Whole-grain Mornings

Steel Cut Oat Vanilla Porridge

Posted by annauk1 on May 7, 2014

Posted in: basics, Breakfast, healthy recipes, Oats, Whole-grain Mornings. Tagged: oats, wholegrain. 5 Comments

It’s official. I have fallen off the low-carb wagon and not even a week in 😦
I went through two days of miserable ‘induction flu’, feeling light-headed, achy bones and decidedly annoyed with myself that I’d allowed myself to get to a stage where I needed a fast fix and then when it’s going ok, and I’m used to the carb restriction and feel more human, I want porridge!!

Why is it so hard to gain control when I have only put 3-5lbs on?! Why do those few pounds need to be a stone’s worth before I actually get off my ever-plumping fat ass and do something about it?
It’s so difficult isn’t it, deciding what constitutes ‘healthy’ and what does not.
I know for a fact it’s not low-fat.
But I also know that I’m just incapable of sticking to low-carb for a sustained length of time…..

I can see, of course, that a diet consisting of refined flour and sugar is not the way forward and simply moves you further away from your healthy goal. But then, what is life without cake?
Sad, I’d say, heartbreakingly sad.

‘All things in moderation’ seems to be my ‘moving forward’ motto.
Have your cake and eat it, occasionally.
And your butter and full fat yoghurt too.

Life is too short to live it in denial.
It makes me cranky and hideous to live with. 😉

And now we get to the matter of grains…..
wholegrains, while some would say ‘fatten us up’ and contribute to ‘wheat bellies’ also contain valuable minerals, fibre and in the case of oats, beta glucan, which helps to lower cholesterol levels.

All things in moderation remember.

So, I had a brand new packet of steel cut oats to try! And try I must!
Those who know me, also know that I’m getting very adventurous with my oat-eating. A previous porridge hater, Megan Gordon’s ‘Very Best Oatmeal’ literally changed my life and made me LOVE porridge.
You must try it if you haven’t yet. Toasting the oatmeal is the trick, it’s just beautiful.

After seeing a recipe for steel-cut oats in Megan’s book – Wholegrain Mornings, I began the search. Do you think I could get it anywhere? Could I heck as like. I went to supermarkets, health food stores, nowhere to be found.
What could I do but order from Amazon.
I love Amazon!

Steel cut oats are oat groats which have not been processed in any way, but simply ‘chopped’ into little pieces.
Rolled oats are oat groats which have been flattened too.

I came up with this recipe by combining Megan’s recipe, with the recipe on the back of the oat packet.

Steel Cut Oat Vanilla Porridge
Serves 3-4.

1 tbsp butter
1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups boiling water
1 cup warm milk (whatever type you like- I used semi-skimmed)
1 tsp vanilla sugar
Pinch of salt
Honey, maple syrup or other sweetener of choice.

1. Melt the butter in a pot, add the oats and toast over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. The oats will become beautifully fragrant and golden brown.

2. Add the boiling water, warm milk, salt and vanilla sugar to the toasted oats, turn heat to low, partially cover pan with a lid and cook, stirring often but not constantly, for 25 minutes.
Stirring too vigorously will cause the oats to break down more and become gluey.

3. Turn off the heat and leave for 5-10 minutes, during this time they will continue to thicken up.

4. Serve with a big blob of the best honey in the whole wide world (if you like!)

The world just seems put to rights after a bowl of this. Toothsome, chewy, delicious….
Low-carb? What low-carb? 😉

Easy Bacon, Leek & Cheese Brown Rice Risotto (For Non-Conformists)

Posted by annauk1 on March 9, 2014

Posted in: Breakfast, healthy recipes, rice, Risotto, Superfoods, Whole-grain Mornings. Tagged: brown rice, farro, millet. 8 Comments

I’ve been trying lately to increase the amount of wholegrains in my daily diet.

I figure if I’m going to eat grains, and I definitely am..(I just can’t do low-carb for a sustained length of time! I get cravings for carbs upon carbs!)

So, it’s best, in my life instead, to cut out ‘bad’ refined carbs.

For instance today, I’ve tried farro for the first time – in my breakfast,
millet – in a delicious, crunchy topping for yoghurt and brown rice – which I’ve used for a darn tasty risotto.

Do people still say ‘darn’? Hmmmm…;)

It all started with ‘Wholegrain Mornings’ by Megan Gordon just the bestest ever Breakfast book! It totally inspires me to try new (to me) grains.

There seems to be a little debate as to what farro actually is, but from what I’ve read it appears to be an ancient form of wheat grain, which can also include spelt, depending on the size of the grain. Spelt being the largest grain.
The type of farro I have is called ‘semi perlato’ or semi-pearled, which means it contains, some, but not all of its bran and nutrients.
Hey look, it’s a wonder I even found that around here! 😉

The farro breakfast bowl is made up of cooked farro, apples cooked in coconut oil, toasted and chopped hazelnuts and dried bilberries (the original recipe uses dried cranberries)
You’ll just have to buy the book for the exact recipe. I don’t think the author would be too happy with me if I shared recipe after recipe of hers, however amazing I think they are!

