A Very Good Place to Start

When you read you begin with A-B-C. When you sing you begin with do-re-mi. And when you're making some changes -- physical and mental -- you begin with . . . breakfast. I think we all know that whether we're in crisis or not, starting the day with a healthy meal is a step in the right direction.

Let's get to it:

EASY BAKED OATMEAL

What you'll need . . .

• 1-1/2 cup rolled oats (Bob's Red Mill = gluten-free)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3/4 cup plain coconut yogurt*
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2+ cup water (or almond milk, etc.)

* You can use whatever yogurt you have on hand. If you use Greek, you may want to experiment with adding more water so the resulting "dough" is scoopable/pourable.


Additions + Toppings:

• Blueberries
• Bananas
• Blackberries
• Sunflower seeds, brown sugar, walnuts, salt, extra almond butter

Method . . . 

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with coconut oil (or canola, etc.) and set aside. I used a dish with two segmented parts to make two different kinds of baked oatmeal, but this isn't necessary.
2. Mix the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and chia seeds together in a large bowl.
3. Then add in the yogurt, vanilla, almond butter, maple syrup, and water. As I mentioned above, the "dough" should be somewhat scoopable/pourable so it will cover all the fruit.
4. In your baking dish, lay a layer of fruit, a handful or so, like sliced bananas and blueberries. Then top with the oat mixture. 
5. Then add another handful of fruit and top with whatever you have on hand. I just tossed on what I mention in the ingredients. Just a pinch of salt and brown sugar did it for me, too.
6. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

What I enjoy most about this recipe is how adaptable it will be with whatever we have in the fridge. We picked up some local blueberries at the store the other day, which is why they're the highlight. However, I'm excited to try a fall variation teeming with fresh apples and nutmeg. Though we ate the majority of the dish (Ada included) fresh the first morning, it kept for breakfast today as well.

Yeah. It feels good to be back from vacation and cooking our meals from scratch. It's almost like I needed a hard break from my own kitchen to appreciate whole food again. It feels good in general to be back in our own space with lots of motivation and positive thoughts on my side. I'm ready for change and growth.

More soon. I hope you're all having a great morning! I very much appreciate your words of encouragement, comments, and emails.

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