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Breakfast of Champions

April 16th, 2009

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, at least that’s what they say. I must admit, I do love a good breakfast. We don’t do the usual cereal and milk like most people, we like a heartier breakfast of oatmeal & nuts. Since Nourishing Gourmet was having a breakfast carnival today, I thought I’d join and share what a typical breakfast at Chiot’s Run is like.
oatmeal-cooking
We don’t eat the normal oat flakes, we prefer oat groats, which are whole oat berries. I soak them overnight with a bit of apple cider vinegar to soften them up, then I cook them the next morning. Usually I cook up a big batch on Sunday night and we warm up enough for breakfast each morning, this makes for a quick healthy hearty breakfast each day.
oatmeal-toppings
We like to top our oatmeal with various toppings each morning including: crystalized ginger, pecans, walnuts, ground flax seeds, raisins, cranberries, dried pears, and cinnamon.
oatmeal-with-maple
We finish it off with a drizzle of maple syrup and then we enjoy our healthy breakfast. Hopefully I can find a source for local oats and then our morning meals will be local. (I am planting a few raisin grape vines to make our own raisins and I’m trying to grow some ginger of my own).

What’s your breakfast of champions?

22 Comments to “Breakfast of Champions”
  1. Mangochild on April 16, 2009 at 5:03 am

    Breakfast is hands down my fav meal of the day. My local grain grower was short on oats this year, but I have been enjoying their mixed whole grain combo at least several mornings a week. I sometimes will drizzle honey or maple syrup on top, but more often I’ll add a handful of fruit. This usually alternates with homemade bread from the same grower (I like to use different grains – whole wheat, rye, triticale, etc). I eat this with some homemade jam (cranberry of late), or even just plain toasted. Another option is some local yogurt with fruit and the granola I make from the same mixed grain combo I use for hot cereal.

    I’d have to say that the hot cereal is most often on my table. It includes oat groats, oats, flaxseeds, millet, rye, wheat berries, and some others I don’t even remember! Wonderful nutty taste.

    Mangochild’s last blog post.. Seedling Update: Transplanting and New “Adoptees”

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  2. ChristyACB on April 16, 2009 at 5:57 am

    Sounds very nourishing and warming! My normal breakfast is coffee, which isn’t good I know. Perhaps once I retire it won’t be quite so difficult to change my morning!

    ChristyACB’s last blog post.. Book Review – "One Second After"

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  3. kristin on April 16, 2009 at 8:00 am

    It took me a lot of years to discover that I need a lot of protein in the morning. So if I have oatmeal, I have to put in some peanut butter and milk. But the best breakfast for me is eggs (now handily delivered by my chickens–yay!) with either whole grain toast, or corn tortillas, cheese, and salsa. I don’t even bother just trying to have cold cereal–I’ll just be hungry an hour later.

    kristin’s last blog post.. A Snapshot

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    • Susy on April 16, 2009 at 10:45 pm

      I love eggs as well, but I’m allergic, so I eat them only occasionally.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  4. Sande on April 16, 2009 at 8:46 am

    That looks very good! I like that kind of breakfast but usually have plain old cereal because it’s quick. But when I make breakfast it’s steel cut oats with dried cherries and walnuts.

    Sande’s last blog post.. April Bloom Day

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  5. Dan on April 16, 2009 at 9:21 am

    I’m not really a breakfast person although I like breakfast foods, just not at breakfast. I’m more of a two cups of strong coffee with cream and sugar breakfast person.

    I am a big fan of oatmeal. My favorite combination is raisins & honey with the raisins cooked with the oatmeal so they go really soft. I have recently tried Irish Oatmeal which is whole oat berries cut up a bit. It was really good, I like how it stays kind of chewy.

    Why do try growing your own oats? If you add an addition raised bed of oats it would probably provide almost a years worth of oatmeal. If I ever have more space I’d love to grow my own grains for cereal & flour.

    Dan’s last blog post.. Seedling Show & Tell

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    • Susy on April 16, 2009 at 10:46 pm

      HM, I’ve never thought of growing my own oats. Perhaps a good experiment some year.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  6. ChicagoMike on April 16, 2009 at 10:47 am

    We try and change it up as much as possible. What I have discovered is the same thing all the studies point out. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day. It allows you to focus, have energy, concentrate, starts the metabolism (and goodness knows, I could use a more active metabolism!), etc, etc.

    I used to just have coffee, maybe a donut if it was there to grab, but with a toddler who INSISTS on breakfast, we have gotten into the habit.

    Plus, its nice to hang out and have some food for 10 minutes. It makes the mornings more like “here is the plan, Go Team!”.

