Today we’re going to talk about cereal in the world of food allergies.  Wait!  Don’t go away yet!  I know what you’re thinking.  You think because you can’t have dairy, cereal is pointless.  You also might not love the wheat free options available to you.  Come closer…

(This is banana walnut granola that I just photographed, just for you…and then I at it!)

I make granola every other week.  It’s good granola.  My husband puts the container in a prominent location when it’s empty.  When we go on family vacations people expect that I’ve brought a batch.  If I can do this, you can do this.  The basic recipe is  Maple Oatmeal Granola.  At least, that’s where I started. Our current favorite has almonds and dried cherries (no real amount, just what looks right).  The basic ingredients are oats, brown sugar, and maple syrup.  You can add just about anything.  I’ve played with the ingredients  adding vanilla, different fruits, nuts, no nuts, no fruit (I really like banana walnut)…  You get the picture.  It’s very simple to do.  Go add Maple Oatmeal Granola to your meal plan, edit it if you need to, I’ll wait…

Ok.  Now you’re wondering what you’re gonna do with this, especially if you don’t do dairy or soy.  Get a ripe banana.  Mash it up.  Add some apple juice (or apple sauce, or water), and mash until it’s smooth and the consistency of pudding.  If you have patience, layer the cereal and banana in a glass like a parfait.  If you’re like me, just pour granola into the bowl that you used to mix the banana.

After making a few batches of cereal you’ll wonder why you ever paid almost $4 per box!

Today’s breakfast idea is hash.   It’s hearty, endlessly customizable, and sneaks vegetables into your day before you even know what hit you. 

A good starting place is Vegetable Hash.  I usually have the ingredients on hand, but, quite honestly, I end up using whatever is hanging out in the fridge. 

The secret to a good hash is the outer layer of crispiness.  It’s simple to achieve at the end by adding a bit of oil and not fiddling with it, letting it cook until it browns.  Most recipes have you brown first, but for some reason I end up messing with it to make sure the insides are cooked, so, I decided to do it in reverse. 

If you don’t have a lot of things hanging out in your ‘fridge, add Vegetable Hash to your meal plan.  It’s a good starting place.  The potatoes give a heartiness that satisfies.  You can add poached eggs on the side as your allergies dictate.

Adding a side of ham, and some juice makes this a complete meal.  It would also make a nice lunch!

I think I’m going to add a corned beef dinner to my plan so we can have corned beef hash next week! 

I’ve been having discussions about food allergies and breakfast.  It’s very tough.  As I see it, there are 3 options.  1) Purchase allergen-free substitutes, like bread and pancake mixes (expensive) 2) Purchase pre-made substitutes at stores or over the internet (expensive) 3) Think out of the box and change the way you eat (challenging, but not expensive).

Let’s start with something most people CAN eat – rice.  Many cultures eat rice at every meal.  You can go as simple as cream of rice cereal, but let’s take it a little further and make Leftover Brown Rice Breakast.  It’s a lot like rice pudding, and it takes less than 5 minutes to put together.  You can use leftover rice, or frozen brown rice (my recent new fav).  You can add nuts and dried fruit as your diet/allergies allow.  If you pair it with some juice and some microwaveable turkey sausage, you’ve got a complete, hearty breakfast. 

In upcoming posts I’ll be sharing the outcome of conversations about breakfast.  I hope you’ll find them useful.  The recipes will be in our collection, and will have a meal that you can add directly to your meal plan.