Bounty for breakfast anyone?

Anyone seen Eat, Pray, Love yet starring Julia Roberts? I read the book a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. It was a light read about Elizabeth Gilbert’s travels to Italy, India, and Indonesia with the hope to experience pleasure, spirituality, and love.  Three guesses which section of the libri was my favorito ;). With extremely well-written scenes, it was easy to visualise and connect with the Liz’s path to self-discovery. After much anticipation, I finally saw the movie last week and to be honest, I wasn’t half as blown away with it.  I guess the book laid the foundation for high expectations which only led to disappointment…but then again, isn’t that usually the case! The plot was more-or-less identical, the sites were breathtaking, Julia Roberts looked fabulous…but the movie just dragged on and on.  Julia Roberts nailed the performance, and if it wasn’t for her being the protagonist, I probably would have shot myself by the end of it…or fallen asleep (which I may or may not have for 10 minutes during :oops:). Anyway, before I digress into a further book/movie review, let’s get back into more relevant business: COCONUT.

At the risk of comparing Julia Roberts to a coconut, the latter is the star of my show lately…with the show being breakfast. I bought a huge tub of coconut chips (basically toasted coconut flakes) from Wholefoods and they are just so yummy. If a food Oscar existed, coconut chips would surely get my nomination. Along with giving my breakfast bowl an added crunch, it also amps up the flavour by a billion. The distinct coconut flavour overpowers the other ingredients, making each bite taste like a bar of Bounty :-P.

My current favourite breakfast is what I like to refer to as a ‘yogurt mess’: chopped fruit (either apple, pear, banana…or a mixture of all 3), with Kashi granola, oats, natural yogurt, a splash of soy milk to loosen things up, and the pivotal ingredient…coconut! Whereas consuming coconut in the form of Thai curries won’t do you many favours, eating moderate portions of coconut in its raw state will. Check out some of its MANY benefits:

• Is lower in calories than all other fats

• Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun

• Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking

• Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate

• Prevents constipation and for any build-up of gas in the stomach and intestinal tract.

• Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses

• Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance

• Functions as a protective antioxidant.

• Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome

A handful of coconut chips sealed in a Ziploc bag would also make for a great portable snack.  On a separate note, it always baffles me when people claim to be non-breakfast eaters: how they miss an opportunity for such a delicious meal is beyond me :shock:!

Do you have any foods which make or break your meal? If so, what are they??