I was never much of a cereal person. Beyond eating Rice Krispies and Cornflakes as a kid, the only time I ever really bothered with it was those small, single serving boxes you get at the breakfast buffet in hotels. 

Shop bought cereals are not the greatest when it comes to a skin friendly diet. Most contain gluten and lots of added sugar, and the worst culprits - such as Fruit Loops and Honey Smacks - can contain an eye watering 60% refined sugar.

If you're making adaptations to your kids diet to heal their eczema or psoriasis, it can be really difficult knowing what to feed them at breakfast time. Cereal makes for such a quick and convenient option, especially before school. 

Oats are a healthier breakfast choice, because they're slow release carbohydrates. This means they'll not only keep us fuller for longer, but they don't suffer from the same insulin spike we see with refined carbs. It's this spike that in studies has been shown to increase inflammation. 

Oats themselves do not contain gluten, but they are not classed as gluten free because of cross contamination from wheat fields. If you're celiac or particularly sensitive to gluten, you should always choose a brand of oats that's certified gluten free. 

Some healthier oat option breakfasts include: 

• Porridge
• Muesli
• Oatabix

Since I've spent the past few days on a juice cleanse, I really fancy something other than cold-pressed greens for my breakfast tomorrow morning, so I've had a go at making one of my favourite breakfast cereals - a sort of adaptation of honey nut clusters. Made with oats, raisins and seeds, this not only provides a delicious breakfast option, the clusters are also great for snack boxes and as a replacement for biscuits. 

INGREDIENTS (4 servings) 

150ml coconut oil

250g rolled oats

50g coconut sugar

30ml maple syrup or honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp flaxseed

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150C 

Warm the coconut oil in a saucepan until melted. Stir in the sugar and honey, then pour into a large mixing bowl and add the oats, cinnamon and seeds. Stir everything together well

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and scoop the mixture out onto the tray, flattening it out

Oven back for 15-20 mins at 150C, checking to ensure you remove it just as it turns golden brown

Pour the toasted mixture back into the mixing bowl, add the raisins and stir together well (I don't like baking the raisins as they have a tendency to burn) 

Pour back out onto parchment paper and use the back of a spoon to flatten the mixture down and compress it together

Place in the fridge to set quickly or allow to cool on the side

Once cool you should be able to break the mixture into clusters. Store in a clean, airtight jar with a decent lid to stop it going stale

Serve with an alternative to dairy milk