Ever get sick of breakfast? I used to all the time, until I discovered the perfect meal. It’s super filling and healthy too. The recipe is simple: yogurt, trail mix, and fresh fruit. There’s endless combinations within those ingredients, so I’ve been able to eat it every day for years. Here’s my current selection:
I start with plain yogurt, preferably Greek-style with no additives, and add my own flavors. I stir in one teaspoon of honey, and sometimes a drop of vanilla extract. It takes the sour edge off and makes it pleasantly sweet for about half the sugar content of store-bought flavored yogurt.
Once the base is pleasantly whipped, I add the trail mix. I used to buy pre-made trail mix, but I’ve been trying to cut hidden sugars from my diet, so the dried fruit had to go. I decided to cut the peanuts as well, because they’re the cheap filler of the nut world. I’m now buying stuff in bulk and mixing my own – currently sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, and crushed pecans.
Once the mix is stirred in, I sprinkle on a bit of flax seed (it all sifts to the bottom if you put it directly in the trail mix). I don’t have a huge need for extra fiber in my diet, but if it ever becomes a concern I’ve thought of tossing some rolled oats in there. I decided on that instead of granola because granola is just toasted rolled outs with nuts, dried fruit, and added sugars that I don’t need. So why yogurt as a base instead of oatmeal? Because one time, when I ran out of yogurt, I tried this recipe with oatmeal and it made me gag. Also, I found myself hungry after only a few hours.
For the final touch, I throw the fresh fruit on top. This part I change out more often than the yogurt or trail mix for variety, because the fruit you choose has a bigger influence on the flavor than the other ingredients. Today I’m tossing in a whole banana, because bananas are good.
The greatest thing about this breakfast is it’s so satisfying I can often hold out until dinner. It satisfies my taste buds too, like I’m starting off my day with dessert, and yet everything in it is good for you. Eating the same breakfast every day also saves my willpower for more important decisions. Once I’ve gathered the stuff I need, mixing it all together has become as automatic as making tea. No more angsting over breakfast – it’s now my favorite meal of the day.
by 
Allergic to all tree nuts – I turn bright red, and end up in the ER. 🙁
Oh, and I’ve had the allergy less than a year (I’m in my mid-sixties) – that was a shocker.
I read that’s a very common happening. I think I triggered it by eating too many at a time – but what do I know?
I miss pecans, almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, and cashews most of all.
Any ideas for getting rid of such allergies?
Oh no, my grandfather developed a tree nut allergy around the same age. I don’t know much else about it myself or how to cure/avoid it.
As for the recipe, at least it’s one that takes substitutes readily. Mine used to be heavy with peanuts, and if I had to stop eating almonds and cashews, I’d probably go back to them. Also, I did decide to start adding raw rolled oats because removing the raisins took out too much fiber for my digestive system’s liking.