Body Fat Testing:
We are over halfway through the year and ripe for a new set of body fat measurements.  Whether you did our last assessment in January or have never had your body fat measured, now is a great time to check in and see where you are at.  We are considering having Fitness Wave out for body fat testing sometime in August.  If you are interested please post to comments.


Recipe Time: 
Many of you have been asking for breakfast recipes.  Ask and you shall receive (this is your blog after all).  Here are some awesome breakfast recipes courtesy of Cynthia and Theo.  Thanks guys!

Have a recipe to share? Email dana@cfnorcal.com.

Pancakes – version 1

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c maple almond butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
coconut oil
Instructions:
1. Mix all of the ingredients except the coconut oil in a bowl. Stir well, until you have a uniform batter.

2. Use a bit of coconut oil to grease a non stick skillet. Spread some of the batter into the skillet to form a pancake, then cook over low/medium heat. Flip after 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn them.

Pancakes – version 2This will make enough for 2 people. We also added a side of scrambled eggs with sweet bell pepper sausage and pepper.

2 whole eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 apple, cored and chunked
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
coconut oil for cooking

Combine all ingredients, except blueberries, into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl and add blueberries. Heat a large pan on medium heat; add coconut oil and cook small pancakes 2-3 minutes on each side (these are hard to flip, so when they are ready, jab the spatula underneath fast) YUMMO!!

Theo’s Paleo Pancakes

1 egg
1/4 cup of ground almonds
1/4 cup of coconut milk

Cook as regular pancakes in coconut butter or other fat or if you are
raw/paleo, drink it or eat as a pudding.

Sometimes I cook this as I would an oven pancake: Preheat oven. Heat the
pan (a cast iron frying pan works the best) in a 425F oven until hot, add
some olive oil, coconut butter, or coconut oil to the pan (1 tablespoon)
and then add the egg mixture. Cook for 10 minutes. No turning. It won’t
puff up like the ones made with rice flour instead of almonds, but it
tastes good. There are many recipes for Puffed or Oven pancake on a Search,
but almonds make it paleo and in my opinion more tasty! It resembles
Yorkshire Pudding, but with almonds it doesn’t puff up very well. The
pancake simply slides out of the pan because of all the grease, so it
shouldn’t break apart.

Theo’s Paleo Frittata

6 bacon strips
1 diced red bell pepper
1 diced medium red onion
2 big handfuls of fresh spinach
6-8 scrambled eggs (Omega-3 or Cage Free)
olive oil

In a large saute pan, saute bacon and veggies in olive oil until bacon is crisp and veggies are tender. Spread bacon and veggie mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan (or you could bake them in muffin tins). Turn up the heat until the layer is sizzling hot and then pour the eggs evenly over the mixture. Turn heat down to low and cover for 8-10 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through. Slice like a pie and serve.

Fennel and Dill Omelet1 tsp bacon fat
½ fennel bulb, cut into chunks
2-4 teaspoons fresh dill
4 eggs
capers (optional)

Directions:
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat and add a small scoop of (now cooled and solidified) bacon fat (about 1 tsp). When skillet surface is hot, add the sliced fennel and dill, and cover. Cook fennel and dill in bacon fat until fennel is soft, about 3-5 minutes.

Peach and Pecan Scramble (PerformanceMenu)• 1/2 peach, diced
• 2 Tbsp chopped pecans
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Dice half of a ripe peach, and chop the pecans. Add the peaches and pecans to the skillet, stir fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the peaches soften a bit.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a bowl, add the applesauce and cinnamon, and beat well. Add to the skillet, mixing often. When the eggs have set, serve and enjoy.

How to make a Paleo Breakfast (from CrossFit Portland)I use a basic formula to create simple, nutrient dense breakfasts.
1. I start by selecting a protein source. Today, it was smoked salmon (Trader Joe’s, specifically) and omega-3 eggs. Leftover meats work really well for breakfasts.
2. I then select some vegetables. I often use what I have on hand, using a variety if I have time. Today was diced onion, grated zucchini, chopped celery, spinach, and garlic.
3. Add your fat as needed. I used only a teaspoon of coconut oil today, as the salmon and eggs contain a fair quantity of fat. I add more cooking oil (usually olive oil or coconut oil) if my daily fat needs are higher. Remember, fat is your primary source of fuel.
4. Finally, the spices. This will really make the difference in your meal. With different spices, this very same base recipe can be quite different. In today’s case, I only used sea salt and fresh ground pepper, as the smoked salmon gives it a very good flavor already. Here are several spice combinations that you can try:
a) add soy sauce (wheat free tamari) and sesame oil for an Asian flavor.
b) Add tomato sauce, basil, and oregano for an Italian dish. C
c) umin, chili powder and oregano for a Latin meal.
d) Curry powder and ginger for an Indian flavor.

Countless spice and herb combinations are possible, expand your horizons and try new combinations. Depending on what you use as your protein source, some spice combinations will work better than others. If you want to give the meal a more traditional breakfast flavor, chopped bacon or ham will work well.

Here’s an example:
Add coconut oil to a large skillet. Saute the chopped onion, then add the zucchini, celery, and spinach. When the vegetables start to become soft, add the salmon. Cook for a couple of minutes more, then add your eggs and crushed garlic. Toss until the eggs set, then serve. Top with a dash of sea salt and pepper. You have a quick breakfast that is nutrient dense, won’t send your blood sugar soaring, contains plenty of omega-3 fats, and does not contain a wallop of lectins to inflame the gut.