Breakfast Oats

What did you have for breakfast in the morning?

Grab a cup of coffee and run?

Forget the breakfast, I have loads to get through before my meetings start?

I gotta catch the train, I’ll get a cup of tea in the Cafeteria later?

I packed an apple.

I don’t eat breakfast. I never bother.

I just don't have the time.

I am a firm believer of a good breakfast before starting the day. A source of energy to get me through the mornings and helps me to focus and concentrate. I hope you are too. J

Now, what you’d like and what you believe in may not be what your little one wants… Sigh! That’s always the case with kids. I read an article once that says that feeding kids the right food may be challenging at times (Tell me that again & again!)…you may need to introduce the food continuously before the kids develop a liking for it, or accept it. Some kids may take at least 10 times… or 50 times… or in some case at least 1000 times! Oh, don’t despair… I almost gave up till I stumbled on the article…and it REALLY works. It takes patience and … (I won’t say it!)…and patience.

It took me something like 6 months before 1 managed to get the prince to accept oats. My husband and I both take oats almost every morning except on weekends, we’ll have time to be more creative. We’ll make sure we get up earlier to sit together and have oats at the breakfast table. I serve it twice a week for breakfast for Max during weekdays, and if he doesn’t finish, Dad will finish as we try our best not to waste food. (This Family's Rule #1)

And, so it’s always,

“Yucks”,

“Oats again?”

“This is horrible,”

“What did you put in it?”

“Mom, I don’t like Oats”,

“Anything else for breakfast?”

“Mom, I’m terribly full”

All these changed one fine day...as usual, at breakfast table we’ll chat about the plans for the day and some funny stuff that took place the day before. Suddenly, Max started putting one spoon after another into his mouth and before he knows it, he finished his oats (although it's only 1/3 cereal bowl). I refrained from mentioning about the oats and he began enjoying his oats these days and sometimes he will remind me when I served him something else (which is in his opinion worst than oats!)

2 tbsp instant oats

1 tsp mixed nuts and seeds

1/3 cup hot boiling water

1 tsp honey

In a dry mill, which normally comes with the blender, turn these nuts into ground or powder, almonds nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, sunflower seeds or even flax seeds. Pour hot boiling water into the oats in a small bowl, add in ground mix nuts. Sweeten with a little honey, to taste.

Serve oats with some fresh fruits or raisins.

This is Max's breakfast - oats served with fresh strawberries, a banana (1/2 only) and a glass apple juice...and as usual a bottle of milk after that.

Enjoy!