Cereal for Hot Cereal Lovers

As a creature of habit, I like to start each day with a bowl of hot cereal. Until a few months ago, that meant oatmeal cooked on the stove using skim milk. To improve on the texture, I would often throw in a bit of cooked brown rice. That was it, plain and simple. Every day – no problem.

Then one day near the end of September I was given a recipe by my friend, Jenny, for “Immune Support Breakfast.” Pretty catchy and appealing, right? But, I trusted my friend and gave it a try. Oh my goodness. I’m a convert. This cereal recipe uses a variety of grains, dried fruit, nuts and delicious healthful things. It is tasty and satisfying. It is something you want to share with the people you love! I made a huge batch before Christmas and gave it to my friends. It may not have been on their wish lists, but I think it was well received.

Here’s my version of the recipe:

Immune Support Breakfast

4 cups rolled grains (oats, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, etc.)

2 c. oat bran

1 c. sunflower seeds, raw

1 c. pumpkin seeds, raw, unsalted

1 c. ground flax seeds

1 c. raw, unsalted nuts, chopped (almonds, pecans, walnuts)

1 c. dried fruit (dried cherries and apricots are great), chopped

1 c. lecithin granules

Mix all the ingredients together. Store in container that is handy, because you’ll need it every morning.

Cook 1/4 – 1/3 c. per serving with milk or water to desired consistency on stove top. (about equal parts cereal to liquid – enough to cover lightly.) It doesn’t take long to cook – 12 – 15 minutes. Serve as you like, with milk, yogurt, blueberries, hemp hearts, maple syrup or brown sugar. You could even add a little cinnamon while it is cooking. Go crazy.

This may seem like a small serving of cereal, but it is packed full of taste and nutrition. You must try it!

Here’s the link if you want to know more about the original recipe. I keep my cereal in a ceramic cannister on the counter, with a 1/4 cup scoop inside. You need to mix things up as you take out the cereal, as the bigger pieces of fruit and nuts tend to rise to the top.