Today, we start in Northern Europe, where oats grow better than wheat. And we end the day in Korea, eating pancakes with shrimp.  Feel like a world traveler yet?

Blueberry-Oatmeal Pudding      301 calories                  Another fine recipe ‘inspired’ by Marion Cunningham’s The Breakfast Book. Well, actually I used only a few of her ingredients. Those of you who like oatmeal must try this. HINT: the recipe makes enough for two meals. One to eat now, one to freeze for another morning.

1/2  cup oatmeal, cooked in 1 cup water                                      2 tsp maple syrup [the REAL stuff, please]                                 1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese                                                 pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg                                                         2 Tbsp blueberries [fresh or frozen] per serving                        2 1/2 oz of apple per person                                                                 5-6 oz fruit smoothie or natural apple cider                                                                                           blackish coffee or blackish tea or lemon in hot water

Cook the oatmeal in the water.  Take off heat and stir in the maple syrup.  Let cool a bit.  While it is still warm, stir in the cottage cheese. Let sit until cool. HINT: I did this part the night before while cleaning up after dinner.  If making one portion, pour half of the pudding in a freezer container and top with 2 Tbsp blueberries. Freeze it.  HINT: Make the entire batch. Eat half of it today and freeze the rest for a really simple-to-prepare breakfast later.  With the remainder, stir in 2 Tbsp blueberries and pour the pudding into a ramekin.  Nuke it for a minute to heat through — longer than that and it will bubble over. Serve with the apple slices, fruit smoothie, and hot beverage for a hearty, healthy, yummy meal.

Korean Shrimp Pancakes 290 cal 8.5 g. fat 15.35 g. protein 35 g. carbs

Adapted from Rush Hour Cookbook, this is enough to serve TWO people.

2 oz egg white

two 2-oz eggs

1 cup flour

1/4# shrimp

2 green onions = 1 Tbsp green parts, 2 Tbsp whites part

¾ cup zucchini, julienned

2/3 cup carrot, julienned

½ c water

1 Tbsp soy sauce

oil to spray on the pan

¼ cup applesauce, unsweetened

¼ tsp ground ginger

chopped mint leaves

Thaw the shrimp in a bowl, retaining the thawing liquid. Poach the shrimp in the liquid until just cooked. Remove shrimp and chop. Put the green onions, zucchini and carrots in the liquid, adding water if needed. Steam the veg until they are softening, note that the carrot will take longer. Reserve the cooked veg. Beat the eggs and egg white together. Add the flour, ½ cup water, soy sauce and whisk together. Add the shrimp and vegetables. Stir to combine. Heat a nonstick pan until medium hot. Add a spray of oil if needed. Scoop up the batter by tablespoonsful and put it on the pan. The batter will spread a little to about 3” diameter. There should be some veg and shrimp in each scoopfull. Let cook until browned on one side, then flip over. Batter should make 20 pancakes, 10 per person.

Korean Shrimp Pancakes    290 cal         8.5 g. fat            15.35 g. protein          35 g. carbs      Adapted from Rush Hour Cookbook, this is enough to serve TWO people.

2 oz egg white   = white of one egg                                                                                                       two 2-oz eggs                                                                                                                                                 1 cup flour                                                                                                                                              1/4 pound shrimp                                                                                                                                          2 green onions = 1 Tbsp green parts, 2 Tbsp whites part           ¾ cup zucchini, julienned                                                          2/3 cup carrot, julienned                                                             ½ c water                                                                                             1 Tbsp soy sauce                                                                                                                                     oil to spray on the cooking pan                                                                                                              1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened                                                                                                           1/2 tsp ground ginger                                                                                                                                   2-3 chopped fresh mint leaves

Thaw the shrimp in a bowl, retaining the thawing liquid. Poach the shrimp in the liquid until just cooked. Remove shrimp and chop. Put the green onions, zucchini and carrots in the liquid, adding water if needed. Steam the veg until they are softening, note that the carrot will take longer. Reserve the cooked veg. Beat the eggs and egg white together. Add the flour, ½ cup water, soy sauce and whisk together. Add the shrimp and vegetables. Stir to combine. Heat a nonstick pan until medium hot. Add a spray of oil if needed. Scoop up the batter by tablespoonsful and put it on the pan. The batter will spread a little to about 3” diameter. There should be some veg and shrimp in each scoopfull. Let cook until browned on one side, then flip over. Batter should make 20 pancakes, 10 per person.  Combine the applesauce, ginger, and mint leaves. Plate and enjoy.