Hot Cereal for Cold Mornings

All of a sudden it's winter! Utah's a funny place. One day it's 65 degrees and you're outside in your shorts, and the next it's 38 and you're freezing your bum off. I really love the different seasons though. It's nice to have some variety.

One thing I love about winter mornings is a hot breakfast. But if you're like my husband, who is defintely not a morning person, you usally don't have much time for one. The recipe I'm going to share today is a mix for a wholesome hot cereal that doesn't take much time to prepare, and is really good for you. It's made using equal parts cracked wheat, rice, and beans, so it's got plenty of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and protein. The recipe here makes 6 cups (about 24 servings), but since it uses equal parts, it's easy to adjust to as much as you want. This cereal tastes a lot like cream of wheat.

Cream of Beans Cooked Cereal:
Using a grinder, crack (coarsly grind) 2 cups each of wheat, brown rice, and white beans.

To prepare cereal:
1. Heat 2 c. milk or water (don't overheat the milk--it'll boil over!)
2. Add 1/2 c. cereal mix and 1/4 tsp. vanilla; whisk well.
3. Simmer until thick, stirring frequently.
4. Serve with honey, brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon, etc.


Bean flour, if you grind it fine, can also be used as a substitute for up to 25% of the white flour in most baking or sauce recipes. This adds a lot of nutritional value without changing the flavor or texture. Beans are a great addition to food storage because they are high in protein, fiber, and lots of other nutrients, and can be prepared so many different ways and adapt to so many different flavors. They make a great substitute for meat, and can be used in all sorts of recipes.