Amaranth Breakfast Porridge. {gf/df}

3/21/2016

I have never been a breakfast person. For years I was more of a cup of coffee and run kind of person. But with the advent of autoimmune disease, I have a schedule for my supplements and medications, and eating before I take anything is critical. We also cannot eat gluten, so that eradicates a whole bunch of possibilities. So what is left is eggs, GF toast, GF oats...meh. I'm not a big sweets or bread person. I'm also not a huge fan of repetition. I spend a lot of time cooking dinners every day, so I don't want to spend a ton of time on breakfast or lunch. Amaranth is a nice alternative for breakfast. It is a seed, not a grain, and it is a complete protein packed with all of the essential amino acids, iron, magnesium, fiber, and even calcium. You can cook it, bake it, boil it, or even pop it. This breakfast is quick and easy and has a lot of flavor. And you can add different toppings to change it up - fresh blueberries, sliced bananas, toasted coconut, hemp seeds, warm apples pan-sautéed with a little maple syrup and molasses...the possibilities are endless!

Amaranth Breakfast Porridge

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{wholly rooted}

This is a healthy warm breakfast - a great GF alternative to creamy hot cereal. This version is dairy-free!

{ingredients}

1 cup amaranth grains, soaked overnight
2 cups of water
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped - or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1/2 cup fresh fruit of choice (blueberries, strawberries, banana, etc.)
2 cups coconut milk
Maple syrup to taste.

Soak the amaranth grains in 2 cups of water overnight.

In the morning, drain and rinse in a fine strainer.

Combine rinsed amaranth with the 2 cups of coconut milk and a pinch of sea salt in a pot.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer on low for 10-15 minutes with the lid on. Peek in to stir every few minutes.

Add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and stir.

Remove from heat and let sit for 10-15 minutes with the lid on.

Spoon into bowls, add any fresh fruit you like on top, and drizzle with maple syrup to taste.

Enjoy while still warm.

Mix it up: Try sprinkling toasted coconut on top with warm banana slices and maple syrup! Yum.

Makes 2 servings.

A bowl of amaranth porridge is perfect for spring mornings - it warms you up, fills you up, and gives you energy to get moving on busy spring days. Kids love it too, and everyone can have their favorite toppings!

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Blue-Banana Mocha Maca Smoothie

5/21/2014

2 Comments

Blue-Banana Mocha Maca Smoothie {wholly rooted{

This is the time of year I most often start in the garden early before it heats up. My boys wake up early and so I start them some breakfast, and then head outside. When I come back in I am often craving something cold. This breakfast smoothie is of course yummy for the whole family, but is a nice adult flavor too. It tastes like a rich chocolate banana milkshake - of course without any dairy. Really good. The cacao and maca also give me a bit of an energy boost for the day, without having a coffee and the chia addition not only adds some nutrients and fiber, but make the smoothie feel even more like a meal. My boys love love love smoothies too, but they usually prefer cherries/peaches/greens/juiced things/coconut yogurt types of sweet fruity flavors, and not seeds or cacao. Crazy boys.

Banana Mocha Maca Morning Smoothie {wholly rooted}

Blue-Banana Mocha Maca Smoothie

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{wholly rooted}

An icy morning smoothie packed with nutrients and antioxidants with a rich wonderful flavor. Forget the coffee - start the day with a cool, filling smoothie.

{ingredients}

2 frozen bananas
1 cup fresh blueberries
3 medjool dates, pitted, soaked
1 Tbsp. raw cacao powder
1 tsp. maca powder
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
2 tsp. soaked chia seeds
1-2 Tbsp. coconut milk (or water)

First soak your dates. I will place them in some kettle water first thing when I am making the boys breakfast. Or, soaking overnight even works.

When you remove your soaked pitted dates from the water, save a few tablespoons of it and soak your chia seeds while you assemble and measure everything.

Put your ingredients into a blender.

Whiz on high until smooth.

The last ingredient of coconut milk or water is to get the smoothie to a drinkable consistency, and how much may vary on how much water is in your dates and chia, etc. Just slowly add enough liquid to make it the consistency you like.

This will make 2 smoothies, or one big pint size one just for you.

Quite honestly, I rarely if ever eat breakfast. Which is bad for me with how my blood sugar works. I make food for the kids and wander off to work in the garden, clean up, or work on projects for a bit while they eat. Making a smoothie though, is easier for me (for some reason). And after being in the garden something cool encourages me a bit more. As does something that takes just a few minutes to whiz up. This has enough in it that it is a good breakfast, and gets me through to lunch time!

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Sweet Potato Egg Bake

4/15/2014

7 Comments

One pot wonder breakfast. Sweet Potato Egg Bake. {wholly rooted}

I like meals that can be put together quickly and go into a pot or oven for a bit while I do other things (like wander back to my hot cup of coffee and snuggly boys). This sweet potato egg bake is a great breakfast or brunch meal - or a breakfast for dinner kind of thing, which seems to always be a hit with the younger set. I love the sweet richness of sweet potatoes. They are a good source of fiber, iron, potassium, and vitamins like C, B6, and A - not to mention they have a lower glycemic index than white potatoes and studies have shown they may even be able to help regulate blood sugar. They are a nice replacement for white potatoes in a breakfast dish, and kids love them.

Sweet Potato Egg Bake

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{wholly rooted}

One pot meal - great for breakfast or brunch - with sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, turmeric, asparagus, eggs, and more. Quick stovetop prep, ready out of the oven!

{ingredients}

2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tsp grated fresh turmeric
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch of fresh asparagus, tough ends removed (14 - 16 stems)
1 tsp dried marjoram or thyme
4-6 eggs
1 Tbsp shiro miso

Start by sautéing 1 diced onion, 1 tsp freshly grated turmeric, and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a drizzle of olive oil in an oven safe pot on your stovetop.

As that sautés peel and small dice 2 sweet potatoes (or one, if you have a monster).

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Add the potatoes, dry herbs, salt, pepper, and miso paste to the pot, add another drizzle of olive oil if it is too dry, and stir frequently for 7-10 minutes on medium high.

Cut asparagus into 1" long pieces.

Smooth the mixture in the pot flat, add the asparagus over the top.

Place an oven safe lid on your pot, and put into the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove the pot, crack 4-6 eggs over the top of the vegetables, spacing them so they do not touch. Put the lid back on, and continue to cook in the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or so, until the eggs have set. You can bake the eggs however you like - from soft to hard set.

Remove from oven, take off the lid, and let sit for a few minutes to cool.

Gently scoop out the eggs with a nice portion of the sweet potato/asparagus mix into a bowl. Top with some fresh herbs, cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve!

NOTE: Shiro Miso is a thinner miso paste and will easily spread by stirring throughout. If you use a different type of miso which might be a very thick paste, you may need to stir it into a tablespoon or two of hot kettle water to dissolve before adding.

I used a 4 1/2 quart cast iron french oven - you can use anything that is both stovetop and oven safe. If you use a much larger pot your cooking time may vary a tad, based on how thick/thin your veggies are in the pot, so keep an eye on it!

Optional:: Make a version using bacon or sausage. My son is allergic to pork, but we sometimes use turkey bacon.

I love how the miso tastes with the sweet potatoes, and that musky light flavor that the turmeric adds. It is a nice quick one pot wonder, giving me some extra time to enjoy my morning.

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