(Should you not be the least interested in my daily diet, feel free to skip to the recipe…I don’t blame you for a second!).
Now, let me just say that I’ve resisted this post not because I don’t want to share or I don’t think it’s a good idea. My biggest issue is that I am an inveterate snacker, a “grazer”, if you will, so three square a day is not my usual routine. I am also the opposite of a creature of habit, I like huge amounts of variety, so what I eat changes greatly day-to-day. My typical day is very un-typical. Plus I am also really lazy and a post like this is much harder to write than a cute little anecdote about the recipe. But as I have also come up with a great new recipe for breakfast, that also happens to have fueled me through a grueling 14-mile run, I figured it was time to share.
Breakfast: I am usually up by 5am, and I start every morning with a cup of coffee with cream. That’s probably the only thing that remains standard from day to day. After that, it’s some sort of low-carb baked good (homemade, natch!), because I love muffins and scones and such with my coffee. If I don’t have some baked goods on the go, I am at a loss and that’s when I am more likely to eat something I shouldn’t. So I try to have something made the majority of the time. Now that I’ve come up with this low carb hot cereal recipe, I have that to fall back on (and it’s good! And it fuels you through 14 rainy miles!).
Mmmm, hello delicious Chocolate Pecan Pie Muffins!Second breakfast/snack: When you’re up as early as I am, second breakfast is almost mandatory. And if I’ve gone for a run, I usually come home starving. That’s where the omelets and veggies come in. A 2 egg omelet with cheese and half an avocado is pretty typical, and maybe some tomato slices. If I don’t have an omelet, then it might be full-fat Greek yogurt with some nuts or berries on top.
Lunch: I’ll be honest, I don’t usually have a proper lunch. I am often full from my omelet and working hard in the middle of the day, so I snack on nuts, maybe a few slices of cheese, and some steamed vegetables with walnut oil. Plus I often eat a few bites (at least!) of whatever I am taking pictures of for this blog. If I do feel the need for a bigger meal, it’s usually leftovers from the night before, some meat or fish and some vegetables.
Snacks: I do love my snacks, and I spend much of the afternoon snacking. Half an apple, veggies, peanuts, maybe a muffin or low carb treat (homemade, natch!). In a pinch when I need fast energy, a scoop of peanut butter on a spoon.
Dinner: Dinner is easy. Well, maybe not so easy when you have three kids to feed. My kids are not that picky, but they have their likes and dislikes and it can be a struggle to find things that all three will eat. And I refuse to cook separate meals for everyone just because I am a diabetic, so they are learning to like the food I put in front of them. And it’s pretty darn great food, in my opinion. Often it is meat, chicken or fish, with a huge salad or several servings of vegetables. My kids do eat salad. And they like their broccoli, red pepper and carrots, so dinner is time to chow down on the veggies. If we don’t have meat or fish, we have something with eggs or tofu. Protein, fat and vegetables make up the bulk of our dinners.
Dessert: If you read this blog, you know I love dessert. I have seemingly devoted my life to creating desserts that people following a low carb, gluten-free diet can enjoy. And as far as I am concerned, it’s a very noble cause indeed! So yes, I always have dessert. Sometimes twice a day. And sometimes for breakfast. Because the great thing about low carb dessert is that there is no sugar or flour, and it’s about as healthy as anything else you could put into your mouth, so why not???
Total Carbs: In a day, I probably hit between 70 to 100 g of carbs. That’s not as low as some people go, I realize. I am fortunate in several ways…that I am slender and fit as it is, and that my diabetes stays well-controlled in this range. But I am mindful of every single bite I put in my mouth. I balance it out, I think ahead, I know when I’ve had too much and need to compensate. And I sometimes fail. Like anyone, I am human and I have my weaknesses and temptations. There are days when I am drawn to the things I know I shouldn’t eat, and I give in. But what’s astonishing is how “controlled” my indulgences are now. There is always that little voice in my head letting me know I could be damaging my health beyond control should I go too far. I thank goodness for that little voice – it saves me some guilt now, and it will surely save my health later on.
And now, to the recipe. This seemed like a great recipe to pair with a post about my daily diet, because I have to say, this one is going to be a keeper. It’s an ideal breakfast, since it’s easy to make, super healthy and keeps me full for a while (a rare feat of any breakfast food for me). As I said, it recently fueled me through a 14-mile run and I never needed anything else except water. I call it “cream of wheat” because that’s what it tastes like, although there is no wheat within 14 miles of it. It’s mostly chia seed and flax seed meal. I am fairly new to chia seeds and they make me laugh. They are so goopy and sludgy, you can’t imagine why anyone would want to actually eat them. And then you do eat them, and they taste great and give you lots of energy. They are apparently the superfood that the amazing lost tribe of ultra-runners in Born to Run eat, so I figured they were worth a shot.
Thumbs up…it tastes great and is perfect on a cold fall morning. Try it with some nut butter mixed in for extra energy.
Grain-Free Hot Cereal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp chia seed
- 2 tbsp flax seed meal
- 2 tsp Swerve Sweetener, or other erythritol
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 2 tbsp heavy cream, (optional)
- 2 tbsp nut butter, (optional)
- Berries, (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together chia seed, flax seed meal, and Swerve.