    Reply to ChicagoMike's comment

    • Susy on April 16, 2009 at 10:46 pm

      We enjoy reading while eating breakfast, a great way to start the day, learning about something new or relaxing with a good book. It always gets us off on the right foot!

      Reply to Susy's comment

  7. warren on April 16, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    How about Mt Dew and Nerds candy?

    Not really…anymore. Nowadays I eat my fiber muffins and a tall glass of OJ. Wow…I guess I am old too

    warren’s last blog post.. You gotta see this…

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    • Susy on April 16, 2009 at 10:48 pm

      I know, that doesn’t cut it anymore (in college I used to eat Dr Pepper & Caramelos). We’re so old (see yesterday’s post :)

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Chicago Mike on April 16, 2009 at 11:05 pm

        Whats that? I couldn’t hear you? Speak up dear.

        to Chicago Mike's comment

  8. michelle on April 16, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    that looks really good! When I hear the phrase “breakfast of champions” I automatically think “beer”. LOL We just got out of college a few years ago so phrases like “Beer, it’s not just for breakfast anymore” are still very funny to me.

    michelle’s last blog post.. Pictures From Last Spring and Summer

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    • Susy on April 16, 2009 at 10:49 pm

      Cant’s say that I’ve every had beer for breakfast but it is made from barley.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  9. A Nourished Start: A Breakfast Carnival on April 16, 2009 at 11:21 pm

    […] Chiot’s Run, you will find a new “Breakfast of Champions”, soaked oat groats! Her pictures are beautiful! I love her tip for cooking up a large amount once a […]

    Reply to A Nourished Start: A Breakfast Carnival's comment

  10. Squawkfox on April 16, 2009 at 11:39 pm

    YAY Oat Groats! I also eat Steel Cut Oatmeal and Buckwheat for breakfast. I make a big batch on Sunday and keep it in my fridge to reheat each morning. Add some apple, some almonds, and whatever else is frozen in my freezer from the farm and Yum. There’s nothing like eating real cereals for breakfast. Plus, real groats cost a fraction of what boxed cereals sell for these days.

    Squawkfox’s last blog post.. 14 Things to Do Before and After a Car Accident

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  11. Friday Favorite: Breakfast Edition | Chiot's Run on November 12, 2010 at 4:47 am

    […] a steamy bowl of soaked oat groats with nuts and cinnamon and perhaps a drizzle of maple syrup (here’s my post about that). Of course the main foundation to our breakfast is a big cup of coffee, which I talked about on my […]

    Reply to Friday Favorite: Breakfast Edition | Chiot’s Run's comment

  12. Shannan on February 5, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    I’m new to whole-food, real-food, traditional way of eating… Do you mind giving me a more specific recipe for this oatmeal?? As far as, how much oat groats and apple cider vinegar?? Thanks!

    Reply to Shannan's comment

    • Susy on February 5, 2011 at 5:11 pm

      I usually add a Tablespoon of vinegar per cup of oat groats that I’m soaking, soak overnight, then cook the next morning.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  13. Angie on May 3, 2011 at 4:50 pm

    Hi, I just came across your blog and wanted to get more information on cooking oat groats. I accidently ordered 5 gallons from my coop and I don’t have a flaker to make them into oatmeal. So they have been sitting for 9 months now and I want to use them but I don’t know how.

    So do I…
    Soak them in 1 tablespoon vinegar per cup? Do I add water to the soaking process? How much water do I use when I cook them? and also what is your method of reheating them?

    Thank you so much!! My husband will be glad to know that breakfast is ready every morning even if I am not awake or home.

    Reply to Angie's comment

    • Susy on May 3, 2011 at 5:21 pm

      I usually use 3 cups of water and 1 T of apple cider vinegar and a quarter teaspoon of salt per cup of oat groats. Soak overnight, then cook in the morning until done, usually between 20-40 minutes depending on how you like them. You can add some milk, coconut milk, or more water when cooking if they get too thick. We like ours with coconut milk and a few cinnamon sticks, which I throw in in the morning when I cook them.

      To reheat I simple scoop out what we want, add to a small saucepan with some water or milk, heat on low until warm. You can also put the oats in a loaf pan before chilling, then slice and pan fry – like cornmeal mush. Enjoy slathered with syrup & sprinkled with cinnamon.

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Angie on May 5, 2011 at 7:58 am

        Thank you so much. I am going to get everything and laid out to soak them tonight. If all goes well, Sunday night I am going to be soaking a lot for the week. Thank you for this great information.

        to Angie's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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