A few years ago, I was able to take a Food Intolerance Test (FIT) which revealed results that subsequently changed my diet. The results of this test were definitely life changing.
I learned the reason I always felt so lethargic and suffered from migraines was because I was eating food that I couldn’t digest properly. I am intolerant to eggs, wheat, and dairy. When I would eat these foods, my body would shut down, I would feel like I needed a nap, experience brain fog, and would often feel gassy, and bloated.
Luckily, my FIT test, gave me an additional reason to eat more US POTATOES!
The changes I made in my diet helped me feel better and alleviated the migraines I would suffer on a monthly basis. I switched to more grilled meats and fish and potatoes replaced pasta and bread.
Potatoes are carbohydrates that I don’t feel guilty eating. Even as a child my snack of choice would be a boiled potato straight from the fridge.
Nino’s first foray back into biking started with mountain biking. June 2009
My husband used to ride bikes, sometimes, up to 60 miles by going to Tagaytay and back!
Because he was so serious about his training, I had to become serious about two things:
1. Feeding him properly before he would train for his long bike ride
2. Feeding him AND his buddies when they were done with their workouts and long rides
When they got back home, I would always have a huge breakfast ready for all the guys. Most of the guys weren’t as particular as Nino was, so I just made sure to have a lot of food on the table to satisfy everyone’s hunger.
Since taking my FIT test, and those long rides Nino used to take up to Tagaytay, I have learned a little bit more about proper nutrition. Come to think of it, my increase in knowledge about certain foods is always centered around how I can feed the love of my life better.
When Nino is ready to get back to cycling and working out, I know that I can prepare US Potato dishes to help him train more effectively. We always enjoy our usual baked US Potatoes with different toppings and roasted veggies. In fact, now that we know that US potatoes provide us with tremendous health benefits, the more that we will look for for healthier ways to eat this SUPER versatile vegetable.
US Potatoes:
•are fat free
•are gluten free
•are an excellent source of vitamin C
•are a good course of vitamin B6
•are sodium and cholesterol free
•AND is only 110 calories per serving w/ skin on (1 serving is 5.2 oz)
•they are affordable, contain potassium, fiber, protein, vitamin E, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
“Carbohydrates provide the primary fuel for your brain and are the key source of energy for muscles. They are optimal for physical and mental performance and because your body’s own store of carbohydrates are limited, even on single session of prolonged exercise it is important to replenish them.” –www.potatogoodness.com/performance
Did you know that eating a potato can nourish your body with 620 milligrams of potassium? (That’s more than a banana!) Potassium is an important electrolyte and aids in muscle, cardiovascular, and nervous system function!
Photo Credit: www.potatogoodness.com/performance
I’ve shared some other US Potatoes recipes before here on the blog and I really do love this versatile vegetable even more now.
Thankfully, it’s a carbohydrate I can eat (besides rice) that doesn’t make me feel ill after I eat it. So this is why I felt totally inspired to share a new recipe and a super fancy way of sharing one of our family’s favorite side dishes.
Truth be told, in serving US mashed Potatoes this way, the focus of these Breakfast Parfaits becomes the almighty potato.
And I couldn’t be happier with how my ideas turned out.
Power Packed Brunch Jars L-R: Maple Bacon Potato Parfait, Soy Garlic Shrimp Wasabi Potato Parfait, Parmesan Truffle Potato Parfait
In fact, when I was brainstorming the ideas for these recipes the inspiration came from Nino’s brunch with some of his friends. He was sharing how he had this delicious Truffle Mashed Jar with a Perfectly Poached Egg and he even had toasted bread sticks to dip.
It sounded so yummy, I got to thinking about how I would love to not only, recreate that dish for him, (without the bread) but how I would like to change it up a little as well.
MAPLE BACON POWER BRUNCH JAR
Whenever I make mashed potatoes there are a few things that I always make sure to add to the mix. Good Butter. Whole Milk. And lots of salt and pepper. In this case, I have been on a Himalayan Salt kick and it has been a lovely addition to my kitchen arsenal. Many mashed potato lovers like to keep it simple. BUT sometimes, I mix in carrots, and when I was living in the states, I would mix in parsnips as well.
For this variation of my Power Brunch Jars, I wanted to focus on flavors of Autumn.. Something that might even remind me a little of Thanksgiving. Layering US mashed Potatoes with cinnamon spiced pumpkin and maple bacon felt like a good idea.
And because I love brunch so much, the perfectly poached egg completes the meal.
SOY GARLIC SHRIMP POWER BRUNCH JAR
Living in the Philippines has offered me many opportunities to explore Asian flavors when preparing meals for my family. While I did grow up with a few staple Pinoy dishes in our home as a child, my inspiration and exploration of Asian cuisine is something that I have been much more comfortable with, only in the past few years because of my friend Sabrina.
I dedicate this Asian Inspired Power Packed Brunch Jar to her. The layers of US mashed Potatoes sandwich a layer of soy garlic shrimp, and a layer of wasabi mashed violet camote. I had to keep tasting the violet camote since it is a sweet potato, I had to add extra wasabi for the flavors to come through.
PARMESAN TRUFFLE POWER BRUNCH JAR
This leveled up US mashed Potato power packed brunch jar is loaded with rich earthy flavors from freshly grated parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella cheese, and truffle oil. Folding in all these flavors with a little extra butter and milk making it super creamy made all the difference.
And who doesn’t love a perfectly poached egg that is runny and warm with such a beautiful brunch?
Now, all that’s missing?
A really good cup of coffee.
To know more about US potatoes visit their Facebook page at https://web.facebook.com/PotatoesUSAPhilippines/
