A Better Breakfast
Recently, while shopping in the grocery store, I (accidentally), stumbled upon the cereal aisle. As I glanced over the boxes, I noticed a common theme. All of the boxes had prominent writing touting their individual health claims. The health information presented on the fronts of the boxes, screamed, in desperation, "We're healthy and full of goodness, please buy me!" One cereal claimed that 9/10 doctors recommended it, and another wrote "whole grain" on the box a grand total of six times. Well, that whole grain was corn and hardly the ideal form to be consuming it in. Corn, in general, is up for debate but that's for a different day...
Everything has it's place and time. Cereal could be an okay food to serve up for breakfast on a camping trip or as a treat on the occasional Shabbos morning, but as a regular morning meal, it ain't gonna cut it.
Here are a few easy, quick breakfast ideas that will help you start the day the right way.
Fruit smoothie- Invest in a Vitamix, (expensive, but great if you use daily, and also, to make your own nut butters and even homemade better-than-Nutella chocolate spread), or a Fruit Ninja (compact and easy to store/clean- now available in most stores that sell small appliances here in the Holy Land.) An immersion blender or regular blender works well too! I usually add almond
milk, some frozen fruit, a little fresh mint, a hint of maple syrup, and a generous tablespoon of chia seeds. Blend till smooth and sip away!
Oatmeal- An oldie but a goodie! Half a cup of cooked oats is full of fiber and slow-burning carbohydrates. Add some frozen blueberries, a big ol' sprinkle of cinnamon, some chia, and a drop of maple syrup if you want.
Sprouted Spelt Bread with tehina- Two slices of sprouted spelt bread from The Natural Choice Bakery is full of preservative-free goodness! Add a tablespoon of tehina for some calcium and a veggie of your choice for a power breakfast that will keep you going til lunchtime. Don't have time in the morning for bread? The Natural Choice also makes delicious spelt crackers. Stock up so you always have a whole grain, easy to transport, carb on hand.
An apple and a piece of (goat) cheese- Sometimes you just have to run out the door, so before you do, grab a carb and a protein to stave off a noon-time bureka binge at Café Neeman. Really, any cheese will do, but goat is easier to digest. There are some very happy goats living at Moshav Matityahu if you want some really special cheese. Check out my previous post here.
These are just a few ideas to get your day started with some whole foods. Remember, as far as food goes, if it's made from a plant, eat it. If it's made in a plant, ditch it!