“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.”

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“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.”

February 5, 2012 by Robin Ellis

“To eat well in England you should have breakfast three times a day.”
W. Somerset Maugham

“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.”
John Gunther

“Oysters are the usual opening to a winter breakfast. Indeed, they are almost indispensable.”
Grimod de la Reyniere (1758-1838)

“Life, within doors, has few pleasanter prospects than a neatly arranged and well-provisioned breakfast table.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)

“Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.”
Oscar Wilde

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”

I’m sure my mother said that a few times!

Breakfast before I set off on my walk this morning was the same as every morning and no sign of an oyster!

large organic oat flakes mixed with

freshly cracked walnuts,

a dried untreated apricot–chopped up

a teaspoon of linseeds

a prune,

half a pot of no fat organic yogurt with

cinnamon sprinkled on top

and moistened with oat milk.

Two slices of 100% rye bread with a little butter and pear & apple fruit spread (no added sugar)

The same every morning? Yes!

Dull?

Not for me–I look forward to it–once a day at least!

Maybe we are at our most conservative, most in need of ritual just after waking up, but I find the assembling and eating of this bowl of goodies a daily delight.

Meredith’s breakfast tray rested on a pillow in front of her (see below a summer version).

The fire in the kitchen was established, the dishwasher emptied and lunch planned so why not add to this the pattern of virtuousness with another good deed–a healthful walk!

The first flakes of snow were falling gently and laying, so taking my chance I set out–fortified by this habitual breakfast.

The blacktop was slowly turning white as I walked down the road and the snowy mist descended.

Yesterday’s north wind that had roughed up my cheeks had ceased and it was warmer by several degrees.

There’s was no-one about–just the distant pop of a hunter’s gun somewhere over the fields.

Climbing the slope towards the house forty minutes later I could tell that no car had passed since I’d left and looking back I saw my footprints had clearly made their mark in the deepening white.

All was quiet as I entered the house–a ” leisurely” post breakfast calm had descended.

Meredith’s version of breakfast heaven! Porridge (cooked oats–large and small flakes), milk, “no fat” organic yogurt, a prune, seasonal fruit, cinnamon sprinkled over.

Posted in Food, other sides to this life, Recipes | Tagged breakfast, breakfast ideas, cinnamon, fruit spread, healthy breakfast, linseeds, morning walk, oats, organic 100% rye, organic yogurt, oscar wilde, porridge, prunes, snow, somerset maugham, untreated dry apricot, walnuts | 18 Comments

18 Responses

on February 5, 2012 at 5:33 pm | Reply frugalfeeding

I’ll go with the Wilde quote… I do find it difficult to perform to my high standards at that time of the morning 😀
on February 5, 2012 at 5:49 pm | Reply jafabrit

Meredith’s version looks very yummy. In the winter I like fruit compote with a dollop of yogurt and drizzle of honey and always a big cup of tea.

I do miss a fireplace though 😦

cheers to you both
on February 5, 2012 at 6:41 pm | Reply Genie Pohl

What a healthy breakfast, and a beautiful life. You have much to be grateful for. We have basically had no snow so far this winter in the mid-Atlantic states, and it has been very strange.
I have not even run the fire in the fireplace this year!
on February 5, 2012 at 7:07 pm | Reply Liz Turek

Healthy and delicious. In the temperatures we’ve been having here in Poland, I have to go with Meredith’s version for the time being, however. I bought a carton of oat milk a fortnight ago and it is still unopened. Your breakfast menu is the signal for me to open it tomorrow and experiment. Stay cosy!
- on February 5, 2012 at 7:38 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  And you! It’s colder chez vous I read.
on February 5, 2012 at 7:11 pm | Reply Liz Turek

PS. Your chicken with lemony sauce and capers was very tasty and well received today (served with buckwheat). It was quick and straightforward and is likely to become a permanent addition. Thank you!
on February 5, 2012 at 7:22 pm | Reply kathy kauffman

Great way to start your day! We have a saying here that oatmeal sticks to your ribs. In other words, a fortifying breakfast that will last till lunch. And give you energy.
Beautiful photos and text.
kathy
- on February 5, 2012 at 7:36 pm | Reply Robin Ellis
  
  I like “sticks to your ribs”–certainly does on mine. We don’t eat lunch ’til 2pm!
on February 5, 2012 at 7:59 pm | Reply Martina

When I read all these quotations about breakfast it comes into my head: When we were last summer in Brighton our English city guide welcomed us by the following words at the morning “I hope you have enjoyed a full English breakfast with bacon and eggs, sausages and black pudding ? We answered “Yes, sure but no black pudding” then she said ” I’m not typical English I prefer Bircher Muesli!” So much for sterotypes.
Here it’s also very cold brrrr… but warm against the temperatures in the East !
on February 5, 2012 at 8:16 pm | Reply Gail Frederick

Breakfast is my favorite meal, whether eating in or dining out. At home, I go through phases of eating the same thing for a while. Going out, it can change according to my mood and the menu.
on February 5, 2012 at 8:24 pm | Reply mary pirog

This is very similar to the breakfast I eat at my desk during the work week. Co-workers are unwrapping their pop tart junk food breakfast and I am savoring my oat mixture. Delicious!
on February 5, 2012 at 9:02 pm | Reply Katherine Tallmadge

You are so inspirational!
on February 5, 2012 at 11:09 pm | Reply Elaine Ward

I can hear my mum still saying to me as I dashed out the house,when I was living at home “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”& I hear myself saying the same thing to James,our son as he makes a dash out the house of a morning, & you know we are all right it is.I like to be up for a time before I have mine,usually wholemeal toast with butter, but your oats and fruit sound good, will give them a try.’though no oyster’s thank you.
on February 5, 2012 at 11:45 pm | Reply Penny

I’m pretty well hooked on oat porridge with fruit in season, and almonds or walnuts, maybe a dash of apple juice or milk. Satisfying! But I find it does not always stick to my ribs.
on February 6, 2012 at 2:43 pm | Reply Caroline P.

So that’s the secret….your healthy breakfast! It inspires me. My breakfast is 2 slices of biological bread with raspberry marmelade light with less sugar!
By the way Capricorns are a bit consevative so I understand!
I wouldn’t change this.
on February 6, 2012 at 9:24 pm | Reply Debra Wade

Ever since I discovered Bircher Muesli during visits to Geneva, I have had my own interpretation every morning – very similar to your recipe, with occasional variations: dried dates/figs/cranberries, flax seed, almonds, raisins, sunflower seeds, sultanas, pepitas – along with Greek style yogurt, which hopefully adds to its stick-to-the-ribs qualities.
on February 6, 2012 at 9:53 pm | Reply Faith Saffioti

I also have oatmeal for breakfast with trim milk and a tablespoon of ground linseed. Love the photo of the snowy countryside. I live in Wellington New Zealand and we had snow last year. Have lived here for over forty years and have never had snow like that. I’m afraid everyone went a bit crazy and had a great time.
on February 7, 2012 at 12:53 am | Reply Penny

Oh yes, I wanted to say, pretty picture of the snowy driveway and like your story.