Adding Chia Seeds to Morning Meat Recipes

Following are a few examples of how different cultures use meats in the mornings, but the recipes are a little healthier and more heart healthy because the cooking methods have been changed and healthier ingredients were chosen, including chia seeds.

Irish Breakfast Fry-up

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

2 ripe tomatoes

2 large mushrooms

2 strips bacon

2 small breakfast sausages

Salt and pepper, to taste

One 8-ounce can baked beans

2 tablespoons whole chia seeds

4 slices whole-grain bread

2 eggs

1. Preheat the broiler to high and put a wire rack over a baking tray.

   Halve the tomatoes and put them on the wire rack, cut side up. Trim the stalks from the mushrooms and put them on the wire rack, stalk side up. Run a knife lengthwise down the middle of the sausages, without cutting through; then open them up, flatten them down, and put them on the wire rack. Season the tomatoes and mushrooms with salt and pepper and spray lightly with light cooking spray.

2. Remove the fat from the bacon. Set aside.

3. Place the tray under the broiler for 5 minutes.

4. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

5. After 5 minutes, add the bacon to the wire rack and turn the sausages. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the bacon is golden and crispy.

6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, place the beans and heat over medium heat. After the beans are heated, remove them from the heat, add the chia, and stir well.

7. Put the bread into the toaster.

8. Crack the eggs into the pan of simmering water and poach for 3 minutes. Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and dab dry with paper towels.

9. Divide everything between 2 plates. Each serving gets 2 slices of toast, 2 halves of tomato, 1 mushroom, 1 sausage, 2 strips of bacon, 1 egg, and a good-size serving of baked beans.

Per serving: Calories 583 (From Fat 239); Fat 27g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 209mg; Sodium 987mg; Carbohydrate 59g (Dietary Fiber 13g); Protein 30g.

Vietnamese Beef Breakfast Soup

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced

6 cups beef broth

2 whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 pound beef sirloin

3 ounces dried flat rice noodles

1/4 cup fish sauce

Pepper, to taste

1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup scallions, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro sprigs, finely chopped

1 bird’s eye red or green chili, finely sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons whole chia seeds

4 lime wedges, for garnish

1. In a large saucepan, bring the beef broth to a boil and add the ginger, star anise, and cinnamon. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, with a very sharp knife, cut the sirloin across the grain into very thin slices.

3. In a large bowl, soak the noodles in hot water and cover for 15 minutes, or until softened and pliable. Drain the noodles into a colander.

4. In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook for around 1 minute. Drain the noodles again and set aside.

5. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise from the broth. Add the fish sauce, pepper, beef, and bean sprouts.

6. Continue to cook for less than a minute or until the beef begins to change color; skim any excess froth from the top of the soup.

7. In 4 deep serving dishes, divide the noodles evenly. Ladle the soup evenly between the dishes and sprinkle the scallions, cilantro, chili, basil, and chia over each of the servings.

8. Serve immediately and garnish each portion of soup with a wedge of lime.

Per serving: Calories 281 (From Fat 87); Fat 10g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 37mg; Sodium 2,798mg; Carbohydrate 26g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 24g.

Homemade Sausage Breakfast Sandwiches

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

4 tablespoons whole chia seeds

2 teaspoons dried sage

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 small onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 pounds ground pork

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

16 slices whole-grain bread

8 tablespoons butter

8 tablespoons relish

1. In a large bowl, combine the chia, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.

2. Add the onion, garlic, pork, and water.

3. Use your hands to thoroughly combine all the ingredients, squashing everything together.

4. Once the ingredients are mixed well and you can see that the chia seeds are evenly dispersed, take a small handful of sausage meat and form it into patties.

5. Repeat this step until all the meat is gone. You should get around 8 good-size patties from this amount of meat.

6. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and add 4 of the patties to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side. Repeat for the remaining patties.

7. Meanwhile, toast the bread. Spread the butter on the toasted bread and add a sausage patty.

8. Spoon the relish on top of the sausage and cover with another slice of toast to serve the sandwiches.

Per serving: Calories 554 (From Fat 317); Fat 36g (Saturated 15g); Cholesterol 106mg; Sodium 981mg; Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 29g.

If you’re feeding children or not-so-hungry adults, make smaller sausage patties — you’ll just get more of them.