Breakfast of Champion [Renovators]

So my fridge is on my back porch (plugged in thankfully), the stove is also on the back porch (not plugged in), and my pantry staples are beneath a piles of other displaced main floor  items in the basement.

So what's girl to do for breakfast?

After a month of living in reno chaos, I have sampled all the take-out breakfast that I can handle.  I don't really want to look at another egg for a while. Yesterday I actually had a salad for breakfast at the local tavern simply for want of something different.

So today after a particularly warm morning dog walk, what I could really go for was a cold bowl of cereal.  Having nothing you would traditionally call cereal in the house, I got creative with some of the smoothie staples in my fridge.

I got all the crunch and creamy satisfaction of cereal, but with nary a grain in sight.  Instead, I used nuts, seed, fresh & dried fruit, and two different nut milks to make a delicious, nutritious, bowl that puts the 'fast' in breakfast. So this might be a good option for anyone trying to reduce their carbs or even those on a paleo-diet(?) I'm not as well versed with that one but I know its gaining some popularity.

Grain-Free Cold Cereal

Start with a base of whatever fresh fruit you have on hand; berries or stone fruits could be nice additions later in the year and apples are always a satisfying bet. Top with nuts and/or seeds of your choice, good ones are sliced almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, hemp hearts, chia, flaxseed, or dried unsweetened coconut flakes. Add a sprinkling of dried fruit for some sweetness, flavor and texture contrast such as raisins, currants, blueberries, cranberries, chopped fig, prunes, or dried gogi berries. Top with some ice cold milk of your choice - my favorites are almond, soy, hemp or coconut (all unsweetened).  Other additions are little fresh ground cinnamon or nutmeg, and a drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup if you have to have it sweeter but try it first and you might find you don't need to. The combinations are endless, so experiment to find your own bowl of goodness.

Serves 1

What I had on hand today:

• 1 large apple, cored and sliced into bite-sized chunks
• 1 (modest) handful of sliced roasted unsalted almonds
• 2 T of hemp hearts (a.k.a. shelled hemp seeds)
• 1 t dried gogi berries
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 2 T lite coconut milk (from a can) drizzled on top

Enjoy your crunchy breakfast cereal!