Six Minute Breakfast

'In the name of Bacon will you chicken me up that egg. Shall I swallow cave-phantoms?'  Samuel Beckett. Collected Poems in English and French. 1961.

Here's a surprising admission:  I am a breakfast aficionado.  Reputation precedes me as a coffee nut:  and no one is shocked with that breaking news.

 Nothing can get between blurry eyed morning me and my brewer. The smell of fresh dark roast instantly makes me feel calm, capable and even taller. Much much taller...and as they say, bulletproof. A good nosh though is a close second in my affections.

A perfect day designed by me would involve a lot of breakfast.  Starting with pre breakfast coffee of course ideally accompanied by a nice morning pastry: a buttery croissant or a lovely cherry cheese danish.

Breakfast itself could last two or three hours.  It might be cultural; the ideal morning meal for me would involve a fry up.  Eggs. Definitely.  Poached soft boiled or over easy.  Bacon, certainly, hickory smoked if possible and spicy sausage.  Sweet potato medallions fried in butter with cayenne pepper.  Rye toast to dip in all that gooey goodness.  Some waffles or crepes or in a pinch french toast because I have never been much of a pancake girl. Fruit salad too:because we must remain mindful of the need to be healthy.  It is breakfast after  all.

After breakfast, a lovely walk with a little post breakfast breakfast snack.  Orange or cranberry juice and maybe a muffin.  A very well made muffin crammed with fruit and nuts and spices. Oh and more coffee, but that goes without saying.

Or a big fat beaver tail.  I have lived in Canada for 47 years so.....

Great start to my dream day as alas, it is just a dream because health, time, and energy have a way of interfering with nonstop gluttony .  In fact, for some odd reason the people I hang out with want to do other things.  Yes, I can hear you mumbling- well that is just wrong, as you read this.  I know, my friends and family are weirdos.  So for them, and others like them who suffer daily with a lack of proper petite mangé appreciation I have come up with a list of tips and tricks for a quick breakfast.


1.  Prepare. 

 Bleary eyed and up at the crack of  what time is it anyway....even the dietary diligent will not want to only start thinking of breakfast.  This is why we have drive thru lineups that go forever in the mornings. If you want to skip the wait- take a saturday morning or a couple hours away from gaming and make a pan of muffins.  Freeze individually and thaw the night before. (Pro tip: Make a double batch and gift a neighbour.)  If you are feeling fancy add some peanut butter or my mom's fav...a slice of cheddar.

2. Treat yourself.

 Early morning food can turn a lot of you off. My suggestion on this is simple.  Eat what you like.  Stock your fridge and pantry with at least five foods that make you insanely happy.  You are a full grown adult....you do not  need a multi national cereal conglomerate or Canada food guide to tell you what is okay for breakfast. What matters is that you eat.  So if guacamole makes you drool....have at it.  Chocolate twinkies....all good.  Leftover take out? Why would you not.  My nutritionist friends might have me spanked over this advice but I believe in a world where we will not be judged for the path we take to get where we need to be.

3. Hydrate. 

 Or how I survive despite really loving coffee.  Water.  First thing.  Drink it.  It will wake that tired body up.

4. Cheat.  

I know loads of people who cannot bake.or cook because they do not have time, or room, or never learned.  That is what all those new snacks at the grocery store can help you with.  Grab a pack or two of english muffins.  Freeze and use as needed.  Coddle an egg in the microwave.  So easy. Whip an egg with a fork in a small bowl.  Micro for a minute.  Check it.  Stir again.  Add 30 seconds.  One english muffin, thawed,  throw on the coddled egg....and whatever you like....i love tomato but that is me...some prefer cheese. You can add onion, avocado, mayonaisse or even hot sauce and that is a tasty cheater breakfast without breathing exhaust fumes for five minutes.

Samesies on oatmeal: One and a half minutes in the microwave: stir in fruit or brown sugar....amazing.

Or my latest make ahead cheater breakfast: egg bites.  So good they aren’t just breakfast anymore: they are in my lunch and a quick late night pick me up.  So easy, infinitely changeable-  and all those proteins and omegas.

