Guiltless Splurge

Bowl. Cereal. Milk. Spoon. Eat. Repeat.

When did one of the greatest food combinations become some boring? Yes, I consider cereal as one of THEE greatest food combinations out there. Think about it:

The blend of textures – crunchy, softened, chewy, absorbed.

The blend of flavors: sweet, savory, dulcified, mellow.

The contrast in colors: deep, golden, pale, vibrant, pastel.

The meal time possibilities: breakfast, brunch, lunch, late night snack.

I can go on and on about the wonders of cereal in which often go unnoticed because of its staple in the American diet. Bowl. Cereal. Milk. Pour. Repeat.

What I am about to describe is not the average American’s cereal, but why shouldn’t we revamp the typical “cereal” combination.

BASE: Let’s start by replacing milk with more flavorful options: unsweetened vanilla almond breeze is a personal favorite. Too adventurous? Try original soy milk (silk). Like it sweet? Vanilla Soy Milk. Even if you’re not a foodie, vegetarian, vegan, etc. give your cereal a better bath to soak up in. Yogurt. Kefir. Soy Milk. Almond Milk.

CONTENTS: 

Frozen Fruit. Frozen blueberries & frozen bananas are the best when they just start to thaw. This requires a taste for the oozing blueberries or the mashed banana texture. Once ripe, try putting bananas in the freezer. After completely frozen, throw them in the microwave for a few seconds. You can’t believe it’s the same fruit that went into the freezer. Once microwaved, it releases a banana flambe flavor thats richly sweet and savory at the same time. Great with oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, toasts, peanut butter.

Crunch Factor. Put down the rice krispies, cheerios, or special K. Go Wild. Try new granolas. I combine more plain cereals, such as Rice Chex, with more flavorful granolas and cereals, such as Kashi or Special K varieties. The Rice Chex makes it look more full, while the granola gives it more taste.

Health Factor. Those black specs are Chia Seeds. They’re rich with omega-3’s [the good fat]. Other than fish, avocado, and nuts, most people don’t eat many sources of omega-3 . . . let alone eat them at breakfast! But chia seeds are fascinating. They have an absorptive property that thickens whatever you add them too. (you can add 1 tbsp of chia seeds + water in place of eggs when baking). They’re also great in oatmeal because they double the size of your oatmeal. Who doesn’t want twice the amount?

Personalization. Nuts. Seeds. Toasted Coconut. Melted Peanut Butter. Almond Butter. Sun Butter. Yogurt. Fruit. Cinnamon. Cayenne. Brown Sugar. Bananas. Blueberries. Pineapple. Dark Chocolate. Almond Milk. Soy Milk. Kefir. Peaches. Apricots.

In a rush? Pack the dry ingredients in a plastic baggie, most cafe’s have milk don’t they?

Cerously, what’s in that bowl?

Frozen Blueberries

Thawed Frozen Bananas

Kefir

Kind Maple Walnut Granola

Rice Chex

Toasted Coconut

Chia Seeds

Prep Time: 5 Minutes.