- Add hot water, stir and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in cream, nut butter, berries, raisins, chopped nuts... whatever floats your boat.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I am pleasantly surprised; this is pretty good. I used coconut milk as I am dairy free as well as GF and low carb. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re a lifesaver! It snowed last night and I woke up wanting hot cereal, this was perfect. I added heavy cream, 1/3 serving of almonds, chopped, a couple strawberries, and a serving of blueberries. Absolutely hit the spot.
This is a great replacement for cream of wheat! Thank you for sharing! Just finished this for breakfast and my tummy is happy.
Wow! Great recipes.
I came upon a similar thing, but made the ‘instant cream-of-not-wheat’ version. It’s virtually the same, but I ground my 2 tbsp of chia seeds in a coffee grinder
Basically:
2 tbsp chia seeds–>grind in a coffee grinder to a powder
2 tbsp flax seed meal
1 tbsp coconut flour (you really don’t taste it, but it seems to help absorb hot water more quickly)
1/4 tsp of cinnamon (or any flavoring to taste)
1/4 tsp of vanilla (or any other flavoring to taste)
1/4 tsp honey
A pinch of salt
10 ounces of hot water
(Total Calories: 178; total carbs: 17 g; fiber: 11.8 g; net carbs 6.8 g; If you skip the honey–I think it tastes fine without it–you’re down to 172 calories, 15.6 g carbs, 11.8 g fiber, with net carbs of 3.8 g)
The absorption of the hot water is faster, for those in a rush. You do have to stir quickly while you pour in the hot water, or you will form globs of chia, but if you stir in quickly you can get a nice creamy consistency. The longer it sits, the firmer it gets.
Just courious about the nutrional info. As I calculate it it’s only 12 grams of fiber 4 from the flax and 8 from the chia. What brands are you using?
Thanks!!
At that time, I was using Trader Joe’s chia and I think the nutrition said 8 g of carbs and 7 g of fiber. But now I use Bob’s Red Mill and their chia says a lower fiber count. But it was always Bob’s flax seed meal and that’s all fiber (I don’t have the bag in front of me at the moment so I can’t give the full counts). What brands are you using?
This was great and just what I was looking for! I loved Cream of Wheat, back in the day. I made this with unsweetened almond milk, no sweetener, and topped off with some half and half. I’m going to experiment next time and try grinding the chia seeds to see what that does to the texture. Who am I kidding, I’m going to buy ground chia seeds, lol. Still, I’m curious to see how it turns out. Thanks for the recipe – this looks like a great one to play with!
Glad you liked it. I grind my chia seeds for other recipes in a coffee grinder. Works like a dream!
I made this for breakfast today, my first concoction with my first bag of Swerve. I am pleasantly surprised! I thought there was no possible way something that looked like mine did (yours is all pretty of course!) could possibly taste good but it did!! Thanks so much!
I’m not trying to be gross, but I’m wondering how your system handles all that fiber right before a long run like that. Do you have to make any scheduled bathroom stops? I want to try this cereal to fuel my long runs, but I’m worried about the gastro effects it might have.
It was not a problem on that run. I hate having to make pit stops but I didn’t at all on that run. But each person is different, remember!
Chia and flax have not been my faves, but I do use them. This is off the charts delicious. I’m from upstate NY, check Montague, NY radar, it’s cold, snowing and letting me know what’s coming for the next 5-6 months… But I’m armed and ready with my hot cereal, thanks, Carolyn.
Deb 🙂
Glad to hear it!
This hot cereal tasted so much like the cream of wheat I have enjoyed since childhood! Thanks for this! I love hot cereal all year round but going grain free has made this a challenge.
Glad to hear it!
Hi Carolyn, congrats n your blog, very nice. One of my readers found your chia seed recipe and posted a link to your blog at our reader forum http://www.fattoskinny.net I love your creativity! I see you like pumpkin, you can check out 2 on my pumpkin cooking videos at these links;
1- http://www.fattoskinny.net/index.php?topic=1216.0
2- http://www.fattoskinny.net/index.php?topic=1248.0
Nice to have met you 🙂
Doug
Thanks for sharing, Doug!
You are very welcome! 🙂
Love! Discovered your recipes yesterday, made this for breakfast this morning. I was tempted to slather this in butter and add some brown sugar substitute (my fave toppings for cream of wheat) but instead hit it with some cocoa and almond milk. Such a tasty change of pace from eggs, eggs, and more eggs!
Is there any reason you couldn’t store a 1:1 mix of ground flax seed meal and chia seeds in the fridge to make this prep even faster?
Love the recipe–it’s my new favorite breakfast!
Absolutely. I’ve mixed my dry ingredients in a ziplock to take with me for breakfast when we were staying over-night somewhere.
I made the hot cereal today and I really enjoyed it and the break from eggs.
It filled me up and stayed with me for hours. Thanks so much!
I just got around to trying this and was surprised at just how much I enjoyed it. I’ve tried chia seeds in other contexts and haven’t really been able to taste them — they really are tasty and went perfectly with the other ingredients. (My add-ins were walnut butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a couple spoonfuls of Greek yogurt.) It’s also very filling!
This is silly good. I’m So relieved to gain this recipe. Breakfasts had been a “quest” bar lately because I just couldn’t get my act together. I travel a lot and I have been pre-bagging individual servings in my carry on.