Hot Cereal – high protein, low carb

As I become more aware of what I eat and how it makes me feel, I continue to make adjustments to my daily diet. My current challenge is to ramp up protein intake, with breakfast still being the most important meal of the day. If I begin my day with at least 30 grams of protein, consume about 45 grams for an early supper, and enjoy a couple “snacks” in between, I am filled with energy, focus, and feel zero deprivation.

Of course, along with all that protein my plate is filled with colorful vegetables. My current favorite blend is cauliflower, broccoli, purple cabbage, mushrooms, and zucchini all sautéed together in avocado oil. Yum! A little garlic powder and smoky paprika creates a brilliant, tasty, healthy side dish.

I have never been a fan of oatmeal for breakfast. It always left me feeling overstuffed, but hungry. Now that I know a little more about the effect carbohydrates have on my body, I can understand why i felt that way. However, it is nice to have an alternative to eggs or a shake for my protein-filled breakfast. This hot cereal is satisfying, delicious, and keeps me fueled for hours.

The basic recipe is just for one serving. However, I don’t really appreciate pulling out a bunch of ingredients in the morning — I want quick and simple — so I created a mix. Now all I need to do is heat a cup of liquid and stir in 1/3 cup of the mix, and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Boom! Hot. Tasty. Comforting. No cravings. Quick.

And did I say “DELICIOUS”?

Before introducing you to the ingredients, I just need to point out the adorable bowl, purchased in a set by my parents in Norway in the 1970s. The checkered tablecloth was a gift from my daughter when she was living in Sweden.

And now, the stars of this hot cereal:

• flax seeds (omega-3s and fiber)
• chia seeds (essential minerals and protein)
• hemp hearts (amino acids, and basically a perfect food)
• vanilla protein powder (I use vanilla powdered bone broth for protein that doesn’t aggravate my gut)
• all cooked in unsweetened coconut milk, or liquid of your choice

I take equal amounts of flax and chia seeds and zip them in my coffee grinder (that only grinds seed or dried herbs). The resulting seed “meal” is versatile, and I use it up quickly. Chia and flax seed meal goes into everything from lasagna, cauliflower waffles, my special Swedish dark bread, and even oatmeal raisin cookies. Hemp hearts are new to me, but I bought them from an online retailer.

As far as nutrition is concerned, my rough calculations say that a bowl of this hot cereal packs about 30g protein, 8g carbs, 10g fiber, and maybe 300 calories. It won’t spike blood sugar, and burns like a nice, steady fuel for hours.

My favorite way to eat the hot cereal is as Norwegian as the bowl — — — with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a pat of butter. Mmmmmm….

Stir up a bowl of this hearty hot cereal, or prepare a batch of mix to simplify mornings.

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