Figgy Cereal
23 October 2007 by Jean Johnson
Breakfast for me is usually oats or some whole grain like quinoa or amaranth steamed up nicely with enough flax meal to keep my brain going after a fashion. I also usually put some Cottage Cream into the works so I don’t get hungry before the lunch hour whistle blows.
But it’s the fruit that keeps me coming back. Fruit that changes with the seasons. Right now, my fig tree’s leaves are yellow and it’s giving up the last of its lovely fruits. They’re so plump and marshmallowy–if I can compare such gorgeous food to those weirdo white creations.
You can also see some tiny kiwis in the photo. Chad and Meredith across the street went out to a upick place and brought these thin-skinned gems back. So green and luscious. Along with a brew of organic fair trade coffee beans ground fresh, this fast breakfast was as delicious as it was affordable–and something that would have worked with apples or pears just as easily.
Note on Sweetness: Cinnamon is quite sweet and marries with fruit without overshadowing its flavor like high test sugar and honey does.
Figgy Cereal
Cooking Beyond Measure, p 18.
Recipe Note
Put steamed amaranth in a bowl with a little flax meal, cottage cream (p. 28), fresh figs, and kiwis. A pinch of cinnamon on top makes figgy amaranth look as scrumptious as it tastes.
Details
~Freshly steamed amaranth is wonderful porridge and takes ten to fifteen minutes at a ratio of one part grain to two parts water–bringing it to a boil with a little salt, covering, and then steaming over low heat like rice or any other grain. Leftovers also revive beautifully simmered in a little water or herb tea.
~You can buy expensive flax oil or pre-ground flax meal, but it’s so easy to grind your own seeds in the same mill you use for coffee beans. Store delicate flax meal in the fridge. Holistic expert Andrew Weil, MD recommends two tablespoons for a day’s requirement of omega-three fatty acids.
~Slice the figs crosswise to make fetching tan circlets. They go beautifully with the emerald kiwis. If there are no fresh figs or kiwis in sight, though, whatever fruit’s in season is sure to grace amaranth magnificently.
~The only sweetener here is cinnamon. Getting acquainted with how ripe fruit tastes when it’s not overshadowed by extra sugar or honey is an experience worth investigating.
2 Responses to “Figgy Cereal”
Mmmmmmmm!!! How I love fresh figs picked fresh from the tree. This is another fruit I am going to try and grow in my MI greenhouse. They grow here in the desert but with copious amounts of water.
I also grind my flax seeds fresh – enough for about a week’s worth of breakfasts – and store in freezer.
By Lindy Barnes on Jan 13, 2011
I’ve got frozen figs that I’m enjoying at the moment. Just roasted them briefly fresh and then froze on a tray before bagging so you can pull a few out at a time. Yesterday did some with balsamic and cream—eye rollers for sure.
By Jean Johnson on Jan 13, 2011