Over the years guests have frequently asked for recipes of items on the Horizon BnB menu. Among the most requested recipes – our wild rice hot breakfast cereal! It’s sometimes called muesli, granola or oatmeal – the name varies from region to region.
So why is it so good?
First off, it happens to be really healthy for you. The combination of whole grains is extensive. Grains take time for your body to digest. This gives you a constant energy boost without the ‘quick hit’ of processed carbs and sugar found in many other traditional breakfast cereals. The recipe is also variable. If you have a favorite grain you can add it, or substitute it for one already in the recipe.
Second, it’s very easy to prepare. Prep time is around 15 minutes. It’s oven baked and needs only one hour of attention, after that the cool-down in the oven finishes the baking.
Third, it keeps really well. You can store the cereal in containers in the refrigerator for days – heating only what you want to use that day. Longer storage in the freezer for weeks or months at a time means you can prepare a larger batch and have a supply on hand.
Fourth, it tastes good. Just the basic recipe is delicious. Add nuts, milk/cream, maple syrup, etc. to notch it up. Combine with fresh fruit of almost any kind and you have the perfect healthy breakfast.
Fifth, it’s adaptable, you can make this gluten free if needed – just substitute buckwheat for the bulgar/whole wheat in the basic recipe.
How to put it all together:
The basic recipe calls for mixing all of the ingredients in a shallow baking dish (such as a 9 x 13 cake pan).
Add all the ingredients to the pan.
Add the boiling water and then stir.
Then cover with foil and bake at 350F oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and uncover – careful, that’s a hot dish you’re working with. Add sufficient water so that when stirred it has a loose consistency. Make sure to scrape any baked-on bits into the slurry.
Cover and return to oven, then turn off oven, and leave overnight, or at least 4-5 hours, to finish hydrating the grains.
Decant into storage containers and when cool enough, refrigerate or freeze in smaller containers for long term storage. Enjoy!
Don't forget the extras
Some extra grains I like to add:
Kalmut: an ancient grain rich in zinc, magnesium and selenium. It’s known as a ‘high-energy grain’ because of its high percentage of lipids.
Quinoa: a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids
Spelt: high in fiber and protein it’s easier to digest than wheat
Rye: a good source of soluble fiber, vitamin E, calcium, iron and potassium.
Flax: high in omega-3 fatty acids and lignans (which have plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities).
The basic recipe is included below or click here to download the PDF.
How did your cereal turn out? Did you add any extra grains? We would love to hear your feedback! Let us know in the comments section below, or leave a comment on our Facebook post.
Wild Rice Cereal
8 c water
1/2 c wild rice
1/2 c pearl barley
1/2 c steel-cut oats
1/2 c bulgar wheat
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped pitted dates 1/4 c dark brown sugar
3 tbs butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter 2 1/2 qt ovenproof dish. In prepared dish, mix wild rice with remaining ingredients. Add water [I use boiling water to shorten the bake time]. Cover with foil and bake until grains are tender, water is absorbed and cereal is creamy [about 1 1/2 hours]. *About mid-way through, I usually take it out and add more water if needed & also stir. Store in refrigerator when cool and reheat servings as needed. May be frozen.
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Author: Angus Meek
Hello, Clem and Angus!
I’ve made your hot cereal many, many times here in Sonora CA and have made a few adjustments:
1. I use only enough butter to grease my Dutch oven (1/2 tablespoon)
2. I use one tablespoon of cinnamon
3. I substitute quinoa for the rice (because I was out of rice) and the protein gives me more fuel!
I love your cereal and, of course, your guesthouse! My husband David Harden and I stayed with you in January of 2019.
We wish you both ALL THE BEST!
Pamela Blair
Hi Pamela, thank you! Wonderful to hear you’ve been making the hot cereal, your version sounds great! Hopefully we’ll see you both here sometime in the future.