About Claudia, Blog, Cooking, Mediterranean Diet

Trying to get in your apple a day? Think like the French

We all know the saying of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But some days it may be hard to squeeze in an extra piece of fruit or veg to the table, especially if you are trying to meet your 5 a day. Who came up with that number anyway?

In the Mediterranean, we eat more like 9 – 11 servings of fruit and vegetables every day

Parisiennes are well-famed for their breakfasts of cappuccino and chocolate or butter croissants. Add to it a drag on their cigarettes and it’s pretty much all I have seen of breakfast on the cobbled streets of capital. And if I am being honest, I love them. These are hands-down my favorite breakfast foods. A warm chocolate croissant melting in my mouth reminds me of Paris.

However, this is only Paris. You travels a hundred kilometers or so South of the City, and the eating habits of the French countryside vary from their city kinsmen. It was while I was traveling as a recent college grad to the French Riviera in a tiny port city called Juan Les Pins, not far from Cannes (albeit less famous and less expensive! Perfect for a traveling 20-something). Here, I stayed in a hotel which included a humble French breakfast and was served the below meal, which I now prepare weekly for my own children.

We are busy people. Here is a recipe I keep tucked up my sleeve on a cold Fall morning. It takes about an extra 5 minutes to prepare, but so worth the additional vitamin C and fiber you are gaining.

Oatmeal with Chopped Green Apples

1 cup Steel cut oats
1 cup water
1 cup milk
1 chopped apple (I prefer green, but you can use any variety), with skin on
Touch of salt
Cinnamon and brown sugar to taste

Method

Prepare oatmeal as usual (personally, I like to make mine with half milk, half water). Add cold water to a pot and salt lightly. Before the water boils, add oats and chopped apple. Allow to cook slowly over medium heat until apples soften, approximately 5 minutes. Season the oatmeal with a bit of cinnamon and brown sugar before serving.

I love serving this for the children on a cold Fall morning. I feel like I am starting their day right by giving them the added fruit to their diet.