'Nooks and Crannies' hot breakfast cereal RECIPE

We get feedback sometimes that our posts are too garden-specific and, for people who aren't gardeners they wonder what they can do to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. Well, here's a recipe for the hot cereal mix that we eat almost every morning.

We named the cereal mix 'Nooks and Crannies' because it seems to meet so many of our nutritional needs. After a bowl of it we feel incredibly sated and it gives us slow-burning fuel that lasts the morning. Our philosophy is to try and get as many nutrients (and as few toxins!) from the food we eat so we lean towards whole foods with the least amount of processing. We mainly buy organically grown foods and everything we grow is, of course, also organic. We also try to eat a variety of foods so that the micro-nutrients that are low in one food might be filled in by eating something else. (LINK: Why We Grow and Eat "Organic" Food )

This post contains the recipe for making 'Nooks and Crannies' cereal, including a list of ingredients (all 31 of them!) followed by instructions for making your own pre-ground seed/nut mix. Enjoy!

Kassaby sorghum - sweet and nutty in flavor. (LINK: Grow your own Sorghum for grain and flour )

Honestly, the recipe for making the cereal itself isn't much different from what most people make and eat: grainsand dried fruit.  What really sets Nooks and Crannies apart are the variety of the ingredients and the toppings we add after the cereal is cooked.  Here is the basic recipe for the grain-base of the cereal followed by ideas to make your experience truly deluxe! 

Basic cooking recipe: 1-part grains to 2-parts water. 1-part fruit/nuts

For two of us, we use:
1/2 cup of the corn/sorghum mix (recipe below)
1/2 cup rolled oats (kept separate in their own air-tight jar)
dried or frozen fruit/whole nuts (about 1/2 cup)
pinch of salt

Mix grains, fruits, nuts and salt in a saucepan.
Heat water and pour onto cereal. Stir.
Simmer on very low heat.
Add more hot water as needed as you simmer.
Dish up, Add Nooks and Crannies special toppings (listed below). Serve.

Sorghum drying. We grow our own, dry it and grind it for cereal and baking.

The key to swift morning prep-time is to have some of the ingredients pre-ground and pre-mixed  - the grain mix and the seed/nut mix (see below). This makes the daily prep much faster as we just need a scoop or spoonful of each.

We have all the ingredients stored close together in jars with lids so I can just open each one and add a handful to the pot. The frozen fruits are also kept in jars; I just find it easier to open and close a jar than to mess with freezer bags (that zip closed) or twist-ties (which aren't air-tight).

So I go down the line of jars and add everything to the pot. The only thing I actually use a measuring cup for is the grain-mix (corn and sorghum) and the oats. Everything else I just scoop out little (or big!) handfuls with my hands. You'll find what works best for you.

If time is an issue in your morning routine, pre-soak the grains and fruit overnight and add some hot water in the morning and simmer till done.

Other goodies to cook into cereal: I add a selection of dried/frozen fruits, nuts and other goodies before cooking...(about 1/2 cup total). (left: home-grown grapes before freezing).

Choose from:
dried shredded coconut - just a small handful
cacao nibs -  they're a bit bitter but highly nutritious so I just put about 1 rounded teaspoon per double person serving.
frozen blueberries, grapes or strawberries -  sweet goodness!

 

Dried fruit: There are so many delicious ones to choose from. Mix and match your favorite combo!
raisins, pears, figs and/or:
    dried date pieces coated in oat flour - (these are found in the bulk section)
    prunes - I read somewhere that a few of these a day is especially good for bone density...We all know the other health benefit their known for...regularity!
dried bananas  - Sometimes bananas will be sold at a huge discount if they become too ripe so we dehydrate a bunch of them for later use.  
Nuts: Nuts and seeds are a great source of protein, fiber and many essential minerals. We grind many seeds to use as toppings (see below) but like to add whole walnuts while the cereal is cooking.

Frozen strawberries from our garden. We lay them on a tray to freeze them before bagging so they don't clump together.

Nooks and Crannies special toppings: These are all added after cooking (to preserve their maximal nutritional value).  After cooking, we scoop the the cereal into bowls and add toppings to make the cereal extra satisfying. Again, these are all stored in jars close to the stove; each with their own little scoop or measuring spoon so we can swiftly add the ones chosen for the day.

