The Breakfast Mix

A hot cereal is great for winter. Oatmeal certainly wins in ease and health properties. Use steel-cut oats if you have the time, if not – whole rolled oats will do. High in fiber and a good complex carbohydrate, means you can get a good start on the day. Add some cinnamon and seeds (pumpkin and sunflower) or nuts and you have a powerful fast and easy breakfast.

Photo: Torkil Stavdal

If you want to make more of a weekend brunch out of it you can add a soft-boiled egg. That is how we have done it in Europe for ages. Easy does it. Yummy with a slice of rye bread. Do choose eggs from free-range chickens, please! And preferably from a local farmer, but only organic and free-range eggs if you shop in a supermarket. This is both for your health and for the health of the chickens, that you can thank for this perfect and whole food. Indeed, eggs are a whole and complete food, if you leave them that way. By that I mean, eat the whole egg and not just the egg whites. Research has shown that eggs do not cause high cholesterol as previously believed. They are high in omega 3 fatty acids, choline (for cardiovascular, brain and nervous system health) plus it has naturally occurring vitamin D, as well as being a complete protein with all 9 essential amino acids.

Photo: Torkil Stavdal

You can of course use some of those last heirloom tomatoes on that rye bread and dash some freshly chopped raw asparagus and scallions on there and you are all set for a nice breakfast mix or brunch treat. I like to toast the rye bread and add some flax-oil instead of butter. All health and very yum yum.

Photo: Torkil Stavdal

Better Mornings

The Morning Comfort Food - Photo by Torkil Stavdal
The Morning Comfort Food – Photo by Torkil Stavdal

Morning Grain Recipe:

You can cook the grain the evening before – I tend to cook a big pot of grain and keep if in the fridge for a couple of morning breakfast bowls. Up to 3 days is fine.

Wash the grain well.
Use 1 cup grain to 2 – 2 1/2 cups of water. I like mine a bit softer so I add that extra 1/4-1/2 cup per cup of grain.

You can use brown rice alone or mix it with whole groats, sweet brown rice, barley (which does contain gluten). If you blend more grains it might be nice to make a bigger batch.
Add a pinch of salt (which is important to make the grain “open up”, taste better and sweeter, and make it more digestible)
Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and leave it alone for 45 min.
Check in on the grain but don’t stir. When done it should still be a bit wet looking.
Leave it in the pot unstirred and undisturbed. After 15 min the rest of the water is absorbed. The grain is ready- or you can keep it like that for the next morning.

When serving:
Add cinnamon to help balance your bloodsugar – and it tastes good too.
Add nuts and seeds. I like sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds,
maybe some pecans or walnuts or almonds.
If you like it sweeter, use agave.
It is a much lower glycemic index than sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
Brown rice syrup is however also an option.

If you like it more like a cereal as the left picture above, use rice-, almond-, or hempmilk. Soy milk is also an option.

Sit down, enjoy and chew very very well :)

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