Sunday 22 January 2017

An Apple A Day ~~~

Hello Friends ~~~

Just a quick dip in and out this morning. I am working on an entry for my David Winter Cottages, in which many of you expressed interest and said you'd like to see more of them. It's taking longer than I thought and I'm thinking I might do two instalments ~~~



Today I thought I'd share my breakfast with you. I know that might seem odd to share my breakfast, but it's been a bit of a revelation to me.  For years, my usual daily breakfast has consisted of more or less the same basic structure ~ unsweetened or no added sugar cereal of some sort {usually oatmeal or muesli} with fruit, usually blueberries or raspberries, and any one of a choice of non~dairy milk or home made yoghurt.  I'm not 'dairy free' I just don't like milk. Anyway, a few weeks ago I ran out of berries and after two days of bananas in my bowl, I decided to try Bircher Muesli which is the traditional way the Swiss {who I believe invented muesli in the first place} prepare and eat this delicious breakfast dish.

You can find any number of muesli recipes online, and it is so easy to adapt them to make one to your own personal tastes, which is what I do by lessening the amount of dried, sweet fruits and adding lots of extra seeds and nuts which I love.  Bircher museli involves soaking the muesli base overnight traditionally in apple juice {which I don't like, so I soak in oat milk} and in the morning stirring in one grated apple per serving. Now, that's where the revelation happened ~~~


Despite what you read, and much as I love oats {in all forms} an oat based breakfast never ever fills me up and fails to keep me going until lunchtime, as it is often written it is supposed to do.  The fact is, whatever I eat for breakfast, the Hobbit in me is always ready for Second Breakfast, or a little top me up snack around Elevenses.  However, no one was more surprised than me when I found that the addition of the grated apple not only fills me up more than the blueberries, or other fruit such as banana or raspberries, but keeps my energy topped up and more evenly spread out so that I get to lunchtime not wanting that mid~morning snack!   And, talk about delicious! Apples, oats, nuts and seeds are a complete marriage made in heaven! Who would have thought a simple apple could make such a huge difference to my morning!  I've always enjoyed apples, but usually eaten on their own, or with a small treat of a piece of cheese, and I've always had a fruit at breakfast but never an apple, that's always been eaten later in the day. Now, I have my breakfast fruit later in the day instead. A simple switch, but what a difference it's made ~~~


Recently, I bought this Emma Bridgewater mug which was made exclusively for Fortnum and Mason.  The teabag tidy is from the Sophie Allport range ~~~ both are so 'me' with all the bees ~~~



I took the time to write a review, and guess what? A few days later I was notified that I've won a £25.00 voucher to spend on Emma Bridgewater for my review!  I think I'm going to treat myself to two of her new city scapes mugs. There are currently four, Paris, Venice, London, and Oxford.  I think it will be Paris and Oxford ~~~

Now, how many of you tried wearing socks to bed to help you get a better night of rest? Did you try it? Did it work? I'm still using them, and as a control some nights I don't wear them and you know what? I don't sleep nearly as well or nearly as restfully.

Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah xo

14 comments:

  1. I'm pleased to find someone else who finds porridge doesn't last 'til lunchtime. I've gone back to old favourite toast and marmalade and can survive without snacking at elevenses unless the weather is cold like today when I felt a Christmas shortbread biscuit was called for!

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    1. Yes a couple of slices of toast does keep me going much longer, but I persist with porridge and fruit for the health benefits. Enjoy that biscuit!

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  2. Deborah that just looks so delicious, I could eat that right now. We eat very similar breakfast, at the weekends we do maybe have crumpets for a treat. Well done on your win. How is it going on the comping front, do you still do them, any other wins this year?

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    1. Thank you, it is very delicious and all for simply grating up an apple, skin and all! I've had three wins, all quite good ones recently. I think I'll mention the other two later!

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  3. I tried the socks - thick furry ones and it made no difference to my sleep patterns but no more complaints from Martyn about cold feet :-)

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    1. There's not much to say, except it is a shame it didn't work for you ~ but secretly I'm giggling that Martyn is happier!

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  4. Deborah it's so nice to hear you have found an apple added to your breakfast helps to keep you satisfied until lunch. I frequently split a large apple with Grayden with our yogurt at breakfast. I made a lovely baked oatmeal dish last week that had apples and cranberries that was quite filling.
    I did try the socks for help in sleeping. I'm afraid it did not help me. I would kick them off sometime or another and found it annoying. I did buy the salt lamp and I do think it may be helping me some. Unfortunately it seems I can sleep well for a few nights and then I must have a restless, sleepless night--it's so frustrating to go to bed so tired and then I'm not able to turn my brain off. UGH!
    Have a wonderful evening, dear Deb. xoxo ♥

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    1. The energy of a full moon will always upset my sleeping rhythms. I still have to buy me a salt lamp to try; everyone I know who has one speaks very highly of them.
      I do wonder now why an apple makes such a difference replacing the berries? Curious now.
      It wasn't Susan's Apple Cranberry Crisp, was it? That is the best dish ever!

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    2. It wasn't Susan's Crisp, even though I have made it and it's delicious! I made http://www.alexandracooks.com/2013/08/09/baked-steel-cut-oatmeal/ this recipe and used fresh chopped cranberries and a chopped apple instead of the blueberries. This is a baked breakfast oatmeal that is quite yummy. I do think apples have great staying power because of the fiber! xoxo ♥

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    3. Oh, thanks for the link. Yes, definitely something more special about apples than berries in staving off hunger! xo

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  5. Ah my kindred spirit!!! Muesli for breakfast and socks at night...! Yes Dr. Max Bircher in Switzerland invented the muesli for his patients around 1900, and encouraged a daily walk and a bath! Sounds simple enough, right? I have been eating this since high school. My grandfather is from Switzerland.
    Walking and ~~~waving,
    Margot

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    1. I think I'll pass on the bath, knowing it is associated with something healthy it is probably cold! lol
      ~~~Deb

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  6. Oh I hope not! I am cold enough this Winter! Lol brrr...
    ~~~Margot

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  7. I try and make a Bircher museli for a Saturday morning but don't always have apple juice I will try it with oat milk tomorrow. Thank you. Sarah x

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