Slow Cooker Multigrain Cereal

Adapted from The Healthy Slow Cooker

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Making a warm multigrain cereal in a slow cooker is very convenient to prepare breakfast, especially for a busy workweek. Measure the ingredients and place them in the slow cooker before bedtime and when you awake, you’ll have a warm, healthful belly-filling breakfast to get your day off to a great start. Brown rice, wheat berries and millet can be found in the bulk section at Lost River Market & Deli.

You will need a large slow cooker to make this recipe. It needs to be big enough to put a 4-cup glass-measuring cup or glass loaf pan inside.  

In a 4-cup glass-measuring cup, stir together 2 cups of water, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of whole grains (I use ¼ cup millet, 1/8 cup brown basmati rice and 1/8 cup of whole wheat berries) and a pinch of salt.  You can also add a shredded apple, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and ¼ teaspoon of real vanilla.    *You can use ½ cup steel cut oats in place of the grains.

Place the cup inside a large slow cooker.

Pour enough water BETWEEN the glass measuring cup and the inside lining of the slow cooker (see photo) to come to about halfway up the outside of the measuring cup. 

(When I make this, it takes about 4 cups of water for it to come halfway up.)  Doing this will keep the cereal from scorching and will make cleanup a lot easier.

Put the lid on the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to LOW. Go to bed and get a good night's sleep. When I did this, it was 10 p.m. and I woke up at 7 a.m. (From others who have made this, overnight is pretty flexible because the water bath slows everything down. I'd say "overnight" is not less than 6 hours and not more than 9 hours.)  When you wake up refreshed and ready to go, the multigrain cereal will be perfectly cooked. The glass cup will be quite warm, so be sure to use oven mitts to lift it out of the slow cooker.  Put some of your perfectly cooked oats in a bowl and add your favorite embellishments.

Try adding a bit of almond butter, a touch of local honey or real maple syrup, a banana, some pecans, almonds or walnuts and a few dried cranberries or raisins.

My husband adds pumpkin seeds, walnuts, lots of cinnamon, prunes, dried apricots, ground flax seed, plain Greek yogurt, skim milk and to top it all off, he adds berries.

Sprinkling your morning cereal with just 1 Tablespoon of wheat germ will significantly boost your nutrient intake. It contains fiber and vitamin E, along with a wide range of minerals.  It also contains healthy omega-3 fats.

If you have cooked multigrain cereal left over, you can put it in an airtight container and chill it in the fridge, and then you can just zap them in the microwave the next day.

Baked Oatmeal To Go Muffins

Recipe from http://www.sugarfreemom.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 24 to 31 servings

We were just delighted with these delicious “muffins.”  They are sweetened with a ripe banana and honey or maple syrup.  There’s no oil or butter because unsweetened applesauce is used instead.  While these bake, your house will smell divine!  The original recipe says that it yields 24 muffins.  I was able to make 31 using a ¼ cup-measuring cup to dip the batter into the muffin cups.  If you are eating a gluten free diet, make sure you are using certified gluten free oats and baking powder.  These will make a fabulous and healthful breakfast or snack with some fresh fruit served along side.  All the ingredients for this deliciously healthful breakfast can be found at Lost River Market & Deli, our community-owned grocery store.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups applesauce, unsweetened

1 banana, mashed

½ cup honey or ½ cup real maple syrup**

5 cups, old fashioned rolled oats

¼ cup flaxseed meal* (You can purchase flaxseed meal or you can buy flax seeds and grind them yourself. Store in the fridge.)

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 ¾ cups milk (Your preference)  (I used unsweetened almond milk.)

Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruits, etc…  Fresh or frozen fruits will also work.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray.  (I tried making these in silicone cups and also with sprayed cupcake liners.  The cupcake liners worked much better and the “muffins” came right out.) Place the cupcake liners in a standard muffin pan. Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, mashed banana and honey (or maple syrup) together in a bowl. Add in the oats, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and mix well with wet ingredients. Finally pour in milk and combine. The batter will be loose and runny.  Don’t worry. Pour mixture evenly into muffin cups using a ¼ cup measure. If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.  Thaw overnight in the fridge for breakfast.  Reheat in the microwave.

