.
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Spicy Turkey Sausages adapted from Diabetic Meals in 30 Minutes–Or Less!
1 lb lean ground turkey (I used 93/7)
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 cup parsley, minced
2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp olive oil
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Form the mixture into 12 patties.
In a pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook patties a few at a time until lightly browned on each side and the turkey is cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Yield: 12 patties.
Nutrition Information (per patty): 56 calories; 3.6 g. fat; 35 mg. cholesterol; 119 mg. sodium; 0.4 g. carbohydrate; 0.3 g. fiber; 8.2 g. protein
Result: These were great — juicy despite the low-fat meat and packed with flavor thanks to the herbs and spices, especially the fennel seeds. Sausage needs fennel seeds…it won’t be the same without! If you’re making these for a crowd or they just look a bit too “healthy” or “green” try using less parsley and cilantro. While I think they add flavor and some moisture, you can certainly get by with less and the patties may be more aesthetically-pleasing to some. 😉 Enjoy!
[/print_this]Last night was spent out to dinner for the Illinois vs. Purdue game with Mr. P’s coworkers, so tonight I am going to try and make my Broccoli Cheddar Soup before class. I hate to get off my menu plan, but last night was enjoyable. 🙂
Fun fact: A woman’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) increases slightly during rest the 2 weeks prior to menstruation. This increase in BMR is what causes increased appetite throughout much the menstrual cycle.
Question: Sausage, bacon, or “no thanks!”? 🙂
Eat breakfast!
9.4 pounds down is AWESOME, Nicole – especially with your busy schedule and having been sick! Congrats! !!! 🙂
That is SO interesting about BMR before menstruation….kinda makes me feel better that it’s not in my head that I feel more snacky around that time.
Bacon….hands down!!!
Can I say both? 😉 I’m really not picky when it comes to breakfast- although I’m not a fan of ham…
I knew I wasn’t going crazy when I felt like I was hungry all day long during those two (or sometimes just one) weeks. Ha!
So, this sausage looks yummy, bu tI won’t lie, I rarely crave salt in the morning. It’s actually the one time I really don’t want salt (unless I’m hung over, then all I want is salt!). I would likely make this for dinner, and I’m VERY excited that there is ZERO garlic or onion in this recipe!!
haha…oh Nicole…that is NOT a FUN fact….lol Its never fun when I can’t could eat the entire refrigerator! haha
Oh…I really want to try my hand at homemade sausage! this looks wonderful. I LOVE the green in there…I say insert green whenever possible! 🙂 and i can’t imagine my day without breakfast…although I did have period of time as a teen when I felt I didn’t need it.
Mmm…looks delicious! I’ll take both sausage and bacon, but if I had to choose, I’d pick bacon! I think you are doing awesome at WW – it’s great that you stayed the same – at least it wasn’t a gain!
Oh I can’t wait to start eating meat again in about a month – these will be one of the first things! I love homemade sausage, but not so much premade sausage, it’s a bit too greasy usually.
Right now, no thanks. Previously, bacon–hands down. I’ve never liked sausage. My husband’s answer would be both.
Soy bacon!
Happy National Nutrition Month! Glad to hear you are back on track with your weight loss plan.
I think the fresh herbs make it look even more appealing! I don’t know why I’m not a breakfast eater (I make it for my family but just can’t eat it!), but now I know why certain days of the month I stand in the pantry and graze!
🙂
YUM!! These won me over when I saw they had cilantro in them. 🙂
I like both sausage and bacon, but I have to be in the right mood. I dont like them all the time.
Sausage! And bacon too if not too fatty. Only on weekends though. I am a very bad breakfast on weekdays person. I choose sleep instead of time for breakfast. Bad I know, but a hard habit to change.
I would normally say BACON! I love bacon but after watching the documentary Earthlings, meat just doesn’t look the same to me.
I will say that your breakfast looks mighty tasty!
I eat turkey sausage all the time and have never made my own – what’s wrong with me! This sounds great.
This recipe came across my google reader, and I knew that I had to make them. I was looking for a way to add more protein to my breakfast and thought these would be perfect. I made a batch yesterday and froze them. They were super easy to make, but the spices didn’t work for me. I think that the next batch I make will use more traditional spices– sage, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper and a bit of brown sugar for sweetness.
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Mmm, those adaptations sound amazing! If you come up with something good and wouldn’t mind passing it along, I would be thrilled! 🙂 Thanks for your comment! Have a great week!
Absolutely! It may be a little while since I still have a bunch of the ones I made from this recipe.