In the past I've mentioned how I've tried to give my breakfast a nutrition boost by replacing my usual granola and yogurt or oatmeal options with a green smoothie. That didn't end up working for me since I have a strong preference for chewing my meals. I would find myself wanting to eat a second breakfast and since I'm not a Hobbit, I need to limit the amount of meals I'm having before noon. Last winter I tried overnight oats. I enjoyed them and could pack lots of stuff in there, but was adding a decent amount of maple syrup to sweeten it up. After doing my cleanse this Fall, I decided to take a hard look at the amount of sugar in my diet. I don't crave dessert type foods very often, and tend to lean towards salty and savory foods, with the exception of breakfast. Growing up eating breakfast cereal most every day left a lasting imprint on my habits. Even though I mostly eat plain yogurt with my granola, I drizzle it with maple syrup and then add either golden raisins, banana or blueberries, depending on the season. I also took a look at the sugar content of the granola I eat, and was surprised to find it was 10g per serving. Compared to other granolas, I found it to be much less sweet tasting, but that's a pretty big dollop of sugar in the morning. My oatmeal may be a bit less, but I'm guessing it's still up there. So I'm searching for alternatives. I think I can change up the overnight oats mixture to provide a lower sugar, yet tasty option. This week, I tried this recipe and found it tasty and satisfying with the only sugar coming from the banana.
Mainly I'm trying to reduce my sugar because as I age I find my metabolism changing. Also, the creator of the cleanse I did has a firm belief that if you start the day with sugar, you end the day with sugar. I figure reducing sugar can't hurt and I can find an equally as enjoyable breakfast, so it's not a sacrifice, but a shift in habit.
Adding eggs to oatmeal doesn't add flavor, in my opinion, but it does add sustenance. It keeps me full longer. The original recipe called for a whole banana, but I used half since that's all I had and I think that was enough, but go for a whole one if you prefer getting more banana into your diet.
The mug-bowl in this picture is a special one. It was given to me as a gift by my friend Kathy. She bought it for me from a local potter during a girls weekend I wasn't able to attend at the last minute. I don't have anything else like it and think it's very pretty. I save it for days when I feel like I need a boost, so I can start my day with something that makes me smile.
Oatmeal with eggs
3/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (start with this amount and add more if necessary I used oat milk and more of a 1:1 ratio with the oats by the time I was done)
1/2 - a whole ripe banana, mashed (amount based on preference)
1 tspn cinnamon
1. Put all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
2. Cook until all liquid is absorbed, the eggs are cooked and it's reached oatmeal consistency. Add more milk if necessary.
3. Top with slivered almonds or anything you like on top your oatmeal.
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