“Welcome Autumn” Breakfast
For a multitude of reasons, this is my favorite time of year. While we don’t see the change in season in Southern California as much as other parts of the country, small shifts begin to take shape & that is enough for me. I welcome the brisk chill in the morning air, darkness falling earlier in the evening, resurrecting boots, coats, & scarves from the bin in the back of the closet, & knowing that the warmth of the holidays is right around the corner. I love autumn.
I awoke on this 1st day of Autumn to a sprinkle of rain & a rumble of thunder. Perfection. I decided to forgo my favorite Friday morning yoga class & spent the gloomy morning snuggled with my Pug, & enjoyed a steaming cup of Kusmi “Sweet Love” Tea, & a nourishing bowl of homemade oatmeal with fresh figs.
When I found out my friend Shelly, who often blesses me with gift from her garden, had a fig tree, I almost fell over. Fresh figs, to me, are undoubtedly the most marvelous gems of the season. By now, I’ve usually had my fig fix, but not this year. I haven’t seen them at the farmers’ market & avoided the imports at the store, therefore, it was a fig-less late summer. You can imagine my excitement when Shelly arrived with a small bag of figs for me to savor. As these may be the only figs I see this year, I’ve been coveting them for about a week, trying to decide what to do with them. Fig Pizza? Fig Tart Salad? Then, on this leisurely, quiet, & grey fall morning, it occurred to me…
Vanilla Fig Oatmeal
Serves 2
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- brown sugar to taste
- 3/4 cup fresh figs, quartered
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- almond milk (optional)
- Bring water & salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat & add the oats, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, & brown sugar. Cover & let stand for 2 minutes.
- Divide oatmeal into two bowls & top with figs & pecans. Add a drizzle of almond milk, if you prefer.
Enjoy & welcome autumn!
