Breakfast Simplicity

When I first read about having fruit for breakfast (in Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover book) years ago, I thought there was no way I'd be able to do that. That's actually been one of the easiest habits to adopt and has been a joy to do. I've always loved fruit and didn't know how energized it could make me feel. Every once in awhile if I've done a tough weight workout, I may come downstairs wanting something with grains or nuts instead. But most of the time, I reach for the fruit and it's a great start to my day.

My two favorite breakfast fruits are super simple. The first (which I've just discovered this year) is the grapefruit. Call me someone who has to be hit on the head a few times before realizing a good thing, but I never liked grapefruit and only thought it was good for carbonated drinks or Bath & Body lotions. :) But one day my friend was eating a cut grapefruit for a mid-morning snack and I was hungry enough to try it. The first taste was bitter and awful. But I was still hungry (I sound like the Very Hungry Caterpillar). The second taste was a little better. And the third and fourth (good thing she's a close friend) were just wonderful. I was sold. I've been eating up grapefruits ever since.

At first I cut them into circles, but now I just peel them and eat them like an orange. My grandparents used to cut them in 1/2 and eat them out with a dangerous-looking-pokey spoon (probably with sugar on top), but I just like enjoying the simplicity and beauty of the fruit. The more white stuff from the peel on it, the better. It seems to compliment the tanginess just perfectly. And the best thing about it is that it's so completely satisfying and filling. Try it and you won't leave the table wishing you had something else to eat.

My second favorite simple breakfast dish takes a tiny bit more preparation (but not much). I cut up a ripe mango and 2 or 3 kiwi and stir them around in a bowl. That's it. The flavors and textures compliment each other amazingly well. I just love it and everyone I've shared it with loves it too.

I recently attended a women's night where the theme was our "Favorite Things." I think it was a take-off on Oprah's Favorite Things show (which was probably a spin-off of The Sound of Music). Each of us was to bring our favorite thing to share with (and give to) someone else. I couldn't bring a pomegranate because they are no longer in season (and wasn't willing to part with my ceramic one :)), so I brought a mango and a few kiwis in a bag and told everyone how to make it, then drew a name and that lucky person got to take it home. Hopefully it didn't rot in her fridge or anything. I would have eaten it the very next morning! I think she did eat it though. She commented to me as I gave her the fruit that mangoes have a lot of Vitamin A in them. I thought it was funny that I don't even think of the nutritional facts with my favorite real foods. I just trust that they're good for me if they're abundant in nature and relatively untouched by human hands. Yummy and good for me -- how great is that!