Beans and Grits

Recipe for a really quick, easy, and well-balanced meal on a budget:

1. Sauté some chopped onion in a little oil in a small frying pan until softened.
2. Add in some precooked beans. If you have a little bit of leftover bean salad on hand, that is even better. I used a mixture of six beans along with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and sliced black olives.
3. Move this to the edges of the pan and crack an egg in the center. Cook until desired softness.
4. Meanwhile, cook a bowl of oat bran in the microwave. 
5. Serve the mixture in the frying pan over the oat bran, with desired seasonings - I recommend some salt and freshly ground black pepper, but if you are more adventurous, try some more exotic herbs and spices. 

If your egg is runny (surprisingly, my new favorite) it creates a delicious sauce for the beans and oat bran. This is an easier spin-off on a dish of beans and grits, which would be cornmeal. 

Molasses Wheat Machine Bread

Machine True Whole Wheat Bread
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons blackstrap molasses
1 cup cereal mix (see note) 
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional) 
Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order given, or according to manufacturer's instructions for whole wheat cycle. This makes one large loaf, although size setting will depend on machine. 

NOTE: For this recipe, I used my own homemade hot cereal mixture that I keep on hand, which contains oats, oat bran, wheat germ, flax, and wheat bran. The recipe can be found at this link: {Hot Cereal Mix}. 

No Touch Multigrain Biscuits

These are just like the {No Touch Biscuits}, except this is a whole grain, healthier version I devised. The trick is to handle the dough as little as possible. Of course whole grain biscuits don't tend to be as fluffy and light, however, they are still tasty and hearty with whatever spread you like best. I made these more hearty biscuits, but if you prefer them sweet, add up to three Tablespoons of granulated sugar along with the dry ingredients. 

No Touch Multigrain Biscuits
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons each: ground flaxseed, oat bran, wheat germ, natural wheat bran
1 HEAPING Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt 
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 425◦F. Line a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Cut in the yogurt like you would butter until crumbly. Mix together the applesauce, milk, and water, and stir in to form a soft dough. Stir just until dough comes together, adding a little extra water or flour if needed. Dough should be slightly sticky. Gently pat dough into a shape about 1/2 inch thick, DO NOT KNEAD, then cut into biscuits of any shape. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing apart for crisp sides or placing together for soft sides. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden. 

Strawberry Cinnamon Oatbran

Take some oat bran
Take some fresh, ripe and juicy local strawberries.
Take a little bit of cinnamon.
Add some water and cook it up for a delicious breakfast.

This is hardly a recipe but simply something I threw together one morning that turned out to be so pretty and tasty I just had to share it. I just diced up some strawberries and mixed them in with my oat bran and water, then cooked it as normally, adding a little cinnamon. Since the cooking time was quick, this gave the strawberries just enough time to become warm and plump and juicy in the cereal. 

Multigrain Wheat Machine Bread

Multigrain Wheat Machine Bread
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup each ground flaxseed, natural wheat bran, oat bran, and wheat germ, mixed together
4 cups whole wheat flour
5 1/2 teaspoons wheat gluten (optional)
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order given, or according to manufacturer's instructions for whole wheat cycle. This makes one large loaf, although size setting will depend on machine. 

Quick Rustic Biscuits

There is no need to spend precious time rolling, kneading, and cutting biscuits; sometimes biscuits that are mixed the least turn out the best. Whole grain biscuits tend to be less fluffy as is, so this method of preparation ensures a tender product. 

Quick Rustic Biscuits
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup skim milk powder
2 Tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup cold butter, hard margarine, or Greek yogurt (not fat-free)
1/4 cup honey
1 cup water

In a large bowl, mix together the first seven dry ingredients. At this point, the mix may transferred to a bag and refrigerated, then used as needed.
To proceed with biscuits, preheat oven to 425◦F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
 Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir or cut in butter, margarine, or yogurt. Pour the honey and water over top and mix until a soft dough forms. Gently gather the dough in a ball in your hands, being careful not to overmix. Sprinkle a little extra water over top as needed. Divide dough into four pieces, then cut each piece into four thick wedges. These can be rectangles, triangles, squares, or whatever you like. Arrange on prepared baking sheet, it is fine if they touch. Bake for about 12 minutes until golden.

