Why not begin the New Year by making an effort to eat more nutritious breakfast choices! There are many nutritious grains available at your local natural food store that include Scottish oats, steel-cut oats, quinoa flakes, sweet brown rice, amaranth and teff to name a few. The last two are newer on the American market scene. Amaranth is a small seed which is high in protein and comes from South America whereas teff is the tiniest of grains which come from Africa.
These complex carbohydrates, contrary to popular belief, do not cause you to gain weight! They are all rich sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially high in the B-complex vitamins which are needed to energize the body.
Most of these grains can be cooked with a ratio of 1 part grain to 2 1/2 parts filtered water or rice/nut milk. Teff requires a 3:1 ratio, that is, 3 parts liquid to one part grain. I suggest you cook at least one cup so you can store what you don’t eat for the following morning. Put into pot with lid ajar and simmer until liquid is almost gone. Be sure not to overcook the grains or it will become sludge! Stir vigorously and pour what you will eat into a bowl.
Top the porridge with a little goat milk (good source of vitamin D) or rice/nut milk, chopped walnuts or sliced almonds, a spoonful of ground flax or chia seed and a smattering of ground organic cinnamon, ginger or cardamom or a little of all 3!
Ilia Regini, nutritional health & wellness advisor, healing foods chef and yoga instructor. I can be reached at [email protected]
