Simple Paleo Cook: 4:30am Morning Snacks / Breakfast Roundup (Chicken/Sweet Potatoes/Broccoli)

I woke up super early today to give myself enough time to prepare my morning snacks and have some breakfast before leaving my apartment for a 6:15am Yoga class. One of the hardest parts about eating well is you do have to do some prep work and some planning otherwise you may find yourself hungry and out of good options. I dragged myself out of bed and my cat quickly decided it was a good time to get some attention as well (I promise not to post *too* many cat pictures...but I can't resist a few).

Step 1: Wake up.

Step 2: Roll around and request scratches =).

At this point the cat and I were both awake. Time for some food action! I try to always have some snacks on me just in case I get hungry, which I always do. Today I went with what is pictured below.

The whole gambit. Of course I didn't take the stuff on the right; I just took the glass tupperware filed with baby kale, two "tom cot" apricots, fresh local raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, an organic banana, some unsalted roasted pistachios, and finally some unsalted raw organic almonds.

Mmmm....berries. How can you go wrong with berries? I guess they are a bit high in sugars, but meh..I'm okay with that! They're natural and wonderful. These I picked up at a local farmers market in Woodinville, WA. A full flat cost $12. I brought 'em home, washed 'em, dried 'em, bagged 'em, and began eating 'em =).

The left over stash. Back to the fridge with you!

Just a little close-up of the daily snacks.

Okay, snacks...check. Now for some breakfast! I've become a fan of throwing a whole bunch of goodness together in a jumble for lack of a better name. I used to be that kid that couldn't have any food touching any other food. Can you relate? My how things have changed.

What I used for breakfast:

-Left over chicken from the lemon, rosemary, and garlic chicken recipe.

-Left over sweet potatoes (cooked in a slow cooker, recipe...if you can call it that, they're super easy...coming soon).

-Fresh broccoli.

-Fresh eggs.

-Ghee (What the ghee is ghee? It's clarified, grass-fed butter. So...it's butter =). But better!)

Tools:

-Cast Iron Skillet

-Cutting Board

Instructions:

1. Crack eggs. Scramble 'em up. Prep other items.

Left over chicken/sweet potatoes alongside the morning eggs.

I had a conversation with my father one day while he was visiting from Chicago about how to crack an egg. Now I use a hard flat surface; Like my counter-top.

Slightly smashed on my counter-top and ready to break open.

2. Preheat the cast iron skillet. Cast iron takes a little while longer to preheat than a regular skillet. The handle also gets hot so use caution.

Cast iron skillet heating up; Everything else prepped and ready to go so I can focus on (cooking?) heating some deliciousness-up.

3. I put a little coconut oil on the bottom of the skillet to help the eggs not stick.

4. Start the eggs cooking. Shortly afterwards, just when the eggs start to form, throw everything else in: The chicken, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and a little bit of ghee-tastic ghee.

Eggs ;).

The whole jumble (with slightly cooked eggs at this point).

Ghee!

Just about done...

Annnnnd onto the plate! Finally! (Note: Hot handle!)

Okay, the food is on the plate...but wait! Cast iron is best cleaned and re-seasoned right away. One of the cool things about cast iron is you clean it using NO SOAP. Just hot water and a scrub brush/sponge. I swear I've built arm strength just holding this skillet while I scrub it.

Clean that skillet *before* you eat your delicious meal. Just hot water and a little elbow grease ;).

Pop a little ghee in the skillet to "re-season" it. This keeps it nice and naturally non-stick as well as adding a bit of flavor to it. Cast iron improves with use and time but you have to take care of it!

I use a paper towel to rub around the ghee and make the cast iron nice and shiny again =). I like delicious shiny things.

5. Let everything cook for a little while stirring almost constantly...then enjoy!

Eat!

6. (Optional) Gather all your stuff really fast and run/bike off to Yoga! Don't forget coffee. Also, because you probably shouldn't eat all of those delicious treats you baked, bring some along to unload on unsuspecting co-workers/yoga teachers ;).