Nov 1, 2010

Autumn and a Bowl of Oatmeal to Start the Day in an Artful Way

 It's official, now that it's November, we really are in the midst of a beautiful autumn.
                              


Artwork by Isabelle Debrosse Hardesty
http://www.debrossehardesty.com/
I am a Miami native. Autumn was never a golden, red leafed, chilly time. Instead it was a time when the intense heat gave everyone a break. It was beautiful and just a little cooler, but you still knew you were in sub tropical weather. Palm trees swayed in the fall air, rustling their long blade like leaves. There was still plenty of sunshine and some days would really heat up, reminding everyone of how recent summer was.








                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        


I now live in Georgia. Autumn means cold, shorter days, but it also means beautiful reds, oranges, yellows and plums.
Shoes crunch up dried leaves that were once new, green and supple.




Photograph by Isabelle Debrosse Hardesty  




No matter where I am, though, fall means having a bowl of warm oatmeal most mornings. I use my mother's recipe which includes cloves, nutmeg and a bit of lime rinds. The flavor is very full and so delicious. I like to sweeten it with a small amount of agave nectar. So goood.



And I love the old fashioned whole oats, not the instant kinds. The main reason is the nutritional value of whole oats versus instant. However, the taste is also much better when whole oats are used. Yes, it does take longer, but it's only time.
Whole Oats


In the mornings it's easy to skip breakfast or eat a cold bowl of cereal, but sometimes, only oatmeal hits the spot. That breakfast bowl just sits there empty, waiting for us to fill it.

 That then carries us for several hours and helps start our morning. What will you fill your bowl with?

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