Birdfood

#recalibration no.2

Remember I was talking about the little things? This is a very little thing and meant to be a quick note and share, almost incidental...

Birdfood is what Germans lovingly call their Muesli breakfast...no...not the kind you are thinking of...not the delicious crunchy granola baked kind with lots of fats and sugar added to it...I am talking about the real raw deal...just oats, other types of seeds, nuts, dried or fresh fruits and milk or yogurt. That's it.

I used to eat this in my early recalibration days every day. It is work to eat it. You really have to chew it and it did not even taste that great, earthy, you know, like birdfood.

Long story short, I lost all creative mojo, forgot how to modify it lovingly and creatively to make myself feel good about doing something good for myself. I eventually stopped. Could not touch it with a ten foot pole. Hated it. Even craved the unhealthy granola kind again.

Then, after a while, I tried again...cooking steel cut oatmeal seemed like a good idea, still my favorite, but I do not have 35 minutes each morning to make it. It is time consuming, and guess what, needs energy (and carbon emissions, I had to say it, didn't I?) to cook and simmer for a while. I indulge on Sundays.

So, finally I am breaking down and allow myself to look at overnight oats. I had been watching them out of the corner of my eye. A bit too over-hyped, I thought. Yes, I am judgemental, not wanting to be like everyone else...if even Starbucks sells them they can't be good, right?....well, they are everywhere, in the news papers healthy eating sections, lots of creative recipes online with soooo many great ways of topping it off and people just ecstatic about the thing! I admit I looked down upon it as a fashion. What is good about overnight soaky stuff, I thought to myself, but secretly I was admiring the joy of creative toppings...

Then I thought, well, the Swiss always knew too there was something to it: Bircher Muesli! Also soaked overnight!

So, I gave in and it a shot, begrudgingly. I know I am late to the game and to overnight oats - such a simple, still healthy and delicious and bonus - no energy required to cook it - breakfast.

Finally bought my dozen of ball jars (really only needed two but 12 were cheaper than 2, maybe I get back into canning later!?) and started to experiment.

Turns out, it does not take a night to soak which preserves a bit of the earthiness that I do like...I prep it at 6 in the morning while my tea water is boiling and eat it by 11 at work. It is such a delight! 4 Tsp rolled gluten free oats, 1 Tsp chia seeds, 1 Tsp hemps, 1 Tsp mix of sunflower, pepitas, almonds, walnuts and sesame seeds, 1/2 a cup organic almond milk, teaspoon maple syrup, cinnamon to taste, frozen wild blueberries (the little ones) to fill the rest of the jar and I have dried crans without any sugar added and fresh bananas at work to add to the mix...all those toppings can change, same with the nut mixture depending on how the creative juices flow in the morning...

Now, I am eating this every morning, except of course when I am on the road (like right now in Atlanta at the Winter #ASHRAE meeting).

What is the lesson learned here? Creativity and delight are absolutely critical in our recalibration efforts. If it becomes a chore, we are not going to do it. But if we enjoy the change, even if it means being creative with reducing things, trying less is more maybe, if we look forward to the experimentation and invention for our personal path and situation, this will be fun.

Let the creative making-it-ones own overnight oats example, as tiny and as insignificant it may seem, be a template and inspiration for creating other new traditions that embody the new spirit of a sustainable #lifestyle, for the health of planet and all people.