Rise and Dine: Reinventing Breakfast with Georgia Pecans

A healthy diet is not only a matter of what you eat—it’s also when you eat it. Nutrition and diet experts unanimously agree that starting the day with a wholesome morning meal is the first step in promoting a healthy metabolism, weight control, and the kind of steady energy that fuels a mind and body for all kinds of daily achievement. Indeed, a so-called “power breakfast,” which once described the early morning wheeling-and-dealing of business executives, now has universal meaning as consumers realize that investing in breakfast results in big nutritional payoffs. Especially if that first meal includes smart foods like fresh fruits, whole grains, and nuts such as Georgia pecans.

Historically, Georgia leads the nation in pecan production, and November is recognized as National Georgia Pecan Month. Pecans in Georgia are annually harvested from mid-October through December and sold throughout the year.

Research consistently shows that regular breakfast eaters have more strength, endurance, and an ability to concentrate and problem-solve. According to the American Dietetics Association, studies among school children reveal that those who eat wholesome foods in the morning have better hand-eye coordination and verbal fluency. Young adults and the elderly also have better memory function when breakfast is a part of their daily routine. Such positive mental results are not surprising given that eating breakfast immediately replenishes glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar)—the brain’s power supply—which is depleted each night when our bodies idle for 8 to 12 hours without a meal or snack.

In addition to boosting mental and physical performance, eating breakfast also seems to encourage weight control. Researchers at Harvard University found that adults who are in the habit of eating a morning meal are nearly 50 percent less likely to be obese, compared with people who do not have breakfast. Choosing high quality breakfast ingredients, like pecans, which supply the body with a complex of nutrients including protein, fiber, carbohydrate, and good-for-you unsaturated fat, also supports weight control by helping to delay digestion
and prolong satiety. Because pecans take longer to digest than many typical morning foods that are only rich in carbohydrates, bringing these nuts to the breakfast table can help forestall mid-morning cravings and keep appetites satisfied longer. What’s more, eating pecans daily can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels and give the body a ready supply of fiber, vitamin E, copper, and magnesium.

Appreciating the value of a proper morning meal and the good ingredients it requires is not a new idea. It’s more a revival of tradition, going back several generations to a time when most people worked predominantly on farms and in manual jobs. The physical demands of such work meant that everyone needed to fuel up on food each morning. Breakfasts were a hearty affair with meat, cheese, eggs, fruit pies, assorted breads and hot cereal. Such high-calorie, elaborate feasting is no longer sensible or practical for most of today’s desk-bound workforce. But the modern alternative that has evolved—coffee in a Styrofoam cup and a donut to go—does not serve well either.

“As we have moved away from the ritual of a sit-down breakfast,” says Susan McQuillan, RD, MS, a New York nutritionist and author of Low-Calorie Dieting For Dummies, “we’ve lost an important nutritional and social stabilizer. Breakfast as a practice is very healthy and the routine of the morning meal is good for busy families who might otherwise not be able to check-in with each other the rest of the day.” But keeping breakfast, she adds, “doesn’t mean we should necessarily keep the traditional breakfast menu. We have to revise these food choices to reflect what we know today about nutritional concerns—as well as to please our modern tastes.”

Which is to say that breakfast can be better than ever, such as a Breakfast Panini with Georgia Pecans, Cheddar, and Sausage. Inspired by the growing popularity of the pan-grilled Italian sandwich, which is traditionally made with ham and cheese, this version uses lean breakfast sausage and a healthy handful of chopped pecans bound with a little eggs and cheese. Served between slices of golden grilled bread, the result is a savory salute to the morning that will have tastes buds standing at attention.

Health, convenience and a bit of sophistication are the hallmarks of the best modern breakfast recipe. A dish of Fruited Barley Salad with Georgia Pecans, Granola Croutons, and Maple Yogurt Dressing succeeds on all three counts—not to mention great taste. Made with quick-cooking barley and granola “croutons” created by cutting up store-bought granola bars, this dazzling fruit-nut-&-grain salad, drizzled with a sweet-tangy dressing, can be prepared in minutes. And it can be served year-round with various seasonal fruits and ready-to-eat Georgia pecans.

“Pecans are as versatile as they are available, the great taste and rich texture make every dish taste better," adds Charles M. “Buddy” Leger, chairman of the Georgia Pecan Commission. "And now we know that the good nutrition in pecans can make every dish healthier too.”

