“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.”  ~John Dewey

For some reason, I am having a hard time settling down to write.  My mind has been wandering quite a bit lately, as I think about my friends in the Central Kitsap School District who gathered together again this past Monday, after about 8 weeks of well-deserved summer vacation. This is the week of back to school teacher meetings, sprinkled with moments to prepare classrooms for the children, who are coming next week.  Going back to school is a mixed bag of emotions; it means the return of early morning alarms, and giving up your free time but at the same time, you get to see your friends and the kids again for the camaraderie and excitement of a fresh new year.  Here’s hoping for a wonderful school year for all!

I’ve wanted to write about yogurt for a while now.  We eat yogurt because it tastes good, but also because it is a healthy food.  If you want to eat yogurt for its health benefits, there are a few things to be considered.  Cultured or fermented foods, of which yogurt is one, provide beneficial bacteria for your gut, which is a good thing.  But all yogurts are not created alike.  Look for yogurt that contains the most variety of live active cultures; the more the better.  Yogurt that has fewer ingredients is better for you.  Some yogurt is full of added sugars, colors, stabilizers and other such ingredients which are not needed.  We like to buy plain low-fat yogurt, specifically Nancy’s.  Using plain yogurt allows you to customize your yogurt any way you like.  Plain yogurt is like a blank canvas.  Here is a generic “recipe” to follow to create a fabulous yogurt breakfast.  It’s really up to you to add whatever you like.

Put some yogurt in a bowl.

Add fruit if you want.  This can be frozen fruit, fresh fruit, fruit jam that you have made preferably with minimal added sugar {like our peach jam that I told you about}.

Add a grain.  This can be cooked quinoa, brown rice, 2 tbsp of Buckwheat Chia Crunch, raw oatmeal {regular, not quick cooking, which can make your blood sugar spike} or granola {this granola is our current favorite-I reduce the maple syrup to 1/2 cup and the brown sugar to 1/4 cup}.

Make it nutty!  Toss in some nuts or seeds and maybe some cacao nibs for a little nutritious chocolate “punch.”

Mix it all up & taste it.  If it needs a little sweetening, add a little local honey or Grade B maple syrup.  Maybe a few splashes of vanilla would be tasty.  Once you get used to plain yogurt, you will find the presweetened stuff way too sweet.  If we use a drizzle of maple syrup or honey it is most likely for the nutrients more than the need for additional sweetness.

Sprinkle with cinnamon {tastes great & is good for your blood sugar}.

Enjoy your nutritious bowl of deliciousness!

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Buckwheat Chia Crunch for Yogurt

1/4 c hemp seeds
1/4 c buckwheat {I prefer untoasted buckwheat groats.}
1/8 c chia seeds
1/8 c ground flax seeds {best to grind your own in small quantities as needed}
1/8 c dried fruit, cut into small pieces {optional}

Mix together in a small jar.  When ready to eat, shake it up so you get all of the ingredients.  Use about 2 tbsp per serving.

Makes about 3/4 cup

Here are a couple more ways that we like to jazz up our plain yogurt.

 This is my savory breakfast yogurt.  It includes diced cucumber, tomatoes, minced jalapenos, cilantro, cumin & a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  It is delicious with a Ry-Vita Cracker spread with butter, or a buttered piece of toast.

 This has Buckwheat Chia Crunch, unsweetened flake coconut, cacao nibs & mixed berry jam {made from Costco frozen mixed berries & a little sugar}.

This is an excellent article about. the healthy bacteria in our bodies.

Sources:
The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth {Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.}
Super  Foods {Steven Pratt, M.D.}