The purpose of today's post is to begin a discussion about energy-dense food, and to explain why it’s actually okay, on occasion, to eat food like today’s polski kiełbasa, especially for breakfast. This delicious sausage might be pretty high in fat and protein, but that does not mean it is by definition unhealthy.

Finding a healthier breakfast means looking for items with some fiber and protein (which makes them more satisfying), but not too much saturated fat or total fat. Unhealthy items include: McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast and Burger King's Enormous Omelet Sandwich. Best breakfast choice: Starbucks low-fat muffins.

Farina (from the Italian word for "flour") is a bland-tasting meal made from cereal grains, nuts, or starchy roots. Farina is a protein-rich food, often cooked in boiling water and eaten for breakfast, or cooked with milk and made into semolina pudding. It is used as an ingredient in many dishes and in processed foods such as breakfast cereals and pasta.Farina is made from the germ and endosperm of the grain, which is milled to a fine granular consistency and then sifted. Although the bran and most of the germ are removed, this cereal is sometimes enriched with Vitamin B and iron. Farina, by itself, is most often served as a breakfast cereal, but can also be cooked like polenta. "Cream of Wheat" and Farina Mills' "Farina" (see photo at right) are brand names of a type of wheat farina used for porridge.While Farina has been compared to grits; they are, in fact, very different, the only real similarity being that both are hot cereals. Farina is finely ground wheat, while grits is made from corn, and is of a coarser texture. See alsoGritsCream of Wheat - the most famous brand of wheat farina porridge ReferencesFarina at U.S. Mills official website.Farina at Epicurious' Food Dictionary.