To enjoy these nuts at their peak of goodness, the Georgia Pecan Commission recommends keeping pecans refrigerated in airtight containers for up to nine months, or freezing them in Zip-loc bags up to two years.

For more information and recipes featuring Georgia pecans, visit the Georgia Pecan Commission’s web site at www.georgiapecans.org

 

Side Bar:

Start Smart with Breakfast and Pecans
Let the earthy, crunchy goodness of pecans add inspiration to morning menus. Here’s how:

- Make a quick breakfast taco mixing cheese, chopped pecans, and green onions in a corn tortilla. Fold in half and microwave 15 to 20 seconds.
- Mix toasted pecans with assorted dry cereals and chopped dried fruits to create a breakfast trail mix.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans over cream cheese on a bagel; top with smoked salmon or sliced fruit for an open-face breakfast sandwich.
- Leftover rice can become a delicious, healthy breakfast pudding by mixing it with evaporated milk, maple syrup, and chopped pecans.
- Make a Banana Breakfast Dog using a toasted hot dog bun filled with fruit jam, chopped pecans, and a ripe banana.
- Bake a batch of frozen blintzes and serve with berries and toasted pecans.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission

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Breakfast Panini with Pecans, Cheddar and Sausage
Panini are Italian sandwiches, generally pressed and pan-grilled, made with a variety of fillings, especially leftovers. While a panini-maker or grill pan is ideal for their preparation, this breakfast version, which pairs nutty pecans with a classic morning-food mixture of eggs, onions, cheese, and sausage, can also be cooked in a standard skillet.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Makes 4 large panini
1 teaspoon butter, plus more for bread
3 green onions, chopped
4 fully-cooked breakfast sausages (thawed if frozen), chopped
1/2 cup chopped Georgia pecans
4 large eggs, well beaten
8 thick slices Italian bread
4 ounces yellow cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

In non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions, sausages, and pecans; sauté until onions are just softened—about 3 minutes. Add eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are firm but not dry. Transfer sausage mixture to plate.

Heat a panini maker or a grill pan over medium-high heat. To make four panini, divide sausage mixture into 4 portions. Mound each portion on one slice of bread. Top each with one ounce of cheddar, then a slice of the remaining bread.

Very lightly butter the outside of each panini. Cook in batches in panini maker until both sides of each panini are golden; serve promptly. Or, if using a grill pan or skillet, cook two panini at a time, placing a heavy skillet or heat-proof dish on top to weight down panini as they cook. When golden on bottom, turn panini over and grill other side until golden; serve warm.

Nutrition information per panini (using a total of 2 tablespoons butter for all four servings) – calories: 544; protein: 26g; carbs: 35g; saturated fat: 12g; monounsaturated: 14g; polyunsaturated fat: 5g; cholesterol: 273 mg; fiber: 3g; sodium: 811 mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission
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Fruited Barley Salad with Pecans, Granola Croutons and Maple Yogurt Dressing
For convenience, the barley can be made the night before and refrigerated, leaving just a few quick steps to make this healthy salad ready for a morning meal.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Makes 6 servings
2 cups water
1 cup quick-cooking barley
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (1.23-ounce) granola bars
2/3 cup Georgia pecan halves
1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups chopped mixed fresh fruits – Recommend kiwi, strawberries and blueberries
Ground cinnamon
*Add ground cinnamon to yogurt topping to taste (optional)

In medium-size pot, heat water to boiling. Add barley and salt, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes. Spread barley on baking sheet to cool completely.

Meanwhile, cut granola bars into small crouton-like cubes; set aside. Toast pecan halves in skillet or oven until toasted, crisped, and fragrant; set aside. Combine yogurt and maple syrup, mixing until blended; set aside.

When barley has cooled, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the granola pieces, pecan halves, and fruit mixture, tossing gently. To serve, spoon salad onto individual plates. Serve with yogurt dressing and a shaker of ground cinnamon to sprinkle as desired.

Nutrition information per serving (using 1/2 cup each strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries) – calories: 251; protein: 4g; carbs: 37g; saturated fat: 1g; monounsaturated: 5g; polyunsaturated fat: 3g; cholesterol: 1 mg; fiber: 5g; sodium: 224 mg

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission