Pudding for Breakfast?!

Breakfast is something that is a continuous struggle for me. Oatmeal has been our standby for years now, but (as I'm sure I've mentioned before) our palates are beyond bored with it. Near the end of last year, I tried experimenting with some other grains (cream of wheat, cream of buckwheat, quinoa flakes, teff hot cereal) that were all flat-out rejected by my family. And when I say rejected, I mean that some were actually gagged back out onto the table. Major new-food failure.

Given the unfriendly welcome these new grains received in my kitchen, I knew I would have to get creative. Enter our favorite grain, rice. We have rice-based dinners at least once a week--burritos, fried rice, stir fry. Now, instead of making a full pot of rice, I have started mixing my grains, half and half. One week was half brown rice, half quinoa. The next week was half brown rice, half buckwheat (warning if you try this one, it comes out mushy...it's trickier to disguise buckwheat's texture). Half brown rice and half millet works, too!

Sidenote--This is not a parenting tactic I'm proud of; I don't like to trick my children into eating healthy food by making them think it's something they enjoy. I want them to eat a food, identify that they enjoy it, and then tell them exactly what it was and how nutritious it is for their little growing bodies! This way, they can say, "Oh, yes, I like _______!" (zucchini, carrots, quinoa!!) But with these grains, we're not quite there yet. They will know the truth behind our breakfast "rice pudding" very soon, once we've enjoyed it a few more times. :)

And now back to breakfast--I pulled this together one evening as a snack when I was craving something warm, sweet, and comforting. It makes a delicious breakfast, and the whole grains really satisfy and stave off hunger all morning. My husband and I love it, as does our youngest. Our oldest daughter tolerates it, which is good enough for me... :)

"Rice" Pudding Breakfast Cereal

Place desired amount of cooked rice/quinoa blend in a pot over medium heat. Add enough almond milk (I'm in love with Silk Pure Almond, unsweetened) to cover the grains. Sprinkle in a handful or two of raisins, a generous shake of cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. Heat through, then simmer for a few more minutes to allow the grains to soak up some of the extra milk.

Serve with another splash of milk and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Veggie Burgers

One of our almost-weekly dinners is veggie burgers. Most nights we have Amy's California Burgers--the best veggie burger that exists, in my opinion. Not exactly cheap, though. I've tried my hand at homemade veggie burgers in the past, but most are some form of black bean burgers--hubby's favorite and my least favorite. When I came across this recipe, I had to try it. I love quinoa (SUPER grain, a complete protein loaded with fiber and iron), and the fact that I could use any bean was a huge plus.

We ate these with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and russian dressing (PERFECT!) and they were excellent. Lainey absolutely loved hers. And, while I haven't tried it again yet, you can totally add whatever veggies you have around...next time I'll put in some finely chopped greens. Every little toddler bite of veggies counts!

My next batch will also be a double or triple batch, with the extra uncooked patties getting saved in the freezer (sandwich between layers of waxed paper, fry'em up frozen.).

VEGGIE BURGERS:

1/2 c quinoa

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

4 scallions, finely chopped

15 oz. of your favorite beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 c breadcrumbs

2 eggwhites, lightly beaten

1 tbsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 c water to boil; add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 12-15 minutes. Set aside.

Cut carrots and scallions, and put all ingredients in big bowl. Mix well (hands work better than a spoon here!), roughly mashing the beans together with other ingredients, and form into patties. Refrigerate patties for 20 minutes.

Heat lightly greased skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers about 5 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy on the outside.