Soft Molasses Wheat Bread

This is a really soft, moist, and flavorful bread. It is not very sturdy, so not ideal for sandwiches, but is is great to enjoy as is - and barely requires and butter or jam. 

Soft Molasses Wheat Bread
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup each: ground flaxseed, natural wheat bran, oat bran, wheat germ
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup applesauce

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Grease or line a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, stir together all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center. 
In a small bowl, mix together the milk, molasses, and applesauce. Pour into well, stir just to combine. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

No-Cut Grain Biscuits

No-Cut Grain Biscuits
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup wheat germ
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 cup water or milk

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then add in the wet and mix well. Let dough stand for 5-10 minutes. Drop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes until set.

These are soft, sweet biscuits with a nice molasses flavor. There is no need of "cutting" in a fat such as butter or margarine - everything is simply mixed together. The result is a soft and fluffy biscuit that rises high and is easy to cut open and smother with jam or peanut butter. 

Multigrain Machine Bread

Multigrain Machine Bread
1/4 cup each: ground flaxseed, oat bran, natural wheat bran, and wheat germ
1/2 cup oats
1 cup warm water
1 large egg, beaten, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
grain mixture from above
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Mix together the grains and oats, set aside. Place all ingredients except in bread machine pan in order given, or according to manufacturer's instructions for whole wheat cycle. This makes one large loaf, although size setting will depend on machine. 

This is a bread machine recipe I came up with myself that truly combines all my favorite hearty grains. Some may find this bread a little bit heavier or dense, but it is certainly a nutritional powerhouse, and is meant to be sliced quite thinly. To ensure the bread rises better, as multigrain breads do tend to contain less gluten, a tablespoons or two of wheat gluten may be added along with the flour.

Cereal Machine Bread

Can't decide between bread and cereal for breakfast? Have both in one with this healthy, homey bread.

Cereal Machine Bread
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons moalsses
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cereal* (see NOTE)
2 1/2 + 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional, to promote rising)
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order given, or according to manufacturer's instructions for whole wheat cycle. This makes one large loaf, although size setting will depend on machine. 

*NOTE: This recipe uses 1/2 cup of a hot cereal mixture. You can easily use a commercial mix - any multigrain mix should do, as long as it is a HOT cereal mix that cooks relatively quickly (think microwave and not awhile on the stove). Plain oat bran or oatmeal may be used as well.
For this recipe, I used my own homemade hot cereal mixture that I keep on hand, which contains oats, oat bran, wheat germ, flax, and wheat bran. The recipe can be found at this link: {Hot Cereal Mix}. 

Rustic Bread Machine Brown Bread

Another bread machine recipe. This recipe has a standard healthy mix of whole grains, but they could be switched up a bit. It is a pretty forgiving recipe - I had it in the bread machine for awhile and I was wondering why the machine hadn't beeped to tell me to remove the kneading paddle. Then I realized I had accidentally unplugged the machine instead of the other appliance I had meant to unplug. It had been unplugged for awhile, so the machine could not resume it's cycle. But since it had sat so long, the bread was well risen. I removed the paddle and baked it, and it still rose very well and turned out just fine! It's funny because I thought I had double checked to ensure I was unplugging the correct machine. Oh well, another lesson learned, and thankfully nothing wasted. 

Rustic Bread Machine Brown Bread
1 cup warm water
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons softened butter
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup oat bran
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order given, or according to manufacturer's instructions for whole wheat cycle. This makes one large loaf, although size setting will depend on machine. 

