Since it has been so darn cold almost everywhere in the US, I thought I would share two recipes that have been helping us get a warm start to the day. Our normal breakfast is hot cereal, on busy mornings we eat granola, and on Sundays we typically do pancakes. I shared my homemade granola recipe here, but this isn't the weather for that.
We'll start with the Hot and Healthy Breakfast Cereal.
1. Measure 1/2 cup of quinoa, 1/4 cup of millet (or oats), and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
2. Combine in a medium sized pot along with 2 cups of water. Keeping the lid on, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until soft and fluffy.
3. Remove from heat and add dried cranberries.
4. Scoop into bowl. This recipe makes two big bowls - could easily be split between three people. I like to add ground flaxseeds and walnuts.
5. Then add your choice of sweetener if desired - I like a glug of maple syrup - and your choice of milk - I use raw organic.
Healthy goodness that will warm up your belly and start your day off right!
If you have a little more time or want something to make the kids happy, then try these Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes.
1. Combine the following ingredients in a large mixing bowl:
-1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of oats, 1/4 cup of ground flaxseeds, 3 teaspoons of baking soda, pinch of salt
2. Add the following:
-1 cup of milk or whey (if you have some leftover from making cottage cheese), 1 tablespoon of veggie oil, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 1 egg, 1 large mashed banana
3. Stir in enough chocolate chips to make you happy, but not enough to make it into dessert - it is only breakfast!
4. Heat a large frying pan on low/medium heat - I put it between number 4 and 5. Grease pan with butter or oil. Let batter sit for a couple minutes and thicken while pan is heating.
5. Drop about 1/4 cup of batter into pan for each pancake. These pancakes do not spread out very much, but they do get thick. Flip when you see bubbles on the surface.
6. The second side will cook much quicker, so keep an eye on them.
7. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
Little babes can eat them plain - the chocolate chips make them finger licking good! (Yes, at our house, any food normally comes with a side of pet hair. This Mom can only control so much.)