**6 packets of Sweetleaf Stevia or 1½ teaspoons stevia powder can be used in place of the honey or maple syrup

Nutrition Info without toppings:  Servings: 24* Calories for one: 107; Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 19mg; Sodium: 121mg; Fiber: 4g; Sugars: 3g; Carbs: 17g; Protein: 4g; Weight Watcher Points+: 2

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Recipe from http://cjnutrition.com 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Yield:  2 very generous smoothies

I found my husband rummaging through the freezer. He said he was hankering for a treat.  He found some cookie dough I was saving for company.  I told him to cease and desist and instead, I made him this smoothie which is much more healthful than cookies.  After he polished the smoothie off, he said, “That was just what I needed!”  You too will find that this smoothie is filling and the flavor and texture are totally and utterly satisfying.  The smoothie is naturally sweetened with raisins, a carrot and a ripe banana.  It’s loaded with fiber! To make ahead for a quick grab and go breakfast, measure out all the ingredients (except the ice) into the blender pitcher.  Place the pitcher in the fridge over night.  Then in the morning, blend the ingredients and then add the ice and blend until smooth. 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups skim milk or unsweetened almond milk


¾ cup pumpkin puree


1 carrot, chopped
or grated

¼ cup almond butter
or peanut butter

1 very ripe banana


2 Tablespoons raisins
** (see note)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract


½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1-2 cups ice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except ice to the blender in the order listed.

2. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

3. Add ice and blend on high for an additional minute.

4. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy!

**If your don't have a heavy duty blender, you may wish to soak the raisins in very hot water for 15 minutes or so to soften and plump them up.  They will blend in better.  However, if you made the smoothie in the evening for the next morning's breakfast, you won't need to soak the raisins,  They'll plump up in the fridge while "soaking" in the smoothie.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

CALORIES: 330, PROTEIN: 14g, FAT: 14g (1g saturated), CARBOHYDRATE: 45g, FIBER: 8g, SUGAR 28g (0g added), SODIUM: 105mg, CALCIUM: 350mg (35% DV), 4mg cholesterol.

Guiltless Pleasure Strawberry Smoothie

Makes 2 generous servings

Recipe from Super Smoothies by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Here’s a refreshing snack or breakfast when the strawberries are ripe.

1 cup quartered fresh strawberries



½ cup light vanilla soy milk
(I used skim milk.)

1/3 cup soft silken tofu

1 banana, sliced



2 Tablespoons frozen pineapple juice concentrate
(I used 2 slices of fresh pineapple.)

Honey, to taste (optional)

Combine the strawberries, soymilk, and tofu in a blender. Add the banana and pineapple concentrate. Blend until smooth.  Drink it now or chill in the fridge for later.

Apple Cinnamon Whole Wheat Muffins

These muffins make a great snack served along
with fresh fruit and a dollop of yogurt.
(The yogurt pictured is my homemade yogurt,
which I made for the first time last week!)

Makes 12 to 15 muffins

Recipe from Carla Jones (friend of the family)

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

You can feel good about eating these whole-wheat muffins, filled with little bits of apple and walnuts and flavored with cinnamon.  Serve them for breakfast, add them to your lunchbox or have them along with some yogurt and fresh fruit for a snack.

¼ cup milled flax seed

¾ cup whole-wheat flour or white whole-wheat flour

¾ cup oat bran

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ cup honey

½ cup applesauce

1 large egg, beaten

½ cup skim milk

1 apple, unpeeled and cored, finely chopped

½ cup chopped walnuts

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add honey, applesauce, egg, and milk.  Mix well.

Stir in apples and walnuts.

Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups.  Dollop some batter into each one.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. 

Here's what the batter looks like
just before mixing in the apples and walnuts.