(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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This has been my go to since I first read this post! A few years at least. Thanks for sharing your routine!
I am so happy I found this recipe! It’s my favorite thing to eat for breakfast now. The only change I make is to add a pinch of xanthan gum, because I like it to stay thick when I add milk.
I’ve taken to preparing a “mix” of the dry ingredients, placing them in snack-sized zip bags in the freezer. Just add water! 🙂
I really appreciate the run-down of your day-to-day approach to food, too. Really helpful. As usual, thanks for all you do. I’ve put your new cookbook on my Christmas list!
I just tried the cereal and it’s amazing~! I added a little sugar-free maple syrup and used Truvia instead of the Swerve. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am so grateful to be able to eat cereal again.
I just tried the cereal and it’s amazing~! I added a little sugar-free maple syrup and used Truvia instead of the Swerve. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am so grateful to be able to eat cereal again.
A large cup of organic coffee with 1 T organic unrefined cold pressed coconut oil, 1 t Kerrygold salted butter, and alcohol free vanilla stevia. Most of time, hardboiled egg for a fast breakfast or brazil nut and a piece of raw cheese.
This recipe is appreciated so much, thanks. I will use my coffee grinder for both flaxseed and chia seed, and then with other ingredients try to melt in some raw organic cacao butter, the tiny piece(s) and powder (settles on bottom of the bag) and/or likewise raw organic cacao paste with grass fed butter. I usually have less than 30 net carbs. per day, and found that adding some extra healthy fat daily has helped to shorten my waistline, this recipe is a winner.
On another note, I have been wondering the healthy benefits and any difference between cacao butter and cacao paste?
Both are also good in coffee (as mentioned) and blended in Vitamix, with about 1/8 t organic peppermint extract and 1 t grass fed heavy whipping cream.
All I can say is….Brilliant ! Bravo ! Just what I was looking for ! Thank you ! zero carb hot breakfast cereal is what I need. Thank you!!
Are you still eating carbs in the 70-100g range? Or are you keto now? I am trying to stay grain free and low carb for even blood sugar throughout the day as my hormones are crazy and even as a sugar free non diabetic my A1C was high ish. I use your recipes all the time and could easily eat substitute bread and desserts all day every day rather than as treats as they are meant. Without being keto anymore (it was consuming me & becoming obsessive) I don’t know how much daily fat is safe.
Great little breaky recipe, thank-you for sharing
I just made this and it was amazing! Thank you for such an awesome recipe. It was just the thing I needed this afternoon to satisfy my sweet tooth without going off plan.
The chia pudding I make has to sit a few hours, or overnight. Am I correct in assuming you eat this as soon as it’s made? Can’t wait to try this.
Quite soon after, you bet!
Wow! This surprised me! I am a cream of wheat lover and I thought there was no way this would come even close. Was I wrong! It is more slimey than wheat, but the flavor is there.
I added a bit of maple flavor for a brown sugarish flavor and because it was so thick (even with extra added water) I used half and half instead of cream.
I couldn’t finish my HALF serving so my son had some too and he liked it as well! (And that’s saying a LOT since he has autism and has some very particular food/sensory issues)
Thank you!!
I make this now with the flax, chia, 1 tsp co oil, pumpkin pie spice, stevia, and 1/4 c pumpkin purée. Hot water. Let sit. Top with SF maple syrup. Oh my! Fantastic!
I just made this for breakfast. Nice and quick, and really acceptable sub for oatmeal! I added sukrin gold, cinnamon, and sf maple syrup! I’ve been missing my hot cereal!
what a great recipe. this has been a good winter breakfast. i’ll make a batch on sundays, and then reheat in the morning before work. i use a variety sf torani syrups i keep on hand for coffee, such as vanilla, caramel, or belgian cookie, and add it to the hot (silk’s cashew) milk. toppings have included toasted coconut chips, hemp hearts, and various nuts. oh and sometimes i’ll add extracts, like maple to the milk, and always had a hefty amount of pumpkin pie spice to the dry ingredients.
This is great! Just made it. Added unsweetened cocoa and topped it with unsweetened almond milk. Delicious!
What a great breakfast. My question is does it smell like cream of wheat. 🙂 That takes me back to childhood real quick. Any advice on what to use if you don’t use swerve or other sweeteners like that? Chia can be sweet on it’s own (at least to me), but I’m not sure about when you mix the rest of that in there.
I am not sure if it smells like Cream of Wheat, but it certainly tastes like it with a little sweetener of some kind. Do you feel comfortable with any sweeteners? Honey?