Breakfast Ideas for Every Taste

Simple Stewed Fruits

4 long (4) cinnamon sticks

2 pounds dried organic prunes

1 pound dried organic apple slices

In a large pot, place cinnamon sticks and fruits. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes. Cover and let cool. Store in the refrigerator. Serve over granola, oatmeal, buckwheat cranberry almond bread or whatever strikes your fancy.

Apple-Blueberry Bread Pudding
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk or nut/seed milk
cup honey or maple syrup
1 T. cinnamon
1 T. vanilla
3 cups whole-grain bread in cubes
1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup chopped apple; pear; or plum

1. In a large bowl, mix together the first 5 ingredients.
2. Place bread cubes in a greased, 8-9 round baking dish and sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts and the apple; pear; or plum.
3. Pour wet ingredients over all assembled ingredients and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, 35-40 minutes.


Amaranth with Wild Blueberries and Almonds
Amaranth and almonds are both high in protein and blueberries are rich in anti-oxidants.
This simple recipe is one of my favorites. It can be made in large batches, cooked the evening before, and freezes well. Adding a whole grain like wheat berries helps to lower the glycemic index.
1 cup amaranth
3 cups water
1 cup dried wild blueberries or other dried fruit
1 cup chopped almonds, or other nuts/seeds

1. Place amaranth, water, and berries in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir, cover, and let simmer about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed.
2. For additional texture, add cooked brown rice, millet, buckwheat, or wheat berries when amaranth is fully cooked.


Granola (yield: ~10 cups)
cup barley malt
cup hot water
1 t. salt
2 t. vanilla extract
cup melted butter, ghee, or organic unrefined coconut oil
1 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans or mixture
1/2-1 cup sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds
6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 T. ground cinnamon, if desired
1 cup dried blueberries, cranberries, raisins, or other dried fruit, if desired.

1.In a bowl, combine first 5 ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
3. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients.
4. Spread deep on a large baking pan.
5. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree over for about 8 minutes, turning over with a spatula several times until lightly golden brown. All to completely cool.

6. Add dried fruit.

7. Store in an airtight jars.


Buckwheat Cranberry Almond Muffins (or Squares)
cup buckwheat flour
cup stone ground whole wheat flour
1 cup water
2 t. baking powder
2 eggs, well beaten
t. salt
4-6 T. honey or maple syrup
cup coconut oil or butter, melted
2 t. vanilla
1 cup dried low-sugar cranberries
-1 cup slivered almonds.

1. In a bowl, mix dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and add and mix remaining liquids.
3. Combine and mix wet and dry ingredients.
4. Gently fold in cranberries and almonds.
5. Pour batter into a 8 square well-oiled baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes. Batter can be baked as muffins, reducing the baking time to about 20 minutes.


Barley-Oatmeal Squares
This is a true family favorite. If you dont have time to make cookies, just put the batter in a greased brownie pan and bake about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the pan and the depth of the batter.
1 cup barley flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
Pinch of salt
cup buttermilk
2-3 T. honey
1-2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
cup dried cranberries or other dried fruits/nuts

1. Mix wet ingredients.
2. Fold in chocolate chips, dried fruits, nuts
3. Drop by tablespoons onto a well-greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven, about 12 minutes.


Our Favorite Pumpkin Muffins
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
cup brown sugar
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
t. ginger
t. salt
cup golden raisins
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 eggs

1. Mix together dry ingredients and raisins.
2. In a large bowl, mix wet ingredients.
3. Add and combine dry into wet ingredients.
4. Fill well-oiled muffin tins 2/3rds full. Bake at 400 or 15-20 minutes. Batter can also be baked in a well-greased pan, for a slightly longer time.


Naturally Sweet Oatmeal-Banana Treats
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
6 cups ripe bananas, mashed
2-3 cups dried fruits, chocolate chips, nuts in whatever combination you wish
1 T. vanilla flavoring
Combine all ingredients and drop by spoonfuls on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake @ 350, ~20 minutes.


Peanut Butter/Tahini Muffins (yield: 12 muffins)
2 cups stone ground whole wheat flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/3 cup organic peanut or sesame seed (tahini) butter
cup melted butter, coconut oil, or cold-pressed oil

1. Mix together first 3 ingredients
2. In a separate large bowl combine the remaining ingredients.
3. Add dry to wet ingredients and gently combine.
4. Fill well-oiled muffin pans 2/3rds full and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted and removed is dry. If baking in a pan, allow a bit more time.


Thermos Oatmeal
In a wide-mouth well-insulated thermos, pour boiling water and seal 5 minutes to warm. Pour out water. Add 1 cup boiling water, steel cut oats, and dried fruits if desired. Stir. Let sit overnight. Enjoy the next morning with milk, butter, nuts, maple syrup, etc.

Recipes: Thinking Out-of-the-Box


Hearty Lentil Soup (yield: 10 one-cup servings)
10 cups filtered water or stock
3 cups green lentils
1/4 cup red lentils or equivalent green lentils
2 cups chopped onion
3 bay leaves
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
2 T. minced garlic
2-4 T. olive oil

1. In a large pot, add first 4 ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
2. Add next ingredients through garlic, stir well, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add olive oil, stir, adjust to taste.


Simple Split Pea Soup (yield: 10 one-cup servings)
2 cups split peas, washed and picked over
9 cups water or stock
1 piece large piece kombu (optional)
1-2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced organic celery
2 t. curry powder or t. ground fennel seeds, to taste
Salt or tamari to taste

1. Wash the peas and place in a large pot with the onions, carrots, celery and stock. Bring to a boil stir, and reduce heat. Cover loosely and let simmer40-60 minutes until peas and vegetables are soft.
2. Add curry powder, fennel seeds, or other seasonings of your choice including salt if using.
3. Soup is finished when peas have cooked to a velvety smoothness. Add tamari and serve.


Thick Split Pea and Brown Rice Soup (serves 6; cooking time 1 hour)
This is adapted from Martha Rose Shulman and the combination of split peas with brown rice provides a complete protein meal. The same result can be had by serving whole grains or whole grain bread with the two simple soup options above.
1 T. butter or ghee
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. curry powder
2 cups split peas, picked over and washed
1 cup brown rice, washed and soaked over night
8 cups stock or water
3 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and saut the onion, carrot, and the garlic with the curry powder until the onion is tender.
2. Add the split peas, rice, stock, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until the peas are tender.
4. Check and add more water from time to time if needed if soup becomes too thick.
5. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and serve.