In March 2013 I was sick for a week (just a run-of-the-mill virus) and on the road for the better part of a week in the back seat of a car to and from the Bay Area to Seattle. By March 11 I was back at my “day job,” busking in Berkeley BART stations two shifts a day: I leave at 7:15 in the morning and often return from my second shift around 5:00 PM, although I have been known to get home as early as 3:30. I sing about three hours a day, all I can manage without wearing my voice out.
I come home for lunch between shifts. Lunch is leftovers from last night’s dinner or toasted cheese sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat. Yesterday I had leftover (canned) turkey chili, leftover cornbread and a leftover roasted yam with a few raw vegetables on the side. We generally have a pot of black tea with lunch, shielding the milk pitcher from Ozzy the border collie who is quite fond of his “tea” (milk served in a saucer).
Last week I bought a bunch of carrots, a sack of blood oranges and two pounds of walnuts at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market. I no longer buy these things to whip up exotic meals: I buy them to supplement my diet that is less rich in fresh fruits and vegetables than it was a mere six months ago. Mostly, I eat the oranges out of hand: I’ve eaten three of the five with my lunch this week and one at the bus stop as a snack. Carrots can be breakfast ingredients (I’m still making Sawsan’s carrot cake oatmeal around once a week ) as can walnuts: the nut rule is almonds if I am in a hurry and walnuts if I have the spare time to crack them and dislodge them from their shells. Yesterday I fixed my boiled-in-milk oatmeal with dried cranberries, homemade candied citrus peel from last winter and fresh walnuts.
In fact, much of my culinary creativity goes into modifying my morning oatmeal. This morning I ended up throwing a couple of tablespoons of Nutella into it and reminiscing with Johnny about the chocolate cereals of my childhood, formerly known as “Cocoa Puffs” and “Cocoa Krispies” (“Count Chocula,” a late comer, doesn’t count). I added almonds for crunch and tossed in some slivered candied citrus peel, mostly orange. I enjoyed Nutella oatmeal as a change, but I probably wouldn’t eat it more than once a month, not being a chocolate-for-breakfast fiend.
In case anyone has missed my previous post on oatmeal and/or polenta for breakfast I normally cook half a cup of rolled oats in a cup of milk with a pinch of kosher salt. To this I add fruit, nuts, syrups, in various combinations: I have drafted granola to add texture. I have made a syrup of fresh ginger, dried apricots, lemon peel, sugar and water and added two teaspoons of the fruit and syrup to my oats. I sometimes combine chopped dried apricots, chopped almonds and flaked coconut. I have used many dried fruits: sour cherries, cranberries, raisins, apples, pears. I have used walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pecans and hazelnuts. I have included candied ginger. I have added maple syrup, palm syrup, turbinado sugar, homemade cherry syrup.
Food Notes: If you have them, fresh hazelnuts would be delicious in Nutella oatmeal in place of the almonds, or in addition to them. Please experiment with whatever fruits and nuts are grown in your area.
Hi Sharyn. I’m very sorry to hear your were sick in March, but the idea of trip north sounded like that might have been fun…or at least adventurous! I am not a chocolate fiend for breakfast, but I think if left to consider Nutella in my oatmeal I could become one It sounds very good to me! You are even creative when you’ve cut out all the frills of the interesting produce box. It’s really nice to hear an update on how you’re doing. You have excellent stamina to keep up a twice a day busking schedule, so you’re doing something right! 🙂
So sorry to hear you were not feeling well
I too am trying to eat healthier by adding more and more nutritious ingredients and recipes to my diet.
Thank you so much for the shout out. I am glad you enjoy the oatmeal 🙂 I too love playing around with my morning oatmeal. That keeps things interesting
Now this is the kind of breakfast i must start eating myself. what excellent foood, but I am still having two fried eggs one on top of the other and a piece of home made bread toast.. soon though it will be getting hot and we can get back into the smoothies with walnuts and greens! yum.. have a lovely day!! c
Nothing wrong with farm-fresh eggs and homemade bread, Miss C. I eat eggs, too, although not usually on workday mornings when I have less time to cook. Today I made sourdough waffles because I didn’t have to go anywhere.
I came and read this, and then got distracted and failed to leave a comment. Sor sorry to hear that you were sick last month and hope that April has started off well for you. Though I never would have thought of it, Nutella in oatmeal sounds quite good!
Thanks, Betsy. I am quite well now, although fierce spring winds are blowing pollen everywhere. Nutella in oatmeal is good when you need a change: my latest flavor is home-candied citrus peel, almonds and coconut.
Sharyn – I am so very far behind in my blog reading and commenting – life, as it tends to do, has come between. I’m so happy to see you on-line and to read your latest. As always you inspire me with your energy, optimism and tenacious dance with the everyday. My thoughts are with you in your struggles and joys…
Thank you, John, for your kind thoughts. I am also woefully far behind on blog reading and commenting, currently due to tax return requirements. Life begins again after April 15th in the U.S.
Thanks for the healthy eating inspiration Sharyn. I’m finding myself falling down the inevitable cake pit hole and in need of healthier recipes in my life. I have just made a carrot cake and frozen the extra shredded carrot. What a brilliant idea to make carrot cake oatmeal. I shall be trying this. I also made my first venture into candied peel recently and thought of you. I have now stashed lots of peel in my freezer ready to be candied in the future. Thanks so much
The carrot cake oatmeal came from Sawsan at chef in disguise. I know you will love having the candied peel available for cake decorating and other baked goods — I should candy some soon since my freezer container is full. Cheers!