Seasonal Chef: Healthy Grains For Breakfast

Adding grains to your daily diet is a healthy way to wellness, particularly in the winter.

Oatmeal is the most common breakfast grain, however consider wheat berries or barley cooked with a cinnamon stick, plus a spoon of pure vanilla added to the water for a tasty cereal.

Teff, the smallest grain in the world, was first grown eons ago in Ethiopia. Gluten-free, high in protein, fiber, calcium, and iron, this rich, nutty tasting grain is now grown in Idaho and available at health food stores and large grocers. If teff flour is unavailable, use a coffee grinder to pulverize teff grains.

Starting the day with a hot breakfast will give you the fuel you need to keep you warm for the morning and to stave off those afternoon cravings. Bon healthy appétit!

Porridge Of Teff

(Yields about 4 half-cup servings)

2 cups boiling water

Pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup teff

To prepare:

Bring water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over high heat.

Add a pinch or so of salt and then whisk in the teff.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce and cook over low heat, stirring every now and then, until the liquid is absorbed, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the pan, drizzle on pure maple syrup or agave, top with cream or milk and serve at once.

Vanilla Hazelnut 
Almond Granola

(About 5 cups)

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (toasted)

1/2 cup raw hazelnuts with skin

1 cup raw almonds with skin

1/2 cup teff flour (or teff grains, pulverized)

1/3 cup extra virgin organic coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 sea salt or more to taste

Optional: 1/2 cup sundried cherries or golden raisins

To prepare:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Lightly coat it with coconut oil and set aside.

Scatter oats evenly on a dry jelly roll pan.

Bake until light brown and aromatic, about 15 minutes.

Cool and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add hazelnuts, almonds, teff, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.

Mix well to blend and spread into prepared baking sheet.

Bake until light brown and aromatic, about 1 hour, stirring every so often.

Add cherries or raisins toward the end of the baking time and continue baking about 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Cool to room temperature and store in glass jar.

Medjool Dates 
And Oranges With Granola

(Serves 4)

4 large seedless oranges, peeled

8 large Medjool dates

Orange flower water for drizzling (found in baking or spice section of the market)

Optional: Orange blossom honey for drizzling

About 1/3 cup vanilla hazelnut granola

Fresh mint for garnish

To prepare:

Remove the pits from the dates and julienne them into 4 pieces each, about 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Arrange orange slices on a dessert plate.

Sprinkle the dates on top and drizzle with orange flower water (and honey if desired).

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

Just before serving, sprinkle granola over the fruit and garnish with fresh mint.

Broiled Cinnamon Pears

(Serves 4)

4 large firm, ripe pears cut in half

1/2 fresh lime

About 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Ground cinnamon for dusting

Optional ingredients: 1 tablespoon sugar or agave syrup

About 4 to 6 tablespoons yogurt cheese

About 1/3 cup vanilla hazelnut granola for topping

To prepare:

Preheat the broiler to high.

Cut pears in half lengthwise, remove core and stem.

Place pears on a shallow ovenproof dish that can accommodate them in 1 snug layer.

Drizzle lime juice over the pears.

Dot the top with a little butter.

Sprinkle on sugar if desired (I do not use sugar) and dust with cinnamon.

Run the pears under the broiler until the tops begin to bubble, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Watch closely, the broiling time will depend on the height of the rack under the broiler.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of yogurt cheese on the pear.

Top with granola and serve at once.