Breakfast is everything. The beginning, the first thing. It is the mouthful that is the commitment to a new day, a continuing life.
A.A. GILL
I don't always eat breakfast. I always suffer when this happens. The reason I skip breakfast these days is that I don't always have the energy to make it. This lack of energy gets compounded by the fact that I am undercarbed and uncaffeinated because of the skipped breakfast.
Before I went plant based, a typical breakfast for me would be 2 bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits from a fast food place like McDonald's or Bojangles coupled with 2 orders of hash browns and the biggest Mountain Dew they served. Yes, this breakfast is excessive and would give me chest pains after eating it. My only defense is that I ate little to no lunch because of my driven workaholic nature back then. Today, the thought of eating that crap makes me feel sick inside. It was fun when I was young and stupid.
When I gave up the crap and started eating a plant based diet, I would eat cold cereal with almond milk or soy milk. This meal didn't cut it for me because it was expensive and left me with no energy. I switched to eating oatmeal, and that changed my life. Most plant based eaters have a bowl of oatmeal each morning. I prefer the old fashioned oats which I nuke in the microwave. This brings me to my "Breakfast of Champions" as listed below:
2 cups of black coffee with 1 teaspoon of sugar in each cup
1 glass of ice water with a good splash of 100% cranberry juice
1 glass of plain ice water
1 bowl of oatmeal with black strap molasses, honey, cinnamon, and a spoonful of natural peanut butter. (Chopped up banana is optional depending upon supply.)
I used to drink 6 cups of coffee each day, but caffeine has no effect on me anymore since my traumatic brain injury. I can drink coffee and still fall asleep. The reason I still drink coffee is for regularity. 2 cups usually does the trick for me. I also recommend drinking water along with the coffee as dehydration is the main culprit in constipation. (Some brain experts recommend not consuming caffeine, but I don't listen to them.)
I drink the cranberry juice to help prevent urinary tract infections. I don't get UTIs often, but it takes more to cure one than to prevent one. I also like the taste of cranberry juice diluted in a glass of water.
The oatmeal is almost total carbohydrate. The peanut butter adds a bit of fat and protein to the carb heavy breakfast. Ignore the low carb idiots. Carbs are king.
I have been eating this breakfast for over a decade. I eat grits and pancakes on Sunday when my wife and I have the time to make them. They are not as good as the oatmeal, but they are tasty. When I eat oatmeal, I have better days. When I don't eat oatmeal, the days are not so good.
I am not a doctor or a dietitian, so do not take any of this as health advice. This is simply the breakfast that has worked for me for the last decade. It is quick to make and fuels the day. I can also attest that my coworkers found me with improved productivity and energy for the job when I made the switch from eating crap. I really miss those productive days before the damage to my brain.
