Child friendly, tasty hot "cereal" (need help)

[sbgrace]

I'm looking to add some grains back to our diet. I want them to be easy to digest (which is why I took out grains in the first place). I don't know where to start. What type of grains make good hot cereal? (I'd like to rotate three types if possible) How do you make it taste good (no dairy here)? I would really appreciate help.

[Jacksmum8]

I make steel cut oats for us. I let them soak over night in water and a bit of yoghurt and then cook them in the morning and serve them with butter and maple syrup, my son loves it!

[Attached Mama]

oatmeal with either yogurt or applesauce

[ConsCathMamma]

There's a baked oatmeal thread somewhere. We really like that lately!

[quietserena]

Baked oatmeal thread

I use gardenmommy's recipe with coconut milk and oil, soon to be replaces with TT's coconut cream concentrate.

I loooove oatmeal and the baked kind even more. Very custardy and no slime.

I think I've become a baked oatmeal activist... :

[Tcarwyn]

there a hot brown rice one too, I think Bob's red mill....my kids love that.

As for dairy free, I just substitue coconut milk and that is nice...

tanya

[mamaMAMAma]

We do millet or steel cut oats, soaked in coconut milk + water (+ yogurt) overnight. Then when its all cooked, add an egg, whisk and add a little agave/maple syrup or soy sauce. Yum!

[sophiesgrandma]

My children loved Farina with honey and butter, also know as cream of wheat.

[tinuviel_k]

Millet is awesome! Simmer 1 cup of hulled millet in 3 1/2 cups of water for 30 minutes. Add whatever toppings you like: soy or oat milk, maple syrup, a bit of coconut oil (or butter if you do dairy)...it is delicious!

[philomom]

Cheese grits. Yum.

[Blucactus]

My son luuurves oatmeal, with any of the following combinations mixed in:
nut butters (almond, peanut), very finely chopped nuts, dried fruits (dates, raisins, cranberries, etc), cooked pumpkin or squash or carrots, cinnamon, ginger, unsweetened applesauce, berries, etc! (he likes yogurt or milk too, but that wouldn't help you)...I don't like to give him sugar/brown sugar/honey in it (really in anything ideally! ) so it's different cooked/dried fruits & veg & nuts usually HTH!

[saratc]

I really like the sprouted spelt cereal by Summers Sprouted Flour. I double the amount of spelt it calls for, add almond oil, butter, sucanat, raisins, and then sprinkle toasted almonds on top. It tastes a lot like this dessert I've had at Indian restaurants. Soooo good!

[UUMom]

My kis loved oatmeal with a small amount of salt & maple sugar. Too much of either and they balk.

My 18 yr old also likes it with a bit of coconut oil swirled in. The others aren't big fans of that.

My 7 yr old loves it with a spoon of yogurt stirred in.

[Ruthla]

For brown rice cereal, you don't need to buy the actual "brown rice cereal." I buy brown rice flour and cook that up with some water, then add maple syrup and butter when I serve it.

[nicolelynn]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

For brown rice cereal, you don't need to buy the actual "brown rice cereal." I buy brown rice flour and cook that up with some water, then add maple syrup and butter when I serve it.

I also just soak my brown rice over night, cook it and then whir it in the blender with some water. I add some raisins, cinnamon, salt and whip in an egg or two to make it slightly custard-like. Even if they don't like custards the egg isn't noticeable...it just makes the cereal creamier.
Since you don't do dairy definately use some coconut oil for some good healthy fat. Dh hates coconut but dosn't mind the coconut oil it in hot cereals.

[natmommy]

My dd loves a cream of buckwheat cereal I found at Wild Oats. I'm not sure if you need to soak it or not.

[MidwifeErika]

I like to make oatmeal in my crockpot. I can set it up before I go to bed and then we have a hot meal all ready in the morning. You could do it dairy free. TOnight I set up a coconut oatmeal... I put in a can of coconut milk, 1cup of oats, 3/4 cup of unsweetened coconut, 1 TBSP of coconut oil, and honey to taste. It smells so good and I am excited to eat it in the morning!! We also make the crockpot oatmeal with apples, raisins, and cinnamon.

I also like quinoa for breakfast. It has a nutty sort of flavor and I really like the texture of it.

[angelcat]

We LOVE Red River cereal. It's cracked wheat, flax and one other thing I forget what. We like it with rice milk, but growing up I often had applesauce with all different hot cereals.