- pre-ground seed and nut mix - our current mix contains nine ingredients - all organically grown seeds and nuts. We pre-grind and pre-mix it so, at the time of making the cereal, we just put a TBSP on each serving of cereal (to make your own, see below).
- dried and powdered turmeric - scant 1/8 tsp. - this is purported to provide anti-inflammatory relief (and a host of other benefits). We bought a big bag of it when we found it on sale but then found that its flavor got in the way of us using it regularly. By adding just this tiny amount to our cereal, it doesn't affect the flavor and we figure that having a tiny bit each day is better than none at all.
- dried and powdered lion's mane mushrooms - scant 1/8 tsp. - though not as strong flavored as the turmeric and touted as having equally impressive health benefits (particularly for the neurological system) we just weren't eating it! So, now we get a little bit almost daily with our cereal.
- powdered cacao powder: about 1/2 tsp. High in anti-oxidants; gives a mild cocoa flavor to the cereal
- powdered, buffered vitamin C (in the citrate form): about 1/4 tsp. Adds a tart, fruit-like taste and valuable nutrition. Vit. C is heat-sensitive so I always add it at the end with the the non-dairy 'milk' to minimize loss of potency.
- dried coconut flour - 1 rounded tsp per serving - adds sweetness and protein (very concentrated; a little goes a long way!)
- maple syrup - for many people, the dried fruit will make your cereal plenty sweet but we still like to add maple syrup after cooking
- soy milk and/or nut milk - we've gone through phases of making our own but can't seem to use it fast enough to balance out the hassle of prep-time. It's frustrating when it spoils before we use it up and we have to throw some of it away. So for now, we settle for commercial soy and nut milks.

One of the unusual ingredients we add to our cereal is dried Lion's Mane mushroom. LINK: Health Benefits of Lion's Mane)

Recipe for Pre-ground seed mix: (Added after the grains and fruits are cooked - 1 TBSP per serving) As mentioned above, we save on morning prep-time by having the following ingredients pre-ground and mixed. 

Seeds are incredibly nutrient-dense. They need to be as they hold everything the little plant needs to get started in life! Be sure and consume only organically grown seeds...Better for you; better for the Earth.

We use an electric coffee-grinder to grind the seeds. We have one that is specifically dedicated to this so it doesn't pick up the taste of coffee. Of the following list, the only thing we grow ourselves are the two kinds of amaranth (Right: Llyn with Hopi Red Dye Amaranth). Everything else is store-bought. We buy them in bulk. As you'll see, almost half the mix is composed of flax seeds.

A tip for grinding: Measure out all the seeds and combine in a bowl or large measuring cup. Mix them well and scoop out the amount that fits in your grinder. Grind, and pour into another bowl. Scoop more/grind/pour etc. By mixing the flax seeds in with the other seeds the grinder won't get as bogged down with the seeds that are high in oils (especially sesame seeds). Store in airtight containers in your fridge or freezer. Freeze all but a small jar of it to keep it fresh). Seeds (and nuts), once ground can lose a lot of their nutrients quickly if exposed to air or heat.

Here's the combo of seeds we use:

4 parts flax seeds -  We love their flavor; they're great for digestion and give a sense of bulk/fluff to the cereal. Here's a LINK explaining many of Flax seed's health benefits.
2 parts pumpkin seeds - raw, unsalted
2 parts sunflower seeds - raw, unsalted
1 part sesame seeds - we use the brown ones as they've not had their hulls removed so they are more nutritious than the white ones
1 part hemp hearts - these are soft, inner parts of the hemp seeds after removing the outer shell/hull - highly nutritious. (Be sure to get the hulled seeds as those that still have their seed coating are a bit bitter. LINK)
1 part chia seeds
1/2 part poppy seeds
1/2 part Golden Amaranth - we grow this ourselves - sweet and nutty flavored
1/2 part Hopi Red Dye amaranth - this doesn't taste as sweet as the Golden amaranth but it volunteers all over our garden so we might as well harvest, dry it and eat it!

Llyn with dried blue corn, before grinding

Corn and Sorghum Grain mix:

We grow, process and grind the blue corn, yellow corn and sorghum ourselves. We grind them courser than a flour...more like a "meal" (we like the texture and at this level of coarseness it doesn't take too long to cook). If you aren't able to grow your own, purchase them from the bulk-foods section. Use a courser grind (corn meal instead of corn flour).

This mix forms the foundation for Nooks and Crannies and is cooked with rolled oats and dried fruit). (right: Daimant grain mill we use to grind our corn and sorghum)

Basic pre-mixed grain recipe:
2 parts ground blue corn - (higher in protein than yellow corn meal; turns your cereal a delightful purple!) (LINK: Grow Your Own 'Blue Corn' )
2 parts ground yellow corn
1 part Kassaby sorghum* - sweet, long-season sorghum
1 part BaYeKi sorghum* - not as sweet; used primarily for baking (LINK: Grow your own Sorghum for grain and flour)

Combine these ingredients together and keep in an airtight container. Keep some handy on the counter to make your morning cereal and store the surplus in an airtight container in your fridge.
*Sorghum is a high-protein, gluten-free grain. If you can't find it, just use corn meal: equal parts blue and yellow, coarsely ground.

This post isn't meant to suggest a rigid rule for making 'Nooks and Crannies' but to inspire you in your own breakfast cereal creations. Enjoy!