Pumpkin Grain Breakfast Cake

I always like to have some type of bread, muffin, or biscuit on hand. This time, I decided to try a little something different. I made a healthy snacking cake, then cut it into squares to have on hand in the freezer. This snack cake is soft and moist, yet contains several whole grains. It has a mild pumpkin and spice purée. The seeds are optional, and nuts or raisins would be a nice substitute. This cake is lower in fat and sugar, so modify amounts to suit your personal tastes. I use this more of a bread spread with a topping than a cake.

Pumpkin Grain Breakfast Cake
scant 1 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup applesauce
2/3 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup each: ground flaxseed, wheat germ, wheat bran, oat bran
1/2 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk (I used almond)
2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper. 
In a large bowl, mix the first five wet ingredients together. Stir in all of the dry ingredients except the flour. Stir in half of the milk. Stir in 1 cup of flour, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Yogurt Grain Flatbreads

Yogurt Grain Flatbreads
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup natural wheat bran
1-4 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons water

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, oat bran, bran, salt, and baking soda. Make a well in the center. 
Whisk together the yogurt and water. Add to well and stir well. Mixture will seem fairly liquidy. Let mixture sit for thirty minutes to thicken.
Heat a large greased griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Check the mixture, and add a little extra water if necessary to thin it. Cook as desired, spreading batter to desired size.

For soft, thick flatbreads: Keep the dough a little thicker, don't spread as thinly in the pan. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes on each side until golden.
For crispy, thin flatbreads: Add a little extra water to make the dough thin and pourable, spread very thinly in the pan. Cook over high heat for a few minutes on each side until golden and crispy. 

These may also be baked, or kept warm in the oven.

This is a pretty versatile recipe. They can be made thick or thin, crispy or soft; if you want to experiment, cook one at a time in a skillet and add more water or spread the dough thicker or thinner next time if desired. For really thin and crispy breads, I recommend cooking them in a skillet, but if you want to cook many smaller ones at once, a griddle works really well. Whichever way, grease the pan between batches. These can be made any size you want. They can be used for a variety of dishes, sweet or savory, including sandwiches, wraps, burgers, falafels, crêpes, fruit desserts, etc. 

Overnight Kefir Oatmeal

This is yet another overnight oatmeal. I completely made this one myself, and I basically took everything (well, not everything, but the best things) from the last three overnight oatmeal recipes and put it into this one to make one big, hearty, flavorful, and delicious bowl of cereal. It also has kefir - which I mentioned the benefits of in my kefir smoothie post from two days ago. This is the first time I tried heating up the cereal as well, usually I just eat it cold. But I wasn't going for that with fresh snow on the ground. Since it is coming from a cold fridge, it does take awhile to heat, about three minutes. This could be sped up a little if you transfer the cereal to another bowl, so it won't be cold from the fridge. 

Overnight Kefir Oatmeal
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 Tablespoon oat bran
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 Tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
1 Tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1 Tablespoon raisins
1 Tablespoon almond butter
1/4 cup kefir milk
1/2 cup water

In a medium jar or a bowl with a lid, place the first eight dry ingredients and shake to mix. Add in the almond butter, kefir, and water, and stir in. Place in the refrigerator overnight and enjoy in the morning cold or heated. 

The other three overnight oatmeal recipes can be found here:  {Overnight Almond Oatmeal}, {Overnight Apple Spice Oatmeal}, {Overnight Blueberry Oatmeal}.

Grainy Flatbread

This is an incredibly easy and versatile bread recipe. Make it any shape you like! It contains a variety of great grains, but if you do not have one of them on hand, simply add in ore of another or substitute something different - even seeds or ground nuts would work. It doesn't rise a lot, which is why it is a flatbread. 

Grainy Flatbread
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup each ground flaxseed, wheat germ natural wheat bran, oat bran, old-fashioned oats
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon oil

Preheat oven to 350◦F. 
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and add the milk and oil. Stir well, dough will be dry. Dough can be shaped any way you like - in pans or simply on a baking sheet. Make it as thick or thin as you like, I made mine fairly thick flatbread. Baking times will vary accordingly. 

