A Veg Head, Power Food Breakfast

As the folks around me seem to be dropping like flies due to stomach flus, common cold viruses, and various other types of maladies and malaise, my fuzzy idea of healthier eating suddenly comes into sharper focus.  I don't know if I can ward off the nasty germs by exercising and eating well, but I sure am going to try.

For me, that means breakfast is no longer boxed cereal (not even the organic, well-meaning granola I like).  Rather, it's homemade oatmeal for breakfast.  Now, I love oatmeal, and I get on kicks where I eat it for long stretches at a time.  But, the fact of the matter is that it is not without its drawbacks.  It does take a bit of preparation.  When it is all said and done, though, really, what's ten minutes out of your morning to get a good head start on the day?  Food is fuel, after all.

So, here's my recipe:

EASY PEASY BASIC OATMEAL - The Breakfast of Champions and Average Runners Alike (makes two bowls of oatmeal)

Ingredients:

1 cup oatmeal

2 cups water

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 Tbs chia seeds

4 Tbs chopped walnuts

2 Tbs maple syrup

Soymilk

Directions:

Mix the oatmeal, water, and cinnamon in a pot and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer on med-low heat for three minutes.

Take pot off the heat, add the cranberries, cover, and let sit for two more minutes.  Stir.

Stir the chia seeds, walnuts, and maple syrup into the pot.  Basically, done!  Dish out the oatmeal, and, if desired, add soymilk to taste.

DONE!

The thing I like about this is that the recipe is really flexible as far as what to add.  Use other nuts in place of walnuts.  Add flax seed instead of chia seed.  Use agave or molasses in place of maple syrup.  Use a different type of dried fruit in place of cranberries, or use fresh fruit.  You can even cook the oats in apple juice instead of water for more of an apple-cinnamon flavor.  The possibilities are endless really.

I add to that some OJ and a cup of coffee from my favorite coffee maker, and I am good to go for the morning hours.  

Chemex coffee maker.  The best coffee maker
in the world!

 Happy eating!  Stay healthy!