In my years of teaching macrobiotic/wholefoods cooking, I would have to say that the most frequently heard question is "What can I eat for breakfast? What do you eat for breakfast?" It's an interesting question, and it makes me wonder what people are eating prior to their transition towards more wholesome foods.

I must confess (to the horrors of mainstream nutritionists) that I don't always eat breakfast particularly in summer. In some Buddhist monasteries the monks eat only twice a day and sometimes just once. I find that a late breakfast/early lunch (between 10:00-11am) and another main meal before 6pm gives the body more time to digest and cleanse and a lightness and clarity is felt. The other option that suits me personally is grazing with 5-6 small meals throughout the day. My point is that every body is unique, and I don't feel that anyone should be bound by what and when "authorities" tell us to eat. (Including your macrobiotic cooking teacher!) I always encourage students to discover their own rhythms and their own compatibility with certain foods; however always teaching and advocating a return to wholesome organic foods. Well, that's my philosophy out of the way and still you're wondering..."but what can I eat for breakfast?"

The importance of whole grains in wholefoods cooking lends itself to so many tasty breakfast porridges. The overly-sweetened processed cereals and adding sugar/honey to cooked porridge in our western culture is simply habit and one that can cause a great deal of fatigue. To consider having a cup of leftover brown rice reheated with another 1/2-1 cup of water and cooked to make a creamy rice porridge (called congee in some Asian cultures) with 1/2-1 teaspoon of miso stirred in at the end is warming, delicious and energizing. Now what's the matter with a few veggies thrown into that congee to make a really nourishing and energetic start to the day? Organic whole or rolled oats, cracked wheat, millet, rolled rye and rolled barley are also widely available and all make delicious porridge with a sprinkling of gomasio (sesame/salt) or miso or tahini sauce. In Japan having miso soup for breakfast is a given. Scrambled tofu with a few spring onions and grated carrots on a piece of sourdough toast is about as good as it gets! Okay, so that's my savoury suggestions. Don't knock it till you try it!

For all you sweet lovers out there, you can make your own healthy muesli (using cold-pressed organic safflower or olive oil and rice syrup or barley malt syrup) - a much milder combination than the store-bought variety. Muffins made with spelt flour are a treat, and once again I can't overlook the wonder of sourdough whether it be fresh bread, toast or pancakes served with a home-made applesauce or other stewed fruit. Tahini is another delicious and nutritious topping for toast, muffins and pancakes. ( high in calcium but still high in fat so take it easy). And if you prefer those wholegrain porridges with a sweet touch, use a bit of rice or barley syrup and some rice or soymilk.

The complex carbohydrates of wholegrains provides a steady energy right through the morning to keep you running with steady blood sugar until lunchtime.

Wow, it's about 7:30am and I am really getting hungry. I may have to whip up some buckwheat pancakes or my favourite sesame waffles made with oats, sesame seeds and millet!