Power Protein

Saturday breakfasts are looked forward eagerly by my hubby and I. 'Tis the time to catch up on the latest news, gossips, movies,...etc; and plan the weekend activities. Do we need to go to the grocers? What shall we eat for dinner? Whose parents are we visiting this week? When shall we call our children?

Over unlimited cups of coffee, we pour over our newspapers and scan the IS magazine for the newest food joint to appraise. We people-watch the customers inside and the passers-by outside our breakfast joint.

This morning was no different. At our favourite Coffee Bean outlet, my husband who has a penchant for protein ordered his usual salmon and egg muffin. This is truly one of the most economical yet wholesome breakfast one can find in Singapore. At only $6.50, my husband can have his fill of protein to power his lean, mean frame. The accompanying side salad. doused with french dressing, provides some of the fibre for the day.

A Muesli Breakfast

This morning, I had a very healthy breakfast of muesli, low-fat yoghurt and skim milk. Just put some spoonfuls of muesli in a tall glass, add chilled yoghurt and milk, and you have a very nutritious yet delicious meal to start the day.

A Swiss doctor, Maximilian Bircher-Benner, invented muesli in the late 19th Century for patients in his hospital. The original muesli was made with uncooked rolled oats and various pieces of dried fruit, nuts and seeds. It was served at breakfast as a protection against a variety of illnesses. This is because muesli is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. The presence of nuts and oats also make it a good source of Vitamins E, B6, B12, Folate and Iron.

Today, muesli is widely available in the form of pre-packaged mixes at supermarkets. There are many varieties, some of which also contain honey, spices, or chocolate. These additional items tend to raise the level of sugar and spoil the goodness of muesli. Before purchasing muesli, make a habit to read the fine prints and check for unnecessary ingredients.

Despite the goodness of muesli, this is one breakfast meal that has not caught on with Singaporeans. It tends to be more popular among the people from the West.

To unleash the health benefits of muesli, take the extra effort of mixing one yourself. Get only the original unadulterated muesli containing pure oats, nuts, seeds and relevant dried fruits. Into this mixture, add your favourite low fat yogurt, skim milk and even fresh fruits.

Cool and creamy -- stir up a bowl of muesli the night before and enjoy as a quick, nourishing breakfast in the morning!

A Lesson on Bagels

I am dedicating this post to my dearest hubby.

Two hours earlier, we headed to one of our breakfast joints. Instead of my usual muffin, I was looking forward to sinking my teeth onto a bagel full of eggs and salmon. I could just picture the eggs done just right with the yolk oozing out as I take my first bite.

Instead of myself, this morning, my hubby gave our breakfast orders to the person behind the counter. This is just the recipe for disaster. When our orders came, it was certainly eggs and salmon and bread. The eggs were scrambled and the bagel that I was eyeing was nowhere in sight.

Apparently, my hubby genuinely thought that the particular bread that comes with the order belongs to the bagel family. Hence, my decision to dedicate this post to him.

So what is bagel? The bagel is a bread in the form of a roughly hand-sized ring. The interior is dense, chewy and doughy while the exterior is often browned and sometimes crisp. (Just think of a savoury doughnut.) Bagels are often topped with seeds baked onto the outer crust with the most traditional being poppy or sesame seeds.

Bagels are often eaten with several different popular toppings. Amongst these are cream cheese, smoked salmon, corned beef, tomato and onion. Even McDonald's has a line of breakfast bagel sandwiches that contain egg, cheese, and meat combinations between the bagel slices.