Foodie Fridays: My favorite Breakfast

     One of the big changes that comes with eating more healthfully is the change of breakfast choices. It's such an important meal, but the typical American diet is full of highly processed, high sugar, low nutrient "Franken-foods". Cold cereal, donuts, bagels, etc. Foods that many of us were raised on. Foods that are so normal to eat we often don't even think about it. There is so much I could say about how hard these are on the body, but instead I'm going to focus on what can replace these. (You can check out resources in my Class Notes page for more information.) 
     I've been eating this porridge for breakfast for several years and I'm a bit surprised that I haven't posted about this recipe before! Since going grain free several years ago, I've gone through many different ideas for breakfast.This has become a staple and Hubby even likes it. With the gelatin added, it creates a great snack if we're traveling and want something simple to eat at a stop (it sets up a bit, so won't spill!) Plus gelatin is so good for you. We both noticed a difference when I ran out and we went for a couple of months without it. 
     I found that adding hot porridge to frozen berries in a pint mason jar can be hard on my jars, so after I mix the porridge first in the jar, I add it to the fruit in a bowl. If we're going to travel with it, I transfer it to a mason jar with a lid after I've mixed the hot and cold together. I make my serving a little larger than the 1/4 cup because I'm using rounded TBSP measures (because I have extras, so I can leave it in the container). Then I just add the amount of water I want to my pint jar; I just eye-ball it! It's pretty forgiving.

Left is with the hot water added & stirred, right are frozen berries ready to be covered, at the back it's all stirred up & sitting for about 10 minutes or so to let the berries thaw.I usually top it with nuts for some crunch.

Linda's Grain Free Breakfast Porridge

     Here is my version of a grain free hot porridge. Below I have the original which I changed from someone else's recipe. It's packed full of fiber and nutrients, with few carbs unless you add the fruit. 
     I find 'units' and 'ratios' an easy way to do mixes; I can make up whatever amount I'd like and it simplifies the math for increasing or decreasing. If I'm going to use the 1/2c measure, I'll scoop 3 times for the first four ingredients, once for the next and approximately 1/2 for the others. If I want to do a really big batch, I can use a 1 c measure and use the same method. Here I've written the list with a couple of different units to make it easier.

Ratio  ½ c units   1/4c units    Ingredients
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Hemp protein powder (ground hemp only)
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Chia seeds whole
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Flax seeds ground
3        [1-1/2 c]    [3/4c]           Fine ground coconut, unsweetened
1        [1/2c]        [1/4c]           Plain gelatin, grass fed
0.5     [1/4c]        [1/8c*]         Ground psyllium husk   
0.5     [1/4c]        [1/8c*]         Powdered leaf stevia (the green stuff)
*(2 TBSP)

     Put all the ingredients into a bowl and stir them up to mix them well. Then transfer to a jar and keep it in the refrigerator. The flax seeds and hemp seeds can go rancid if not refrigerated. For short term it can stay out, like for a trip, but for long term it needs to be kept cold to protect the healthy oils.

What the mix looks like using 1/2 c measure 

     When you are ready to use it, take a rounded 1/4c scoop and put into a pint jar, add approximately 3/4 c hot water and stir for a minute or so until it begins to thicken. Then pour into a bowl with 1/4 c frozen fruit, stir and let sit about 5 – 10 min. You can eat it right away, but if you let it sit the fruit will thaw and it will cool and gel up a bit. I like to sprinkle soaked and dried nuts over the top. Enjoy!
     I love to put organic, frozen blueberries, mixed berries, sliced strawberries and sometimes sliced peaches in this (I'll add cinnamon when I use peaches. Yum!). I have found organic sliced frozen strawberries at Walmart only. I don't know why everyone else seems to think we want our organic, no sugar added strawberries whole! Dried fruit will also work--especially on trips and all you need is hot water! Since neither of us drinks milk and milk substitutes can get pricey, we just don't bother with it. Most porridge recipes call for it, but it's not really necessary and it's so much simpler to do without. I like simple!
    
     In case you're wondering, other things I eat for breakfast are eggs with veggies like onions, tomatoes, avocado, broccoli and sprouts, topped with sauerkraut and sometimes Curtido. I know it's no surprise that I try to eat some kind of fermented food several times a day: milk kefir, kombucha and water kefir, along with sauerkraut and Curtido. These amazing superfoods are such a boost to nutrition and health. The benefits we've received have been significant; happy gut, allergies virtually gone, healthy skin, calmer emotions to name a few that we attribute to these probiotic foods. When you remove negative foods and increase positive foods, the results can be quite amazing! That goes for thinking, too. Remove the negative thinking and speaking and turn it around to positive and it's amazing the things that can change.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words."  Proverbs 18:21 Amplified Bible

Starting point recipe:
Anita’s SUPERFOOD HIGHLIGHT FOR THE MONTH: 
(I have not be able to find this website again. I try to link to webpages where I find good recipes)

Warm Grain Free Porridge
As I have been learning more about nutrition and balancing blood sugars, I have limited my grain intake and I feel so much better! One huge blessing has been the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, and I have learned so much vital information from reading their Trim Healthy Mama book. Below is a recipe I found online. I made some changes to use the ingredients I prefer - it has become a favorite and fits in with their plan!
·1 cup chia seeds 
·1 cup fine shred coconut
·1 cup flax meal or you can grind your own from the seeds
Mix this up and store in a quart jar. When you are ready for a delicious breakfast, take 1/4 to 1/3 cup, put in a small pot, and stir in the following:
·1/2 cup milk of your choice, I love coconut or hemp
·Sweeten to taste; I use THM Sweeteners
·1/2 tsp. vanilla
·1 scoop whey protein powder
Leave in the pot for about 10 minutes or put in the fridge overnight. Add more milk or cream if desired. When ready, gently warm- not too hot so that the ingredients stay raw. Finally, my favorite part is adding fresh or frozen berries (thawed) for the finishing touch. Mix and enjoy. It reminds me of the yummy childhood breakfasts I was raised on, yet even healthier!