Two Cereals We Love

Opening the paper today and seeing Marian Burros's article on "alternative cereals," cereal was already on the brain. Not more than five minutes had passed since finishing a nice bowl of Fiddler's Green Farm Penobscot Porridge 4-Grain Cereal.

During our ten days away, we ate oatmeal and prunes every morning. Every. Single. Morning. And we liked it.

So just like last time when we went on this retreat, we returned with a hankering for hot cereal. Goodbye croissants, hello steaming wheat, corn, rye and rice. Spotted at Gourmet Garage last night, nestled way high up on a shelf not meant for shoppers under 5'7", we zoned in on this wholesome-looking brown sack of grains, awaiting our stove-top. Topped with raisins and a dash of yogurt, breakfast today was bliss.

Another curious cereal (and the love-affair with this goes further back than one day) is Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Cereal. Apparently, in the Holy Scriptures, a very culinary Ezekiel declares "Take also unto thee Wheat and Barley and Beans and Lentils and Millet and Spelt and put them in one vessel and make bread of it," meaning it makes a complete protein. A 1/2 cup serving delivers an impressive 8 grams of protein. And without a single crystal of refined sugar or preservatives, this is stuff to feel good about.

But okay, yadda yadda yadda, if you read the article in the Times, apparently "alternative cereals" taste like cardboard. Not this stuff. Anyone a fan of Grape Nuts? These are grape nuts, but without the tooth-cracking texture. Still crunchy, but not offensively so.

So, what are you eating for breakfast?

Comments (20)

Oatmeal's got a bad rap! I think the names porridge and gruel have something to do with it...When it's cold outside hot cereal is very comforting. I also love Arrowhead Mills Four Grain Plus Flax. It's got cracked wheat, steel cuts oats, rye, barley grits, and flax too. Tasty stuff.

I make 2 hot cereals. One is a sweet rice recipe from Deborah Madison's bible, "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone." It's hot and soupy, adding a touch of butter and brown sugar and cold milk. My favorite.

Taking that as a lead, I also make steel cut oats with flax meal, then add butter, brown sugar and cold milk. Butter may sound weird but it makes the dry cardboard rich and smooth, so pleasant.

That 4-Grain Cereal sounds really great. I have tried Ezekiel cereal since I have eaten the 7-grain sprout bread forever, but it I'd have to agree with the article on the cardboard front.

Since you posted their "Golden Flax" kind I thought I'd add a tip about flax. We all know that the whole seeds do nothing for you unless they're ground beforehand or you're careful with every bite of cereal to grind them with your teeth. So I buy the flax meal (in the baking isle, Bob's Red Mill) and add it to my hot cereals and baked goods that can stand the nutty taste and extra browning. I love it.

I have discovered that quick oats is the way to get my partner to eat breakfast. We have it most mornings. I would love to expand to other types of whole grains, but I'm afraid to mess with success. I just bought something by the Kashi conglomerate that I will try but it is unknown if she will let any pass her lips. I will be looking into Fiddler's Green.

I like cooking up steel-cut oats on occassion, but I leave other oatmeals alone. Icky texture.

My co-op used to carry a cereal called "Banana Gone Nuts." Not healthy by a mile, but still tasty.

Now I stick to raspberry granola or toast with some home-made cashew butter.

Another tip about flax: you can easily grind the seeds in a coffee grinder ... they stay fresher that way and deliver more benefits. It takes just a few seconds ... they don't have to be ground to a powder, but just broken open.

Flax is actually best when ground, unless you can chew those teeny things well. The stuff that's good for you isn't released unless the seed is opened.

I've been eating Ezikiel and Alvardo Street bread forever also, both flourless and grand on taste.

Since I'm not interested in a stricly organic diet (really tough for me to follow) but strive to get as close as I can, this is what I eat regularly: (I change off each day) eggwhite/spinach/feta omelettes, Irish Oatmeal - long cook - with flax, wheat germ & walnuts or almonds, Ezekiel or Alvardo toast with some veggie sliced cheese, or my ultimate favorite cereal - Uncle Sam's. Maybe not organic, but inexpensive, wholesome, packed with flax, and gets me where I need to go. I like the prune thing but only eat them after dinner.

this morning I was reading about flax having something that helps your blood pressure in stressful situations. wow.

I've been looking for a quinoa hot cereal that's supposed to be great...maybe they have it at Gourmet Garage.

I eat organic rolled oats throughout the winter, but I don't overcook them so they have good chewy texture. It took me years to figure that out...
Dried cranberries/blueberries cooked in on occasion.

anyone care to give me the cliff notes on
flax seed v flax oil?

..........I guess I do...

I really recommend mixing ground flax seeds with quick oats, wheat germ, and bran. You can add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and fruit (frozen cranberries or blueberries). I also like adding a little, little bit of milk for flavoring. This is true bliss on a cold winter morning.

The Ezekiel is a favorite of mine, too, though it's hard to find and the box scares my friends.

I love porridge! I usually make it in the microwave: 1/3 cup rolled oats, 2/3 cup water, pinch of salt... microwave for 3 minutes, stirring about every minute. Add sweetener of your choice.

"anyone care to give me the cliff notes on
flax seed v flax oil?"

I'm not quite sure what your question is about them. Here's what I know. The oil alone (linseed oil) some people (ex. vegetarians) use for getting the ALA omegas your body needs; flax seeds would give you that as well as the fiber and other nutrition that you need.

I got a great oatmeal recipe from the Moosewood 'New Classics' cookbook. First, roast the oats in a bit of butter, then add the water once they are a little toasty and brown. Then add salt, cardamom, and dates! The roasting gets rid of that 'wet cardboard' taste. It works fine without the butter too, but I like the rich flavour the butter gives.

Late entry to the breakfast cereal...I'm an oatmeal person all the way - nothing fancy.
I find the coarsest rolled oat I can - right now it's the Silver Palate.
1/3c dry oats, put it in your morning bowl. Add just enough water to cover. Let it soak, over night or at least while you shower. Throw on some frozen blueberries or dried fruit & nuke for 3 min. All Done. No stirring, no grit but lots of texture - I do like sweet so I add vanilla soy milk. Its soupy but not slimy....

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