Experimental breakfast - porridge variation

It is rare that I wake up in the morning and my breakfast hasn't been soaking all night. But this morning I realised I had fallen asleep on the couch the night before and completely forgot to prepare my breakfast for the next day. It was cold (2 degrees Celsius if you want to know) so I knew I wanted something warm. I opened my pantry and started to experiment.

Ingredients

• 

  Amaranth plant

  1 tbsp millet
• 1 tbsp cracked buckwheat
• 1 tbsp amaranth
• 1 tbsp quinoa flakes
• 1/2 tbsp shredded organic coconut
• 1/4 tsp raw honey
• 1 tsp raw cocao nibs
• 1 small banana mashed
• 2 drops vanilla essence
• Boiling water
• Ground cinnamon for garnish

Method

• In a small saucepan, bring to the boil, 1 1/2 cups of boiling water, millet, cracked buckwheat, amaranth, coconut, honey and vanilla. 
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes (add more water if needed)
• Add banana, cocao nibs and quinoa flakes, simmer for another 5-8 minutes stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.
• Serve and sprinkle with cinnamon and cocao nibs

Result

This will not be winning any awards for looks but it makes up for it with the lots of flavours and lots of textures. I could taste the goodness in every mouthful and I enjoyed the earthy chocolaty flavour of the cocao nibs.

Verdict

It obviously takes a little while to cook so it wouldn't be my choice for breakfast on a work day. From a texture perspective I think next time I would ditch the coconut. It might have been nice to have some sort of milkiness added such as almond or soy. Having said that, I love that this has so many different grains/seeds.

Almond banana breakfast bonanza

This recipe comes to my blog thanks to a friend of mine. She introduced me to this concoction when we were travelling through Kangaroo Island SA. I was especially excited by this dish as I saw another opportunity to use the precious by-product of my almond milk.

What's in it?

• 3/4 cup of almond meal (or meal remaining from 3/4 almonds for milk)
• 1 tbsp psyllium husks
• 1 very ripe mashed up banana
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg

How it works

• Place all ingredients in a bowl
• Mix well ensuring you don't have a clump of psyllium husks
• Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil
• Spread mixture into the pan
• When base has browned, carefully turn over (hardest part of this recipe)
• Once other side is browned take out of pan
• Serve with berries

 

Result

Okay, so the mixture is a little difficult to flip in the pan (hence the reason I haven't go a photo of that). And as a result it isn't going to win any prizes for its looks ... but this dish is YUMMY!  Since giving it a go after coming home from SA I have made this four times. I love that I have no added sweetener (the banana is enough) and I love that it's dairy free and has the added fibre of the psyllium husks.

Verdict

This is a definite winner. I have tried a few variations when I didn't have a full banana such as adding berries or grated carrot. These attempts definitely fell into the TBNP bracket - that's Tasty But Not Presentable. Latter uses of this recipe I have made four small patties rather than one large one. A little less messy when flipping.

Bircher inspired creamy goodness

I love breakfast. I don't like to be rushed in the morning because I like to start my day with a wholesome meal with wholesome thinking. I don't just want to kick start my digestive system but also kick start my approach to the day.

This following recipe is a variation of what I have pretty much every day. Why the variation? Because usually I soak my Bircher style concoction in water in preparation for a quick cooking in the morning. As it's been rather hot in Melbourne the idea of cooking my breakfast is not appealing. So to find a yummy variation on my standard was my plan.

I'm not that keen on the more popular type of Bircher muesli preparation which has apple and usually yoghurt and fruit juice. I find it too sweet. This recipe that follows is still creamy and very good for you. Those who like more sweetness in their breakfast can achieve this by adding honey. The recipe is simple but it does require some forethought. I prepare my breakfast the night before.

Ingredients

• 1/4 raw rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 5 - 8 almonds
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 handful of raspberries (I use frozen for convenience)
• Almond milk

Method

• Put all but the almond milk into a bowl that you will be able to cover. I use a Pyrex bowl which has a lid.
• Pour in enough almond milk to cover most of the ingredients
• Cover and place in the fridge overnight
• In the morning take it out when your ready, grab a spoon and dig in! Add honey if you want a little sweetness but it's so creamy and lovely I don't think it needs it. 

Results

I'm sold on this! My breakfast was creamy with just the right amount of crunch and there is nothing like knowing that the yummyness you are eating is also good for you.

Of course variations on the fruit/berries used and spices is endless. I've made this with lemon thyme instead of cinnamon and with mango in place of raspberries. 

A note on oats:

The reason for using rolled rather than quick oats is purely to try to use the least processed of options. Oats are an awesome food. Aside from the practical nature of keeping us regular, they can help reduce our bad cholesterol. It is also classified as a low GI food, meaning that it is slow to release sugars so you stay satisfied for longer.

Soaking them overnight makes them even easier for your body to digest.

Gluten: Oats are free from wheat gluten. However, there is a gluten which is found in oats. Also, oats are often 'cut' on the same food production lines a wheat so some gluten 'contamination' could be present. If you have to have a completely gluten free diet you will have to make your decision based on the information provided. The Coeliac Australia site has some information worth reading.