Quick recipe here: Visit   https://www.everydayhealthyrecipes.com/cottage-cheese-egg-muffins/#recipe

5. Be brave. 

 Try something new.  My life changed when my nutritionist suggested adding a slice of avocado to my morning 

 I discovered recently that while milkshakes are out of bounds for me I can have a mango lassi from Sabitri's Global Cuisine....and it is incredible.

  There is a whole world of food out there beyond those that have you bored and skipping meals. My new finds might be your...wow, so boring! Look online, ask friends, or throw together ingredients you never thought of putting together.  You might discover your new epic thing.

6.Support your local brekkie place.  

 Where I live they were mostly closed in 2020 when I started this post originally! Now breakfast is everywhere:  but I really like the local homegrown spots over the Corporations.

In my  area three of my favourites are Country Sisters restaurant on highway 86, The Right Spot in Alma, Ontario and Highland Grounds in Flesherton Ontario.

If your town is anything like mine though there are several great places that will feed you and make you smile.  . I would love to list every one in my town, but fortunately....there are so many! I would be afraid to leave anyone out.  Local owner/ operators do an amazing job with local food and generally, give back to their community- I know the three examples above do!They do a great job.

Having someone happily make my first meal of the day  (or sometimes my second breakfast, as I enjoy my own cooking, too ) creates nothing but sunshine for me.

   I leave you with a link to my favourite muffins 

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/master-muffin-mix/

Eat up, my friends!

Eden

Quarter past five.  Deep in the most private part of your soul you smile.  Your heart knows that anything useful you have been inclined to do at work today is done.  There is only one persistent drive left in you today.  The drive to punch out, say a pleasant goodbye and rush home.

The travel time is not enjoyable but  worth it.  In twenty minutes your key turns in the lock.  It is an amazing sound that key makes.  You open the door and are greeted with open affection.  You set down your bag and spend the next 40 minutes hearing amazing stories.  "Do you know what ?  Manda was in art and she was laughing 'cause Issac burped and it was soooooo funny, and the teacher said "That is enough" and we tr-i-e-d not to laugh but we couldn't and Manda had milk come out her nose!"   I bet that was pretty funny. "And guess what else, we only have four more days of school, and then next year, we might get this teacher and he's a really nice teacher, and if we get him he  has ipods in his class and if we get him, know what else?  We get to use them when we are done our stuff and I really, really really hope I get him."  That just might happen, kiddo.  I am pretty glad that you are already excited about next year.

You smile inside and it hits you.  There has not been one single development at work today that can hold a candle to the conversation you just had.  This moment right here was the most important meeting on your schedule.   So, you make dinner and check for homework while your gorgeous husband shows the munchkin how much the cucumber plant has grown.  You thank your lucky stars that he is home tonight with you. It means  there may just be a long walk in the country or a drive out to the lake for all of you, together.  You hear them giggle.  It is not the kind of giggle you hear at work where you wonder; What has happened now?   Just innocent bell-like laughter and with it the tension in your neck begins to melt away.

It is good to be home.  It is magical.

Glowing Earth

It is full of this indefinable thing we choose to call love.  A sometimes chaotic fusion of baking, WII games, guinea pigs and back rubs. Of wall hangings handmade just because He thinks you might like them. A quick nibble on the back of your neck while you fold socks. Snapshots and portraits and preschool art frames glimmering in the background.  A list of chores of  Sisyphean proportion to keep it all running in some predictable order.  As much a thinking game as it is slugging to get it done.  A constant series of questions we ask ourselves:  How do I make it better?  Make them happier?  Guide them in the right direction?  Keep it positive and inspiring?

 Outside these walls the world can knock you out repeatedly whether you are four or forty.  Bullies. Irate customers. Idiot drivers. The just plain rude.  Disappointment can reign sometimes out there- but at home it has no hold.   We plot against it here.  Fortify against frustrations.  Actively build each other up in a cocoon of safety, strength and respect.  The next time we head out the door we each take a little bit of home as the courage that beats within us.

Yet, it is only four walls and a roof.  It is pleasant, organized and comfortable.  It could

Summer Fun

use a new coat of paint.  No one is knocking from Architectural Digest to say, "Hey, can we do a photo shoot?"  Yet, it somehow, in it's simplicity, is an oasis. There is so much good here in this one small place on a very big planet that I bet it glows on google earth at night.   Like a star doused in fairy dust.