Now, isn’t this just really pretty?
Originally made with quinoa, I subbed millet, which made for a really crunchy yoghurt topper, sweetened with maple syrup and with added sesame seeds and almonds. It’s just so good! Just make sure you check your teeth before leaving the house.
That millet gets everywhere! 😉

Now to the risotto. Made with short-grained brown rice.
You need plenty of time to make this! We’re talking maybe an hour and a half start to finish. The great thing about this recipe being that it needs no baby-sitting, no mindless stirring (which I do quite enjoy- but not for 55 minutes!)

Bacon, leek & cheese brown rice risotto
Serves 2.

1 tbsp butter
1 medium leek, cut into quarters lengthways and then sliced thinly crossways
100g bacon lardons
1 cup (200g) short grain brown rice
150ml white wine
1 litre chicken stock
75g cheddar cheese.

1. Fry the leek and lardons in the butter until lightly browned.

2. Add the rice, stir around a couple of times until it’s glistening in the buttery juices.

3. Add the wine, let it bubble away for a minute or two for the strong alcohol aroma to evaporate.

4. Now for the leap of faith – be brave – trust me – add ALL the chicken stock. bring to a boil, turn heat down to low- medium and let it simmer for 50-55 minutes, it needs this long to cook, it really does.

Give the risotto an occasional, languorous stir….

5. By the end of the cooking time, the stock will have evaporated, the rice grains will be plump and swollen, but still chewy and toothsome (al dente)

6. Turn off the heat, add the cheese, and give it a couple of stirs.
You shouldn’t need any seasoning – what with the bacon and cheese, which are both salty, but do check.

7. Give it a couple of minutes to settle – serve, and above all enjoy!

I promise you, hand on heart, there is no difference at all, between risotto made this way and risotto made in the ‘proper’ way with the stock added a little at a time while being stirred constantly.

I really enjoyed this, real comfort food made with brown rice? What’s not to like 🙂

Spelt and Buckwheat Pancakes

Posted by annauk1 on February 27, 2014

Posted in: Breakfast, healthy recipes, Whole-grain Mornings. Tagged: buckwheat, pancakes, spelt. 11 Comments

I’ve been trying to vary my intake of grains and flours lately, mainly due to Megan Gordon’s book Whole-Grain Mornings, after all variety is important in ensuring a healthy, balanced diet. Mind you, I’m not sure a stack of pancakes can count as healthy! 😉 I have, however, given a nod in the direction of health, by using both buckwheat AND wholegrain spelt as well as plain all-purpose flour and by using organic rice syrup to sweeten.

Here is my recipe, which will give you a pile of about 24 mini pancakes. Allow about 4 pancakes (at least :D) per portion.
Oh and I’ve got to show you my new pancake pan, bought from TKMaxx!

Spelt & Buckwheat Pancakes

100g plain (all-purpose) flour
75g Buckwheat flour
50g Whole-grain Spelt flour
Carton of buttermilk (284ml)
2 eggs
2 tbsp melted butter, cooled
1 tbsp sugar
Good pinch of salt
2-3 tbsp milk to achieve desired consistency
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda.

1. Whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.

2. Slowly whisk in the cooled butter.

3. Mix in the flours, sugar, salt, bicarb and enough milk to achieve a thickish mixture.

4. Heat a little extra butter, or oil, in the pan and cook the pancakes on a low- medium temperature until bubbles erupt on the surface. Check the bottom of the pancake has browned by lifting one up slightly with a palette knife. Turn over and cook for a further 30 secs- 1 minute.

5. Repeat until all the mix has been used.

6. Take your stack (or two!) and sweeten with rice syrup, maple syrup, or any other sweetener of choice.

7. Devour.

8. Thank the cook. 😉

Five-Grain triple-coconut Powermeal

Posted by annauk1 on February 23, 2014

Posted in: Breakfast, coconut oil, easy, healthy recipes, Oats, Superfoods, Whole-grain Mornings. Tagged: barley, coconut oil, millet, oats, quinoa, rye. 2 Comments

Ok, so there’s no such thing as ‘powermeal’ I just made it up. I couldn’t call this superfood breakfast ‘oatmeal’ because it’s made with five different grains and I definitely don’t want to call it ‘porridge’ because this just brings up negative connotations to me – gloop, glue and wallpaper paste….You know the drill, readers! 😀 This is none of those things you’ll be pleased to know 🙂

I love easy Sunday mornings, warm and snuggly, no reason to get dressed (yet!) and lots of time to debate what we want for brekkie…
I’m pushing for the Powermeal because when you go into the local health food shop and practically clear them out of every type of wholegrain flake packet they have, then you really should make good use of them!

