A: Nothing beats a bowl of whole-grain oatmeal for breakfast, the first step in my 10-step Cholesterol DOWN plan.

I would say that eating a bowl of oatmeal made with light soy milk, some ground flaxseeds and maybe some cranberries and topped off with chopped almonds is about as good as it gets for starting the day off right.

That said, if you are tired of the same old whole-grain cereal for breakfast, then why not try something new? After all, variety is the spice of life! I have some excellent, heart-healthy breakfast recipes in my book, Cholesterol DOWN, that you might enjoy.

How about Mia’s veggie omelet (named after my daughter Mia)? It is made with egg whites, lots of colorful veggies and topped off with a touch of soy cheese.

Serve it up with 100% whole-grain toast spread with some plant sterol-containing margarine and you have a delicious breakfast that provides you with antioxidant-rich vegetables, soy protein and whole grains—and it lowers your cholesterol, too.

Another breakfast favorite of mine that I often make for my own family on Sunday mornings is almond oat pancakes. Made with oatmeal, almonds, flaxseeds and soy milk; spread with plant sterol-containing margarine; sprinkled with powdered sugar; and served with warm Vermont maple syrup . . . these pancakes are delicious, nutritious and contain 5 of the 10 cholesterol-lowering steps in my book.

It doesn’t get much better than that!