Hot breakfast cereals that aren't boring old oatmeal

When the morning temperature dips into the thirties, smoothies for breakfast sound like the worst thing ever.  There's about a 4 degree range where I feel comfortable, so winter in a 1930 house isn't the easiest.  All I want is a piping hot cup of coffee in my hands and something warm in my belly. 

Oatmeal is my go-to winter breakfast.  It's a hearty, gluten-free, whole grain.  I especially love steel cut oats.  They are rich in cholesterol-lowering, soluble fiber.  The same soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugars till lunch (or morning snack time!).  It even contains a unique antioxidants, called avenanthramides, that seem to prevent atherosclerosis. 

Only problem?  Oatmeal can get a little....boring.

For some reason, I go from intense oatmeal cravings to preferring cardboard for breakfast in a matter of days.  Switching up toppings doesn’t seem to help.  I've heard the same thing from a few of my clients, so I know I'm not alone in my oatmeal fickleness. 

Luckily, there are a bazillion other grains to choose from.  I like to make a big batch of cooked whole grains on the weekend, and heat it up during the week with a little almond milk. I always include something with fat or protein, like nuts or cheese, otherwise my stomach is rumbling well before my mid-morning snack. 

Here are three hot breakfast cereals, with nary an oat in sight.

Inca Porridge

Serves 1

Adapted from Peru Delights

I'm sure you've heard of quinoa, but amaranth, another ancient South American grain, might be new to you.  I like to think of it as Quinoa Jr.  Take a look at uncooked amaranth grains and you'll understand why.  The main difference is that it cooks into a thick, polenta-like consistency.  Like quinoa, amaranth is also gluten free.  I love that this recipe incorporates a homemade dairy-free milk.  I love the superior taste and nutrition of homemade nut milks, but frankly, it can take a lot of work and make a pretty big mess if you don't have a nut bag.  The oat and flax milk in this recipe just takes an overnight soak and a quick whir through the blender.  If you really want to get down with the South American superfoods, stir in maca powder, lucuma powder or cacoa nibs, which you can find at most health food stores.

2 tablespoons oats
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1/3 cup cooked quinoa
1/3 cup cooked amaranth
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
18 teaspoon ground cloves
Pure maple syrup or honey to sweeten
Pumpkin seeds

Place oats and flax in a glass and top with 1 cup of water.  Place in the refrigerator to soak overnight.  In the morning, pour mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.

Combine quinoa, amaranth, oat milk, and spices in a small saucepan on medium heat.  Cook until warm, stirring every so often.  Drizzle with sweetener of choice and top with pumpkin seeds.

Blue Cheese Grits and Stewed Tomatoes

Serves 4

My first job as a dietitian was in Myrle Beach, SC, one of the most...unique...places I've ever lived.  Working at the hospital, I learned grits and stewed tomatoes is an actual thing.  Obviously I knew cheese grits and even the weird, Northern tendency to add maple syrup, but tomatoes on grits just seemed wrong.  However, my curiosity quickly got ahold of me and I decided to give it a try.  It's now my favorite way to eat grits.  Although I'm not sure why I thought it was so odd at first.  Really, it's just like polenta and tomatoes. 

Whole grain grits can be difficult to find.  Stone-ground grits and corn grits usually have the bran (fiber) intact, but they often remove the germ, which is where many of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants are.  If you can find real whole grain grits, I suggest stocking up.  I get mine from Anson Mills, a South Carolina mill specializing in heirloom grains.  Lucky you, they ship all over the states.

10 roma tomatoes
1/4 cup green pepper, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup stone-ground or whole grain grits
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups water
1 tablespoon organic, grassfed butter
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Meanwhile, cut an X in the skin on the bottom of the tomatoes.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath.  Let cool, then peel and discard the skins.  Feel free to skip this step if you don't mind the skins.

Combine peeled tomatoes, salt, sugar and green pepper in a pot on medium heat.  Simmer for 30 minutes, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. 

Meanwhile, bring water and milk to a boil on medium-high heat.  When the mixture comes to a boil, slowly pour in grits while whisking to prevent clumping.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 35-50 minutes until thick and tender.  Sitr in butter and blue cheese.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide grits among bowls.  Top with a scoop of stewed tomatoes and serve.

Rye Berry and Chia Breakfast Bowl

Serves 4

This breakfast was inspired by an amazing dessert I had at one of my favorite Columbia restaurants, The Oak Table.  Their “Milk and Honey” dessert is a creamy honey panna cotta topped with roasted figs and crispy rye bran, which reminded me of really good graham crackers.  To make it breakfast appropriate, I used rye berries, which have a light rye flavor, and chia seeds for creaminess. I topped it with chopped dried figs (not pictured because I ran out before I snapped a shot) and granola for crunch. 

1 cup rye berries
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup dried figs, chopped
1/2 cup low-sugar granola

Heat 3 1/2 cups of water in a medium pot.  Add rye berries, cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook 1 hour until tender, but chewy. 

Place cooked rye berries in a large bowl.  Add chia seeds, almond milk, vanilla extract and honey.  Stir to combine.  Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, heat the rye berry mixture.  Top with dried figs and granola.