Either that, or I’ll be throwing unopened packets out after the ‘Sell-by’ date has passed! 😉

This Powermeal contains:

1. Oat flakes
2. Millet flakes
3. Barley flakes
4. Rye flakes and
5. Quinoa flakes….

AND 3 forms of coconut, a true superfood (and one of my favourites) – coconut oil, dessicated coconut (or coconut flakes)and coconut cream.

Let’s get on with making it….

Five-Grain Triple-Coconut Powermeal
Inspired by ‘Wholegrain Mornings’ by Megan Gordon.
Serves 3.

1 cup mixed wholegrain flakes
1tbsp coconut oil
1 cup milk (any type, or water)
1tbsp dessicated coconut, or coconut flakes
Grated coconut cream and honey to serve.

1. Toast the flakes, in the coconut oil, over a low-medium heat, for between 5-7 minutes, until they become dark golden, toasted and fragrant. Begin with the more robust flakes – the rye, oats and barley, before adding the more delicate ones – quinoa and millet flakes, a couple of minutes later.

Keep an eagle eye on the quinoa and millet flakes especially, as they can go from toasty to burnt in the blink of an eye!

2. Add the milk, which you have heated to almost boiling and the dessicated coconut.
If you prefer you can add the coconut in the last minute or two of toasting time, but keep an eye on it as it burns very easily. Stir once.

3. Turn off the heat, take off the burner if you have an electric hob (as the heat is held for much longer than a gas hob) and leave for 7 minutes.

4. Stir once. Serve with extra milk or cream, grated coconut cream and honey to your taste.

Bear in mind that the Powermeal is toothsome and chewy, much like a very, very soft granola. But without the hard edges. Yum.

Now, doesn’t that taste and feel like it’s doing you good! 😀 An absolute powerhouse of a breakfast!

The Very Best Oatmeal Recipe Ever.

Posted by annauk1 on February 15, 2014

Posted in: basics, Breakfast, easy, Oats, Whole-grain Mornings. Tagged: oatmeal, oats. 17 Comments

Huge claim?
It’s so true I can’t begin to tell you….well, on second thoughts, perhaps I can try.

These are the things this recipe IS NOT:

Gloopy
Gluey
Lumpy
Tasteless
Like wallpaper paste.

These are the things this recipe IS:

Toasty
Nutty
Toothsome
Divine
Delicious.

It has actually changed my mind completely about porridge. In fact, it can hardly be called that because the oats keep their toasted, fragrant shape. They don’t become an homogenous, lumpy mess. Not at all.
As the author says ‘They resemble a pot of nicely steamed grains more than they do an actual porridge’.

And, major bonus points, it takes hardly any time at all to prepare and the leftovers can be stored for up to five days in the fridge.
A whole work week of breakfasts.

This ground-breaking, life altering (it’s true!) recipe, comes from this wonderful book:

Whole-Grain Mornings by Megan Gordon

Which Sarah in Australia was rejoicing about.

Sarah, if you read this, the price of the book was worth it, many times over for this recipe alone! 🙂

Ok, so the oats have been toasted in butter, doused in cream and topped with brown sugar….I know, I know….but all natural, beautiful ingredients in moderation.
I’m sure you could leave the cream and sugar off, but do you really want to? 😉

And Hell! They sure start the day off on the right foot! 😉

The Very Best Oatmeal
Adapted from ‘Whole-Grain Mornings’ by Megan Gordon.
Serves 3.

1tbsp unsalted butter (I only keep salted at home, so I used that)
1 cup (100g) rolled oats
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
3/4 cup & 1tbsp (195ml) water
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Double (heavy) cream for serving
Brown sugar for serving.

This is the way I did it:
1. Toast the oats until golden and nuttily fragrant for 5-7 minutes in the butter, over a medium heat (Mine took the full 7 minutes in my new ceramic pan, remind me to show it to you another time :))

2. Heat the milk and water together, until they boil, add to the toasted oats along with the salt and cinnamon.

3. Gently stir, ONLY ONCE OR TWICE so the oats are incorporated into the liquid. This is really important so that they don’t start becoming gooey and gloopy.

4. Cover the pot and turn OFF the heat!
Allow to sit on the burner for 7 minutes. Don’t peep and don’t stir. 😉

*important note: I have an electric hob which holds heat for a long time. I don’t know what kind of hob the author has, so I was kind of nervous to leave it on the hob in case it burnt! So I kept taking it off the burner, putting it back and so forth. I think next time I’ll be brave and leave it on the burner!*

After 7 minutes uncover and check. If the oats are a little wet let them stand another couple of minutes.

Mine were perfect. Really, really perfect.

Serve with cream and brown sugar, or your favourite toppings.

Do get this book, if like me, you’d like to increase your intake of whole grains at breakfast time, but run out of ideas. It’s really fab, so many great recipes! You need it.

Marks out of ten? A big, fat 10!

Would I make it again? I can’t imagine my life without it!

Would I do anything differently? No!