Grains in the morning

Like the rest of the world (cf. the multi-billion dollar breakfast cereal industry), I like grains in the morning.  But cold cereal is either unhealthy (Froot Loops, Peanut Butter Bumpers), or boring (AllBran, Total).  So what's a South Beach Vegan to do?

1.  Embrace toast!  A slice or two of whole-grain bread, smeared with any one of a variety of nut butters, or guacamole, or hummus, or whatever, really sticks to the ribs, and takes about 2.5 seconds to make.  Don't limit yourself to margarine and jam (though that's tasty, too).  They key to this is opening your mind about what constitutes an appropriate topping.

2.  Use leftover grains.  For dinner, if you make brown rice, or quinoa, or whole-wheat couscous, or any other grain, make a few extra servings and stick the leftovers in the fridge.  In the morning, scoop out about a cup of the grain into a cereal bowl, top with a milk substitute like soy, almond, hazelnut, or oat milk (unsweetened is best, but a little sweetener won't kill you), and mix in some flavorings.  My faves: ground almonds, a pinch of cardamom, a pinch of nutmeg, and a packet of splenda.  Or, cinnamon and chopped apple.  Or, blueberries (frozen is fine) and 1/8 tsp. vanilla extract.  Use your imagination: any nuts, fruits (dried, fresh or frozen), jams, or sweet spices will do.  Nuke the concoction in the microwave for a minute and a half, and you have a breakfast that takes less than five minutes to make but tastes like you spent all morning on it.

This kind of breakfast will easily hold you over until lunch.