Warm Apple and Almond Butter Paleo Meal One (breakfast)

When I decided to switch to a Paleo diet, one of the hardest things for me was using my free hand to pry my oatmeal with apples and cinnamon out of my other hand. And no granola with my yogurt? How could I eat my yogurt? And.. what? No yogurt, either?

So. I came up with an apple sans oatmeal fix that satisfies the desire for a warm nutritious Paleo breakfast with very little prep time required. If you add a little coconut milk to the finished product, it helps with that yogurt/dairy craving, too.

This recipe is filling and should give you plenty of protein, carbs, and fat to carry you through to lunch. I had it for Meal One (breakfast) two hours ago and I’m still not hungry.

Ingredients:

One apple, any kind

Saigon cinnamon – my favorite because of it’s pungency and it’s sweet flavor, but you can use any cinnamon

About 2 Tbs. of water

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbs. almond butter, or use our Fresh Macadamia Nut Butter with Chocolate and Cinnamon

A sprinkle of sliced almonds (optional)

A splash of coconut milk (optional)

A cup of coffee to drink while the above is getting cooked in the ‘wave. 

Process:

1. Dice the apple into a cereal bowl. Peel it first if you want, but I leave the peel on.
   
2. Sprinkle the apple with the cinnamon. Stir it.
   

   Looks tasty already!

3. Add the water. If you like the apples to have a lot of liquid, add more water.
4. Place the bowl in the microwave and nuke it for 3 to 4 minutes, until the apple is cooked and the juices collect in the bottom of the bowl.
   

   I pushed the cooked apples aside so you could see how much liquid there is after cooking.

5. Remove from microwave, and add the almond butter and vanilla while the apples are still hot. Stir well. Make a mess of it like I do and you’ll know you’ve got it just right. The almond butter will melt slightly and get all gooey and warm.
   

   This looks like a lot of almond butter, but it’s exactly one serving (2 Tbs.). It will give you enough fat and protein to carry you until lunch.

6. Add the sliced almonds for a bit of crunch, if you want, and the coconut milk, which helps cut the stickiness of the almond butter.
   

   I added sliced almonds, but opted out of the coconut milk this time. Can’t wait to sit down with my coffee and dig in!

7. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or your favorite hot beverage!
   

   Warm cooked apples, cinnamon, and almond butter with a side of coffee. A delicious Paleo breakfast substitute for oatmeal.