In praise of the banana, and other matters of a breakfast nature

According to Tess' calender, there is a 'Celebrate the banana' day in January - I told her, I could really  get behind that one.

 

But I have to confess that bananas wouldn't have made it into my top ten of the fruit bowl a year ago. Not that there's anything wrong with them - they just didn't make me tingle - no juice, no interesting texture, no eating theatre (I'm looking at you, Mr Pomegranate). But it turns out that their unchallenging pleasantness, the 'nice' that bananas have in place of a wow factor, is the perfect unthreatening breakfast building block.

A year ago, my weekday breakfast would have been toast - probably with marmite or peanut butter, sometimes marmalade. Not wildly exciting. And as it turned out, not so wonderful for me either. Last year, I tracked everything I ate for a couple of months. Yup, every single bite. I used My Fitness Pal, and let me tell you - those couple of months were an eye opener.

You see, I've never been a dieter, and I swiftly discovered that I was pretty ignorant about food when it came to the calories department. And it turned out that my standard, weekday breakfast, that I didn't particularly love, but ate dutifully so as to set a good example to my children to start the day with something in the stomach, wasn't so great. Joyless toast - it was taking the place of calories that I could have used on eating something SO much nicer, later on in the day. Plus I was starving hungry 3 hours after eating. It was time to re-assess.

But face it - who has the time or inclination first thing in on a weekday morning for elaborate breakfasts.  The humble banana to my rescue. Or more accurately half a chopped banana with some natural yoghurt on top (have tried many different brands but I like Tims  best) and then some other fruit scattered over - blueberries, kiwi, mango, raspberries, strawberries, prunes, peaches, nectarines - I like to ring the changes.

I am also slightly fixated about eating it in my special bowl. Because it tastes better from that one. Really, it does. And recently, I've been exploring sprinkly things. Like flaxseed. And chia. And bee pollen. Small nuggets of crunchy texture that add a little more excitement on top of the whole shebang. Okay, now I'm sounding like a hemp-wearing hippy. But I'm a two stone lighter hemp wearing hippy since I made the big breakfast switch. Yup. There's no arguing with that. Vive la banana!

 

 

Comments

[CJ]

Wow, you've sold it to me as well, I could stand to lose a little weight. Who knew the humble banana had such superpowers. It just so happens I have one or two lurking in the fruit bowl. I shall commandeer one tomorrow. Thanks for the tip. CJ xx

[Tracy]

Wonderful! More ritual and less duty and a great outcome sounds just right.

[Gina]

That's a big difference for a small change. I feel deprived if a banana doesn't feature in my breakfast somewhere. Usually on porridge or like you, with yoghurt and other fruit... But it is rather good with peanut butter on toast.

[Ali Whale]

Gosh, that is interesting. I'm not one for fruit, but I've always liked a banana - and I like natural yogurt. I'm currently eating porridge for breakfast with a swirl of honey and some soya milk over the top to cool it so I can eat it. Maybe I'll give the banana breakfast a go, not to lose weight necessarily but just to make a change.

[Toffeeapple]

I seldom eat before midday and usually I eat a small piece of toast with butter and Marmite on it and rarely, very rarely eat yoghurt or bananas. Interesting about Tim's yoghurt, I have never heard of it before but it is made in the county that is my home! I clearly do the shopping with my eyes closed...

Good news on the weight loss.

[Magic Bean]

Blimey missus, that is good going. All praise to the comedy fruit. Shame I really don't like them as my middle could definitely do with a bit of attention...
Ax

[driftwood]

good grief. you must be eating bananas with magic powers. or it could be all the tennis?

[french knots]

I wish I liked them.Such a transportable fruit good with lots of other foods.. but erugh can't stand them. But two stone is not to be sniffed at, I should take up tennis if I can't take up bananas.