Happy March! Slowly, more daylight lingers as winter melts into spring. Waking up and seeing the sun shining has relieved my winter blues as I take my time making an energizing breakfast: coffee, and oatmeal with dried fruit, cinnamon, and hemp hearts.

Oatmeal is truly a versatile breakfast–you can seriously get creative and add in anything your heart desires. I eat it during all four seasons; it’s one of the most ubiquitous staples a vegan could enjoy.

When I recently teamed up with Cascadia Hemp Co., the hemp hearts they provided perfectly complimented the tangy dried fruit in the oatmeal. The soft hemp hearts are the shelled inner core of the hemp seed. What I really like is that pleasant, nutty flavor. And they’re packed with nutrients: Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and anti-oxidants to help the body fight inflammation. They’re as versatile as oatmeal–you can sprinkle them onto anything, such as smoothies and salads.

The oatmeal with dried fruit and hemp hearts fueled me for a 5-mile run. I haven’t been running nearly as much after last year’s ultra marathon. The healthy fat and protein from the hemp hearts, combined with the carbs from the oatmeal, kept me going. If I didn’t have so many errands to do in the day, I could have gone longer.

Have you tried hemp hearts before? What’s your favorite food to put them in? If you’re new to hemp hearts, you can use the coupon code RONNIE15 to get a discount if you’d like to try them. Bon appétit!

*This post contains affiliate links to Cascadia Hemp Co. All thoughts, opinions, and experiences are my own.​