The original British 'nursery food' grows up. . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . but even more important, now we know so much more about nutrition,
 the old familiar phrase from British kitchens and nurseries on cold, damp wintry
 mornings, is perhaps more important for we grown up children!

Antique soup bowl Doulton's 'Chrysanthemum'  ~ Anthropologie white latte bowl ~ vintage silver monogrammed spoon ~ antique French table linens.

My almost daily breakfast is my bowl of oatmeal. Although I rarely take time
 to make porridge from scratch and admit to tearing open one of those little
 brown paper packets - Trader Joe's Maple & Brown Sugar is my favorite - I feel
  the almost instant microwave version is still nutritious. . . . . . especially
 when doctored up a bit with healthy additions, including some oat bran flakes
 as these have often been removed during processing oats.

Because I have trouble swallowing uncooked fruits (even with the thyroid gone
 over seven months the problem continues somewhat), I 'cook' my strawberries,
 banana, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, whatever I have on hand, cut up
 if large, along with the oatmeal and water. It takes a little longer - perhaps
 up to two minutes - but is really good, and very hot. I then add a dollop of rich
 creamy Greek yogurt, and today you can see a spoonful of last Summer's
 homemade fig jam as I have many pots to use up.

Because I eat a late breakfast this often is also my lunch, so I have no feelings of
 guilt with full fat yogurt (I so dislike fat free) or a little extra sugar from the jam. 
I've even got Bob eating more oatmeal lately, although he prefers his added 
fruits uncooked and adds a splash of heavy cream instead of yogurt.

Here's the link to another post I wrote back in 2012 with more about the

importance of oatmeal in our diets - and it includes a recipe for a quick breakfast

 Apple Crisp. . . . . . . . . 

. . . . . . . . and if you are not a hot cereal lover, and I know from those older

 oatmeal posts there are some of you out there. . . . . . . here's link to a simple

 breakfast with a bowl of fruit and yogurt which is also healthy - Breakfast with Apples.

This sunny Sunday morning is quite amazing already. the clock is just striking 
9:00 AM and the temperature has already reached 50F. This afternoon we'll
be breaking the record for this date when it's due to hit 80F. 
Not exactly a 'wintry morning' here today, however I'm off to make
my porridge soon!

Breakfast with Apples. . . . . . . . .

I've been really busy with apples lately. Peeling, slicing, chopping. 

Baking them into cakes, desserts, and yesterday an apple pie (my lovely
 friend Penny's recipe of course). All are always good as apples never fail.

Have also been poaching them for adding to my morning yogurt or oatmeal,
 even better from a nutritious point of view I guess.

Sadly, due to throat issues, I can no longer swallow raw apples.

Luckily I always preferred them cooked anyway, so I'm

happy to keep trying new recipes containing apples.

My favorite yogurt is definitely Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt with Honey
which comes in the useful and inexpensive 2 pound tub. 
It requires nothing to enhance it really, it's so amazing, but of course to make
 a meal of it I often add fresh fruits, perhaps a few nuts, some chia seeds, 
sometimes apple sauce - the little unsweetened tubs when in a pinch.
 But now I like to chop up a few apples, Golden Delicious being my favorite,
 they hold their shape and don't go mushy when poached quickly in a small
 saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water and a sprinkle of Demerara sugar.
I keep them in a covered container in the refrigerator - they last several 
days - to add to yogurt or oatmeal.

Did you make yourself a nutritious breakfast this morning?