No Reason I Can't Have a Lumberjill Breakfast

I have the same thing for breakfast every day. A mixture of 1/3 cup Kashi Go Lean, 1/3 cup Flax Plus and 1/4 cup granola (yes, I use measuring cups) topped with sliced strawberries and a handful of blueberries all floating together in Silk Light Vanilla Soy Milk. Every. Single. Day. I eat this everyday because it's delicious and healthy and because it eliminates having to make one of the many choices we all have to make each day. Like brushing my teeth and making my bed, my breakfast is automatic.
To some, I may sound boring, rigid and unimaginative. I disagree. I am being efficient and usually when the feeling that I am boring, rigid and unimaginative gets to me and I decide to make, say, scrambled eggs, I regret my decision, miss my cereal and wind up eating two breakfasts. But, here it is New Year's Day and I feel like I should make something a little more festive. But first I need to take myself off the conscientious eating and exercise hook.

Before I started caring about what I ate I didn't care at all. Or think about it at all. In college I used to scan the week's dinner menu for 'Beef au Jus' knowing that was the night I'd (ok, we, since I don't drive) hightail it to McDonald's for a McDLT (remember those?), then run across the street for dessert--a vanilla frosted Dunkin' Donut.
Seriously. Can you imagine? I feel like I'm describing a different person. Except now I'm craving a vanilla frosted Dunkin' Donut.
I no longer think of McDonald's when I want a 'break today' but I sometimes yearn for the Lumberjill (it's a Lumberjack--2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, 2 pancakes--with fruited pancakes) breakfast I used to get when going out for brunch meant not eating your first meal till 2pm. Since a hangover was usually involved this sweet, salty, grease-fest did the trick. (You may require exactly the same thing if your eve was a little excessive.)
These days I need to feel I deserve an indulgent start to my day and I need to make sure I will not fill the rest of it with self flagellation. Unfortunately, when my breakfast does not start with making a smart choice, I don't compensate by making one for lunch or for dinner. Rather, I succumb and eat irresponsibly for the next 16 hours. But, Monday is the real start of the New Year. I mean it's already Friday, and then there's the weekend (which is never a good time to start to behave), so rather than thinking today is 'New Year, New You', I will put off today what I can do next week. And if I keep saying that over and over again, maybe I'll start to believe it. I'm going to let the devil win this battle, shut up, and make my breakfast already.
I am so grateful to my friend Suzanne Pirret for doing the math and creating a delicious pancake recipe for one-ish since most recipes produce enough for a crowd. This recipe could serve two people if that's how many you are and you are planning on eating every component of this breakfast. If that is the case then make four eggs and four slices of bacon. If not, you may have some batter left over. Or maybe you'll eat four pancakes yourself. Which is okay. For today. This meal must be enjoyed in relative peace and quiet. Do not answer the phone, sit by the computer or watch TV. Newspaper reading is allowed. And no, you don't even have to go to the gym today. Did you hear me?! (Did I hear me?)

No Reason I Can't Have A Lumberjill Breakfast-Blueberry Pancakes, Eggs & Bacon
Printer Friendly Version
Ingredients
2 eggs
2 slices of bacon
2-4 pancakes, see recipe below

Breakfast Prep

Pour some maple syrup into microwave safe pitcher and set aside.
Place oven proof plate in regular oven and heat to 250.
Crack two eggs into small bowl, do not beat.
Place 2 slices bacon between 2 paper towels, place on microwave safe plate, place in microwave. Do not cook yet.

Start Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes
adapted from "The Pleasure is All Mine: Selfish Food for Modern Life" by Suzanne Pirret

Ingredients
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
squeeze of small lemon wedge
1 egg separated
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup blueberries
1 Tablespoon butter

Pancakes-Directions
In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
Pour milk into glass one cup measuring cup, squeeze lemon wedge and stir.
Briskly stir in vanilla and egg yolk.
In small bowl whisk egg white until it retains a soft peak.
Gently stir milk mixture into flour mixture, do not overmix.
Gently fold whipped egg white into flour/milk mixture, do not overmix.

In medium frying pan melt butter over medium-high heat until sizzling.

Drop spoonfuls or ladlefuls of batter into pan, making two pancakes at a time.

Gently scatter blueberries on top of pancakes.
When pancakes are bubbling, flip and cook through.
Carefully place pancakes on warmed plate in oven.

Eggs & Bacon
Using the pancake frying pan, heat another tablespoon of butter until sizzling.
Pour eggs into pan and cook.
While eggs are frying, nuke bacon for 2-3 minutes until they reach desired crispiness.

Take bacon out of microwave, slip in pitcher of maple syrup and nuke 40 seconds.

Cook eggs until they reach desired set (I like mine medium with only a little shake, others like them firmer)

Using a potholder, remove pancake plate from oven, slide eggs onto plate, add bacon, drown in maple syrup.