Monday, November 17, 2014

'Tis the Season for Hot Breakfast Cereal

Well as much as I HATE to admit it . . . it's time to break out the hot cereal. 

I have a tendency to only do certain things in the cold season - like crochet, make soups and chili, plan my gardens, plan my next school year - and make creamy, hot cereal for breakfast!

I can cook and eat oatmeal most any time of year, but I get a hankering for cream of wheat when it gets cold!  I grew up on the old fashioned Farina . . .  Oh my gosh, even the picture looks familiar!!!  Now I'm not sure how good this particular cereal is for you, my guess is that it is highly processed and has no fiber left in it.  :(     But I do remember it tasting so good!

So what is farina anyway?  Well, basically it is a whole grain made into a meal or powdered form for cooking.  My suggestion would be to try Bob's Red Mill Farina if you are looking for the convenient kind.  Or you can make your own by grinding your own whole wheat finely in your grain mill or blender.  According to Sue Gregg's Breakfast Cookbook, you want to use approximately 4 parts of water to 1 part ground grain.  Make sure you check out my Books page this week as Sue Gregg's Cookbooks will be the additions!

These days, creamed cereal comes in all kinds of varieties . . .

                               Chocolate??  Really?!!

But you want to remember to check your ingredient list!!  Anything that needs to sit on the shelf for any length of time may very well have undesirable things added to it AND desirable things taken out of it (like your germ and bran)!!

Sue Gregg's Breakfast Cookbook gives you many different creamed cereals to try -    like millet, rye, and rice.  Actually any grain that you can run through your mill will make a creamed cereal. 

AND don't forget about oat bran!  That is another of my cold season favorites . . .
Here is one of my favorite recipes from my Sue Gregg's cookbook . . . with my own twist, of course!

Oatmeal Bran Cereal - p 109
(my version - single serving - a large portion really!)

1 cup water
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup oatmeal
2 Tablespoons oat bran
2 Tablespoons raisins
Pinch of cinnamon

Bring your water and salt to a boil.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Turn down to low heat and simmer until creamy or desired consistency.

I like butter and sugar in mine - I know, some old habits are hard to break! - But you can add honey, agave nectar, or anything that suits.  Actually, I have added walnuts to this mix before too and I enjoy that as well.

HAVE FUN!!!!

Black Friday Sale coming from Vintage Remedies!!!

I am so excited about the Black Friday sale that begins next Monday on the Vintage Remedies site.  The sale runs from midnight to midnight, starting at 12:01am on Monday, November 24, and ending at 11:59pm on Tuesday, December 2nd. (All times central standard time.)

I have so many of the classes on my list that I want to take that I am not sure which one will be first!

I am kind of pulled in a couple of directions these days because I have started working on my Aromatherapy website, so perhaps I will take their Essential Oils class first.  Whichever direction I go, check back next week and I will have their sale prices available for you.

Want a bit of a carrot??  Try out their free course . . . but beware!!!  One bite and you'll be hooked!!!