Throwback to Cream of Wheat - but with actual nutritional value???

[Vortexing]

You know those things that you had when you were a kid that you want every so often as an adult, except you KNOW they basically had no nutritional value (or at least they could be better)??

In this category for me falls things like grilled cheese sandwiches (which MUST be made with white bread at a friend's house - think Wonder bread, NO whole wheat bread like my mom used to make...).

Another one is Cream of Wheat. Seriously, there's like NOTHING real in Cream of Wheat (all the vitamins are added and fake and there's zero fiber as you'd expect from wheat). This is what I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions about. I've tried Bob's Red Mill whole wheat cereal but I can't handle having to chew it and no matter how long I cooked it it seemed to never get more tender.

Is there some way to "healthy-up" the old Cream of Wheat that we had as kids so that there are some actual vitamins/fiber and good stuff??? Is there a brand of Cream of Wheat that does this w/o it going too far and being inedible due to chewiness? I've added flax seed meal to it before and it tastes basically the same, but you do notice the texture difference (and DH will always ask, "What's this??").

[cristeen]

Have you tried grinding Bob's WW cereal down to a finer texture before cooking? That would be my first step.

[greeny]

I'm interested to hear replies too.

I love Cream of Wheat (I buy Farina). In fact, I had a craving for it about two weeks ago and bought some. It is iron fortified, which is good for me right now since my iron is low, so that's how I justify eating it.

I do add fresh fruit to it, so there's something.

I love Farina. :

[Thalia the Muse]

I like Wheatena, and Cream of Buckwheat. I know what you mean about Cream of Wheat -- so cozy and comforting! The Wheatena is very fiber-y and although I like it, it doesn't ahve the same texture as good old Cream of Wheat.

Oh, and I love Malt-O-Meal! I doubt it's any better for you, though.

[mumkimum]

DH & dd really liked cream of buckwheat and I do remember purchasing it initially cause it seemed quite healthier than other hot cereals.

Polenta/grits come to mind too but I'm not sure they're much better nutritionally either?

[Thalia the Muse]

I am totally having Malt-O-Meal for breakfast tomorrow -- I'm so suggestible.

[jtsmom]

My kids have both been requesting cream of wheat. I haven't been in a humongous hurry to buy it for them because of the nutrition of it.

What about adding some ground flaxseed to it? That may be what I have to do......

[Thalia the Muse]

I always add fruit to hot cereal, anyway. It's tastier that way!

[Quaniliaz]

I've been eating Whole Grain Cream of Wheat that is very tasty!

[MissyH]

I buy oat bran and cook it like cream of wheat. It is very good and similar to cream of wheat.