With these five healthy breakfasts, you’ll definitely have a good morning, and a smooth day later on.
I know, Honey Nut Cheerios is easier, but when it comes to food and children it’s worth going out of your way. Not that these super-nutritious breakfasts require too much effort – not at all – just a bit of extra time and willingness.
I love knowing that my little, precious kids are off to school with comforting, wholesome food in their stomachs.
You can always resort to cereal on early weekend mornings while you are still sleepy and have zero motivation to get out of bed and prepare something better than a bowl of milk with Vanilla Puffs. (Now that Leo is ten, we don’t get up early in the weekends anymore. He “makes” cereal for his little brother and himself, and lets us sleep in! Hallelujah!)
1. Granola & Yogurt – 1 minute (assuming you prepared it the night/day before.) People always assume that making homemade granola is complicated. It is so NOT. It’s a simple and quick process. It is also cheaper and healthier than any store-bought granola, which I find MUCH too sweet. Why buy it when you can make it better and cheaper?
2. YAW – 5 minutes – is one of my husband’s accidental inventions. He made it one morning while I was pregnant with Leo, which was ten years ago, and, since then, this dish full of fiber, protein, and essential oils has become a morning ritual in our house. It’s basically a bowl with plain yogurt, diced apples, and some crushed walnuts, with a light drizzle of honey or maple syrup. The important thing is that the apples should be crispy firm & sweet. We like Fuji, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith. You can swap the walnuts with any other nuts you want. Kids love this combination!
3. Toast with Avocado & Paprika – 5 minutes. It doesn’t get any more simple and nutritious than this. It’s very much about the bread. A good whole-grained bread will make this breakfast more beneficial, rich in fiber, and delicious. Don’t skip the light sprinkle of paprika or cayenne pepper and sea salt. They will enjoy it more. I promise.
4. Quick Kale Shakshuka – 15 minutes including cooking time. This dish is something I make for myself as a late breakfast after a workout. (In case you are wondering, my workouts are 30 minutes, tops, and are usually before 9am.) My kids don’t favor this one at all, but I do.
5. Banana, Prune & Hazelnut Oatmeal – 12 minutes (including cooking time) For years I couldn’t enjoy oatmeal. Until one day, a couple of years ago, I discovered this combination that made my oatmeal creamier (remember? I don’t eat dairy) and crunchier, and, of course, richer and tastier.
Serves 2 adults and two kids
- 1 cup quick steel cut oats (Can be found at Trader Joe’s)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup almond milk (or half cup coconut milk)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 banana sliced
- 5 prunes or any other desired dried fruits (my kids don’t like it with dried fruits but maybe yours will)
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
To serve with
- Handful toasted hazelnuts or any other nuts you like – crushed (while the oatmeal is cooking you can toast the nuts in a toaster oven for 5–8 minutes, then let them cool a bit, put a bunch in your hand and scrub them with both hands to remove the skin).
- Silan (date syrup), maple or agave to drizzle on top.
Directions
- Put all the oatmeal ingredients in a medium heavy bottom sauce pan and bring to boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes with lid partially covering the pot.
- Cover the pot completely then let the oatmeal cook without stirring until it has begun to thicken and the oats are soft, about 7 minutes. Continue cooking for additional 5 minutes, or until oats have soaked up majority of liquid and are at desired consistency.
- Remove from the heat and serve into bowls. Top with hazelnuts and a drizzle of maple . Add a little sea salt and almond milk if you like.
Have an wholesome morning!
Recently I discovered that not only I can cook I can also draw. It’s so fun and relaxing. I wish I had more time for my new hobby. Anyway, it was very flattering and exciting to discover that other people beside my husband and kids like my illustrations. As I mention at my last post, Nate & Salli at They Cook and Draw love them! Included my latest recipe for kids or anyone, who is new to the kitchen. Enjoy Toast with King Acavado. Check it out, http://www.theydrawandcook.com/recipes/toast-with-king-acavado-by-shelly-gilad
After two months free of stress and pain, two weeks ago I was attacked by an unexplainable and horrible fatigue that killed every bit of liveliness or energy in my body. As usual, I immediately assumed the worst, but then I noticed the people around me complaining about the same thing, saying that it’s probably something in the over-polluted air of Los Angeles. Now, I can’t do caffeine, and I always assume if I eat better I will feel better. And it does work. Cutting down on sugar definitely helped. I even convinced my poor husband, who’s a sugar addict, to quit sugar. (Four days later he said that life is meaningless without it, and started to eat sugar again.) But the fact that I stopped eating sugar doesn’t mean my kids (or my cooking obsession) have to stop. I couldn’t resist those beautiful tart apricots in the market when I spotted them, which cost me $1 per pound for freshly picked organic apricots (at the West Hollywood Farmers’ Market). Their season is so brief that you have to make a jam out of them, even if just a little bit. You can’t make a homemade jam without licking the wooden spoon a few times. I kept telling myself nobody ever died from eating a little bit of their favorite jam. Plus, I did cut the amount of sugar in the recipe. My husband and I have this ongoing argument: which jam is best? I say apricot, he says strawberry. Leo, who likes tart flavors, agrees with me, and Alex, who’s a sweet-monster, agrees with my husband. There is no question, apricot is the best! 
