Breakfast Two Ways

Where have I been? Working. I'm finding out that it's true what they (whoever they are) say: when you work at home, there's no quitting time! But, I'm not complaining, just explaining that when I'm not here (blogging), I'm still here (probably at the computer, but writing other things).

In any event, I'm thinking breakfast these days, and I'm thinking whole grains, too. We all know the importance of eating whole grains, right. But do you actually check the labels of what you buy to see if the claims the manufacturer puts on the box ("Heart Healthy" or "Whole-Grain Goodness") really mean anything?

For example, here's the ingredient list for Cheerios:
Whole Grain Oats
Modified Corn Starch
Sugar
Salt
Trisodium Phosphate
Calcium carbonate
Monoglycerides
Annatto
Tocepherols
Wheat starch

That's a goodly amount of ingredients. How many of them are a heart-healthy whole-grain? One (the oats).

What percentage of the total are the oats. I dunno, Do you?

When was your Cheerios made? Another good guess, but most packaged foods are made to be able to sit on store shelves for six months. Personally, I like my food to be younger than that.

If you want to know, really know, what you're eating and to eat healthfully, there's no two ways about it, you have to spend some time in the kitchen. Knowing we're all busy, here are two recipes that I make at the same time because I'm lazy and that's a great way to save time in the kitchen, leaving me more time to do what I love most, watch "House, M.D" and spend way too much time online reading and responding to what my fellow student write.

BTW, don't let either recipe fool you: they're not just for breakfast. The Breakfast Bars make a great snack bar and the muesli has been known to be eaten by my kids as an afternoon snack (and by me as dessert). I hope you enjoy them both.

Breakfast Bars
6 C. oats
3 C. whole wheat or other whole flour (I like spelt)
1 T. salt
1 C. canola oil
1 1/2 C. raisins
1 1/2 C. chopped walnuts
1 C. unsweetened coconut
1 C. pumpkin seeds
1 C. grain sweetened chocolate chips
2/3 C. agave nectar or 1 C. maple syrup
2 C. apple cider or orange juice
1 C. water

Mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients. Bake in a greased 9.3 x 13.5 inch pan in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes (until golden brown). Cool and cut into any size bar you like. They'll keep in the 'fridge for a week or more.

Muesli
2 C. oats and then don't even bother measuring the rest: any combination of the dry ingredients above (except the flour) so that you end up with about 3 to 3 1/2 cups of dry ingredients all together. I also like adding sesame seeds and cacao nibs (my daughter says cacao nibs are an "acquired taste" and that they have "everything that chocolate has except everything that makes chocolate truly delicious" which means you may not want to add them if you're not an adventurous eater. I happen to like them and they're currently in vogue as a "super food"). Mix the dry ingredients, pour enough apple cider over it to soak the whole mix and store in the fridge, covered, for up to four days. I've also made it with soy mild, and assume it will work with cow's milk, but haven't tried. If you spend more than five minutes making this, including clean-up, you spent too much time - you're wasting precious time you could be ogling Hugh Laurie, or doing whatever else it is you enjoy.

With both recipes, as with all my recipes, please play - add or subtract ingredients according to your preferences and what's in your cupboard.

And, if you want to know why cacao nibs are a super food, you'll have to comment!