Charles de Gaulle and Breakfast

"You start out giving your hat, then you give your coat, then your shirt, then your skin, and finally your soul."

Wow, General De Gaulle, was that what is was like to be the president of France?  See it all starts with a hat.  A hat can be a very powerful symbol and is often used in quotes as a metaphor for bigger things.  Sometimes bleak, sometimes more optimistic, as in "Grab your coat, get your hat, leave your worries on your doorstep."  I guess that is hard to do if you are the president of France.

Well, either way before you give away your hat and soul, or leave your worries on a doorstep, have a good breakfast.  You might have a chance of making it through the day with soul intact.  And this calls for hot cereal, or an anti-oxidant filled, protein laced smoothie.

My Favorite Hot Breakfast Cereal Mix:


Mix together 2/3 brown rice cereal to 1/3 buckwheat cereal.  The buckwheat has a nice texture and adds an interesting flavor to the rice cereal.  The cooking proportions are 3 parts water to 1 part cereal.  1 cup of cereal makes 2-3 bowls, depending on your appetite.  Put the cereal in cold water and slowly bring up to a simmer, add 1/2 tsp. of salt when it is hot.  Stir frequently to prevent lumps, and cook until thick.  It only takes about 8 minutes. In blueberry season I like to add a handful after the cereal is cooked.  Turn off the heat, mix in the berries, cover and let sit for a few minutes until the blueberries are hot.  Serve with maple syrup or a tablespoon of brown sugar and a little milk.  I like to add a pat of butter to mine, but my husband does not.

I always fed rice cereal to my children when they were sick with a cold or flu because it is nutritious, easy to digest, not mucous forming and gluten free.  Quite delicious, especially with the blueberries.

Another way to start the day is with a power beverage, a     Blueberry and Banana Breakfast Smoothie.

serves 2-3 

2 bananas, cut into pieces and frozen (even an hour in the freezer is good)
1 cup blueberries
juice of 1 lemon or lime
4 big soup size spoons of yogurt (I like goat)
3 tbs. of gluten free protein powder, (Seitenbacher is a good brand, I like the vanilla flavor or Navitas Natural hemp powder, made from organic hemp seeds, again the vanilla is the best flavor)
1/2 cup water

Put everything in a big pitcher and blend together with an immersion blender, or use a blender, I don't have one so I use my immersion blender constantly.  This smoothie is a real pick-me-up.

Then grab your coat, get your hat, leave your worries on your doorstep.  And just direct your feet to the sunny side of the street.  And try to keep your soul.

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