Honey Yogurt Quick Bread

This must be one of the quickest bread recipes, with no kneading or rising times. It also has a very nice soft texture, yet is sturdy enough for sandwiches. It is a bit sweeter with more flavor.

Honey Yogurt Quick Bread
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup each oat bran, natural wheat bran, wheat germ, ground flaxseed
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 375◦F. Grease or line a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, grains, soda, and salt. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Spread in prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Multigrain English Muffins

English muffins are a nice breakfast treat. They can be easily split and toasted, and spread with butter, honey, jam, peanut butter, cream cheese, and more! They are even better when they are homemade, and this multigrain version is chock full of nutrients. English muffins are not difficult to make at all, though like most yeast breads, they take some time. It is important to give them enough time to rise, or the end result will be disappointing. English muffins are traditionally cooked on a griddle or skillet, though some versions are baked. 

Multigrain English Muffins
3/4 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon liquid honey
1 teaspoon butter
1 package instant yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup natural wheat bran
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk

In a large bowl, dissolve the honey and butter in the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top and let stand for 10-20 minutes until bubbly. Stir to dissolve.
In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients except for the buttermilk. Stir the buttermilk into the yeast mixture, then gradually stir in the flour mixture. Briefly knead the dough until smooth, about three minutes. Allow to rise for one hour.
Knead the dough for a minute and a half, then lightly pat to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2.5-3.5 inch cutter. Place on a lined baking sheet and allow to rise for at least 40 minutes more. The muffins can be coated in flour or cornmeal if desired to help prevent sticking.
Preheat a little oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Fry the muffins until browned, about 5-7 minutes per side (you may need to do this in batches). 
Makes around 12-18 muffins, depending on size.

Complete Wheat Batter Bread

Complete Wheat Batter Bread 
4 cups warm water
2 packages active dry instant yeast
2 Tablespoons granulated (white) sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup each: natural wheat bran, ground flaxseed, oat bran, wheat germ
6 cups (approximately) whole wheat flour

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water, then the sugar on top. Stir, then let stand ten minutes until frothy. Stir to dissolve yeast. Stir in molasses and salt. Gradually stir in the grains and flour until a sticky, but stiff, dough forms. 
Cover bowl and let rise for 45 minutes.
Stir dough down for twenty seconds. Divide between two greased or lined 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise for an hour, until doubled in bulk.
Bake at 400◦F for about 35 minutes. 

This bread recipe doesn't require too many ingredients, yet it very nutrient-dense. It is easy to do - no kneading required, although you do need to wait for two rising times. It also rises very nicely, and makes a light, wheaty bread. 

Nutty Seed Quick Bread

This is my first time baking in over five weeks! Naturally, I began with something simple, but something I love, a quick bread chock-full of delicious whole grains. I hadn't eaten homemade bread for five weeks. The only bread I ate was whole wheat toast every morning for breakfast. Before my trip, I cannot remember the last time I had eaten toast. I am not a toast fan, I prefer my homemade biscuits and quick breads for breakfast. The only time I had whole grain bread here was my brunch at the restaurant, and that was delicious - Mon Brunch  So I really missed my whole grain breads!

Nutty Seed Quick Bread
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup ground nuts (I used almonds)
1/8 cup each: natural wheat bran, oat bran, ground flaxseed, wheat germ, sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 olive oil
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. 
In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Mix the liquid ingredients together and add, stir thoroughly. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes. 

Oat Batter Bread

Oat Batter Bread
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 packages instant yeast
1 Tablespoon granulated (white) sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup warm milk
1 Tablespoon molasses or honey
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup ground flaxseed

In a large bowl, mix the first five dry ingredients. Add the water, milk, and molasses. Stir in the oats, oat bran, and flax. Divide batter among two greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 45-60 minutes. Bake at 400◦F for about 25 minutes.

This is another no-knead batter bread, and is quicker than most as it only requires one shorter rising time, and the yeast does not need to be proofed beforehand.