These are really simple, and good on cold mornings. The recipes feed two hungry people. All prepare in 5-10 minutes total. I alternate between these four:

1. Farina
this is Cream of Wheat, basically, but I buy it from the bulk bin at my local health food store, 49 cents/lb. instead of $3 for a 12 oz. box.
Boil 2 cups water. Add 1/4 tsp. salt
slowly add 1/2 cup farina, stir as you go.
Takes 5 minutes. Add 1 TBS. margarine or butter.

2. Nine Grain Cereal +
Again from the bulk bin. Time about 10 minutes.
Boil 2 cups water.
Add 1/2 cup 9-grain cereal, + 1 TBS. black sesame seeds, and 1 TBS. whole flax seed.
Add these spices: 1/4 tsp. salt + about 1/8 tsp. each of cardomom, cumin, coriander, and garlic.
1/2 tsp. olive oil
optional: 2 tsp. raw sugar

3. Garlic Mashed potatoes and soybeans (honest!)
I use Trader Joe's mashed potato mix for 2 servings.
Boil water, milk and margarine.
Add 1/2 cup frozen shelled soybeans to boiling water.
Salt + 1/2 TBS. minced garlic
add mashed potatoes.
5 minutes total.

4. Fancy Oatmeal
10 minutes total
Boil 2 cups water.
Add 2/3 cups steel cut oats (I think that's what they're called. The medium sized whole oat flakes)
1/4 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1/4 tsp. salt. 1/8 tsp. each: cinnamon, ginger.
When most of the water is absorbed into the oatmeal, add 1/3 cup raisins.

Meredith,

I eat Oatmeal every morning with brown sugar or honey on it and love it. Sometimes a half of banna on it. I love it and a piece of whole wheat toast . Yummy! I could it it for dinner.

It will lower cholesterol think that is how you spell it. Anyway, it is good for you. I love Farine also. I grew up eating that in the moring before school . I will have to buy some .

Thanks ! Thanks for the spelling correction .

[ February 24, 2005, 01:22 PM: Message edited by: Nancy50 ]

I forgot an ingredient!

In the Fancy Oatmeal, add the following while cooking : 1/8 cup chopped hazel nuts.

Except for the milk in the mashed potatoes, there's no cholesterol (and this is how it's spelled!) in any of these. These are all natural ingredients, not like the chemicals in the little packages.

Thanks Meredith ,
Nothing like a mental block for me. in spelling .

Still love that oatmeal and cream of wheat for breakfast.

[ February 24, 2005, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Nancy50 ]

I love and eat Oatmeal too and now it comes already with Banana and Walnuts in the mix...for mornings when time doesn't allow the slow cooked kind....

Have eaten Cream of Wheat or Rice since I was a kid and still make a bowl once in awhile for a treat especially when blueberries are in season and I use cream too, half and half. Better than ice cream....

Don't you just love Trader Joes. I get my low sodium chicken, beef and vegetable broths there plus a zillion other things...I shop there and at Wild Oats health food store for almost everything.

Chatty,

I love Trader Joe's I get a lot of stuff in there . We love there juice and decafe coffee and sunscreen and soap and face wash and soap power love there nuts . Love that store . It helps my Allergies to get food there and ceral . Oh, soo... good.

Great Store.

Trader Joe's is my favorite store! Sooo many great items there! My current "new" favorite is the spinach tofu eggrolls.

My bulk food grains come from big barrels at Henry's, which is owned by Wild Oats. We have Wild Oats here too, but not in my immediate neighborhood. Henry's is a larger store with a huge bulk food section and a large produce section, as well as the vitamins and things at Wild Oats.

Gosh Darn! Ya'll make me jealous. We don't have ANYthing like that here. Maybe an un-reasonable facsimile all the way over in Raleigh....gosh darn it makes me miss Austin & Tallahassee. How did I end up here, anyway?

Unique,
We have Fresh Market here.
They sell healthy foods in an absolutely beautiful atmosphere!
Check it out.