This breakfast cereal is prepared in the traditional way the Swiss do their muesli and the Scots do their porridge, which is to soak it overnight. Soaking helps make whole grains, nuts and seeds easier to digest and less capable of binding with key minerals and then limiting their absorption. It will also soften the linseed for better access to its interior Omega 3 and soluble fibre. Be prepared to still observe the dark seed casings at the exit end of the digestive process though! An entire week’s worth of cereal can be soaked and refrigerated. Each morning a small amount is briefly cooked. The cooking time is just sufficient to make the soluble fibre more available and yet not long enough to damage the vitamin E and Omega 3 in the linseed. This also minimises the loss of B vitamins in the rice bran and other grains. The ‘steaming’ method is outlined below. It is a good treatment for rice, other whole, ground and flaked grains.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups organic whole linseed (HS)
- ½ cup rice bran (HS)
- ½ – 1 cups buckwheat flakes, rolled oats or barley; or ground: millet, amaranth, quinoa or cornmeal (HS)
- ¼ – ½ cup dried fruit
- ¼ – ½ cup nuts, seeds
- optional – cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, ground cloves, pure vanilla
- 2 cups water
An alternative guide to quantities
Instead of measuring, you can judge the amounts visually in a jar. Use about ½ linseed and ½ everything else.
Method of preparation
- In a clean glass 1 litre jar, combine the linseed, rice bran and grain.
- Stir in dried fruit, nuts, seeds and optional spices. This is much easier to mix when dry, before adding the water. The jar should be about ¾ full.
- Stir in the water in batches and mix well. Cover and refrigerate. By morning the water will be absorbed. The result should be neither hard nor drippy. The cereal should scoop out with a cream cheese like consistency- firm but still moist.
- In the morning place 3-5 heaped tablespoons of the soaked mixture in a small saucepan with ¼ cup or more of your milk of choice.
- Cover and over high heat bring the cereal to bubbling simmer.
- Stir, re-cover and turn off the heat.
- Place a towel over the top and sides of the pot to trap in the heat and ‘steam-cook’ the cereal. Be careful to keep the towel off hot burners.
- Let sit undisturbed for 7 minutes or longer. It will have a porridge consistency but a darker, speckled appearance.
- Top with your choice of milk and/or fruit as suitable.
Reprinted with permission from the author Maria Middlestead from her book ‘The Shape Diet’. Natures clinicals highly recommends this book. www.mariamiddlestead.co.
(Image credit: Alpha, Flickr)